NSX Only Track Day @ Buttonwillow

Tones824 said:

I have question about what group I would fall in... Been to BW on 2 wheels running (A)dvance group several times but never on 4 wheels. Am comfortable at speed with outside or inner passing.

Should I just stick to something like purple or under still?

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g3driver said:

I'm in. Don't know what color. I usually race in TT or hpde 4. I'll take the run group with the least amount of cars!! Lol

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g3driver said:

I'm in. Don't know what color. I usually race in TT or hpde 4. I'll take the run group with the least amount of cars!! Lol

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9doors said:

Erik, I'd say go Green with me.

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RYU said:

Gentlemen!

We are confirmed for Oct 18th! Greg-TT was able to make accommodations to make this date. It was very important to me personally that he was able to make it. He's been a big supporter of the SoCal Track Group just like Jim, Nick, Kuni, Wil, Ryan and many others whom I consider brothers. I'm now waiting for the details from the track day organizer - SpeedVentures. Below are tentative details from what I know so far.

Date: Oct 18th, Saturday
Time: 7:30am (Do Not Be Late)
URL for Signup: http://www.speedventures.com/events/eventdetail.aspx?id=472
Cost: <$200, likely approx $130-170/driver
Other: I'm trying to setup some garages. It's usually $80 per stall which fits 2 cars. It's WELL WORTH IT

Format: We will have our own NSX Run Group. This will guarantee at least 4 or 5, ~20min sessions of just NSX owners on the track at that time. Due to the interest, this will be Advance to Intermediate NSX owners/drivers only for now. If we have problems filling up the min quota (I don't know the min quota yet, will be likely 10-15 NSXs) then we'll open it up to other NSX owners who want to take their other cars.

Beginners: Beginners are welcome! I would encourage you sign up in the Beginner's group. "Beginners" are typically drivers who have less than 3 track days but anyone can sign up for beginners. If this is your first time on the track it's mandatory you sign up for the Beginner's group. You will be given proper instruction by the SV staff.

Note on Cost: The per person cost is TBD. This will depend on how many people end up signing up. From the looks of it the cost will be under $200/driver and will likely be between $130-170 from a rough headcount. Speedventures will procure the sign-ups from their website and will bill us individually once registration is closed. I will be provided a signup code shortly.

Please post if anyone has any questions and/or if i've missed anything.

BTW.. Guess who came out of the woodwork and decided to come? The thrilla of Manila Ramon of Niguel Motors! Maybe he can do a timing belt swap for you on the spot!

- - - Updated - - -

Please add your name below so I can get a prelim headcount. Thanks guys

1. RYU
2. Coz
3. Greg-TT
4. illWillem
5. Ryan
6. .....

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illwillem said:

Regan, This is awesome. Even if half the people show up thats amazing. Thanks for setting this up, looking for ward to this.

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Gentleman-

Let me start off by introducing myself, my name is Mike Miserendino and I work for Buttonwillow Raceway. I know a few of you on this forum, but most I do not. It is great to see all the interest and enthusiasm you have for BRP. Before this thread gets too far “out of whack” we (the race track) want to give some factual data that will hopefully clear up some issues people have.


I was on site as the event manager this weekend during the Speed Ventures event and made the decision to put up cones in 2 locations Saturday afternoon and 1 location Sunday afternoon. I will address this decision later, but first I want to give background on the entire paving project.


To say the repaving project was a big deal is an understatement. It was as big of a project as when the place was built nearly 20 years ago. Portions of the track have been repaved over the years, but never the entire place. Our longest configuration measures just over 3 miles, but when you add up all the different options and connections, there are 4.47 miles of asphalt at BRP. We have 49 curbs totaling over 6600 linear feet or 1.25 miles. Some curbs were salvaged, but many had to be replaced. Many of the curbs were lengthened and widened. The amount of concrete needed to fill some of the longer curbs is huge. For example, it took 1 truck (9.5 yards of concrete) just to fill the apex curb at Sunrise and the apex curb at Off Ramp. Obviously not all curbs are that big, but you get the idea.


