I just got this information from Eric at "Hooked on Driving" about the Feb 23 MINI event at ThunderHill:

<quote>
It is going to be a great event, with 4 run groups, everything from never seen a track before to race prep cars. There will be coaching and demo rides available along with a vendor area just for MINI's.

If you could please post this or something like it for me just to give a little more info about what people can expect.

Thanks and see you soon!

E
</quote>

It's True! It's now listed on the "Hooked on Driving" events
calendar for Feb 23. See you there...


I was at Thunder Hill yesterday for a track event and one
of the instructors from "Hooked on Driving" told me that they're
planning a "Hooked on MINIs" day sometime in Feb. '07

It's not on their website yet but it sounds like a great time-
a boat load of MINI's out there together.
After yesterday I'm really looking forward too it. Thunderhill
is a great MINI track.
-G

 

But a long drive from SF...

 

A long way from Santa Cruz too! But, I spent the night before at the
Blue Gum hotel (see Thunderhill website for nearby lodging info).
The place was kind of a dive but clean and it was only $39!
There also a lot of other more upscale options in Willows.

The drive home after the day on track was no problem, I was re-living
the turns in my mind the whole way

 

TH is close. Reno is far. The HOD guys are big MINI supporters. I like to think that Dave got hooked due to my driving at their Laguna date, but I know better

Theres not a better group to attend a trackday with. The HOD guys are perfect, for novices and racers all the same. Best days, most controlled, best organized.

If indeed they pull a MINI day together, we ALL must go. Every Norcal MINI must show up.

Plus I think Sids got that damn hat still...

 

Looks like HOD's web site event calender shows a 2/23/07 (Friday) track day at Thill. Would this be the date?

What run group will you folks run in?
Group A - novice thru Group D - (almost) open track, "most advance".

 

HOD has a track day on Nov 9th. If there's a MINI track day in Feb. I'll be there. Hope to see you there. The last time I went Sids showed me the line , and what a difference.

 

<subtle jab>
Sids line changes depending on who hes running against
</subtle jab>

 

That could very well be, but the last time i was there the line he showed me made me alot faster. Now i need to get smoother.

 

You jokers think I'm gonna show you ALL my secrets?? I'm getting used to stylin' the FMOD hat!

And Matt, I didn't pass you going into Turn 2, you threw out the anchor and passed me going the other way!

 

change that to dark silver and white roof and its perfect!!!!

HOD D group is for race preped cars only, so its C for us advanced drivers...B intem and A for up and coming...


DAMN Feb with HOD is nice. Karting, Laguna and MINIs only at TH!!! I need new brake pads, I can tell already...

 

Well, this is news. It appears that I've been blackballed from Hooked on Driving for unspecified reasons. I'm not allowed at their events any more, and by extension, the HPDS they run with the SCCA or Hooked on MINIS which I helped promote. I must have pissed someone off, but who and why are a total mystery. I wonder what's next?

 

Gotta be those orange wheels.

 

hey guys can you keep me updated on when this "hook on MINI" is gonna take place it sounds awesome! thanks

 

n/m

 

It's not cancelled - I just registered this Morning.

I'd suggest Siddhartha makes some calls to try
repair burned bridges (or what ever)
rather than express sour grapes.

 

Sour grapes, indeed...

So it actually looks like T-hill is only 130 miles from me - not bad at all. I may just try to do this. Did they say anything about how many cars/track sessions they were planning for?

 

It doesn't say on the HOD registration or calendar pages but I imagine it's similar to the typical event of something like 3-4 groups each getting
5 sessions of 20 min each.

Usually on your off session you can catch a ride with an instructor to get
more time at speed and a different view at how to drive the track.

 

HOD usually runs 3 groups of 25
C is usually not full, but you need to be passed off on to get to drive in C

Very odd developments here...

 

I have made calls, and sent emails, and so have some of my friends. I'm out. They won't discuss it. Period.

How would you feel if you had spent the last year promoting an organization, brokering deals for them, liasing with the MINI community and volunteering as an instructor only to be unceremoniously tossed out without a word of explanation or, I might add, a word of thanks for all your efforts? Would you be a little disappointed and hurt?


And don't even suggest that I must have done something. They must have their reasons. That's the Pontius Pilate defense and look how that ended. If I've done something, if they have their reasons, why not state them? What are they afraid of? Here's the email I received from David Ray:

"Jerry: This is to confirm our discussion of earlier today that we will not be using your efforts as a volunteer or driving coach with Hooked On Driving in the future. It is my opinion that the www.hookedondriving.com forum is an inappropriate place to discuss this.
Regards,
David Ray"

Well he quickly took down that thread anyway. Guess he felt threatened about what was being asked. So where is the proper forum to discuss this since he won't discuss it at all? I am very disapointed.

 

Sorry about that Jerry. How about names of some other groups in the area with the same type of track days? I've only been to two, HOD and Phil Wicks.
I'm a little new at this so I'm a little slow , but I'll get up to speed.

 

Thanks, Randy.

Here's a great site for keeping up on what's happening. Most of the track day clubs use it. If you register (free) they'll even send you email reminders of what's coming up.

 

Hi Checkers,

clive here... 06 PW/B MCS+JCW+checkmate... we met last time at TH, remember?

Here are the organizations that I've run with with good experience (that are open to the general public):

NCRC (http://www.ncracing.org)
TrackMasters (http://www.trackmasters-racing.com)
T.E.A.M. (http://www.team-racing.org)
BMWCCA (Golden Gate Chapter schools, http://www.bmwcca.org)
SpeedVentures (http://www.speedventures.com)
Unlimited Laps (http://www.unlimitedlaps.com)
GGLC (http://www.gglotus.org) <-- they have an event Jan 2 at Laguna, by the way

There are more clubs out there... if you really want track days, you can attend driving events almost every week. Besides the great site Sid mentioned above, here is another event calendar site (JustRacing.com):

http://www.justracing.com/calendar

Hope this helps,

 

Deleted

 

Come! Jerrys a good guy, but this will be a good event, and we need fast MINI's to show...

 

I'm just starting with BMWCCA. They have to get to know me before they invite me to instruct. For now, it's T.E.A.M. Racing.

Thanks for your support!