Bay Area People - Local Tracks (Drag or road courses) - The Unofficial BMW M5 Messageboard (m5board.com)

RyE · 23rd January 2003, 02:16

I am asking this question for a friend who has a '95 M3 but hasn't registered on this board. He just put a new bilstein pss9 suspension package on, 235 all around bridgestone s-03 tires as well as replaced the stock break pads. He wants to get some track experience but hes only 16. Can he do this? What are some good local tracks (bay area)? How expensive is it per hour/day/whatever? Does his dad have to go with him? Can you bring any kind of car to them?

Thanks

edit: I'll make him register so he doesnt have to talk through me.

C43///M5 · 23rd January 2003, 03:44

I would check out Infineon Raceway. They have drags wed night when the dry season starts again. But I would check with them. I doubt they allow drivers under 18.

StahlGrauM3 · 23rd January 2003, 04:34

I think you have to be 18 for most track events, but maybe not for autocross. I suggest he start with autocross (check into your BMW CCA chapter) and then consider doing something like the Skip Barber Driving School (not racing school). IMO, he is just too young to be on the track..needs more experience. Another option is to check into Go Karting. Sears Point (Infenion) has a great Karting school. And for those that are going to tell me how young Kimi Rikkonan is...yea yea, I know and he also has thousands of hours of track experience, starting at 10 years old with go karts.

M5Ted · 23rd January 2003, 04:41

I think you have to be 18 to do a track event, but I was able to do a few autocrosses through BMW CCA before I was 18. I would look into Skip Barber at Laguna Seca as well.

mottati · 24th January 2003, 00:13

the bmw cca, golden gate chapter will let a 16 y/o do a driving school with parental approval. There is a form for the parents to sign, but i think it's a great idea to learn good driving habits young.
Mike

here's their web site:http://www.ggc-bmw-cca.org/

They have a car control clinic (required before any track events) in feb, and a school at sears point in march. Usually, they are bmw only events, unless they don't fill.

cooltrav · 24th January 2003, 00:16

hi, im the friend he posted for - trav. thanks for the replies. =D. i do have some karting experience, i raced them on a local track for a few months but it got boring pretty fast for me. 1st place every race, part of it was probly because i was only racing the hillbillys (type of town it was in) but still

i also have experimented with my car a lot :p ill look into some of the tracks you mentioned and hopefully theyll let me do somthin =) talk to you all next week im leavin for a snowboarding trip to tahoe in 5 minutes!