I want to race HPDE at infenion on the 9 or 10th but classes 1 and 2 are full. I called my nasa region and talked to them about going straight to 3 and he said its ok if I feel comfortable with it. Mostly because I just compleated the Skip Barber racing school and am qualified to get my road racing lisence.

Do you guys think I would be ok with doing a HPDE-3 as my first event??
Considering I did a racing class at infinion (1 day and memorized the track) and skip barber ( 3 day, it was at laguna seca) by the last day we had open lapping with open passing going all out in formula dodge cars.

Ill be driving a stock Integra Type-R.

*check page 2 for pics*


Modified by Fomoco at 1:18 PM 9/10/2006


Modified by Fomoco at 1:19 PM 9/10/2006

 

im sure you will be perfectly comfortable in HPDE 3.

ill be out there in HPDE 3 with you in my b18c civic if u go

HPDE 1 & 2 are for true beginners. Last time out at Infineon there were some really slow people out there. watching my fathers in-car video from HPDE 2 most of his laps were in the 2min 40 range just because of slower traffic ahead which group 2 rules dont allow you to pass accept on the straight.

If he got a clean lap his times drop to 2min 10.

 

Well I signed up for HPDE3! Ill see you out there!

Any tips for my first time??

 

If you did three days of the Skippy school, you'll be in good shape for HPDE 3. Just be sure you read the NASA CCR (download the PDF on their site) and that you and your car are prepared for tech inspection. Might not be a bad idea to bring a spare set of front brake pads and a couple of rotors. Just in case. (Mike Quan will be there and can bring whatever you need for brakes if you call ahead: http://pdqmotorsports.net/

Have fun.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Fomoco &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I want to race HPDE at infenion on the 9 or 10th but classes 1 and 2 are full. I called my nasa region and talked to them about going straight to 3 and he said its ok if I feel comfortable with it. Mostly because I just compleated the Skip Barber racing school and am qualified to get my road racing lisence.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

First I just want to remind you that its a Hi Performance Driving Event and not a race. If your comfortable with your level of car control, watching flags, being passed in a corner, and driving a predicable line then group 3 fine. If you get there and your not comfortable speak up! and they will move you to group 2 (I have seen it done many times).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by thawley &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Just be sure you read the NASA CCR (download the PDF on their site) and that you and your car are prepared for tech inspection. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Before you go on track nasa expects you to be failure with the CCR, so like Thawley said I would d/l them and read them. Also, I would suggest getting your car pre-tech'd. In nor-cal they will charge you a fee to tech at the track and there is a good chance of missing some track time too(you would hate to fail tech at the track). I'm hoping to be there on sunday to hang out or help out. If you want to get pre-tech'd PM me and I can help out

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BrianZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Before you go on track nasa expects you to be familiar with the CCR, so like Thawley said ...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Fixed that for ya

 

Haha, yeah I had to read that a few times

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Stinkycheezmonky &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Fixed that for ya </TD></TR></TABLE>

gotta love spell check :-)

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Fomoco &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I want to race HPDE at infenion on the 9 or 10th but classes 1 and 2 are full. I called my nasa region and talked to them about going straight to 3 and he said its ok if I feel comfortable with it. Mostly because I just compleated the Skip Barber racing school and am qualified to get my road racing lisence.

Do you guys think I would be ok with doing a HPDE-3 as my first event??
Considering I did a racing class at infinion (1 day and memorized the track) and skip barber ( 3 day, it was at laguna seca) by the last day we had open lapping with open passing going all out in formula dodge cars.

Ill be driving a stock Integra Type-R. </TD></TR></TABLE> Uhhhhh...4 days on the track does not qualify anyone for HPDE3 here in the MA region. You need way more seat time.

 

sounds like my group 2 student that wants his next event to be scca comp school.....

 

wow. skip's racing school is preeetttyy pricey as well.

is the thunderhill class 1 or 2 closed as well? *anxious*

 

Yeah skippy is a pretty penny. I have no idea if thunderhill is booked up.


I called my region and he said 3 would be fine. I am comfortable on a track passing and being passed, I agree that I could use more track time but after skip barber I could get my comp lisence in scca and hop straight into a road race if I wanted.


