Track Day Thread Reopened

[FlordPerformance]

Updated: 01/13/2025

We still have a track day planned early this spring and have invited all the guys from our local Autozone to tag along with us. This could branch out into other tracks throughout the coming year. For now, we're still getting things straight with the front end suspension with new front stiffer coil springs as we've already dialed in the sway bar.

Updated: 03/06/2025

Track day is approaching fast and we're still not done on the van. Those front springs were delayed due to bad weather and a miscommunication.. However as of yesterday, the springs have been drop shipped to our powder coaters. Now all that's left to do is replace the failing lower trans mount, bleed the brakes and address the rear camber plates before the front springs have been powder coated and then installed.

Furthermore, I challenged the editors of autopian to a van run off at 2 of the three tracks we've been invited to. They declined the invite saying their NV200's CVT transmission would not survive going from coast to coast with time trials on those tracks.

 

[WannabeST]

$100 is a cheap price on a track day. Wish I was local, I would pay and be willing to instruct. Unfortunately we are on opposite sides of the US lol

 

[WannabeST]

If it ever makes its way out here on the west coast let me know. I've hosted about a dozen track days as a one man show (including tracks like buttonwillow, chuckwalla, willow springs and more) and I of course instruct and work closely with lots of organizers. Every track does things a little differently but I am more than happy to help.

 

[kevinatfms]

Id be interested. MD also so could convoy down if things get setup. Id trailer my car though with my F150.

FWIW, there is moehpde.com that offers NJMP track days for $3999 for 10 participants plus $365/each additional participant. You may want to talk with them before heading all the way down to The Firm in FL. Its only 3 hours from Washington DC so significantly closer.

https://moehpde.com/private-group

 

[rallytaff]

I used to teach at that venue in Florida. I was the only instructor to NOT have a pupil crash during the training.

 

[kevinatfms]

Another option in the meantime, check GFE Trackcross for events at Summit Point in WV or Dominion Raceway in VA.

They make exceptions dependent on what the vehicle is. The van would i think be accepted knowing you are lowering it and making it wider. Email Jon Felton at Jon@getfastevents.com for more information and submit pictures of the van as run. He will let you know if it will pass tech or not.

It isnt a track day but more like autocross on a track. A to B competitive time trial style event. The courses run 3/4 to 7/8ths of Jefferson/Shennandoah/Main circuits so its nearly a full lap with timing of each run. You dont need to "work" resetting cones and such which makes it a bit easier on you.

Id also ask them about a class for Fiesta ST based vehicles. They did an event with single class with Tacoma X-Runner trucks which was very cool to see. Maybe they will allow a class of 10 ST based vehicles if we got enough together?

 

[kevinatfms]

Not to be a dick but you didnt read what i wrote about Get Fast Events and emailing Jon Felton. I didnt say to ask him about an ST specific event. I said to contact him about running the van in one of his Trackcross events. They run SUVs at these events with permission so the van with an ST suspension should be a pretty easy sign off.

If he approves of the van running a trackcross event then we can setup for anyone wanting to go to an event in this forum. Figure out which event suits as many people as possible then post in here who is attending, who has signed up and who do they think will be the fastest.

If you want to get on track and go fast, then Trackcross is your avenue. I highly suggest taking what you can get versus pace laps at another event which limits you to 60mph(ish) due to insurance regulations. Trackcross gets you on track, as fast as you can go, with nothing to stop you from hitting 100+mph in certain sections.

 

[kevinatfms]

..and I replied to you with "I do not care for trackcross" or going fast. I was happy with going the speed limit for at least 10 mins and yes I emailed Jon and his reply wasn't very favorable. in fact I'll never visit summit point ever again based on his comments, and yes stop being a dick about this. If one doesn't want to read about my hardship and or comment after then avoid my topics in the future. Consider yourself ignored..

the best comment i've gotten from this thread was when WannabeST said he's willing to work up something for us in CA. Sadly CA is not on our list or favorite places to drive into. i'll take my chances at the track car shows and then be escorted around like everyone else.

So let me get this straight......you tried to put together a "NATIONAL SOLO TRACK TOUR" without actually doing a track event?

No one knows what hardship you have other than its an ST swapped van of some sort and they wont let you drive it on a track.

You dont care for going fast yet want to go on track? If you want to do parade laps then go to any SCCA event and do parade laps. Not a single person took your demeanor as just wanting to drive highway speeds on a track. The enthusiast you are clamoring to wants to go to a track event to wring the ever living shit out of their car to see how fast they can go.

Ignore me all you want but your original post is NOTHING like what you are proposing.

 

[SteveS]

Track Night In America from SCCA does have vehicle rules. The vehicle has to be wider than it is tall. https://www.tracknightinamerica.com/pages/racecars

This one criterion is probably why nobody will let you take the van to a track day. It's too much of a rollover risk.

 

[SteveS]

Oddly, the SCCA etc says that they allow for big trucks, tow trucks and SUVs etc on the track.. yet they are not willing to allow a small van on the track..

Those vehicles are not there to do fast laps. They aren't going to tip over. (With the exception of SUVs. Those can do fast laps because they aren't prone to tipover, Jeep Wrangler excepted)

When a semi or tow truck is on the track it's there to work.

You are wanting to do track days, which by definition means driving around fast. That is what they are not going to let you do because the vehicle is too prone to rolling over. That's why you can't even autocross a regular non-ST Fiesta. Doesn't meet the required calculated index.

 

[WannabeST]

Most tracks over here on the west coast are only $10 to get on to the facility, not sure how much east coast tracks are but I wouldn't worry too much about that. Here on the west coast, the gate fee is typically not something the event hosts have any control over.

 

[WannabeST]

For $2,600 I would go ahead and rent the firm. Even if you can't get 26 fiesta st drivers specifically. I would imagine you can get 26 drivers from any sort of car just to get seat time. On my 19th birthday I rented out a drift track that never saw time attack driving on it. I still managed to get 40 people to pay $80 (back in 2019) $100 for a 1.6 mile track should be do able with enough word of mouth.
A similar track here locally is streets of willow, it's also a 1.6 mile track. I payed around $6,500 (2021) and $7,200 (2022) for my birthday rentals. I'm sure the prices are now closer to $8k if not more. (their website prices are not up to date, willow springs is bad with social media)

In short;
TLDR; Firm at under $3k sounds like a really good deal. I would personally do the rental and do my best to get word of mouth to get drivers in. Trying to lock in drivers without a confirmed date will be challenging.

 

[WannabeST]

You should message Tesla corsa. They do dozens of events a year. They do multiple states in the USA and they even did an event overseas in Sweden recently. They have been around since 2019-2020 ish They cater primarily to Tesla's. They have their track days setup in a way to where it maximizes a charge on the track. The bonus of electric cars is you can also pay the rate for the lowest sound limit (if your track has one) sometimes that even means spending more time on track. Some tracks have "quiet hours" where you can't even turn on a race engine because of county rules.