Mapper's Track Night in America Report

This was my first track event ever and I thought I'd put out a little write up for anyone who has thought about doing one or is about to do their first. All of this is from my novice perspective.

Our novice instructor was Shea Holbrook, Pirelli World Challenge driver, and she was really easygoing and great to work with. Running as a novice, we had multiple driver and post session debrief meetings. Other than a couple of spins by other cars, the sessions went well. I only encountered one driver who made me nervous. During the paced introduction laps I had a younger guy in a MINI behind me and he kept dive bombing me in the corners....during the pace lap! I got decent video of my third session included here. I went out at a slightly reduced pace to make sure car and driver were in sync and gave a point by to another Mustang behind me. Then I ended up backing off the gas a lot because he was running slower than I wanted to go. Didn't matter as my low fuel warning dinged at me after a few minutes so I called it a day early. FYI, a previous issue of GRM mentioned showing up for track days with a full tank. Should have re-read that article.

I would recommend the SCCA TNIA events to anyone who wants to get into track days. The three groups had all types of cars from a heavily modified Viper to a mid 90's Mercury Capri and everyone had a place to fit in.

Steve

https://www.youtube.com/embed/riWHVZADaXE

That's really cool! They have one near me at PIR and I'm debating going. What was the atmosphere like? Was it a mix of snobs and high school Honda fanboys? Did the staff seem overwhelmed or was it a nice, easily understood pace with one guy announcing what is going on at all times?

I've gone to public events where ppl are scattered all over, small groups form and then talk too loud so you can't hear the timid person that was put in charge. I come from an organization that is EXTREMELY well organized, all the time. So I don't put up with public events that aren't well coordinated.

In reply to Trackmouse:

Fairly well organized. There were two paddock areas but the novices were moved to the main paddock because Atlanta Region was putting on a test and tune autocross in the one we were supposed to use. The atmosphere was pretty laid back if a little disorganized a few times. That was mostly due to the paddock change and the resulting too many cars for too little of an area. There was a published schedule and the event stuck to it pretty closely. Most of the drivers were friendly though people still tended to congregate with people they knew. I only knew a few others so I tended to hang with the other middle aged guys who were a little more relaxed than some of the younger drivers.

Thanks for posting. I'm thinking about going here in Milwaukee in a couple weeks.

Awesome to see Shea as the novice instructor. She is really cool.

I was asked to be one of the organizers for the Austin area one but it is all the way across town and getting out of work and getting there wouldn't work.

I've heard a lot of good reviews on it though and usually the SCCA keeps the idiots in check.

I was there in the black S2000 running in the novice group. I had a blast.