NJ Motorsports Park 2009??? - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

NJSPEEDER · 09-06-2008, 06:03 PM

Ok kids,

I know this was brought up before, but now it is time to actually get serious and see who is behind the idea.

How many of you would be interested in and willing to participate in an all F-body track day or weekend at NJ Motorsports Park?

Looking around, events like this range in price from $250 to $500 per driver depending on participation and the day of the week. I know that is a rather vague range, but the variables of days of the week, number of participants, time of year, and which track we use(Lightning or Thunderbolt) makes a huge difference.

I have talked to a company that puts on track days and I will also be contacting NJMP directly to see what the possibilities are. We would be aiming for late summer or early fall to do this, so everyone has time to get their cars together.

So, who would be ready, willing, and able to join in the fun?

-Tim

1QWIKBIRD · 09-06-2008, 06:08 PM

Count me in.......

NJSPEEDER · 09-06-2008, 06:19 PM

BTW, this will be an ALL F-BODY event, not exclusive to club members. So if you know of others that would likely be interested feel free to mention it.

I know an event like this can work, I attended Road America with the Mid-West F-body guys a decade ago and it is an annual event for them.

BonzoHansen · 09-06-2008, 06:22 PM

Yes. Instructors?

NJSPEEDER · 09-06-2008, 06:30 PM

Instructors would be available, but we would have to work out if everyone splits the cost and uses them or if it is just something that those who want instruction sign up and pay for. Personally, I feel a lot safer if everyone is required to take their first run with an instructor to evaluate their skill level and be sure faster drivers won't have a moving chicane to deal with. The instructors would then be available for those who require or would like some more help.

SupermanX24 · 09-06-2008, 07:19 PM

I'd be down...as soon as I throw a T56 in my car.

Blacdout96 · 09-06-2008, 07:20 PM

I went out on parade laps back when they had the SAAC event thee. The layout is fantastic. I would have no problem paying $500 to attend an all day session there.

1QWIKBIRD · 09-06-2008, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen

Yes. Instructors?

I'd bet from a safety and insurance standpoint, there would have to be instructors available to everyone and required of those that are first timers.

Either way I'd kick in some extra to make sure instructors were available.

Otherwise it would be a potentially dangerous situation for all involved. Safety is first.

Chris

EchoMirage · 09-07-2008, 07:40 AM

of course id be in. unfortunately i doubt itll happen. not enough people here realize theres more to racing then just a straight line. also, it gets very expensive. while id love to do NJMP, why not start out small, and get an unofficial track day at e-town. its alot cheaper, smaller, safer, they provide the instructors, and its more centrally located. at least this way you can get a feel of how many people are actually serious about it.

e-town isnt so busy that youd have 50 cars on a day, and you dont actually have to rent out the entire track.....turn it into a semi-monthly meet, and just show up and drive. just to rent e-town, youre talking several thousand, i think $3k+, and thats just a big autox. if you show up to drive, its $250 for your first time (to get licensed), then $125 per 6hr track day. the last track day i went to, there were 4 students in the morning school, and TWO people for the track day, including me. we can easily give them advance notice, and just show up and drive. i think that would be at least a better start, to get a feel of how many people will show.

look at the age majority and income level for this club......$500 is ALOT of money, to a college student and even to people in careers. i know alot of people would enjoy it and get hooked on it if they tried, but its a very big first step to make.

all else fails, a guy in my autox club is on some chair position of the porsche club of nj. they go to NJMP all the time. i can talk to him personally about tagging along with one of their track days, if we dont have enough interest to go f-body only.

correct me if im wrong, but i heard NJMP was booked straight through this entire year, as far as track days?

NJSPEEDER · 09-07-2008, 11:37 AM

The idea would be to see if we can get an all f-body day first, not just for club members, but for all owners. There is a long standing precedent for this concept working.

The price range given represents the wide swipe of what different track days go for, not a final cost. 500 would be on a prime, weekend day, mid season, with full instruction, a minimum number of cars, and no sponsor support or discounts. Yes, it is high on it's surface, but it is better to say that is a possibility now than to say it will be 200 and then have to charge 300, that would just piss people off.

Working with some guys that have run track days before, we have a good basis to get this done.

I also will not put an event on at that joke that is the road course at Etown. Narrow track, ungaurded light poles, no run off room, no safety traps, and no on site safety and recovery team. Not a good formula for an event that will be largely filled with drivers ranging from minimal experience to total newb.

SteveR · 09-07-2008, 04:41 PM

I'm down. Even if the '81 isnt done, I'll show up with something.

1QWIKBIRD · 09-07-2008, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NJSPEEDER

.......
I also will not put an event on at that joke that is the road course at Etown. Narrow track, ungaurded light poles, no run off room, no safety traps, and no on site safety and recovery team. Not a good formula for an event that will be largely filled with drivers ranging from minimal experience to total newb.

That is good to hear. There is no comparison at all in the facilities, E-town versus NJMP. I would not do E-town, I don't think its safe if you push to find the limits for the reasons stated above, plus there is the potential to go off course and cross into another section of the track (leading to a head to head or broadside situation). I'd just as soon keep my $250 in my pocket than blow it on that place.

NJMP is a real roadcourse facility with plenty of runoff, and support facilities/staff. I have been on the Lightning course and its a blast, I am going to try and do another date in October on the Thunderbolt course, we'll see.

