No places to run open wheel in North East
Today I spent some time trying to find out where I can track my open wheel car in the North East. The end result was pretty disappointing. Everyone I talked to said there is not much besides: SCCA (weekends), Test & Tune days (Lime Rock), or club memberships.
To be honest I did not expect it. There is so many open wheel cars in our area, but not a single open wheel club.
You guys know of anybody else that runs open wheel cars at Lime Rock or NJMP during the week?
Car: F1000
Last edited by awegrzyn; 04.22.13 at 8:55 PM.
What kind of open wheel car?
Are you looking to race, test, or just drive around a track?
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Mike Green
Piper DF2 FF
seat time
I'm not sure I agree...
Given the time and money, it seems to me that there is a race weekend just about every weekend in and around the NE. Including several test days and racing schools throughout the year. Not to mention autocrossing and hill climbs. Heck even if I could afford to run every weekend (which I cant), it would be impossible for me to keep up with the car prep -- I find for every 1 hour I spend on track probably I spend another 50 in the garage (probably more if I ever did the math).
If SCCA isn't for you, there's the Formula Pro Racing club, FRCCA. Or run with us in Canada at a CASC event, the Formula Libre Club, or the Quebec club.
A few clicks around this site should land you at an organization or event that suites your budget, ambition, philosophy, etc.
If your looking for some unsanctioned open lapping, you may struggle to find something other than a private test day. And I for one would be very cautious about running an open wheel car (or any racecar for that matter) at an event with limited marshaling, ambulance, tech, fire, etc. not worth the risk to me and defiantly not worth the risk to the tracks insurance companies.
Best of luck!
Alex, you say you don't agree with me, but your post proves my point. I did not find a single place besides Lime Rock (once a month) to test my car during the week. Even managers at LRP told me there is nothing. This is a bummer for me as I'm completely free during the week.
Btw, I do like Canada a lot and I would run there, but it's not in the North East
Most tracks I run have a test day prior to a weekend event... It is rare they don't. Have you called SCCA and/or the other orgs listed above and asked if they have test days prior to their events?
Generally they are run by the track itself and not advertised except to participants of the weekend events...
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Mike Green
Piper DF2 FF
Geez, this ain't the 40's 50's " sure slim, take your car out for a few laps, we're not using it now" ...... liabilities involved .........parking lot at U of Md is all I could do for a careful first gear cold tire run only ......... also used Summit Point, Tuesdays and Wednesdays for $35 a day if Bill Scott had a class running that week back in the 70's...... guy above got it right in frscca and scca or others get a bunch and rent which is usually $1000 per person...... have fun!!
Oh, parking lot thing .. may be tuff after 911, rent-a-cops may have to stop by your car now .... can only run in circles to maybe adjust for some stick, can only quickly check full throttle float problem or ignition then stop immediatly, don't get near anything cause cold tires are dangerous and first gear goes to 75-80 .... have to show up with no wing or glass so you look like " some guys over there are running some sort of go kart, they look ok!!!" Sunday Morn is a good time if its not next to a church.
Last edited by Modo; 04.24.13 at 2:32 PM.
NHMS has test days on Thursday.
call Nelson Ledges they have done open wheel on fun day fridays but must call ahead.
http://www.nelsonledges.com/GOTfunDays.aspx
"The visibility at the best of times is liable to be a bit hazy due to clouds of ignorance"... Carroll Smith
COM Sports Car Club loves Open Wheel
You need to come to http://comscc.org/ . They have two day events at a number of Northeast tracks. We will be at Summit Point next Monday and Tuesday. The club is 55 years old I have been a member since 1987. I run my FE many days each year in addition to SCCA. The format is that on the first day newbies have school with an instructor and COM licensed have open track--- just like many track day clubs except we allow any safe car and have open wheel. The second day is open track for licensed and two hours are taken for Solo I time trials with trophies. Unlike other track day organizations, with COM it is "All About The Fast Lap" and we have a competitive spirit and we encourage timing. this is the schedule
April 12
Friday NHMS
COM hosted test & tune day with no time trial.
April 29 & 30
Monday-Tuesday Summit Point, Main Circuit
June 1 & 2
Saturday-Sunday NHMS
June 13 & 14
Thursday-Friday Mont Tremblant
June 29, 30, & July 1
Saturday-Sunday-Monday NHMS
3 day event with Relay Rally
July 18 & 19
Thursday-Friday NJMP-Lightning
Aug 18 & 19
Sunday-Monday
Calabogie
Sept 9 & 10
Monday-Tuesday Watkins Glen
October 12 & 13
Saturday-Sunday NHMS
Bruce, the "Greased Shadow"
Also, many Solo1(autocross events) where you can run an open wheel car! NER,MOHUD,NY and other regions have these events at least once a month.Originally Posted by awegrzyn
Alex, you say you don't agree with me, but your post proves my point. I did not find a single place besides Lime Rock (once a month) to test my car during the week. Even managers at LRP told me there is nothing. This is a bummer for me as I'm completely free during the week.
Btw, I do like Canada a lot and I would run there, but it's not in the North East
The point is.........99% of the racers work during the week which is why races are held on weekends!! Hell....even our go kart races are mostly on weekends because the kids are in school some of the time.
Every once and a while, Kojote Motorsports will have an open track day at WGI or NJMP.
See http://www.kojotesport.com/
But in general, I agree with you. If you have an open wheel car and are looking to race around New York City (e.g., Lime Rock, NJMP, Pocono, WGI, Monticello), you are generally stuck with the SCCA or shelling out big bucks for a private club.
If you are willing to go to Summit Point or NHMS (I usually am not, as they are just too far), you have some additional choices.
Regards,
Jon
COMscc
Mt. Tremblant is fantastic.
Calabogie is wonderful long medium speed track.
Who can pass up Watkins Glen.
Bruce, the "Greased Shadow"
Options
If you're talking about doing track days, here are a few options for you to consider:
www.trackmasters.com
www.chinmotorsports.com
www.scda1.com
www.davidmurray.com
www.group52.com
The last is among the best, but you have to be recommended by current participants. Doing a trackmasters event will introduce you to many of the Group52 crowd.
scda is run by SCCA racers, so they will understand your needs and has the most active schedule in the NE
chin runs a very unique format and while its passing rules seem risky (open passing in top 2 of 3 run goups), it works very well.
I've run with all but david murray in the past, and have no reservation recommending them.
Good luck.
Sherman
2006 Stohr WF-1
I know for a fact that SCDA does not allow open Wheel. I used to instruct for them until they made the rule. BMW also banned us nationally. Most others I know too. But COMSCC is a competition club.
Bruce, the "Greased Shadow"
Bruce, you may be right, but times may have changed. The OP simply has to call Ian and ask.
Sherman
2006 Stohr WF-1
I'm down in the SE, but I simply contacted every HPDE organizer that I could find (most have their events listed on motorsportreg.com to see if they would allow open wheel. End result, 7 groups allow it down here and I have more track day options than I can afford.
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