How many track days do you have..and where?

94is · 10-05-2009, 09:34 PM

Counting the number of days at which tracks is actually something I need to do soon to apply for my racing license with BMWCCA. Let's see how much I can remember...

Streets of Willow: ~8 days
Buttonwillow: ~20-25 days
Thunderhill: 1 day
Sears Point: 1 day

Laguna Seca: 1 day
Reno-Fernley: 3 days
Cal Speedway: 2 days
Road Atlanta: 2 days

Obviously I frequent tracks that are close by (with the exception of Cal Speedway which doesn't really do it for me

). I feel like I've missed out on a lot of track time due to the reliability of my car. Hopefully after all of the work I do to it this winter I won't have to worry about too much next season.

Riding in pace cars sadly doesn't count, or I could add Mosport, Watkins Glen and Road America to the list. I'm going to make it a point to tow out to Road America next year for the Club Race.

Feffman · 10-06-2009, 07:54 AM

You guys out West are lucky. Great weather, a wide variety of tracks and I imagine essentially year around track time. We (www.MVPTrackTime.com) are working to secure a 2010 weekend at Laguna Seca to break the Winter blues.

Feff

S4to335 · 10-06-2009, 08:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feffman

You guys out West are lucky. Great weather, a wide variety of tracks and I imagine essentially year around track time. We (www.MVPTrackTime.com) are working to secure a 2010 weekend at Laguna Seca to break the Winter blues.

Feff

Feff...it is really difficult to get Laguna days...especially on the weekends. I was the co-event master for the Audi Clubs first visit there in 2001. Judy Bixler use to be the lady to convince...not sure if she is still there..but good luck..and be prepared to get a weekday instead of a weekend.

Yes, we can pretty much do track days all year long.

Ramos · 10-06-2009, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hit_Apex

Probably 30 - 40 days per year. All CA tracks except for TH and have done Las Vegas a few years ago. I've run with the following groups just in the past year:

BMWCCA
Driving Concepts (Comp School)
Speedventures
Trackmasters
CFRA
NCRC
POC/PCA

My track car is the E46 M3 - But I have done 6 or so track days in the E90. It's done Cal Speedway when the wife broke the clutch early on Sat at the last BMWCCA LA event, Laguna Seca when my fuel pump went out right when I pulled into the track, and Buttonwillow twice (pictured below).

Wow that is insane !!! 30-40 track days / years means you have a track day every 10 days of your life...

That is crazy !! mind if I ask what your budget is per season?
If the average track weekend school cost let's say $300 that's $6000
Let's say hotels + gas per weekend at least another $400 * 20 = $8000
Let's say new tires every 5 weekends at $1000 * 4 = $4000
Let's also say new brakes every 4 weekends at $750 * 5 = $3750

So your annual budget for this excluding any other car repair or depreciation is a minimum of $ 21,750? Is that right? I would love to get as much seat time as that but I can really only afford 3-4 weekends / year !!

Dascamel · 10-06-2009, 11:06 PM

That is a crazy budget. I wonder how much the club racers annual budget is.

Dascamel · 10-06-2009, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feffman

You guys out West are lucky. Great weather, a wide variety of tracks and I imagine essentially year around track time. We (www.MVPTrackTime.com) are working to secure a 2010 weekend at Laguna Seca to break the Winter blues.

Feff

The winter months are almost perfect track weather. Down here very little rain and nice cool weather. The summer months can be torture...

jopa489 · 10-07-2009, 12:27 AM

Eh, maybe 5 per year on average for me. I'd love to do more, but it's hard to find the time. I only do ones where I have time to check things over and prepare. Rushing track days is no fun.

blipblip · 10-07-2009, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feffman

You guys out West are lucky. Great weather, a wide variety of tracks and I imagine essentially year around track time. We (www.MVPTrackTime.com) are working to secure a 2010 weekend at Laguna Seca to break the Winter blues.

Feff

Have you guys consider Texas tracks?

325racer · 10-07-2009, 01:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dascamel

That is a crazy budget. I wonder how much the club racers annual budget is.

Factor $2000-5000 per weekend. Depending on what class and competitive you are.

