Edit: Changing to Reno-Fernley instead of Thunderhill

Me and two of my EVO buddies are going to sign up for a day of fun at the track with the NCRC group. The event is at the Reno-Fernley track up in Reno because it's cheap and you'll get a lot more seat time than with NASA. It's $185 for non-members with the early bird special. If you're a first timer with NCRC you'll also get a 33% discount too. That's right, only $124 for a day at the track. Incredible.

NCRC - http://www.ncracing.org/rf060527.html

Registration

We are currently accepting early-bird sign-ups for this event on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $175 for one day, $299 for the weekend for members. Non-members add $10 per day. This is an early-bird price, which is good through May 13.

First Time Discount

We offer a 33% discount to any fist-time driver to NCRC. Feel free to refer your friends! This discount is not valid at Laguna Seca, and does not apply to drivers who have driven with NCRC before.


Reno Fernley



The Road Course is a 2.3 Mile Horsepower course. The track is fast, and, as yet, unforgiving. After sailing down the front straight, you come to Turn 1 which begins a couple of esses which are fast, off-camber and fun. The first serious corner, Turn 5, is a decreasing-radius 180 the entry of it is good passing spot for cars and the exit makes for a great passing opportunity for Motorcycles. Turn 5 leads onto a quick chute into more off-camber esses, which aren't quite as fast (reminiscent of the old Riverside esses) and require very late apexes. Flying and bouncing through the esses is a lot of fun, but requires attention. After Turn 12, a reasonably hard right, the track leads you to the most fun corner on the track, "the Loop". It is a highly (15 degrees?) banked Horse shoe which can, for the very aware racer, make a safe passing spot. After the Loop you absolutely fly across the crest of a small hill on the way to the final corner of the track, the very-late-apex (and faster than it looks) Turn 15.

 

I have always wanted to do that but never had the car for it...so I may be down! Stupid questions: so it's the first time for me so I would be in Group 1; does that mean I'm in Group 1 the whole day? Or would I have an opportunity to move to Group 2 that day? Also, am I gonna look like a dumba$$ driving with my full-face dirtbike helmet? Anything else a noob should know?

 

Hmmm, sounds like fun and a good weekend to go to The Hill. I will have to find out how far it is from Vegas. Also want to talk to N.A.S.A. about run group placement. I have only run with them once when I was a beginner and I will be damned if I drive all the way up there just to drive in the beginner group. Hopefully they let me skip HPDE 2 and HPDE 3

 

Actually there might be a change in plan for me and my buddies. Most likely we'll be doing Reno-Fernley up in Reno because it's cheap and you'll get more seat time than with NASA. It's $185 for non-members with the early bird special. If you're a first timer with NCRC you'll also get a 33% discount too. That's right, only $124 for a day at the track. Incredible.

http://www.ncracing.org/rf060527.html

http://www.reno-fernleyraceway.com/index.php

Registration

We are currently accepting early-bird sign-ups for this event on a first-come, first-served basis. The cost is $175 for one day, $299 for the weekend for members. Non-members add $10 per day. This is an early-bird price, which is good through May 13.


First Time Discount

We offer a 33% discount to any fist-time driver to NCRC. Feel free to refer your friends! This discount is not valid at Laguna Seca, and does not apply to drivers who have driven with NCRC before.

 

350ZNV

That'd be great if you came up. Wouldn't mind seeing your VRT beast. Maybe you could give my EVO friends a run for their money.

johnbigbootie

The helmet restrictions are different depending on which organization your running with. For NCRC here is theirs.

Snell 95 or newer helmet. Legal helmets include Snell SA95, M95, K98, SA2000, M2000. Helmets showing any damage or missing a Snell sticker will not be approved. After Jan 1, 2007 SA2000 or M2000 helmets or newer will be required.

Also since you're a noob it's probably mandatory you get an instructor and run in the novice group. I'm going to get an instructor anyways just because I've never done the track before.

Here's some more good info on what you need and what's going to happen.

Are you ready?

I know that's a lot to digest but don't be scared. Tracking is a whole lotta fun and greatly improves your skill as an everday driver.

 

Yeah it would be fun. The major hang-up would be the chance of being stuck in HPDE 1. I will have to email NASA about that.

 

I will be attending my second event at Thunderhill this Thursday and hopefully my first NASA event May 10th. The mid-week HPDE is for Groups 2, 3, and 4. The mid-week groups get 2+ hours of track time. I e-mailed NASA to find out if I can start in Group 2 or 3. They said to sign up for the group that I felt that I would be qualified to run in. I will probably start in Group 2 since it will be my first NASA event.

 

Forget about the NASA thing at Thunderhill. 99% chance I'll be doing Reno-Fernley instead where seat time will be more abundant with NCRC. See post above.

 

Decisions decisions...

 

Mid-week runs are usually hard to do unless you got plenty of vacation days and you aren't busy at work. Not so for me. That's why I have to look for weekend events.

 

I got some feedback from someone I know who's a veteran sports car racer, he said the NCRC events are "better" in general than the NASA events, the NCRC events generally have a "better" class of cars and therefore the drivers are more cautious/considerate. From what I heard, NASA can attract "pickup trucks" etc. So the Reno event sounds good, too.

 

Whoa, they turned that road course (Reno-Fernley) into a beast! If everything's set on my car in time, I'll head on up with you guys.

 

Nice nice... seems like there's more norcal interest. Lets get it going guys. This really is a good deal. $125 for first timers. I'll change my first post.

 

I plunked down the $40 NCRC membership fee, I figure that will provide me with some incentive to do the Reno event and maybe a few others this year. I still need to sign up for the Reno event, I am waiting for some info back regarding what day(s) I should sign up for as a first timer. It looks and sounds like a lot of fun, I can't wait!

 

Sweet! We signed up for Sunday 28th. Hopefully you can sign up for that day too. Last day for the early bird special is May 13th so sign up soon. BTW where are you located? Post up when you are registered. Hopefully we can get a few others as well.

1. dklau33 - (Darren) '04 Sedan
2. Matt - '04 EVO VIII
3. Craig - '05 EVO VIII MR