6
Seattle GTIs
- Thread starter rocotoll
- Start date
If you are interested in taking your car to the track for a road course High Performance Driving Stint, you should explore driving schools and HPDE sessions.
Next Sat March 3rd, the NW Alfa club is doing a Driving School at Bremerton Raceways for those new to HPDE. It's $110, lunch provided.
Once you have done that, you can attend their HPDE 2 weeks later on 3/18.
After you've done HPDE, you can do their lapping sessions at Pacific Raceways organized in the Spring and Summer.
All information can be found on their website: www.nwalfaclub.com.
Other car clubs offer similar programs e.g. Porche Car club and BMW car club.
Do these lead to any kind of license, or just allow you to go with them when they rent the track? I've read online (beware what you read 
) that if you're racing, being timed, or getting a racing license then you are not usually covered. Have you heard anything about insurance issues related to the training or lapping days?
Also, how risky is it? I mean, I understand auto cross is not the safest of things, but is it any more dangerous to drive around a track than it is to drive quickly on public roads? What about wear and tear? It sounds like a fun idea, but I'm just worried about the details.
) that if you're racing, being timed, or getting a racing license then you are not usually covered. Have you heard anything about insurance issues related to the training or lapping days?Also, how risky is it? I mean, I understand auto cross is not the safest of things, but is it any more dangerous to drive around a track than it is to drive quickly on public roads? What about wear and tear? It sounds like a fun idea, but I'm just worried about the details.
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I know that Proformance Racing school will give you a Sport Driving License after attending a HPDE class and a lapping day. What that means is if you go sign up for a lapping day at Pacific Raceways with a car club, they will let you in with or without an instructor depending on how much experience you have had. It also means that you can go to other tracks and they will recognize that you've already done track work and let you sign up for track days. But they will probably require you to have an instructor with you for the first few laps to get you familiarized with the track.
Just to be clear, HPDE and lapping days are not timed. If they were timed, it will be considered a race and it raises all kinds of insurance issues for you and the track. These are all driver education events. Of course your insurance will not cover anything should anything happen during these events. And it's best you don't tell them....their job is to collect premiums from you and deny your claims whenever possible. There are outfits that sell per-day track insurance if you are interested.
It is WAY safer to drive your car on the track than drive fast on public roads. Tracks are designed with grassy run-offs in the tighter turns. And these educational events have cones to guide you where the braking zones are, with turn-in cones, apex cones and exit cones. Everyone on the track is there to learn to drive their cars fast and safe whereas on the public roads you have obstacles like fences, curbs, light posts, other drivers on the phone talking to their BFFs, texting, painting their nails and their lips. Go to youtube and check out some video on HPDE events.
Autocross is completely different from track events. They are timed events and I suspect insurance companies will frown on them too. I have never done one but looking to do some this year. I am on the wait list for a Novice Autocross class for 3/10. These are layout on a huge flat parking lot with cones. And you go through them to get the fastest time. I imagine you would barely need 3rd gear for these events.
Of course wear and tear will be greater doing these events. You gotta pay to play, right? But the biggest expense is gas, brake pads and tires. I usually do an oil change before or after track days. I am going to tell you that the GTI motor is just waiting to be rev'd hard for the track. And the chassis is simply rewarding to drive on the track. However you will find out that the stock brake pads are not made for extended track days. I bought new performance pads after my evening track day last summer with my TDI.
You will have a lot of fun after a track day. The adrenaline high will stay with you for at least a week after your first one. You will also learn so much about your car and your skills.
I also participate in other car-related events: TSD rallies and Chump Car race series. Good luck to you and congrats on the GTI purchase. Trust me, you will love it on the track. I love driving my TDI on the track!
Just to be clear, HPDE and lapping days are not timed. If they were timed, it will be considered a race and it raises all kinds of insurance issues for you and the track. These are all driver education events. Of course your insurance will not cover anything should anything happen during these events. And it's best you don't tell them....their job is to collect premiums from you and deny your claims whenever possible. There are outfits that sell per-day track insurance if you are interested.
It is WAY safer to drive your car on the track than drive fast on public roads. Tracks are designed with grassy run-offs in the tighter turns. And these educational events have cones to guide you where the braking zones are, with turn-in cones, apex cones and exit cones. Everyone on the track is there to learn to drive their cars fast and safe whereas on the public roads you have obstacles like fences, curbs, light posts, other drivers on the phone talking to their BFFs, texting, painting their nails and their lips.
Go to youtube and check out some video on HPDE events.Autocross is completely different from track events. They are timed events and I suspect insurance companies will frown on them too. I have never done one but looking to do some this year. I am on the wait list for a Novice Autocross class for 3/10. These are layout on a huge flat parking lot with cones. And you go through them to get the fastest time. I imagine you would barely need 3rd gear for these events.
Of course wear and tear will be greater doing these events. You gotta pay to play, right? But the biggest expense is gas, brake pads and tires. I usually do an oil change before or after track days. I am going to tell you that the GTI motor is just waiting to be rev'd hard for the track. And the chassis is simply rewarding to drive on the track. However you will find out that the stock brake pads are not made for extended track days. I bought new performance pads after my evening track day last summer with my TDI.
You will have a lot of fun after a track day. The adrenaline high will stay with you for at least a week after your first one. You will also learn so much about your car and your skills.
I also participate in other car-related events: TSD rallies and Chump Car race series. Good luck to you and congrats on the GTI purchase. Trust me, you will love it on the track. I love driving my TDI on the track!
hey everyone, been a lurker on the MKV and MKVI forums for a while. live in north seattle, drive a white 2dr MKV GTI with an H&R cup kit (currently on steelies and snow tires) and a rising blue 4dr MKVI R on H&R coilovers. my GF drives our stock blue MKIV R32.
always down to come out for meet ups. i will always give you the V if i see you, but most of the time i don't get it back...either cause my tint is too dark or people just don't care.
always down to come out for meet ups. i will always give you the V if i see you, but most of the time i don't get it back...either cause my tint is too dark or people just don't care.
Sanderskog
Ready to race!
New(er) R owner located in Sammamish and work in Bellevue. Just got back into the VW scene after a many year hiatus. Would love to get together in the future. I came a tuned John Cooper Works Clubman and miss the MINI scene. They're a very active group locally.
Loving the R though.
Past VWs - 1977 Rabbit, 1994 Golf, 1988 Vanagon, 1999 Jetta (wife)
Todd
Loving the R though.
Past VWs - 1977 Rabbit, 1994 Golf, 1988 Vanagon, 1999 Jetta (wife)
Todd
Congrats on the new "R"ide. I have tried to organize meets on this forum in the past. It's harder than herding cats!
