MINIAC-17
Ready to race!
BMWCCA is 35 an event, don't remember membership. It is a little different than SCCA. Non BMW cars are all together split into awd and rwd together, fwd by itself. Any mods you want, only BMW and MInI have specific classes.
6
Official 2016 Chicagoland Autocross (and sometimes HPDE/Track Day) Master Thread
- Thread starter intoflatlines
- Start date
BMWCCA is 35 an event, don't remember membership. It is a little different than SCCA. Non BMW cars are all together split into awd and rwd together, fwd by itself. Any mods you want, only BMW and MInI have specific classes.
MINIAC-17
Ready to race!
Renner
Go Kart Champion
thought the clinic was?
Renner
Go Kart Champion
MINIAC-17
Ready to race!
MINIAC-17
Ready to race!
intoflatlines
Drag Race Newbie
I'll do one HPDE this summer but that's it. Higher cost (plus taking a day off and possibly hotel fee), higher risk, more wear on the car, etc. But yeah I am looking forward to an HPDE.
6th driver... :23:
:happyanim:
Word. On FB I think Graig mentioned Autocross I will be Sears Centre or the Boomer's Stadium?
:clap: :thumbup: :happyanim: :thumbsup: :w00t:Planning on it
intoflatlines
Drag Race Newbie
Nah I'll do ACC because it's closer. Maybe 2016 I'll head out to the farther ones. I was just speaking in terms of HPDE in general, there are some events at ACC but you and others have mentioned that the better tracks are farther away which requires a hotel.
jay745
What Would Glenn Danzig Do
someone want to give me a TLDR on what exactly is included in an hpde? For some reason I feel like this is where i'm going to learn the most. I dont think I learned much at autox, mostly just had fun.
no links cuz #tldr.
Gunkata
Drag Race Newbie
well, ACC is awesome honestly, but Gingerman is probably the best beginner track around. Grattan in MI will blow your balls off for complexity, but yeah, anything in MI probably need the hotel, good point.
ACC - cool. Let me know for sure when you know , if you are going to do that august date with MVP. I wil try to make it happen.
hpde = track day/open track day
so..
beginner group
intermediate
advanced
type classes/groups go out, 15-20min sessions. some organizations do driver meetings between them, but there is always a morning meeting with everyone to go over the rules of where passing is allowed (varies by group) and how to pass (what side, off-line/on-line, etc), and usually if you dont make that meeting, you don't drive that day - and no refund.
intoflatlines
Drag Race Newbie
If you don't learn at autocross? Never heard that one before...
I haven't done an HPDE but from what I know, it is good in that you do dozens of laps of the track over the course of the day, vs. 8 or so with autocross. They usually/sometimes have cones that mark turn-in, apex, and exit points so that you can get used to what the proper racing line is through a corner. It's faster in speed but slower in "action" in that during an HPDE you will have more time to plan out your driving line, vs. autocross where it is so fast/tight that you don't have much time to plan your line if you are inexperienced.
But yeah you should definitely be learning a lot at autocross. Those skills directly transfer over to track use, and vice versa.
Gunkata
Drag Race Newbie
agreed 100%^
Going from hpde first to autox was pretty insane for me, lol. It was like I had all the time in the world to think at HPDE, and then at autox, it was like “hurry, hurry, hurry!!!!”, but most people do it the other way around (learn autox then go track), which makes sense really. I’ve seen autox-ers do their first track day and do VERY well actually, so I do agree that those skills will transfer over.
At a track day, there is more time to think (brakes, shift, turn, power) for the most part… and yes, KVN is exactly right, many tracks have cones out for braking and apex indicators for turn in, apex point, and exit/track out (GET ON THE POWAAAHHH), but I know going to my only HPDE this year in Oct, after doing all those autox days, it felt like I had an eternity to make decisions and do things in the car, lol.. and yes, definitely notice the higher speeds.
The hugest benefits of track days is the high speeds (that can backfire on ya, right!?!? Lol) and the actual amount of driving time is pretty epic, but yes, you pay for that difference. You also do not have to “work” like in autox, so definitely some differences all around. I enjoy them both.
Preparation – I highly suggest upgraded brake pads and perhaps rebleeding the system. I am not too aggressive on braking, and I even got the A3 a little mushy out there with stock rotors and stoptech street pads, ss lines, and DOT4 fluid that's only a year old or so. Many guys try to be very late and hard on the brakes.. not good as a newbie and definitely not smart on a practically stock car, so keep that in mind too. But the beginner group will be ideal for well, the beginners on here, to really get out and have fun. It’s not a race.. you will pass faster cars than you, and slower cars than yours will pass you – don’t worry about it. No one is keeping track, no trophies, no prize money, no bishes. It’s for fun.