Mid-Atlantic HPDE groups

[jwmelvin]

I posted over in the DC forum but thought this might reach a broader audience in a still-appropriate way.

I'm trying to get to a few track days this year (having been at VIR for NSXPO2013). I'd appreciate any advice regarding the various groups that run HPDE events in the mid-Atlantic area (Summit Point, VIR, NJMP, ?). In particular, whether there are groups to avoid (overly crowded or poor instruction) or groups I have not yet included. These are the groups that I included in my calendar of events:

• SCCA
  
• NASA
  
• TrackDaze
  
• BMW NCC & Tarheels
  
• Track Club USA
  

Thanks for any thoughts.
-jason

 

[JoseJA1979]

TrackDaze is great. I've run with them at Summit Point (Shenandoah Circuit) and at NJMP (both circuits). They run nice organized events. I found that their instructors are pretty good and the run groups aren't overcrowded.

NJMP is awesome since its fairly new (2008). I'm not a big fan of Summit Point.

 

[nsxtasy]

I highly recommend Chin Motorsports. Their schedule includes VIR, Watkins Glen, and Mid-Ohio, and many other tracks across the country.

 

[dquarasr2]

+1 on Chin. Crisply-run events, friendly atmosphere, emphasis on safety. Bonus: Dr. Chin started it all by itching to get his NSX on the track . . . .

(I'll be at Homestead with Chin this Saturday Feb 8, '14.)

 

[twentyfourth]

another organization doing "track days" is Bertil Roos. It's a racing school (think skip barber)that incorporates street car days at tracks they hold classes and races. VIR, Pococno, Beaverrun (Pitt Intl race), and NJMP. The instructors all have race experience and the day includes (3) hour longh sessions. I graduated, compete, and occasionally use the nsx to get more "seat time." racenow.com not sure if full 2014 schedule's up yet. nothing but positive experience

 

[jwmelvin]

Thanks for the additional places to look. I added Chin's VIR dates to my calendar, and the PDC days that Bertil Roos offers (only at Pocono Raceway according to the schedule that is up so far).

 

[the nsxnut]

I usually resist the temptation for shameless plugs. But, my brethren have called me out... :smile: The humble beginning of Chin Motorsports was an informal gathering of NSX enthusiasts at Sebring in 1999. Today, Chin Motorsports is the largest provider of non-competition sports car track events in the USA today... 39 calendar events at 12 great tracks, 72 days on track, over 6,000 driver entries annually. I'm the general manager, and Wei-Shen Chin is the founder. Wei-Shen is the past president of NSXCA, and I also served on the board for years. The owner/partners of Chin Motorsports collectively have 4 NSXs. On the homepage of our website, the '91 Berlina Black fondly known as ChiNSX is prominently featured. That car has seen over 65,000 track miles in it's life, and has had every mechanical component on it replaced, some twice... Usually, at Chin Motorsports events, we have the only NSX. We'd love to see more! Here's the calendar: http://www.chinmotorsports.com/Calendar.aspx

 

[ALwAyS4SaLe]

I usually resist the temptation for shameless plugs. But, my brethren have called me out... :smile: The humble beginning of Chin Motorsports was an informal gathering of NSX enthusiasts at Sebring in 1999. Today, Chin Motorsports is the largest provider of non-competition sports car track events in the USA today... 39 calendar events at 12 great tracks, 72 days on track, over 6,000 driver entries annually. I'm the general manager, and Wei-Shen Chin is the founder. Wei-Shen is the past president of NSXCA, and I also served on the board for years. The owner/partners of Chin Motorsports collectively have 4 NSXs. On the homepage of our website, the '91 Berlina Black fondly known as ChiNSX is prominently featured. That car has seen over 65,000 track miles in it's life, and has had every mechanical component on it replaced, some twice... Usually, at Chin Motorsports events, we have the only NSX. We'd love to see more! Here's the calendar: http://www.chinmotorsports.com/Calendar.aspx

Can't wait to get my NSX on the road knowing that there are classes available so close to me at NJMP.

