Track Day - Willow Springs - FRI. SEPT. 8TH - Rosamond, CA

[DrBReed]

Well, we tried to answer all the questions but negelected the most obvious...start time. Willow Springs Raceway opens its doors at 8:00 AM and the track closes at 5:00PM. I expect we will have our drivers meeting start at 8:30 with classroom instruction starting at 9:00.
In communication with the track, due to some misunderstandings in the past few months, we will be able to have "station wagon sessions" with as many people in a car as can safely fit with no helmets required. These sessions will be run very slowly! We just want everyone to know the basic layout of the track before they get on the first time.

[DrBReed]

Originally Posted by HEMEEE

WooHoo... Hey Steve, you're our first official 'join-us-for-the-fun-of-it' member to sign up! Definitely looking forward to this, see ya soon

Hey Steve: Glad you want to join us. I want you to know if you want to ride along with one of the instructors, all you have to do is ask. The ride will not be for the purpose of scaring the crap out of you, but just to give you some idea of what it is like to drive on a race track, a very fast race track.

[RexDog]

DanRealtor watch out!! RexDog is going to give you some competition!!

I just couldn't wait for the track day on Sept. 8 so when I got an email from Tim @ Alltime Racing saying there are some open spots for Thurs. June 22 - I jumped at it. All I have to say is AWESOME! I was the only one representing with the Hemi but there were a lot of fast cars out there. There were a couple of BMW’s, Porsche’s, Corvettes, and Lexus’. Plus a replica Cobra, a Boss302 mustang, and a Lotus Exige. Everyone there looked like they had a great time.

We started off the day with quick meeting in order to place the 16-18 people into 2 groups - 1. Fast 2. Faster. Since I was new to the track I started in the Fast Group. From there all the newbie’s, including me, did a classroom session with one of the 3 instructors going over the fundamentals of contact patch and finding the apex of some of the trickier corners at Willow Springs. From the classroom we got a chance to go around the track with the instructors to get a better feel of the track and how to approach the corners and where the braking zones are. We then got in our cars and I had one of the instructors ride with me to make sure I was getting all the racing lines down and to give me pointers on my driving style. At the beginning of the day each session lasted around 20 minutes switching off between the two groups. But as the day went on some people left and we just merged into one group. I couldn’t blame anyone for leaving since it was the first day of summer, it just got baking out there – up to 109º when I left at 2:30p. I stayed as long as I could and did as many laps as the sessions allowed. Willow Springs is NOT very nice to the left front tire so I took it a little easy on the big right turn sweepers turn 2 and 8/9. I didn’t melt any tires since I need them all to get back home. I didn’t get any lap times since is was mostly a learning day. I have to say the best part of the day was not worrying about any stop lights, oncoming traffic, pot holes or speeding tickets. Plus on the long 1/2 mile front straight that 6.1L hemi roared to 130mph before having to brake and turn into turn 1 – what a rush!

I have some in-car camera video I’ll put online once I get it downloaded.

[3 CNOTES]

Originally Posted by DrBReed

Hey Steve: Glad you want to join us. I want you to know if you want to ride along with one of the instructors, all you have to do is ask. The ride will not be for the purpose of scaring the crap out of you, but just to give you some idea of what it is like to drive on a race track, a very fast race track.

I'll be sure to take them up on the offer. Looking forward to the event and the ride out

[3 CNOTES]

Originally Posted by HEMEEE

WooHoo... Hey Steve, you're our first official 'join-us-for-the-fun-of-it' member to sign up! Definitely looking forward to this, see ya soon

When there is fun involved, count me in. Can't have you speedters have all the fun. My C is not set up for the track, but one day just maybe.

After riding around with some of the crew after a Friday night meet, I'm sure the ride out will be exciting to say the least.

[vvv90]

*sigh*

I envy you guys....This is going to be so much fun.

[HEMEEE]

Here are the lists, updated to show those confirmed and those whose payments are still outstanding.
Remember, if we don't have 20 pre-paid registrants, the event can't happen, so if your name is on the list, but you have decided you cannot participate, please send me a PM by July 1st so I can open up your spot, otherwise please get your payment in! If you have encountered a problem with making payment, you can contact me via PM and I will help however I can.

I'm still taking names of alternates for the driver list

...And we'd love to have people sign up to join us for the caravan, a day at the track, and a night of fun afterwards!

The List Driving:

CONFIRMED

1. HEMEEE/Simi Valley PAID
2. 300TouringNproud/Agoura PAID
3. Ozzie/No. Hollywood PAID
4. fatchance/Huntington Beach PAID
5. RexDog/Redondo Beach PAID
6. BigC/Bakersfield PAID
7. Yeravener/Lancaster PAID
8. Moose/AZ PAID
9. Meister/AZ Paid
10. Cam/Riverside PAID
11. MAGNUM8R/Corona PAID
12. 1BadSRT8/Mira Loma PAID

UNCONFIRMED:

Please confirm by July 1st if possible/ but no later than July 3rd!!
Contact me if there is a problem or if you need to release your spot...
When you make your payment, please remember to include your username

1. cbutler32/San Diego
2. FF2MOE/San Diego
3. BetoMXL/Mexico
4. DanRealtor/AZ
5. MattRobertson/Fresno
6. CoolVanilla/San Jose
7. Mosie/Sacramento
8. gotls1/San Jose

Alternate Drivers List:

1. deegee/Camarillo
2. WagonDoc/AZ
3. DrDoofuss/Arcadia
4. Trojan/ SoCal
5. Sleeper/NorCal

Spectator 'join-for-the-fun-of-it' List:

1. 3 CNOTES/Chino

Hotel: info soon....

Caravans: Open discussion should probably begin now. I have somewhat color-coded the list according to locations and what might make sense (at least at almost 2AM it does) so talk amongt yourselves

[DrDoofuss]

I'll bet if you measured the anticipation/anxiety level of those on the alternate list, you'll have to find another measuring stick. I am eagerly awaiting for the July 3 deadline to come to pass. I am ready to make some car enthusiast friends and meet those excellent instructors on the track. Horay for putting me 3rd on the list.
ED

[HEMEEE]

Welcome Ed, and thanks for your enthusiasm!

[deegee]

All the other track days I've gone to had a set of rules. For example, you really want to show up on a new or almost new set of tires. The motorcycle track days would enforce minimum tread depth, have you remove your mirrors, remove your brake light, and so on. I presume that a tire check is in order - anything else at Willow Springs?

That $275 + hotel might turn into a lot of cash when you add in 4 new tires, whether bought for the track or bought after because you wore yours out.