Getting into track days?

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JustPeachySav
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Getting into track days?

Post by JustPeachySav » Sun Oct 14, 2018 8:48 am

I've been trying to research getting into Track Days and have questions. I honestly dont even know where to start, total noob here. I know I need a helmet and want to upgrade suspension first but I have no clue how to even find out what days are track days and such. Im in DFW Texas and dont mind driving a distance to tracks as well.
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MadFiat
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by MadFiat » Sun Oct 14, 2018 8:59 pm

DFW Fiats on Facebook has sponsored track days in the area in the past and may do so again. Outside of group events like that, track days are VERY difficult to come by in Texas. The tracks in this region are few and far between, and very expensive for open track days. If you are pretty wealthy, then there are some track memberships you can get.

Look for SCCA "Track Night In America" series for the most affordable. NOLA used to be the most affordable, but it seems they've cancelled the October open track day and not sure about future events right now. It seems the track is in a lot of deep shit over safety issues after someone died in a top speed run recently.
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operamatt
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by operamatt » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:06 pm

track nights in america at nola are great.... but like the above post said. things are iffy right now in nola, we did have a drift event sunday though so maybe things are turning around.
“if one day speed kills me.... i was probably driving a fiat”

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operamatt
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by operamatt » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:10 pm

once things get back to normal in nola i would suggest novice at track night in america or one of the track day lites. i’ll meet you out there if you decide to do an event and show you around. that goes for anyone in the fiat community.
“if one day speed kills me.... i was probably driving a fiat”

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MadFiat
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by MadFiat » Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:38 pm

operamatt wrote: Sun Oct 14, 2018 11:10 pm once things get back to normal in nola i would suggest novice at track night in america or one of the track day lites. i’ll meet you out there if you decide to do an event and show you around. that goes for anyone in the fiat community.
I would love to do NOLA personally. I hope the October cancellation (heard about it on facebook) is just a temporary thing and everything gets back to normal.
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2015 Granito Lucente 500T 6AT - Projecto Estupido
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operamatt
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by operamatt » Mon Oct 15, 2018 5:48 am

i think the next open track day is october 26th. we have a gorgeous road that follows the lake too. very awesome for cruising. lakeshore drive is the name of the street. also lakefront meet 11 is on the 27th here, it’s a car meet on the lake with thousands of people
“if one day speed kills me.... i was probably driving a fiat”

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VisualKei
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by VisualKei » Mon May 13, 2019 9:49 pm

I'm in a similar boat. I'm looking at helmets right now and figuring out what road tracks exist within reasonable driving distance, and offer classes or driving events for people who are just getting into it with no prior formal experience, and need to build up fundamentals.

To bring this thread back to life, does anyone have advice regarding helmets?

Snell SA2015 helmets seem to run a huge gamut in pricing, from $150ish to well over $5,000. Are there questionable brands to stay away from on the lower end of things? Conquer, Zamp, RaceQuip, and others seem to occupy the lower-end price range of things. There's known-brands in the US market, like Simpson, Bell, and Arai that occupy a wide price range, and dozens of boutique or less-commonly known brands in the racing world.

I know that helmets are something I should go to a store to physically try, as they all suit different head shapes (round, oval, cheekbones, etc) and there are some critical fitment tests that should pass. I was curious if there are certain brands that shouldn't even be considered. There seems to be a few road racing stores within an hour drive of me (Winding Road Racing is the closest shop) but I'd like to collect more opinions and information before I show up and act like an uneducated dope.


As a second part of the inquiry, I was wondering if anyone has experienced various tracks in the Central Texas area. From my research, I've found:

-Harris Hills Raceway, which offers classes, but membership is a one-time lifetime lump sum, plus monthly dues
-Driveway Austin, which offers classes, and has session fees (I think)
-Circuit of the Americas, which is a FIA track and I'm unsure if they offer classes or HPDE, based on their website. They seem to offer a lot of exotic rentals or ride-alongs. They also seem to host concerts, events, and the track layout looks more set up for cars with high horsepower to make use of the straights.

I would definitely want to progress through formal training/education/experience by attending some classes before considering anything else.

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operamatt
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by operamatt » Wed May 15, 2019 8:40 am

any SA2015 helmet will be up to the newest safety standards. better the get something inexpensive and spend the money on track experience. if you are really thinking of getting serious into track days a hans compatible helmet would be nice. also some helmets come with many padding options to fit many head shapes.
“if one day speed kills me.... i was probably driving a fiat”

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VisualKei
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by VisualKei » Wed May 15, 2019 10:30 am

operamatt wrote: Wed May 15, 2019 8:40 am any SA2015 helmet will be up to the newest safety standards. better the get something inexpensive and spend the money on track experience. if you are really thinking of getting serious into track days a hans compatible helmet would be nice. also some helmets come with many padding options to fit many head shapes.
It appears SA2015 standards require HANS mounting provisions, though most helmets only give you a blank plug and it's up to you to pay extra for the actual HANS studs.

It also sounds like one can't use a HANS unless you have a 5+ point harness, as it's designed to work with double shoulder straps as the restraint mechanism. If you run a harness, then of course you also need to run an aftermarket seat to support the harness. If you run an aftermarket seat and harness, then you'd need to run a roll bar/cage in conjunction as well because running a harness that allows no body movement with a collapsed roof in a rollover would be no bueno for the head.

If I went through the trouble of installing seats, harness, and a roll bar in my car, it would cease being safe on the street since you'd pretty much need the helmet+HANS while daily driving to be safe in a collision and look like a weirdo to cops. Without it, the body is restrained in the harness rigidly, but the head will try rocketing off your spine. Also wouldn't want to drive in a roll bar-equipped car with a 3-pt factory belt since they're designed to decelerate you into airbags, but not restrain you completely to the seats like a racing harness, so it's very plausible to crack a naked head open on the roll cage in an accident as you're ragdolling around.

The workaround is if you're running a non-HANS, HANS-style restraint designed for factory 3-pt belts, like a Simpson Hybrid S. I've read these are getting more common at HPDE events with instructors and street cars? They also appear to bet twice the cost of the HANS right now. I'm not sure if similar products exist from other manufacturers. There was a Simpson/Motorsport Safety Foundation/Motorsportreg.com webinar discussing harness systems and 3-point systems here: https://youtu.be/30mjEbQ7RbY

Unfortunately, I am discovering that manufacturers are a bit sparse on their products as far as details are concerned (average helmet weight, if various cheek pad and different sized pads are included, if the interiors are even easily removable for cleaning).

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operamatt
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Re: Getting into track days?

Post by operamatt » Sat May 18, 2019 11:44 am

They make a hybrid system that works with 3 point harness. also, if you get an SAH 2015 helmet it will come prepared for a hans device. i was talking about this being important in case you ever want to go down this road in the future. at least you don’t have to buy a new helmet.
“if one day speed kills me.... i was probably driving a fiat”

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