Thunder Hill DE Opportunities?

[jeffgrant]

Hello everyone-

A few of us here in Vancouver, BC, are starting to plan our DE's this year, and we're looking to include a few days at Thunder Hill.

The only problem is that we're not sure what events we'd be allowed to participate in. (These would be DE's, not racing, etc.)

Anyone have some options/recommendations for events that the 4-6 of us could participate in?

Ideally, we'd love to make the trip down there and get 2-3 track days in over a 3-4 day period, so we can make a week of it (with stops at Seattle and Portland on the way there or back).


Thanks in advance...


...jeff

[Mahler9th]

I assume you are talking about driving Porsches. I'd start by suggesting you check out PCA events. First and foremost, the PCA Golden Gate Region. ww.pca-ggr.org. Best track time for the buck, period. Excellent instructors, and very nice group with both men and women. A family atmosphere. Second check out the PCA Diablo Region. I think they have a three day event this year. And of course the PCA Sacramento Valley Region. They have events in conjunction with Trackmasters-Racing. So you'll see various marques.

You can link to these PCA groups through the national web site at www.pca.org. Trackmasters-racing is at www.trackmasters-racing.com

There is also the Northern California Racing Club, www.ncracing.org. Lots of Porsches and lots of Porsche instructors. Great DE events. They allow various marques.

These are by far the BEST opportunities for p-cas at Thunderhill. Well-run events with lots of Porsches, and lots of excellent instructors. These are a good "home base" to start with.

You can also check the schedule at the Thunderhill web site and find out which other groups are renting the track. Then you can post back here to get info/feedback.

- Mike

[jeffgrant]

Thanks Mike... yes, we're all PCA members and are driving Porsches.

We've already started looking into the PCA events, but the NCRC is a new one.. thanks for the info!



...jeff

[pgeorgeson]

Dates I have listed for Thunderhill through NASA Norcal and PCA Golden Gate Region (GGR)

March 10-11 NASA
March 30-Apr. 1 PCA
April 14-15 NASA
June 2-3 PCA
Aug. 4-5 PCA
Aug. 12-13 NASA
Sept. 22-23 PCA
Oct. 13-14 NASA

If you are a PCA member, you can get a joint membership in GGR for $21.

If you are heading this way, you should also consider Infineon (formerly Sears Point). It is amazing. Dates for Infineon that I have are:

May 5-6 NASA
Sept. 22-23 NASA
Oct. 27-28 NASA (Porsche only weekend)

[Jack Olsen]

Originally posted by jeffgrant
Anyone have some options/recommendations for events that the 4-6 of us could participate in?

I instruct for NCRC, and -- as it happens -- am helping coordinate a group of 4-6 drivers coming down from Seattle for the April 28-29 event. NCRC is a very well run group, and you can all save 33% off the entry fee with a coupon I can send you.

Depending on your route, we could even coordinate a caravan from Seattle south.

Thunderhill is a great track. Let me know if I can help.

[jeffgrant]

Thanks everyone for your quick feedback. And thanks for the offer Jack!

We'll for sure get a hold of you as quickly as we can make a decision.

The reason for us doing this is that Don Kitch (Proformance Racing School) in Seattle is not running his own Thunder Hill event this year (too risky financially), and so a bunch of us that did it last year are trekking down on our own. (I wonder if the other Seattle folks are from the same group that went down with us last year?)


...jeff

[Jack Olsen]

Yes, it's a group who did the Proformance trip last year.

[Don Plumley]

The best instruction I've received was with PCA-GGR. You should note that to run with their High Speed Driving school or with the DE/TT series, you need to take their Ground School. So you might want to make contact to see if it is possible can get that requirement waived. Info here . It's also really fun to run in a pure Porsche environment.

I had great instruction with SoCal's PRC as well.

I've had great fun running with NCRC and Trackmasters and will happily run with them again this season - both run at Thunderhill. I wouldn't recommend the Thunderhill SCCA school for a moderately experienced driver as they take the main straight out.

Hope to see you down at Thunderhill - let me know when you are going and I'll do my best to go at the same time.

[jeffgrant]

Cool... thanks. Right now there's about 4-5 of us looking at doing the a 3-day weekend in April:

April 27 with Unlimited Laps
April 28-29 with ARC/NCRC

We'll probably be making our decisions in the next few days, and will keep you posted.


...jeff

[JP911]

Two other organizations that run at Thunderhill are Hooked on Driving and TEAM racing.

[jeffgrant]

Thanks... so far, these seem to be the best 3-day combinations that work for us:

April 27 Unlimited Laps
April 28-29 ARC/NCRC

July 27-28 Hooked on Driving
July 29 TrackMasters

Aug 25-26 BMW Club
Aug 27 PDC Racing (private but you can get in)

Sept 28 ARC/NCRC
Sept 29-30 Green Flag Racing

Oct 26 Hooked on Driving
Oct 27-28 ARC/NCRC


It seems that we're pretty sure we're doing the April dates, and maybe a second trip in September.

[trekkor]

Hope to meet you with the TMR or GGR-PCA.


KT