At skip we were going 2 by 2 @ 120mph into the hairpin. the last day sounded a lot like hpde 4. Reguardless I signed up for 3 and Ill surely find out what class I should be in!

 

Keep in mind that just because you HAVE been in an open passing situation and CAN get an SCCA comp license doesn't mean you're ready. If you've ever been to an SCCA comp school, there are guys that have no idea wtf they're doing on a track, and probably shouldn't be racing, but the system is set up in such a way that it's allowed. Then again, the whole West Coast seems to be a bit more lenient with how things are done on track.

 

Yeah I agree with that, even in skip there were guys that didnt belong at the school. How is the east coast different?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Fomoco &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Yeah I agree with that, even in skip there were guys that didnt belong at the school. How is the east coast different?</TD></TR></TABLE> To begin with, there is no way you would get an OK from me to be in HPDE3 in our region. We like to see at least 6 track days to move into HPDE2. Our HPDE3 group is pretty doggone fast and if you don't have the seat time, you will not be anywhere near as fast of the rest of the group and will be a hazard to them and yourself.At best you will spend the day pointing the other cars past and that is no fun either.

 

In the state of Maryland you can get your driver's license at 16. Doesn't mean the first thing you should do is go straight to I95 and "have at it". Trust me, no one will think any less of your "skills" if you follow the ladder just like everyone else.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Mr Hammond &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">In the state of Maryland you can get your driver's license at 16. Doesn't mean the first thing you should do is go straight to I95 and "have at it". Trust me, no one will think any less of your "skills" if you follow the ladder just like everyone else. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Good point. I wanted to start in 1 or 2 but they were full, Im moving back to school 3 days after and would rather get some track time in over nothing at all. Maybe if i should be in 1 or 2 they will drop me down and it will be all good. Point being is I wanted to follow the ladder but couldnt, Im not saying Im some super racer or better that anyone else, Im just tired my car sitting in my driveway getting no action for over a year. I bought it to race and ill be dammed if i dont get to drive it!


I wonder if the east coast HPDE levels are totally off from the west coast, all western people have told me Ill be fine but easterners think quite different. Like your 3 = our 4?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NASAREGISTRAR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> Uhhhhh...4 days on the track does not qualify anyone for HPDE3 here in the MA region. You need way more seat time.</TD></TR></TABLE>
Group 3 in Virginia has pass anywhere, which is not like California. Group 3 in Virginia is more like Group 4 in California, but I don't think they pass everywhere even in their Group 4.

Group 4 in Virginia is Instructor Group in California.

 

NASA-MA has HPDE4 as an instructor only group, thus their HPDE3 is the top HPDE group. If your not an instructor then you have to fit into either hpde1 2 or 3. ....and they would not put you in the very top (hpde3) group with only a hand full of track days under your belt. In other regions they often split HPDE drivers into all 4 groups, thus HPDE 3 is not the top HPDE group, like it is in the MA region. In a region like this HPDE 4 is the top group (not just instructors) thus HPDE3 would be a step back from it. If I were you I would at least try to get an instructor to ride with you for the 1st few sessions.

 

Ok that makes a LOT of sense. Ill look into geting an instructor

 

I'm registered for sept. 9/10 at infineon raceway as well. I was originally signed up for group 2 and received an email from NASA norcal to consider moving to group 3 because of my experience. I have 9 HPDE days within the last two years.

I moved up to 3 because I feel confident in my ability on the track. There should be an open spot now in group 2 for those days if you want to switch.

 

I would love to switch. im on the waiting list for 2 but ill look into it more when i get there.

What will you be driving?

 

*sigh* my friends are asking me to jump in the infineon track day as well

good luck to ya.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Fomoco &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Im not saying Im some super racer or better that anyone else, Im just tired my car sitting in my driveway getting no action for over a year. I bought it to race and ill be dammed if i dont get to drive it!
</TD></TR></TABLE>
Remember HPDE IS NOT RACING!!!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by NASAREGISTRAR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Remember HPDE IS NOT RACING!!!</TD></TR></TABLE>

No wonder i haven't gotten any trophies.