My answer is I don't have the car yet. Part of the reason I got it was to get into more handling-oriented track events. In NJ we have a lot of quarter mile dragstrip tracks and most cars are quarter mile racers, I don't find a 10-15 second "race" to be that exciting.

 

Ya'll have a brand spanking new facility

http://www.njmotorsportspark.com/

 

For me I'm not willing to risk my main form of transportation. I would love to race (and I've been a closet motorcycle wannabe-racer most of my life) but I have to face reality. I'm on my own in this world and if I do something stupid I'm SOL. Or if the other guy does something stupid...

 

I'm interested in going to a track and taking some laps, but not with other cars. I just want to get a feel for the speed and control of the car, but don't want to risk being out there with other drivers. Maybe HPDE is the way to go, but I haven't investigated enough. I got time before my baby arrives and I get through break-in.

 

Best post in here, IMHO.

 

7. It's too expensive. $300 - $400 for a day at Thunderhill? I don't think so.


We autocross. I can do that all season for the cost of one day at a track.

 

BMWCCA in my region offer two types of driving education. 1. Car control clinic (only $90 in my region). - where the driver learn the limits of their car through driving exercises like skid pad, braking, slalom etc. 2. HPDE - where you put the learning from Car control clinic together on the track. I suspect other regional BMW club have the same programs.

Cost of HPDE, its all relative on how you calculate the cost. If you calculate the cost per minute of seat time on track. HPDE event is much better value than autoX. I did autoX for 2 years before I discovered HPDE and tried it out for the first time and never autoX again. In a typical autoX event $30 you get 4~5 runs of 60sec max, so total seat time for the day is 5min, which is $6/min. At HPDE event $230 you get 4 sessions of 20min, so 80min for the day, so that is $2.875/min.

Aside from the seat time, I didn't enjoy the long waits at autoX event or the super competitive environment of autoX. It’s a sharp contrast to the environment at my local HPDE event in which I chat it up with Porsche, Mini owners alike.

As for safety. You the driver is ultimately responsible for your car and your personal safety. HPDE suppose to be sports driving at 8/10th of your skill level. So is the driver decide to be a Hero and use all 400hp of their car when their skill can only control 200hp, that's their problem, and in my experience it happens once awhile but event coordinators are pretty good at reigning folks that are out of control.

At end of day it’s our own prerogative on what to do with our Mini, crusing, HPDE, autoX, drive-in movie... Whatever you decide, Mini is a fine choice.

 

+1

 

Daily driver plus 1 & 6.

Would like to do a car control clinic however. Just checked and there's nothing scheduled in my area this Fall. Will look into it in the Spring though.

 

That's OK, the vast majority of people attending an HPDE didn't either their first time. Most every group that promotes these types of event has them geared towards the novice driver. Not knowing anything about driving fast is not a bad thing.

 

But there's also a difference between the two events. In autocross, how long are you on the course? Maybe 1-2 minutes with 5-6 runs depending on the number of participants plus the time when you work the course. You can be in and out of there before lunch depending on your grouping. Sometimes it just doesn't feel like you got enough seat time. (I'm speaking from doing rallycross. Haven't tried autocross yet but the setup of both events should be similar)

In an HPDE event, you're driving prob 20-30 minutes straight 5-6 times in the same day with classroom instruction in between sessions. Big difference. Its almost like taking all your autocross events in the year and doing it in one day. Sure, its expensive, but its not like you have to do it every month. Once or twice a year would still make it a very worthy experience even if you do autocross 1-2 times a month.

 

Very cool so where do I go around Virginia Beach, VA??

 

If you can get to an HPDE or school do it. You will be a better & safer driver after attending even one. If you get your kicks on the road you are at a much greater risk than going to a track & pushing yourself & the cars limits in a safe controlled environment.

 

PittMINI gonna have track day at Beaver Run, chech with the club in Pittsburgh, I believe the main instructor in MINI owner'

 

Whoa! I read all thread, there is alot of misconceptions about high performance driving events. I would encourage everyone to try at least one. It will make a better and safer driver on the streets, and it will make you appreciate your beloved MINI even more. I even got a $21 buck deduction from my insurance, for the certification of completion for the Phil Wicks one, like gnatser said I'd suggest the BMWCCA ones little more pricier but a good education and great track ie: Laguna Seca and Sears Point

 

Re-read what I said. For the cost of ONE track day (not HPDE which I have absolutely no interest in) I can autocross ALL SEASON.

