Who's interested in a track school at Portland International Raceway in October?

Here are the details:

Team Continental (ICSCC sanctioned) is holding Road and Race Car Driver Training at PIR Friday evening (6:30pm - 10:00pm) and Saturday (7:30am - ?) on two different dates:

Friday, October 5 and Saturday, October 6
Friday, October 26 and Saturday, October 27

I have corresponded with them a while ago, and they said that they will accept the S2000 stock roll hoops. The cost is $125 per student (you can have more than one student per car).

I have taken a similar class twice at SIR, put on by IRDC, which is also ICSCC sanctioned. I found the classes to be extremely valuable. Having an experienced instructor riding with you all day, working on what you want to work on, is great.

$125 for a weekend track day is a very good deal. Those of us in Seattle can work a half-day on Friday before heading down to Portland. This would also be a good chance for Seattle and Portland S2000 owners to meet.

Please let me know if you're interested, and if so which date works better for you. We'll need to contact Team Continental and make sure they still have space.

Thanks,

Ted


Update: we plan to go October 26+27


Interested in attending (50% probability):

Tedster (Seattle)
RT (Seattle)
jerrypeterson (Seattle)
elanderholm (Portland)
ferdian (Seattle)
Chiman (Seattle)

what's the track day like with them ? how many cars do they allow on the track and how many run groups ? and how much track time do you get ? I'm curious how it compares with the proformance lap days.

glug,

good questions. I haven't taken Team Continental's class, so I can't comment specifically.

The IRDC class, which I assume is generally similar, gives you (in addition to the evening classroom session):

o track walk, talking about the line through each turn and common problem areas
o 'skid-pad' exercise (basically running a medium-speed sweeper with entrance, apex, and exit gates at increasing speed)
o braking exercise (increasing speed, try to stop inside cones, feel ABS, learn to use brake markers)
o slalom exercise
o lapping sessions (two run groups, four or five 20- to 30-minute sessions)
o observing the other run group's line

All this with an experienced instructor in-car with you.

I have no idea if Team Continental will do any or all of these, but I think it's likely that their program will be similar.

Basically, you'll get a little less track time than a lapping day, but more one-on-one instruction. If you're experienced on the track and know what you need to work on and how to work on it, a lapping day would be better. If you haven't done a track day before, or don't know the line at this track, or need help working on something, the school can be a good deal.

If anyone has taken the Team Continental school, please chime in...

Thanks,

Ted

I will most definitly be there for the Oct 26, 27th session ...

Relson,

great! I guess we'll try for the late October session, then.

Maybe you could help me (and any other Seattle area drivers coming down) find a reasonable motel fairly close to PIR?

Thanks,

Ted

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Tedster
[B]

Relson,

great! I guess we'll try for the late October session, then.

I went to www.expedia.com and did a search for hotels in "jantzen beach". Here are the results.

I know the Double Tree is just north of PIR .. you can see on the map where the other hotels are .. I'll keep you posted as I find more info.

- relson

OK, here we go.

check out the official website for PIR, www.portlandraceway.com . Then, check out the "Motels" Link (or click here).

Cross reference those with the map in my above post, and viola!

Also note on the PIR website that there are pics and maps of the track, event calendars, etc. Lots of good info. You'd be very surprised to see the constant flow of events that happen at that track.

If I can do anything else to help, just let me know.

- Relson

Ok, they listed this on the "facts" page ..

[QUOTE]Hotels

There are two hotels and five restaurants within walking distance of the track and another three
hotels within a mile. For more information see the hotel and restaurant pages.

Walking Distance

Best Western / Inn at the Meadows - (800) 448-5544

Relson,

wow, thanks! That's very useful.

Now I just have to try to drum up some interest among the Seattle S2000 crowd. Who else is up for this one?

Ted, you know I'm interested, just don't know if I can comment to anything yet, quite busy with random stuff right now.

Ray,

understood; I'm not ready to put up my $125 yet for something two months away. But I do plan to let my work know that I may take half of that Friday off.

I sent email to Team Continental to see how full those sessions are; hopefully we can wait a while before committing.

So, are any other Seattle or Portland area people interested (i.e., 50% or greater likelihood of going)? No need to commit yet...

Thanks,

Ted

BMW Club has a day at the track in September, I'll be running with them then.

y2ks2k,

any interest in joining us, too?


I've started a list of those interested in attending in the first message above. I also updated the track school description a while ago.

Ted

this sounds pretty cool.
Another question...what about insurance?? would it be covered? Should we make sure before going. I am very interested.

elanderholm,

I'll add you to the list of people interested, hope to see you there.

I still haven't heard back from Team Continental, so I don't know if they still have spaces for this event.