Then Factor any Damage, repairs, upgrades. It's best not to do the Math. Just pay as much of the Credit Card bill as you can every month. That is until it runs out, then you take a break while you pay it down enough to buy new tires, etc. Then repeat until you are out of Cash and Credit again. And REPEAT!!!!!!!!!

dieguito37 · 10-07-2009, 02:03 AM

Let me try and get this straight:

* 10+ days Summit Point, WV (BMW CCA, MB club - all three circuits)
* 2 days Thunderbolt New Jersey Motorsports Park (BMW CCA NJ-DE)
* 2 days Road Atlanta (BMW CCA Peachtree)
* 2 days VIR (BMW CCA Tarheel)
* 0.5 days Monticello (private track, New York, General Motors CTS-V experience)
* 2 days Watkins Glen (Audi Quattro Club Northeast)
* 2 days Buttonwillow Raceway (BMW CCA San Diego)

Never made it to Lime Rock or the tracks in Canada.

Getting ready for Infineon.

Feffman · 10-08-2009, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blipblip

Have you guys consider Texas tracks?

We are looking for the appropriate personell to work with in Texas for tracks like MSR and Eagle's Canyon, but haven't found the right partner yet.

Feff

blipblip · 10-08-2009, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feffman

We are looking for the appropriate personell to work with in Texas for tracks like MSR and Eagle's Canyon, but haven't found the right partner yet.

Feff

I can probably direct you to the person in charge of MSR Houston if you are interested.

DrDomer · 10-09-2009, 11:10 AM

Feffman runs a good-tight ship. I can't imagine doing 30-40 track days per year. You have to be 1) single 2) independently wealthy (how can you get that many days off?) 3)Have no other interests in life...

If I was doing that many days, why not just get your racing license and move your way up the ranks...get sponsors..etc...?

Ramos · 10-09-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrDomer

I can't imagine doing 30-40 track days per year. You have to be 1) single 2) independently wealthy (how can you get that many days off?) 3)Have no other interests in life...

If I was doing that many days, why not just get your racing license and move your way up the ranks...get sponsors..etc...?

Exactly

S4to335 · 10-09-2009, 11:49 PM

Get sponsors...lol....you think that is easy? When you are in club racing...98% of guys are on their own dime...People like Randy Pobst, Bill Auberlein, and such get paid rides...or partial paid rides...the average joe in SCCA and NASA is paying for the whole tamale.

When I raced in Spec Miata...I was only spending very little per weekend...

Here is how it worked out.

Race: $295 or maybe $425 for a double regional..(not sure if it is more now)
Hotel: 3 nights...about $400 or so..depends on what track
Food: Minimal..but I would say $100 for the long weekend
Tires: My tires would last several races..but I did have to buy an extra set for rain
so it might be $625 plus mount/balance divided by 4 per weekend. I always bought them shaved...sometime already heat cycled by Tirerack.
Brake Pads/Fluid: Hawk Blues...or Carbotech...plus RBF600 Motul - $200/4 races
Miscellaneous Parts: Radiator, fan belts, clutch, other odds and ends - $50/weekend on average.

So, my race weekends were about $1100 per.

Oh..and time off from work...at least a Friday...sometimes a Thursday and a Friday

325racer · 10-10-2009, 11:22 AM

Don't forget, Truck, Trailer, Fuel for both tow and track. Spares.

jgalaxy · 10-10-2009, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S4to335

Get sponsors...lol....you think that is easy? When you are in club racing...98% of guys are on their own dime...People like Randy Pobst, Bill Auberlein, and such get paid rides...or partial paid rides...the average joe in SCCA and NASA is paying for the whole tamale.

When I raced in Spec Miata...I was only spending very little per weekend...

Here is how it worked out.

Race: $295 or maybe $425 for a double regional..(not sure if it is more now)
Hotel: 3 nights...about $400 or so..depends on what track
Food: Minimal..but I would say $100 for the long weekend
Tires: My tires would last several races..but I did have to buy an extra set for rain
so it might be $625 plus mount/balance divided by 4 per weekend. I always bought them shaved...sometime already heat cycled by Tirerack.
Brake Pads/Fluid: Hawk Blues...or Carbotech...plus RBF600 Motul - $200/4 races
Miscellaneous Parts: Radiator, fan belts, clutch, other odds and ends - $50/weekend on average.

So, my race weekends were about $1100 per.

Oh..and time off from work...at least a Friday...sometimes a Thursday and a Friday

I does get brutally expensive. But there ain't no substitute.