 

WELLL!!! Phil Wicks driving academy is hosting a single day training event in Danville. Here are links to info on it, on the Tar Heels MINI Club page. Also for Phil Wicks itself. I'm going, and I even talked the husband into doing it too!!

http://www.tarheelminis.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1533
www.minidriving.com

 

BTW My Mini is also my daily driver.
In Oklahoma we have possible one of the best bargains going - Hallet http://www.hallettracing.net/ It is in the North East corner of the state. A lot of people from surrounding states such as Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas go there too. For $95 per day you get five 20-25 minute sessions.
Everyone is required to attend their Drivers Education class their first time on the track at a cost of $30 and you have to also pay an annual membership fee of $35 per year.
So your first time to their High Speed Touring will cost you $ 160 and then only $95 each time you go.
They have a DVD training video that would be very helpful to review before you go if possible. I think it cost about $30.
I also rent a transponder for $40/day so I can see how my lap times are improving.
Even though I only took the Drivers Ed class once, I often get the instructors to ride a session with me each time I go to help me improve. It cost nothing to have them ride with you. They are always ready to help whoever asks. But you do have to ask! They are not going to bug you to ride with you.
Be a student of the game - Read all you can and understand the theory. A fanstastic (and free) web site to learn is Turnfast.com http://www.turnfast.com/technical They have great articles on everything from proper seat position to cornering to heal-toe downshifting and more.
You can practice driving techniques such as heal-toe everyday when you drive. It takes a little practice to get it down but it will come.
YOU CAN DO THIS! ITS FUN! ITS SAFE AND YOU ALL READY HAVE THE CAR!

 

Thanks for remembering, howsoonisnow1985! It's PittStopMINI.org for the 1.25 day track HPDE event called "Gyminikhana!" https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=151380
Registration: www.pittstopmini.org

We do a full day (and the previous evening!) of professional Motoring Instruction - and practice - great HPDE - for $65. Yeah, that's "sixty-five dollars" - less if you're a Club member. We did this last year, it was a complete blast, and the instruction was so well received we (PittStopMINI and our dealer, Mini of Pittsburgh) decided to subsidize it. We also have other sponsors - Brent from MiniDoMore even donated a MDM trailer hitch to be given away at the event! (thanks Brent!) BeaveRun also offers a "Flat Out Day" on the BIG track there on the same day as Gyminikhana at a substantial discount to Gyminikhana registrants.

As far as wear and tear on car and driver: YOU are the determining factor in how hard you push the car and yourself (true for almost any HPDE). Many drivers come and drive fast, but many do not squeal the tires or hit the cones, and they still have a blast - and get a LOT from the experience.

Contact me personally (PM is fine) if you want more info on this or other PittStopMINI events, including our WINTER driving event, coming up in February - to coincide with Mini's launch of the new model Cabrio. We're really trying to become the region's premier Motoring event club!

 

DixonL2,
That winter snow event looks like so much fun! I always wanted to do a high speed snow event! Not much of a chance of that here in Oklahoma.
Does anyone know if there is such a thing in Colorado? Colorado is not too far away for me.
Your PittStopMINI club really looks like a great organization. Everyone in the PA/NJ/NW/DE owes it to themselves to do your HPDE! Fantastic price too!

 

For those worried about insurance, Hooked on Driving have found an insurer which will do single day insurance. It cost about $150 for $24k of coverage, which seems very reasonable to me. It is very rare that any one stuff up their car at a well run track day.

It is an extra expense, but if that's the only thing holding you back, it need not.

 

Do the MINI's really drive on the snow and ice? Or do you need special tires or anything?

 

I did read what you said but from my impression of the OP's first post, he was more implying "track day" as an HPDE event rather than Wheel to Wheel racing. Correct me if I'm wrong here. Anyways, I was just giving others a different take on what an HPDE event might feel like vs autocross or rallycross in terms of seat time. From a beginner's perspective, those 1-2 minute course runs are cheaper but do most beginners get satisfaction in the amount of time they spent trying to learn what their car can do? Not talking about experienced people like you, but the real beginning noob like how we were all at first. I know I didn't get much satisfaction in driving my car at my first rallycross. It was fun as heck, sure. It was still fun the times I went afterwards, too. But there was still a feeling of not being fulfilled just because seat time just seems to go by so fast. Maybe its just me.
Now, in a HPDE event..you can drive as fast as you want and still feel safe doing it for a bigger amount of time in one day. You literally get fatigued by the end of the day from concentrating on braking, lines, apexes, throttle control, flags. etc. etc. Now that really left a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day cause all you did was drive constantly trying to improve yourself. Would I do it once a month? Heck no. I know its expensive. But like I said, maybe 1-2 times a year or at least once in your lifetime, I'd recommend doing it to anyone. It's prob the closest anyone of us with a MINI as our daily driver want to be in on a track.
Heck, at the last HPDe event I went to, I met an elderly woman in her 50's or 60's from Norcal Minis, I think, who came to her very first HPDE event and was as nervous as the rest of us. She didn't drive very fast on track, but she drove to her own ability and still had tons of fun. I didn't drive fast either and got passed alot by a classic Mini..lol But I still had fun just cause I was able to exhaust myself driving. Only other way I get that feeling is driving up to Mt Hamilton and back in one seating without a break.

 

Most people usually dont want to risk crashing their daily driver. You are completely responsible for the vehicle if you crash it, usually no insurance help at all when its track related.

But.... this has never stopped me. I try no to think about it.

 

OUCH Remind me to hit you with my cane