Open Track Fridays at Buttonwillow

Have any of you Californians out there done this? I'm considering the 2-hour drive tonight to track the car all day tomorrow. But if it's a bad idea, someone could save me a dull night in Bakersfield before it's too late.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

Hey....I pretty much suck as a driver (aside from asserting myself King of the Dip****s on Sepulveda pass going from LA to the Valley after work), would I have any place at buttonwillow? What equipment is needed etc?

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Kurt B
1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet
75 914 1.8

Well, I did it. I don't know if it's ideal for a beginner (which is kind of how I would categorize myself). On the plus side, there were only maybe 15 or 16 cars there, I'd guess, so they simply kept the track open all day -- you could drive as much as you'd like.

On the other hand, I believe mine was the only car running on the track that wasn't a full racing car -- which is to say the others all arrived on flatbeds, had full roll cages and safety gear, and were covered with sponsorphip logos. I was the only 'street' car, and probably the only driver who didn't have his name painted on the side of his car.

It was a lot of fun, though. Buttonwillow's a track that's like both of the Willow Springs tracks, combined. It's got a lot of turns (almost a three mile course), but two straights where you can get up in the 130 mph range.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

Any video?

Tom Aiken
Fremont, CA

Video? Yes. I hope to get a lap or two put up sometime this weekend. Watch for it at my site:
http://members.rennlist.com/jackolsen/Racing.html

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

Hey Jack

I am from the SoCal area....what is this about open track???

What are the logistics?
Can anyone go and run their car as long as they want?
Sounds too good to be true.
Or is this a sactioned event?

Thanks

It's at Buttonwillow (up the 5, near Bakersfield), and it isn't every Friday. You pay $75 for a one-year card for your car, and then -- on the given Friday -- you have to pay $75 per car and $75 per driver. So it's $150. I think there's also a half-day rate, from 1pm to 5pm that's less ($85 total -- of course you still need the one-year card). I think they open the track up most Fridays, but some of the Fridays are for motorcycles. It was this last Friday (the 17th) and that was the last one, for 2000. However, they're having their annual "Holiday testing festival" on December 9 and 10 (Saturday and Sunday), where it's a two-days-for-the-price-of-one deal, where $150 will get you (possibly) 16 hours of track time.

The requirements are a suit and a helmet, but jeans and a long-sleeved cotton shirt qualify as a suit.

As I said, it's not an event with many (or in my case, any) 'street' cars. There was some grumbling about me when I showed up, I think -- concerns that they'd have to be careful about contact with my shiny car and concerns that I'd be getting in the way. But everyone I met there was nice enough to me in person. No one bumped into my car, and I don't think I caused any accidents.

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

[This message has been edited by JackOlsen (edited 11-18-2000).]

Here's a randomly-chosen lap at the Buttonwillow event. The normal disclosures apply: it's 11 megs; I was slowing down at the end to let another guy pass me.

Quicktime

AVI (poorer quality, larger file)

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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

[This message has been edited by JackOlsen (edited 11-18-2000).]

Jeez, was that an RX-7 overtaking there at the end? Can't let that happen anymore Jack.

Seems like tracks out there in Cali are so flat. Here in the East we have lots of hills on the tracks. I like the elevation changes. Don't get me wrong, I am envious over the sheer number of tracks you guys have sprinked all over.

Thanks for the excellent videos.

I've posted three laps from the open testing day. Just click on the picture:



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Jack Olsen
1973 911 T (3.6) sunroof coupe

[This message has been edited by JackOlsen (edited 11-19-2000).]