Dascamel · 10-10-2009, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S4to335

Get sponsors...lol....you think that is easy? When you are in club racing...98% of guys are on their own dime...People like Randy Pobst, Bill Auberlein, and such get paid rides...or partial paid rides...the average joe in SCCA and NASA is paying for the whole tamale.

When I raced in Spec Miata...I was only spending very little per weekend...

Here is how it worked out.

Race: $295 or maybe $425 for a double regional..(not sure if it is more now)
Hotel: 3 nights...about $400 or so..depends on what track
Food: Minimal..but I would say $100 for the long weekend
Tires: My tires would last several races..but I did have to buy an extra set for rain
so it might be $625 plus mount/balance divided by 4 per weekend. I always bought them shaved...sometime already heat cycled by Tirerack.
Brake Pads/Fluid: Hawk Blues...or Carbotech...plus RBF600 Motul - $200/4 races
Miscellaneous Parts: Radiator, fan belts, clutch, other odds and ends - $50/weekend on average.

So, my race weekends were about $1100 per.

Oh..and time off from work...at least a Friday...sometimes a Thursday and a Friday

Even $1100 per weekend starts to add up. Time off isn't much of an issue, but to race a good number of events definately adds up fast. I'm just going to tell the kids they need to pay for their own college tuition.

Thanks for the numbers guys.

jgalaxy · 10-11-2009, 04:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dascamel

Even $1100 per weekend starts to add up. Time off isn't much of an issue, but to race a good number of events definately adds up fast. I'm just going to tell the kids they need to pay for their own college tuition.

Thanks for the numbers guys.

Pay for college. heck, I've asked the kids to move out.

S4to335 · 10-12-2009, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 325racer

Don't forget, Truck, Trailer, Fuel for both tow and track. Spares.

Oh yeah...forgot that stuff.

Feffman · 10-12-2009, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blipblip

I can probably direct you to the person in charge of MSR Houston if you are interested.

BlipBlip:

Thanks for the thought. It's not the track personell, but rather the right person(s) to run the event at a particular track we seek. I have only so much time from my real job.

Feff

mike-y · 10-12-2009, 11:31 AM

Numbers like that is why I'm still a chump running track days and not Honda Challenge H2. Although the LeMons events are a good way to get your feet wet running wheel to wheel, without spending as much money out of your pocket, since you can split all the expenses between 4 or 5 drivers.

Getting a car up and running will cost some cash, but it's still cheaper than prepping a car in a spec series. But then you need someone who can explain to their wife why they need to store this crappy "race car" in the garage haha.

