Best/funnest track on the 2024 calendar?

I assume you are based in or near California. 

- HPR 24 is a fun track and I like 24s.  People are friendly, but it is a long way to drive and it is in the middle of nowhere.
- The Ridge is pretty similar.  Nice people, great cars.  I think there is more civilization around it, but I can't remember it was so long ago.

Barber or Road America.

we're in a similar boat... SoCal based team and like track variety. We've hit every track in CA and I think we're extremely fortunate with the quality and selection of tracks that we have out here. We've left CA once for a race and it was the 24hr one at HPR. It was awesome... a 24hr has always been a bucket list item and we absolutely loved the track. We still talk about that race and are considering doing it again... but the triple 24 was really rough (24hrs towing/24hrs racing/24hrs towing). If you're looking to explore outside CA... i'd totally recommend that race... basically two birds with one stone (new track+a true 24hr race).

Gingerman? Compared to Barber or Road America? I mean, the breakfast burritos are good, but not that good...

I said what I said. Neal Losey is probably the guy OP really wants to ask, by the way.

There are reasons to visit every track and things that every facility does well (or not).

BARBER
The nicest facility we go to, hands down. The grounds are finely manicured, the place is meticulously maintained (ie "The Shitters are nice and seldom out of paper towels"), the museum is amazing if you happen to have an extra few hours, and the track itself is technical & super fun. The view from the top of the timing building (or even the meeting room) is one of the best spectator areas on the calendar.

THUNDERHILL
Cool track layouts. The "classic" 3-mile track is really an amazing layout. Tons of elevation change, but still good sightlines and room to race. The West course that gets tacked onto the 5-mile track is super technical, which some people like and some don't. If you have a "momentum car," it's a way to make up lap time against the long couple of straights on the Main/Classic circuit. The paddock atmosphere tends to be good, especially for the May race when it's warm.

NOLA
You're in New Orleans; you can be in the French Quarter in 15 minutes if you want. Track is totally flat (not a pro), but that means the sightlines tend to be excellent. Track is also very wide, so there's plenty of room to race. Lots of paddock space--we could probably theoretically fit 200 cars in that place.

PITTRACE
Awesome track layout with huge elevation changes. People love driving this place. The facilities are very nice and modern, one of the best handful on the calendar. It's also kind of "between regions," so you get a lot of crossover between Midwest and East (and usually a few South) teams. It's a great way to meet a bunch of people from both regions if you're from well outside of it.

CMP
The Parade! It's the OG Block Party and it's always awesome. Even aside from the Block Party, CMP, High Plains, and Gingerman have some of the best at-track atmosphere on the calendar. Laidback, helpful, generally awesome. The track is maybe similar to Gingerman (someone else can chime in) in that it's pretty flat, but it's also more technical than it initially looks. Easy to do well, hard to do perfectly. Or something like that.

THE RIDGE
Another awesome track layout with TONS of elevation change. They've improved their facilities considerably in the last decade (BUILDINGS!). The garages are nice and so are the bathrooms (I think...I haven't personally been there in a minute). The PNW teams bring some supremely awesome cars.

HALLETT
Really cool family-run, old-school facility that is basically tailor-made for Lemons. Everything there works, the facility is in a surprisingly pretty location, and the track is super technical.

GINGERMAN
Always had a good Lemons atmosphere since I went to Lemons' first race there as a spectator. Track is fun and safe, paddock layout is awesome for socializing, spectator areas are great and there are several of them, Midwestern Lemons people are awesome, and the racing is generally very clean. What's not to like? (Bathrooms have even gotten slightly better in the intervening time)

SEBRING
A weird place or at least unique on the Lemons calendar. Most of the track is the original airport concrete with all of the bumps, joints, and creases that implies. Some of it--especially Turn 17--looks like an abandoned K-Mart parking lot. There are some asphalt sections to connect the old concrete bits. However, it is wide and once you get used to everything looking more or less the same, the sightlines are pretty good. The facilities are like Gingerman, but bigger? I think that's about right. If you visit, you'll simultaneously understand and question how it's a famous racing facility.

HIGH PLAINS
I've not actually been there, one of two tracks on the calendar I haven't visited. The atmosphere seems to be top-notch and Colorado racers really GET Lemons. The track looks super fun with ample elevation changes.

