Topic: Track Practice Day

We are a new team and have registered to race at Sonoma Raceway on December 3-4.  Looking for advice on how to sign up for a practice day at Sonoma Raceway between now and December 2 (the official track practice day).  We are a new team and all new drivers.

Re: Track Practice Day

Contact one of the various event organizers that put on track days....
https://www.speedventures.com/
https://www.speedsf.com/
https://www.hookedondriving.com/

Or check with the track itself...https://www.sonomaraceway.com/events/complete-schedule/?

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Re: Track Practice Day

A few notes... generally speaking, test days through the track are more expensive than those coordinated by the organizers. Like 2-3x more expensive. You get more seat time, but if your signing up 4 drivers for a test day it'll add up real quick.

We signup for track days all the time for test days on the car, and to vet new drivers. Fortunately our driver skill level is all over the place, so we can enter a driver into each run group and fill every experience level slot and run the car all day for ~$125x4 drivers at our local track. On top of it, if you reach out to the coordinator and explain what your doing, quite often they'll offer you a bundle discount. It sounds like your drivers are all of the same level, so that may be an issue for you if you don't have any drivers who can keep up in the high interm/advanced run groups. With that said, you can still enter into beginner+low intermediate, reach out to the coordinator if they'll allow two drivers to share the car in one run group, and you'll alternate sessions. Each one of you won't get much seat time, but still get a couple sessions per driver.

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4 (edited by kornfeld 2022-09-06 04:38 PM)

Re: Track Practice Day

Look at the calendar of events at Sonoma:

https://www.sonomaraceway.com/events/complete-schedule/

Find a day on there that has open registration, that you and your team can join for, and that doesn't have any specific licensing or car-prep restrictions. Then sign up.

Alternatively, you can do some sim racing at home. It won't be real life obviously, but it'll be cheaper and you'll get way way more seat time. Buy yourself a cheap wheel and pedals, then get assetto corsa or sign up for iracing or something like that.

Re: Track Practice Day

Yes, learning the track on sim, then driving a couple practice laps before the race is ideal. For our last race I brought my portable (laptop) sim rig and we all did laps the night before the race. Assetto Corsa does a really good Lemons impression in “track day” mode with a mix of slow and fast cars. The only difference was the slow cars were all Fiat 500s and NA Miatas and the fast cars were 80s super cars :-)

Re: Track Practice Day

Do not limit your practice to just sonoma.

There might be other local tracks you can practice at too

Former Captain
1996 Crown Vic. #55
Team Racing Cosmo

Re: Track Practice Day

If I understand OP's question, you do not need to register for the test session on Dec 2nd.  Just sign-up at the track on Friday. 

If your car's ready, you can practice at buttonwillow in a few weeks from now, before that Lemons' race.

Re: Track Practice Day

Great idea right there. Get your car to BW. It’s one of not many tracks that allow passengers during practice (make sure that I’m not wrong). When they aren’t too busy, do a dry run with tech inspection to avoid failing tech when it matters. Enjoy spectating and ask many questions.

Tri-Lamb Motorsports ‘87 528e

Re: Track Practice Day

I’m also in the Bay Area and have searched a bit for test days. The Sonoma test days appear to be only for NASA or SCCA registered cars. Thunderhill appears to be open to any car. At least a few of the track days linked above are with organizations that explicitly ban “Lemons” cars, although I’m not sure how they would know if you don’t have a bunch of decorations on your car. I would make sure to contact the organizers first, let them know what you’re driving, and make sure it’s ok.

#22 Team Slowtus Ford Focus

10 (edited by Lemon_Newton-Metre 2022-09-20 09:23 AM)

Re: Track Practice Day

BigBird and kornfeld gave good generalized suggestions; here is what Sonoma has as their requirement:

"LICENSING/VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS
Sonoma Raceway offers testing with the following requirements and fees. If you have any questions concerning testing or to pre-register, please email testing@sonomaraceway.com. Advance registration for testing is required; space is limited.

DRIVER/VEHICLE REQUIREMENTS

Valid Competition License from NASCAR, Grand-Am, SCCA, FIA, NASA, SVRA, VARA, INEX, HMSA, CFRA, PCA, BMWCCA, HSR, IMSA, CSRG and Star Mazda.

Rookie, Novice, Provisional, Time Trial licenses, driving school certificates, resumes, and logbooks are NOT substitutions for a Competition License and will not be accepted.

Bring your license with you to sign-in, the morning of your pre-scheduled test day.

Vehicles are to conform to SCCA Pro Racing regulations.

That would leave me out.

Re: Track Practice Day

AXC1 wrote:

The Sonoma test days appear to be only for NASA or SCCA registered cars.

The Sonoma track day the Friday before a Lemons race is open for Lemons cars.

Team whatever_racecar #745 Volvo wagon

Re: Track Practice Day

rb92673 wrote:
AXC1 wrote:

The Sonoma test days appear to be only for NASA or SCCA registered cars.

The Sonoma track day the Friday before a Lemons race is open for Lemons cars.

Yes, but only that specific Sonoma open track day. All other Sonoma track days are restricted, please see the post above.

#22 Team Slowtus Ford Focus