10-05-2009, 09:34 PM	#23
94is Kim 4 Rep 85 Posts Drives: E36(x2), E39, F80 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0) Garage List 2017 BMW M3 [0.00] 1994 325is IP Race Car [0.00] 1999 M3 [0.00] 1999 528iT [0.00]	Counting the number of days at which tracks is actually something I need to do soon to apply for my racing license with BMWCCA. Let's see how much I can remember... Streets of Willow: ~8 days Buttonwillow: ~20-25 days Thunderhill: 1 day Sears Point: 1 day Laguna Seca: 1 day Reno-Fernley: 3 days Cal Speedway: 2 days Road Atlanta: 2 days Obviously I frequent tracks that are close by (with the exception of Cal Speedway which doesn't really do it for me ). I feel like I've missed out on a lot of track time due to the reliability of my car. Hopefully after all of the work I do to it this winter I won't have to worry about too much next season. Riding in pace cars sadly doesn't count, or I could add Mosport, Watkins Glen and Road America to the list. I'm going to make it a point to tow out to Road America next year for the Club Race.
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10-06-2009, 07:54 AM	#24
Feffman Banned 27 Rep 337 Posts Drives: M3 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gateway To The West iTrader: (0)	You guys out West are lucky. Great weather, a wide variety of tracks and I imagine essentially year around track time. We (www.MVPTrackTime.com) are working to secure a 2010 weekend at Laguna Seca to break the Winter blues. Feff
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10-06-2009, 11:06 PM	#27
Dascamel Lieutenant Colonel 50 Rep 1,664 Posts Drives: 2008 e92 M3, 2010 e91 328i Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Bakersfield, CA iTrader: (0)	That is a crazy budget. I wonder how much the club racers annual budget is. __________________ 2008 E92 M3 Jerez Black,DCT,Fox Red ext,Prem,Tech,19", ipod/usb, CF roof and trim 2010 E91 328i Space Gray,Black int, M sport, most options 2007 Montego Blue 335i (retired)
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10-07-2009, 12:27 AM	#29
jopa489 Major General 127 Rep 6,594 Posts Drives: Anything with Wheels Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: USA iTrader: (9)	Eh, maybe 5 per year on average for me. I'd love to do more, but it's hard to find the time. I only do ones where I have time to check things over and prepare. Rushing track days is no fun. __________________ X7 LCI // Incoming C7 ZR1 ZTK // Sebring + TRX // Hydro + Raptor Gen1 Roush // Tuxedo
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10-07-2009, 02:03 AM	#32
dieguito37 Enlisted Member 6 Rep 44 Posts Drives: 2010 Audi S4, 2006 BMW 325i Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: San Diego, CA iTrader: (0)	Let me try and get this straight: * 10+ days Summit Point, WV (BMW CCA, MB club - all three circuits) * 2 days Thunderbolt New Jersey Motorsports Park (BMW CCA NJ-DE) * 2 days Road Atlanta (BMW CCA Peachtree) * 2 days VIR (BMW CCA Tarheel) * 0.5 days Monticello (private track, New York, General Motors CTS-V experience) * 2 days Watkins Glen (Audi Quattro Club Northeast) * 2 days Buttonwillow Raceway (BMW CCA San Diego) Never made it to Lime Rock or the tracks in Canada. Getting ready for Infineon.
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10-09-2009, 11:10 AM	#35
DrDomer Major 43 Rep 1,349 Posts Drives: 2004 330ci ZHP, 1999 Miata Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Iowa iTrader: (0)	Feffman runs a good-tight ship. I can't imagine doing 30-40 track days per year. You have to be 1) single 2) independently wealthy (how can you get that many days off?) 3)Have no other interests in life... If I was doing that many days, why not just get your racing license and move your way up the ranks...get sponsors..etc...? __________________ Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves. ~Albert Einstein
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10-09-2009, 11:49 PM	#37
S4to335 Brigadier General 475 Rep 4,380 Posts Drives: 2014 Audi A4 / 91 Track Miata Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: San Jose, CA iTrader: (5) Garage List 2007 BMW 335i sedan [8.00]	Get sponsors...lol....you think that is easy? When you are in club racing...98% of guys are on their own dime...People like Randy Pobst, Bill Auberlein, and such get paid rides...or partial paid rides...the average joe in SCCA and NASA is paying for the whole tamale. When I raced in Spec Miata...I was only spending very little per weekend... Here is how it worked out. Race: $295 or maybe $425 for a double regional..(not sure if it is more now) Hotel: 3 nights...about $400 or so..depends on what track Food: Minimal..but I would say $100 for the long weekend Tires: My tires would last several races..but I did have to buy an extra set for rain so it might be $625 plus mount/balance divided by 4 per weekend. I always bought them shaved...sometime already heat cycled by Tirerack. Brake Pads/Fluid: Hawk Blues...or Carbotech...plus RBF600 Motul - $200/4 races Miscellaneous Parts: Radiator, fan belts, clutch, other odds and ends - $50/weekend on average. So, my race weekends were about $1100 per. Oh..and time off from work...at least a Friday...sometimes a Thursday and a Friday __________________ Car is now gone .... :-(
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10-10-2009, 11:22 AM	#38
325racer Private First Class 1 Rep 103 Posts Drives: 92 325is Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: San Diego iTrader: (0)	Don't forget, Truck, Trailer, Fuel for both tow and track. Spares. __________________ Why does every Forum use a different signature format???????????
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10-12-2009, 11:31 AM	#44
mike-y just another bmw douche bag 196 Rep 3,640 Posts Drives: 1.9L of fury Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Los Angeles, CA iTrader: (4)	Numbers like that is why I'm still a chump running track days and not Honda Challenge H2. Although the LeMons events are a good way to get your feet wet running wheel to wheel, without spending as much money out of your pocket, since you can split all the expenses between 4 or 5 drivers. Getting a car up and running will cost some cash, but it's still cheaper than prepping a car in a spec series. But then you need someone who can explain to their wife why they need to store this crappy "race car" in the garage haha.
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