Track days

[Ryanotown22]

Are there any open track days in Phoenix area where you can drive a track for fun and not a race vs others. I don’t want to go get smacked into by a Miata but would like to take my car out and have fun and test it out.

[theAngryMarmot]

You best bet is sign up for the NASA HPDE kinda thing. Your first outing you will be supplied with an instructor, but you will be on track. As your level progresses so does the amount of freedom on track that you have.

That being said, you are on track with other cars - but it isn't a race and incidents are quite rare.

If you don't want to go that route, you best bet is the SCCA Prosolo autocross events. It isn't a road course - but it is cheap, fun, and you can push your car as fast as you are comfortable doing so. These events are usually held at AMP here in town.

Both these events have an extremely helpful and well knit community that is more interested in helping you get faster than pointing and laughing at you when your new.

As far as just show up and they let you loose - I don't know of any. No sanctioning body (NASA, SCCA, ProAutosports) are going to let someone loose without at least some sort of vetting of your abilities. All the events have a tech inspection, so whatever you sign up for best read the rules and make sure your car / safety gear passes.

If you haven't done any of the above - it seems daunting - but I assure you it isn't.

[Ryanotown22]

Great thanks for that info. I will look at both. When I go to one I will post up if anyone else wants to join I am not sure if anyone here does them or not but sounds fun to me. I don’t expect to be fast or competitive just want to have fun in a safer environment

[theAngryMarmot]

Great thanks for that info. I will look at both. When I go to one I will post up if anyone else wants to join I am not sure if anyone here does them or not but sounds fun to me. I don’t expect to be fast or competitive just want to have fun in a safer environment

I would definitely look into doing a SCCA Prosolo autocross. Just to go watch is free, so you can check it out and then decide if you want to participate in an event.

Here is the local AZ SCCA forum :

http://azscca.com

A friend and I ran most the local events the last couple years. It was his first time doing it, and I was a bit of a veteran back in the late 90s early 2000s. Here are some pics of us at the events :

_DSC5236 by Paul Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC5450 by Paul Taylor, on Flickr

_DSC5455 by Paul Taylor, on Flickr

[insitu_az]

There is a two day autocross event in Tucson (Musselman Honda Circuit) this coming weekend that might be worth checking out. There is also a pretty active SCCA sanctioned autocross group in Sierra Vista with their own autocross series. There is a general limitation on spectators at all SCCA events right now (Covid), so it is best to contact the club to see what is needed to attend.

I participated in SCCA and ICSCC autocross events years ago, and they were a lot of fun.

https://www.azbrscca.org/

https://www.sierrasportscarclub.com/

[datsunfsu]

I've been running my Z in the Phoenix Solo the past two months. Do to Covid, they are limiting to just drivers of about 100. You get 5-6 cone races that take about 50-60 seconds to complete. Fun and safe. We just ran the Oct one and Nov should be up to register in 2 weeks. $35 to run the day, have to sign up within the week or it fills up quickly. In addition, you need to have a Snell approved helmet. The track is a very big lot held on at AMP (near Goodyear).

https://forum.azsolo.com/

[datsunfsu]

Here is video of one of the drivers from the track on 10/17.

https://youtu.be/dadwr090R_c

[Turboman280]

Looks fun, but I think I would have trouble figuring our which way I am supposed to go.

Is there a cone killer award?

[datsunfsu]

Fun yes! You walk the course before plus you get used to it. Some have driven a cone most of the track underneath. No harm. Most drive the first run slow to get used to the track too.