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What DE group?

Joined
27 June 2003
Messages
1,443
Location
Lenexa, KS, USA
Is there a group in the midwest (I'm in KC and don't mind a 200-300 mile drive) that regularly sponsers HPDE events? "The driver's Edge" is a great group of people; but, they are located in Texas.
 
MarkB said:
Is there a group in the midwest (I'm in KC and don't mind a 200-300 mile drive) that regularly sponsers HPDE events? "The driver's Edge" is a great group of people; but, they are located in Texas.
There are a number of them, some of which operate nationally.
- CGI Motorsports (mainly Gingerman in SW Michigan, hopefully other tracks)
- Speedtrial USA
- BMWCCA -- between the dozen or so chapters in-area, collectively a LOT of events (each chapter typically does 1-3 events per season). BMW ownership not necessary; most marques welcome.
- PCA -- similar to BMW, although Porsche ownership IS required for membership, some chapters allow you to run "other marques" at their events.

Typical cost for these "club schools" ranges from about $130-160/day depending on the track venue.

- TrackTime -- cost approx 2x that of a "club school"

Then there's the "pro" school (Skip Barber, etc) -- cost approx 2x that of Track Time (or 4x that of a club event)
 
nsx1164 said:
There are a number of them, some of which operate nationally.
- CGI Motorsports (mainly Gingerman in SW Michigan, hopefully other tracks)
- Speedtrial USA
- BMWCCA -- between the dozen or so chapters in-area, collectively a LOT of events (each chapter typically does 1-3 events per season). BMW ownership not necessary; most marques welcome.
- PCA -- similar to BMW, although Porsche ownership IS required for membership, some chapters allow you to run "other marques" at their events.

Typical cost for these "club schools" ranges from about $130-160/day depending on the track venue.

- TrackTime -- cost approx 2x that of a "club school"

Then there's the "pro" school (Skip Barber, etc) -- cost approx 2x that of Track Time (or 4x that of a club event)
Excellent summary.

Links:

BMW CCA
CGI Motorsports
PCA
Skip Barber
SpeedTrialUSA
TrackTime
 
Mark since you are retired, I expect to see you @ Gingerman (a great safe track to learn) and then @ Road America (A premier fast and long road course) this summer!! Join the Windy City Chapter of BMW. A first class school is held in early May. Should be around 5-10 NSX's there.
 
Thanks to all who have responded. My calendar is finally filling up with DE events.

Tom. I will be joining the Windy City BMW CCA asap. I can tell this is a northern group by the lack of events from late fall to late spring; but, thet make use of some of the tracks I want to run.

Thanks again.
 
MarkB said:
I will be joining the Windy City BMW CCA asap.
Just to clarify - when you join BMW CCA, you are automatically considered a member of your local chapter. I believe you have to pay a bit extra to be considered part of a second chapter as well, and you're certainly welcome to do this; this will enable you to receive the Breeze, the Windy City Chapter newsletter which contains the applications for their three annual HPDE events (Road America in early May, GingerMan in early June, and Grattan in mid September). Even if you are not a member of a particular chapter, you are still eligible (and welcome) to sign up for its track events. You can check out the upcoming events on each chapter's website, linked from the national club's website. The national club's website also has a calendar but many of the track events aren't shown there.
 
Thanks for remembering that point Ken. I think it is around an extra $15 for adding another chapter besides your home region.

One other side note that Ken can shed actual facts on is this; I think every year except last year, (economy) in the history of the Road America event sold out within days, so get your application mailed in the day you receive it!!!!
 
Tom's right; many of the events sell out quickly, although that has been less true in the past year or two.

Different chapters have different rules regarding acceptance of applications for the events. With Windy City Chapter, it is indeed best to mail the application as soon as possible; they then give some priority to applicants from their own chapter, then from other chapters, and only after that accept non-members (with the requirement that they pay extra for a club membership at the same time). Some of the other chapters have a "first postmark date" whereby they won't accept applications mailed before a specified date, and then they take them in postmark order - so to maximize your chances of getting in, you have to make sure you get your application postmarked on that particular date. The application usually tells what their policies and procedures are.
 
nsxtasy said:
Just to clarify - when you join BMW CCA, you are automatically considered a member of your local chapter. I believe you have to pay a bit extra to be considered part of a second chapter as well, and you're certainly welcome to do this;
IIRC you were by default hooked up with the "local" chapter based on your mailing address. SOME folks have opted to elect "other" (non-local) chapters as their "home" chapter, in lieu of the "local" one -- some might choose Windy City (IL) or Buckeye (OH) because they run more HPDEs, for example.

But chapter membership is not a prerequisite, as nsxtasy mentions; many of us also participate on other chapter events.

Mark -- in addition to the tracks mentioned, I'd also suggest you try the BMWCCA events at Putnam Park. Its reasonably close to you, and there are a string of events in the spring/summer -- Hoosier, Buckeye and Bluegrass.
 
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