NJMP
One of the three best tracks (with Sonoma and NHMS) to run if you love driving in traffic. It's 2-and-a-bit miles with 120+ cars, so traffic management and driving clean will get you REALLY far. Track is pretty flat and maybe not the most exciting on its own, but the traffic really puts a premium on experience. We also tend to get some super cool cars at this race. Paddock atmosphere and partying has always been top-notch at NJMP.

AUTOBAHN
Has generally always been a really laidback race. I don't think Autobahn tends to be a destination for many long-traveling teams, but it's got some Gingerman-like characteristics: it'll take you a race or two to figure out how to drive it really well in Lemons (aka "When you don't always have The Line™"). Facilities and paddock tend to be decent. Flagging here is usually as good as you'll find.

THOMPSON
Like most East Coast races, the paddock atmosphere and hangs are pretty good (make sure you get ice cream from the little shack in front of the country club). The track is decent enough, though probably not what anyone would call spectacular. It's a tough one to win if you've got a competitive car. Short laps + Traffic = Gotta have a near-perfect race to have a chance.

ROAD AMERICA
Really needs no introduction. It's big, fast, and pretty. There's a reason it's iconic. The parade was just the frosting on top; already working on bringing that back, but keep your fingers crossed on it.

PACIFIC
Honestly, I don't know much about it. Looks technical and maybe a bit narrow, but the PNW racers run with a lot of respect for each other. It's new on our calendar so would give you another box to check.

NCM
The feedback I've always gotten is that there's a lot of elevation shoved into a small geographical area, which makes it a lot of fun. The paddock is...still being rebuilt after a tornado almost two years ago. Like PittRace, this one is kind of "between regions" so you get teams from the Midwest (and even the East) along with South racer. Spectating is non-existent, though. You can kinda see 1/3 of the track from the elevated platform behind the garages.

BUTTONWILLOW
Despite being dusty and forlorn in the middle of the Central Valley, Buttonwillow tends to produce some good racing and entertaining after-hours fun (namely because there's nowhere to go from the track). Probably not a destination track outside of the West region, but it's a great atmosphere.

NHMS
Like Sebring in the sense that it's unlike anywhere else we go (though COMPLETELY dissimilar to it as a road course).For a roval, there's a lot of character in this place. Parts of it are kind of Mickey Mouse (like the Oval Turn 1/2 shortcut), but the whole "outfield" section is super cool, IMHO. Traffic keeps everything lively and you have to be thinking ahead about the (multiple) parts where the track narrows. Paddock atmosphere tends to be awesome.

MSR HOUSTON
Kind of a perfectly Lemons-grade racetrack. Looks a little tired but functions perfectly well. Flat and a little swampy but ultimately looks like a hoot to drive. Texas racers are a great mix of Lemons' world, though. Lots of V8 Mustangs, lots of legit swamp-found hoopties. Paddock layout makes PittRace look sensible, but it's a cool spot once you figure it out.

SONOMA
"Tough" is probably the right word for Sonoma. It's tough on teams, tough on cars, tough on organizers, but it is ultimately a really cool place. It has ALL the elevation change and all the technical challenges. Atmosphere tends to be excellent, traffic tends to be plenty.

ROAD ATLANTA
Kind of like the Light Beer version of Road America, which is to say it's still an epic racetrack. Maybe has the worst set of on-track sightlines we go to, so it's work to drive it, but the elevation changes are spectacular and a worthy payoff. Usually a big draw so traffic is also a factor. Weather has frequently sucked, but there's a feeling of festivity to everything since it's usually the season-ender and butts up against the holidays.

YMMV

Seconded. Two thumbs up from this guy.

@therood - make no mistake, I like gingerman. I just don't want you giving out the secret too much... They already had to ban free bong hits in the paddock because of party poopers.

Wait... Eric hasn't driven a crappy Lemons car yet?????? Now that has to be fixed.
Somehow a team got Dale in a car at the last Thompson race, so now we need to get Eric in a car.
And if he hasn't been in a car by the next time he's at a race the Whoopie Pie car shows up at a race he's judging, he's driving a Whoopie Pie car...lol

After all, as he told me...He's here to entertain

@OP:
if you're coming from California, HPR is the obvious next step, especially if you plan to tow.

https://www.murileemartin.com/UG/LWI13/ … _9933.html

I remember that car, we tried to copy it, no one cared so we did a different theme.