I think I am going to register my daughter and me for this event in May. Before doing so, any feedback regarding the program? It is pretty spendy for the 2 of us to go (not including gas, food, lodging, etc). We also both need helmets. All in all, a very expensive proposition. This will be her first track event (she is 17 as of today), so my hope is that it is a good program for her to learn, and a refresher for me, since it has been years since I've been on track.
I did one last year at Atlanta Motorsports Park and had a great time, but there are some trade offs with "normal" track day. I felt it was a good introduction to being on track, but it is not a ton of seat time (3-4 20 min sessions). Also, there isn't an instructor in the car with you like most track days. Most people were still pretty safe out there, but others didn't seem to grasp the concept of a point-by without somebody else in the car to guide them. That said, I met a ton of great people though and it was easier on my car than hours of track time. I didn't need to change brake pads at the end of the day, so that was nice. I still boiled/cavitated(sp?) my really old clutch fluid, so it made shifting on the way home interesting.
Interesting. No instructor in the car while out on track?? That makes me nervous for my daughter. 
Anyone else have any experience to share?
I did two TNIA events, summer of '15 before NCM lost their interest in events running past 5PM.
It was very loose and unstructured. Three groups (novice, intermediate, expert) with the novices all over the place as far as skill level and car prep. I went ahead and jumped in intermediate in my CSPish Miata and discovered that every Miata driver since the beginning has learned. Corners are great, straights are where you learn to point by the big boys.
All in all, I'd want to ride along with a teenager. It's a good place to learn but it is very much getting tossed in the pool and someone inexperienced could have a bad day. They should allow you to be her "instructor" if you're both doing the experience (and paid). Maybe you drive first with her in the passenger seat, then trade seats for the next session, and the third session let her solo if she seems ready. Sessions are a manageable 20 minutes.
Yeah, I just assumed you'd be riding along with her, but it occurred to me that you would need to do separate run groups to get your money's worth. Which also means you would need to be ready for intermediate at least. It would be a busy afternoon with little down time.
Also, I agree with KyAllroad on the pool tossing analogy once I thought about it. I had a good time, but I've been autocrossing for years, know the limits of the car I brought, watched many videos of the track, and generally walked in with a strategy on how far I was going to push things that day. Has she autocrossed or had any other kind of seat time?
I didn't want to mention it at first because you might decide this is a good format for your purposes, but if I had to pay for lodging+expenses I would probably just pay a bit more for a traditional track day to make the whole shebang worth it. That's a personal value scale though, based on the fact I have multiple tracks I can round trip without a hotel. YMMV.
I did one last year and really enjoyed it. I too jumped to the intermediate, and was pretty well placed. I was passed by one or two much faster cars, but generally had a little space all to myself. Everyone was very friendly and helpful.
That may not be the best event for your daughter's first track event. A dedicated HP driving school may be a better investment. In my experience beginners of any age develop bad habits very early that are hard to get rid of if they do track days without instruction and teens are more likely to develop dangerous bad habits under those conditions.
Also, parents are often not the best choice for driving coaches. The combination of the parental protection instinct in a high stress environment combined with the kid being at the age where they're (naturally) exploring boundaries of all kinds isn't always conducive to a good learning experience, or even a good experience at all.
Did a TNIA this summer at PIR. I think it is a good concept and a fun event. I was already there racing so she and I traded off (beginner and advanced). She got a little flustered in her first session but after that it was fun. Main problem was that you can't communicate in the car-just too loud. Not sure I would have felt the small amount of time was worth the money if I didn't already have a car track ready with harnesses and a passenger seat sitting in the pits.
I have to agree, there really should be an experienced instructor in the car with a first timer, especially your daughter. I'm a long time member and corner worker with the scca, but I suggest checking out the Performance Driving Group. They're running Sebring this Saturday, they are a great group, experienced, somewhat laid back and feed you gourmet lunch at the Chateau! I was planning on going, but it looks like the reversing valve in my heat pump has other ideas
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