 

[scammy]

I usually resist the temptation for shameless plugs. But, my brethren have called me out... :smile: The humble beginning of Chin Motorsports was an informal gathering of NSX enthusiasts at Sebring in 1999. Today, Chin Motorsports is the largest provider of non-competition sports car track events in the USA today... 39 calendar events at 12 great tracks, 72 days on track, over 6,000 driver entries annually. I'm the general manager, and Wei-Shen Chin is the founder. Wei-Shen is the past president of NSXCA, and I also served on the board for years. The owner/partners of Chin Motorsports collectively have 4 NSXs. On the homepage of our website, the '91 Berlina Black fondly known as ChiNSX is prominently featured. That car has seen over 65,000 track miles in it's life, and has had every mechanical component on it replaced, some twice... Usually, at Chin Motorsports events, we have the only NSX. We'd love to see more! Here's the calendar: http://www.chinmotorsports.com/Calendar.aspx

sometimes I wish I lived in the US, '12 great tracks' & '72 days on track' and the car has seen 'over 65,000 track miles'. jealous!

 

[nsxalot]

Stay away from events that get young people with lots of high horsepowered cars. Red line Time Track is only good for hardcore competitive drivers.

It is important to go with a group which has strict rules that all drivers follow. High dollar car clubs like Porsche, BMW, NSX and others may have lower prices with qualiufied nstructors.

Chin Motorsports is excellent.
Lance

 

[Pooh]

Living in central NJ we do a lot of events with the local PCA clubs. Both Don and I have found the people at the PCA events to be much more friendly then we expected (not sure why we thought they would be otherwise). They run safe events without being overly crazy strict, you typically get 30 min (sometimes 45 min) sessions 4x a day and the prices are awesome. If you have a Porsche you can become a PCA member for a 50.00 savings per event. The local clubs hit Summit, VIR, the Glen, Mid-Ohio, and of course NJMP. Risentoter, Schatenbaum, and NNJR are clubs from the Del Val area whose events we often attend. PCA Zone 2 includes the PCA clubs located near VIR. They also put on a good safe event.

BMW events - BMW Tarheels is a great group located near VIR. Many of the non-NSX instructors at NSXPO were from the BMW Tarheels club. Their instructors are typically awesome. Similar format as PCA/NSXPO with 4 30-35 min sessions per day. The del val BMW groups are often at Summit and NJMP and we have attending their events at NJMP.

Trackmasters (not a club based group) puts on events at the Glen that many from the Tri-state area attend. Kid's Day, which is in July, involves Intermediate and Advance Students in HPDE and charity laps for a local camp for kids with cancer. Many from the NE region (15-20 people) attend this event and meet for dinner the night prior. Novice students have an event that takes place typically the first weekend in May. The amount of track time advance students get is huge! 3 hours per day.

Chin Motorsports - one of the NSXPO sponsors also has events at the Glen and VIR. They provide more track time then the other groups having a combined hour on the last day in addition to your regular track sessions which are 45 minutes each. The extra time can really be helpful when trying to learn and or improve at a long track like VIR or the Glen as you get many more laps per session. Their events cost more, but the actual track time per event is greater than the other groups. There was a small group of us at their Watkins Glen event last August (Labor Day Monday/Tuesday).

I have found it helpful to attend events with different groups as you will learn some different things to focus on. One group may have better instructors, better classroom time, more welcoming attitude or better amenities (dinner, after track beer and wine, t-shirts all included, breakfast donuts and coffee).

 

[jwmelvin]

Very helpful, thanks. I hadn't heard good things about PCA around DC but perhaps that is an outlier or just one person's bad experience.

 

[nsxtasy]

Very helpful, thanks. I hadn't heard good things about PCA around DC but perhaps that is an outlier or just one person's bad experience.

Not necessarily. You can't join PCA unless you own a Porsche (which is not true of other marque clubs such as NSXCA and BMWCCA). And most of the PCA track events in my area do not let you drive unless you are a member, and many of them don't let you drive a non-Porsche even if you are a Porsche-owning member.