Anybody going?

I'm going but not with the mini. Should be a blast.

Anyone have any links to some good in-car footage or maybe a write-up on the track? Not too much on their website.

 

Putnam Park is one of my favorite courses and is very driver-friendly. It's out in the sticks but is a wide-open course with some tricky curves and a coupla nice straightaways. It's mostly flat but does have a few rises, and the course is nicely paved. Classes are held in the tower, which is air conditioned and also has a really nice viewing area of the track. The only problem is that there are many steps to get upstairs to the classroom, and they wear on you as the day goes on. There is a restroom in the tower, but the main ones are at the far end away from the tower.

Gas up BEFORE you get to the course. Air is available at the course, and there is a small lunch stand there too, as well as a picnic area and a souvenir shop. There isn't much shade, so bring your own, as well as your own beverages as the ones they sell there are expenisve.

 

Thanks for the tips. I'll definitely fuel up before I go to the track but I'll most likely have to fuel up again between sessions as my car (Mazda RX-8) has terrible fuel efficiency on the track and a small gas tank. I also have to keep at least 1/4 tank of fuel at all times to keep it from starving in the corners.

Where would you recomend that I go for a fuel run?

 

There is a gas station at the corner of the road you turn on to get to the track, off 70

You will see it, I believe it is a Sunoco, they have air too

I may have posted a video before from Putnam .. do a search

 

I was there a few weeks ago. It is a very nice track with a good layout. It was a little rough on the tires though.

 

There's a nice full service gas station about 3 miles away and it's on the way to the track.

 

Rough on tires is good. I don't particularly like my tires so I won't to destroy them and get some stickier ones for future events.

Thanks for the fuel station tips.

 

The curbs can wear the tires, but they are not nearly as bad as some on other tracks I have been on. In fact, my instructor there last year advised me to actually ride the curb, but then I was running runflats and didn't care. Now that I have different non-runflats, I DO care.

 

Jeff, Will you be at Mid-Ohio later this month?

 

I've been watching some videos and trying to familiarize myself with the track. It looks like it will be a ton of fun. I saw a great deal on tires from tirerack so I'll be running with a much higher performance street tire than I had on the car previously.

 

Putnam Park is my "home" track, and it is alot of fun. There are just enough elevation changes to make things a little tricky. You may not notice while driving around at speed, so if there is the opportunity to do a track walk, don't miss it!!! I had been going out there for a few years before I finally drug my a$$ out of bed early enough to make the Sunday morning track walk and I learned quite a bit more than I would have thought possible. It is now on my must-do list each time I go out there.

Yes, it is out in the boonies. Closest gas station is at the intersection of US40 and IN267. Used to be a Shell, now I think it is Marathon. Next closest are at I-70 and IN267. There's a couple fast-food joints there too, though for the sake of convenience I eat at the track if I haven't packed a cooler. Definately take your own shade and a chair.

I'll be out there Sept 14-16 with PCA

 

Putnam was a blast and it is a beautiful track in a beautiful setting.