Test & Tune, Track days, or ??

I just bought a Chumpcar and would like to get some seat time and work out any kinks. Not sure if it would be better to do a test-tune or a track event to really push the car.

The local tracks to me are PIRC and Mid-Ohio, both have test & tunes. Mid-Ohio Charges $400 for a full day or $195 for twilight. PIRC has test and Tunes and the starting price is $200 and ranges ( I will have to find out if it is per person or car). NASA has event I could probably run TT for $389 + $45 Membership 2 days, not sure that actual time on track.

Any other track events (not related to autocross) that I could run?

Check out autointerests.com for tons of track time for the price. They do a few evewnts at Mid-O each year. Also if you don't mind traveling a bit, check out some of the events at Gingerman, they are very cost-effective. GPStracktime.com is also a good group for tons of seat time for cheap, but also closer to Chicago. World Racing League also offers some test and tune days around their events too.

Track Night In America if they have an event near you should run something like $150 for three 20 minute sessions.

The car doesn't care what the event is called. Autocrosses probably won't give you enough run time to show any problems unless they're big. Something on an open track that allows you at least 20-30 minute runs at a time are what you need.

ross2004 wrote: The car doesn't care what the event is called. Autocrosses probably won't give you enough run time to show any problems unless they're big. Something on an open track that allows you at least 20-30 minute runs at a time are what you need.

Yup. Initially go with whatever gets you the most track time at the lowest cost(include travel costs). That way it'll be less of a problem when you either load up early or spend a bunch of time fixing the car

Does Nelson Ledges still have $125 track days?

When I was doing them, theoretically there were run groups, but generally you just went out and ran laps until you were bored or out of fuel or something.

ross2004 wrote: The car doesn't care what the event is called. Autocrosses probably won't give you enough run time to show any problems unless they're big. Something on an open track that allows you at least 20-30 minute runs at a time are what you need.

I think it depends on the car. Pretty much all of our problems with our Lemons car would've shown up Autocrossing & getting in some miles on the street (if possible). It was all dumb crap that was overlooked. Radiator hose came loose. Charging wire wasn't connected to alternator. Etc.

If all that stuff isn't up to snuff, start there. Certainly you'll need track time to work out braking & heat related issues though.

I guess I'm spoiled in this area, the more expensive track by me is $50 at most for 5 15-minute sessions, and it's almost COTA-level swanky. For $500 you can have the whole track to yourself for a day (although that was before they installed lights for night racing, might be different now).

Knurled wrote: Does Nelson Ledges still have $125 track days? When I was doing them, theoretically there were run groups, but generally you just went out and ran laps until you were bored or out of fuel or something.

Does Nelson Ledges still have any track days?

I prefer open track days with just one long session that way you have the whole day to take your time and make adjustments and really test them. When you only get 3 or 4 20 minute sessions you really have very little time for anything to go wrong or need a second round of adjustments.

8hrs of green flag can be had for $400 and even if you only need an hour you get 7 extra to do something else.

EvanB wrote:

Knurled wrote: Does Nelson Ledges still have $125 track days? When I was doing them, theoretically there were run groups, but generally you just went out and ran laps until you were bored or out of fuel or something.

Does Nelson Ledges still have any track days?

Was thinking the same thing. And that it's the most dangerous existing track in the US (not counting the Carlstromring...facility), and therefore a bad place to suffer any kind of failure.

GameboyRMH wrote:

EvanB wrote:

Knurled wrote: Does Nelson Ledges still have $125 track days? When I was doing them, theoretically there were run groups, but generally you just went out and ran laps until you were bored or out of fuel or something.

Does Nelson Ledges still have any track days?

Was thinking the same thing. And that it's the most dangerous existing track in the US (not counting the Carlstromring...facility), and therefore a bad place to suffer any kind of failure.

Nelson is fun, albeit a bit bumpy. Dangerous... meh. Same general level of danger as any place like Summit Point where the safety systems were just piled up dirt and tires. There are spots you give a little respect to. Unless you mean being eaten alive by mosquitos while taking a E36 M3 in the woods because the outhouse hadn't been cleaned out in 20 years. The facilites were "rustic camping" level.

It had been closed for a while - I last raced there in '09 with BMWCCA CR I think. It was reported to be under new management but I haven't been keeping track. Google says it's still doing something.

ProDarwin wrote:

ross2004 wrote: The car doesn't care what the event is called. Autocrosses probably won't give you enough run time to show any problems unless they're big. Something on an open track that allows you at least 20-30 minute runs at a time are what you need.

I think it depends on the car. Pretty much all of our problems with our Lemons car would've shown up Autocrossing & getting in some miles on the street (if possible). It was all dumb crap that was overlooked. Radiator hose came loose. Charging wire wasn't connected to alternator. Etc. If all that stuff isn't up to snuff, start there. Certainly you'll need track time to work out braking & heat related issues though.

Also depends on what stage the car is in. If the car was freshly finished, I'd go straight to an autocross. Maybe 2. Then to a track day with one driver. Maybe 2.

Then to a track day with multiple drivers. If you can find a club where you can run all 4 drivers, that would be awesome (so you have one driver in the very fast group, and one in the slow group).

Had I gotten past the first autocross, my track car would have done that before it's first race.

edit- when I saw TT, I thought time trial, but now I see that as test and tune. Again, the track time and the nature of it would depend on what stage the car is at.

In reply to Huckleberry: Nelson is currently under new ownership and probably won't open until next year when all the facilities have been cleared re-built and the track repaved.

LOL, Nelson's Ledges getting repaved! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I've heard that for at least 25 years. ROFL. Damn. Whew, I needed a laugh.

I went to school in Cleveland and went to Nelson's Ledges as my first track experience. It's a wonder I didn't quit right then! Mud for pits, the "toilets" and the "pavement".

I'm not a huge fan of the open track days. At least out here in Colorado they tend to turn into the Wild West. Lots of guys coming out in their street cars to "race". No real experience, no proper prep done to their cars and no required tech of said cars to make sure they're safe for the owners and the rest of us.

Then the general ass-hattery of said drivers.

However, they are a great way of getting a ton of track time for an inexpensive price...

I have run Mid-Ohio and PittRace. PittRace is by far my favorite track and I live about an hour from Mid-Ohio. The owners have sunk a ton of money into it the last few year and it pretty special. IMHO :)

Marty

Nelson's had running water and flush toilets for maybe a decade now.

I never thought it was very bumpy... it's not a F1-grade ultrasmooth track, get over it.

Dragway 42 was probably a rougher track, in my opinion. OTOH this is probably why the big power bike guys never went there... rare to see any bike trap over 160 at 42. Especially in the right lane.