There have been some questions about the repaving procedure we used. The single biggest problem we face is our native soil. Simply put, our dirt sucks. It’s expansive and has the poorest possible basic structure. These poor characteristics create the cracks and bumps many disliked about the track. Not everyone hated the bumps, but the biggest commentary came from the motorcycle community. We spent a lot of money and time on lab tests and studies with soil experts. Our best option to remedy the issues was to go over the top of our existing surface. The same thing will happen with the next repave. Over time the track will get thicker and thicker and our soil will become less damaging to the track as it expands and contracts through the seasons. Before the asphalt was laid down, most of the problem bump areas were ground down so that as the paver made its pass, a thick layer of asphalt was laid. Depending on the location, over 3 inches (measured when compacted) of new asphalt was placed. Close to 8500 TONS of asphalt was needed for the whole track. That is not just a “slurry” or a top coat. The race track will never be 100% bump free. Unfortunately we can’t fold the race track up and carry it to a new location so we have to deal with our land as best as we can. Some regarded the track as old and beat up due to lack of maintenance. That actually is not the case. The track gets inspected and cleaned every day there is track activity. Most of this is never witnessed because it has to be done early in the morning, or late at night.


Before the project even began, test batches of asphalt were put through extensive lab tests and engineers directed us to have a minimum of 3 days cure time. The pavement on the 13 CW configuration used this weekend was completed on July 10. That is 16 days prior to this Saturday. We had a motorcycle event on July 19 and the midweek track activity leading up to this weekend included a Formula Ford, a F2000 open wheel car, multiple Porsche Cup cars and a few Spec Miatas. The track was monitored very closely and no problems were observed. Myself, and our track president Les Phillips gathered as much feedback as possible through the week. We are both racers also and have a pretty good understanding of what the track is supposed to feel like. I personally spoke at length with a driver of one of the Porsche Cup cars and there were zero concerns about the grip level and they kept going faster and faster as the day progressed. This is typically not the trend. I won’t name the driver, but I can tell you that their resume includes wins at the 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring and multiple podiums at Le Mans.
The application of the lime on the track served 2 purposes. First, the color helped reduce the heat of the surface and second, it helps with the grip by treating the surface and minimizing the loose fines that inhibit grip. The lime was mixed into our water truck and then sprayed onto the track at night. It was not applied in powder form. The normal track sweeping procedure was then followed each morning. If you haven’t seen our sweeper tractor, there is a giant rotary broom on the front and a powerful blower on the back. How powerful? You will be blown over if you stand in front of it, seriously. Any concern of the lime causing rain like conditions can be dismissed. The surface is brand new, there is no rubber down. Also, the first session of any day is not ideal. No heat in the track, car, tires, etc. With the volume of cars at the event this past weekend, I did not think the offs were more than normal. I spent quite a bit of time watching from various locations and did witness a number of offs. I am no Sebastien Vettel, but I know my way pretty decent around a track and I can tell you most of the offs were driver induced.


If you were here this weekend, you know how hot it was. If you were relaxing pool side somewhere, smart move, but let me tell you, it was HOT. The cones in Off Ramp and Cotton Corners were a preventive measure more than anything. I worked closely with the Speed Ventures staff and was aware of all the timed competitions. Once the competitions were done I elected to place cones in those 2 areas to prevent any catastrophic pavement problems. The polymer was also applied as a precaution. It is not every day that the temps reach 105 and up. As for the grip level on the polymer, most of the entire track had it on before the repave. This should also have been a non issue. On Sunday, we had to push back the start time 1 hour because the cloud cover was blocking the sun and the polymer wasn’t drying fast enough. We had staff stay until 11 PM Saturday night and some of those very same staff members were back in at 5 AM.
As mentioned before, we way exceeded the time restriction for the pavement curing outlined by the asphalt engineers and experts. It was not a decision based off of greed or a need for revenue to put cars on the track. Earlier this week highs were in the low 90s, damn near pleasant. Mother Nature is something we are not in control of and unfortunately it made it hard on us this weekend. We have agreements with customers like Speed Ventures that we need to honor. Canceling events is not something we do. When we build our second race track, which is already in the planning process, we will have no prior commitments and the track will cure for a month? 2 months? Whatever is needed.


If you made it this far, thanks for reading. Hopefully this answers some questions out there. We appreciate the support you give our great facility and the support you give our customers who hold events here. Feel free to share this info on other forums or web outlets.


Sincerely,
Mike Miserendino
Buttonwillow Raceway Park

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9doors said:

Should we start adding # of days as well as group selection? I.e., Coz and I will be there both days.

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illwillem said:

We'll need name tags, at least for my own benefit.

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