EchoMirage makes a good point about turnout potential from this board, but you can't let the potential non-participants dictate the venue. There are plenty of opportunities to autox and I have rarely seen anyone else on this board show up at M-club, NNJR SCCA, Philly Region SCCA, SJR SCCA, Porsche Club events. So while interest might be high, participation would be scarce. It also tells me that there would potentially be a lot of inexperienced drivers on the track. That is not a bad thing (everyone has to start somewhere), but I think that means the facility should be of a higher caliber. NJMP is close enough and if you are serious, you'll make the journey.

As to track saftey and instructors, they are a must. I would not want to be on course with a bunch of people with no or minimal track experience (myself included) just flying around. That's just dangerous. I am not even sure if most people without prior track/autox experience would even know what the limits of their car and own skills are and the warning signs when you are close to the edge. That's what the instructor is there for, to gradually build you up to a comfortable level.

I am definitely in, but safety has to trump all else. Safety begins with the venue.

Chris

Tru2Chevy · 09-07-2008, 05:05 PM

I would be interested, depending on what the final cost comes out to be.

- Justin

NJSPEEDER · 09-07-2008, 05:46 PM

I think if we can get the event together, turn out won't be a problem. With the number of interested parties inside the club and on all of the other web sites we all visit, I don't see it as much of an issue to get enough f-bodies to fill a days worth of sessions. Especially once you figure in multi driver cars, since I know my brother would be willing to flog my car for a session or two and I am better I could drag a few other friends out.

I am hoping to have more information about the costs total costs and minimum car counts and such by the end of the week or early the following week. One of the big price factors is what day of the week this can happen on, weekend session are obviously much more expensive than midweek.

Remember, $500 is the upper end of what this could cost. The most likely final scenario would cost much less.

Blacdout96 · 09-07-2008, 08:28 PM

Im loving the Idea, so long as this doesnt happen until sometime next year, post spring would be the best, fo the Camaro is getting another performance and handling facelift, But like I said before, 500 is no problem for me, and Im sure I could convince a friend or two to come, and take a few laps there as well in my car if their F-body's arent running either by that time.

NJSPEEDER · 09-07-2008, 08:49 PM

The target for this is next fall, so you have plenty of time to get your car ready.

$500 is a big number, but like I said, that is the absolute highest end of what this could possibly cost per person. I don't anticipate it being anywhere near that amount though. Talk it up amongst your friends and see what they say.

I will have more details in the coming days, so stay tuned

Mike · 09-07-2008, 10:36 PM

how about all gm? id carve some corners in my truck like my sig

PolarBear · 09-08-2008, 04:54 PM

Yeah If for some reason I couldnt bring the 91 GTA I would want to be able to bring the Solstice just for fun. I would be able to do this almost at any time of week too.

Blacdout96 · 09-08-2008, 04:56 PM

Well how about this to ensure a turnout will happen, and not just smoke being blown around. lets say the price for the day is 300 bucks, if you wantt ogo, you gotta put down a down payment of like 100 bucks, to ensure that you can go, so that way we would be ensured people would come and not just say so and then at teh last minute not go.

NJSPEEDER · 09-08-2008, 04:58 PM

Scooter, I think by the nature of the club we should try to fill the field with f-bodies first. If we get down to only a handful of spots to fill we will open it up to members with other cars.

PolarBear · 09-08-2008, 05:26 PM

All I am saying is if I say "yeah Ill bring my 91" then before the event happens I break something but I have already paid. I lose my spot and my money? Or can I bring something else? IMO in the spirit of the club, anyone on here should be able to bring any car..... as a lot of people dont even own F-bodies

1QWIKBIRD · 09-08-2008, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cbrrmike

how about all gm? id carve some corners in my truck like my sig

That'd be interesting to see if they would allow a trailerblazer on track. Thinking along the lines of high center of gravity and manuvering at speed??? I don't think the SCCA would allow you to autox it. A track day event, I don't know? That would be a very good question.

1QWIKBIRD · 09-08-2008, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blacdout96

Well how about this to ensure a turnout will happen, and not just smoke being blown around. lets say the price for the day is 300 bucks, if you wantt ogo, you gotta put down a down payment of like 100 bucks, to ensure that you can go, so that way we would be ensured people would come and not just say so and then at teh last minute not go.

That's an excellent idea. Get the date and $$$ finalized, then a significant deposit, enough to keep you from walking away. I am sure if we were the only one's there, a deposit would be required up front. I doubt the coffers of the board are overflowing to the extent they could front that sort of cash, nor should they have to. Or do like other clubs do, require full payment upfront, but give a $40 or $50 discount if you pre-register some specified time (a month?) in advance. If you don't, you pay full price.

Chris

NJSPEEDER · 09-08-2008, 07:41 PM

The idea of this thread was just to see who was interested. We are working on getting details and pricing together still.
Details like date and pricing will be announced as soon as they are available.

paul100 · 09-11-2008, 05:32 PM

I would be interested in doing this. Its been a long time since I have been on a road course. The last time was around 1990 and 1991. I did Summit Point West Virgina and also Watkins Glen.

I might bring a friend with me. Does anyone know if you can take turns driving a car or would each person have to have thier own car.