Here are a couple of earlier threads about track day insurance:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...p?threadid=4836

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...p?threadid=8765

And here's what I had to say:

When I asked my insurance agent if I would be covered for a 'driver education event' at a private facility, her knee jerk reaction was "no way!, no one ever drives 100MPH, you'd never be covered!" I asked politely to point out the specific language in my policy that said that, and she said that she'd have to talk to the corporate insurance company guys.

A few hours later she called back to say "no way! I'm sure you wouldn't be covered!" and I asked again for the specific language. She couldn't provide it, so I asked for the name and number of the right person at the corporate offices to talk to, which she gave me.

I called them, and got a completely different story! They said that my policy won't cover medical claims arising during "a demonstration of speed" or "preparing for or participating in a contest of speed". Everything else is covered. So basically, I would have to use my own medical insurance if I was injured during a race, but my vehicle would be covered no matter what. When I described the track day that I was planning to attend, she said "yes, you would be fully covered; there's no contest of speed because there's no timing of laps."

Anyway, I'm not trying to convince anyone that they are covered at the track, but don't take an agent's word that you're not covered either. Make sure that you see the specific clause in your policy that would deny coverage. You may have to talk to someone higher up than your agent. If you really want to be sure, you may need to have a lawyer look at your policy.

Ted

p.s. Front license plates suck! :p

oh jeez...another front license nazi!! :D
Thanks for the info. I had heard the same thing. Since laps aren't timed...you are covered. Who do you get insurance through??

My policy is with State Farm, but I'm not buying you a new S2000 if your coverage is different, so break out the magnifying glass and read the fine print. ;)

point well takin!! :)

HI,
So in Team continental,we can go with the soft top ?because I just got back from Bremerton Raceway,with the Afa Romeo Club they don't let me drive my car because I'm tall,btw I'm only 5'9" ! so I let my freind who is shorter than me to spec regulation so after that I can go! that the trick I was doing today,but at SIR last time they let me drive? well I don't know I'm just asking.
:)

ferdian,

when I corresponded with Team Continental back in March, they said that they would accept the S2000 for their school with the stock roll hoops. I am trying to re-confirm, just in case. The real issue is that the instructors have to feel comfortable getting in a stranger's car, and trusting that they won't roll it, so even if the organization says it's officially OK, there can still be problems at the track.

Are you thinking of joining us?

Ted

Hi Ted,

I think I'm going to PIR ,I've been there once with my friend with the team continental,it's nice they teach us how to drive in regular road and also at the race track it was fun last time.ok then if they let s2000 go I will be going . Thanks Ted to ask them
:)

Ted, please put me down as interested. Just like Ray was saying, I got much random stuff going on also.

John

Great, looks like we're up to seven 'possibles'. Should be a fun time.

DAMMIT!

I had a racquetball tourney sceduled for Oct 20,21. So this weeked was free for tracking. NOW, I find out they changed it to the SAME weekend 26, 27 :mad:

So, looks like I'm out. For those of you who also have time conflicts that weekend, Cascade Sports Car Club is hosting an event on Oct 19,20 (which I will be attending).

I'll keep you guys posted in case things change again ...

- Relson

If you cant make this session, I'll be at BMW track day on Oct 7th. PM me if this sounds interesting to anyone, I'll give details

Relson,

sorry to hear that you can't make it.


I still haven't heard back from Team Continental... I'll try calling them soon.

Ted

I just got off the phone with the Team Continental contact person; here's what I found out:

1) neither date is filled yet, but they do usually fill up around two weeks in advance.
2) they will accept the S2000 with the stock roll hoops.
3) we should download the .pdf application form from their web site (in my first message above) and send them in with our money at least two weeks before the class.

I have been planning on going to the October 26 and 27 class, as I have a conflict for October 5. What are the relative chances of dry weather on those two weekends?

Anyone else interested in joining us?

Ted

OK, I can now make it to the earlier date (October 5+6).

Should we try to go? It's in two weeks (next weekend), so if we want to try for this date, we need to sign up ASAP. If most of you want to try, I'll call them back and make sure they have space. I'm sure we'll have a better chance of good weather...

Let me know if you're in for October 5+6.

:) Tedster
:( RT
:( jerrypeterson
:( elanderholm
:confused: ferdian
:) Chiman

Anyone else?

Thanks,

Ted

I cannot make the 5+6th.

Sorry for the confusion, but we're back to plan 2a: October 26+27. Hopefully we'll get decent weather, and a good turnout of S2000 owners.

We should plan to register and pay sometime durning the week of October 8 (about two weeks from now).

Its now the week of October 8th. Is this happening?

Yeah, I still wanna go. I started a new thread over here:

https://www.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.php?...?threadid=31017

Please post over there to confirm that you want to go.

Thanks,

Ted