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      03-06-2013, 02:04 PM   #1
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Laguna Secca noise ordinance - tricks to passing?

I think a lot of folks (including me) are headed to Laguna Secca later this summer for the BMW CCA Oktoberfest event. From what I read, they will be enforcing a 92db limit that week. I think a lot of us with aftermarket exhausts will have a tough time meeting that limit. Are there any tricks to not being black flagged for noise during one of these HPDE events? Do they just record sound levels at one particular station at the track? Could one "slow down" a bit during that stretch of the course to lower your db levels in order to pass...to something like 6-7,000 rpms to pass and then flog it the rest of the way around the track? How strict are they at these thing?

I've never been to a track with a noise ordinance like this, so wondering if I should even bother with entering into the HPDE event.
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      03-06-2013, 02:17 PM   #2
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My home track has a noise limit as well. Usually it is measure at 50 ft from center of track. 92 db is actually pretty loud. the only people at my track that have a problem are cat-less. go to radio shack and get a $10 db meter and have a friend stand 50ft from the side of a straight road and go at it and see where you stand.
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      03-06-2013, 03:05 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i View Post
I think a lot of folks (including me) are headed to Laguna Secca later this summer for the BMW CCA Oktoberfest event. From what I read, they will be enforcing a 92db limit that week. I think a lot of us with aftermarket exhausts will have a tough time meeting that limit. Are there any tricks to not being black flagged for noise during one of these HPDE events? Do they just record sound levels at one particular station at the track? Could one "slow down" a bit during that stretch of the course to lower your db levels in order to pass...to something like 6-7,000 rpms to pass and then flog it the rest of the way around the track? How strict are they at these thing?

I've never been to a track with a noise ordinance like this, so wondering if I should even bother with entering into the HPDE event.
They will know you are way over the limit if you flog it everywhere except past the sound booth. They can send out a mobile sound reader. But at the same time I know people who have exhausts that hit 105db and have gotten away with lifting near the sound booth. Either way you are taking a risk.

But the sound booth is between turn 5 and 6. Oem exhaust mods are over 92db and my akra evo is pretty much at that limit. I'll get flagged depending on weather conditions so I just up shift a little early because I don't want to risk losing the rest of a session.
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      03-06-2013, 04:26 PM   #4
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Thanks Guys, this is helpful. I have a Dinan rear section, so not super loud compared to some, but still much louder than stock at WOT. I'm guessing I'm over 92db's when wide open at a high rpm.
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      03-06-2013, 05:36 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i View Post
Thanks Guys, this is helpful. I have a Dinan rear section, so not super loud compared to some, but still much louder than stock at WOT. I'm guessing I'm over 92db's when wide open at a high rpm.
With just the dinan rear section, you'll probably be just fine upshifting a bit early between 5 and 6. You need to be ridiculously loud to worry about a mobile sound check.

You can also ask for a sound check and not get a strike if you do go over. They will explain that in the morning driver's meeting. That's what I recommend doing if you aren't sure if you will pass sound or not without lifting.
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      03-06-2013, 06:23 PM   #6
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That still boggles my mind that there's a sound limit at a racetrack! It's like bitching to put mufflers on airplanes at an airport... Absurd
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      03-06-2013, 07:32 PM   #7
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^ Completely agree....soooooo lame! Especially at Laguna Seca! It's an iconic track and we have to worry about being too loud??? Crazy....I have about 5 tracks to hit on my bucket list, Laguna being one of them and now I have to worry about being black flagged for noise.
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      03-06-2013, 07:33 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
With just the dinan rear section, you'll probably be just fine upshifting a bit early between 5 and 6. You need to be ridiculously loud to worry about a mobile sound check.

You can also ask for a sound check and not get a strike if you do go over. They will explain that in the morning driver's meeting. That's what I recommend doing if you aren't sure if you will pass sound or not without lifting.
Can you explain the sound check process a little further and what a "strike" means? I've never been through this before so I'm a newbie. Thanks!
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      03-06-2013, 07:58 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i View Post
^ Completely agree....soooooo lame! Especially at Laguna Seca! It's an iconic track and we have to worry about being too loud??? Crazy....I have about 5 tracks to hit on my bucket list, Laguna being one of them and now I have to worry about being black flagged for noise.
There are people who live in that area who have a life mission of getting Laguna seca shut down for good. It's crazy.
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      03-06-2013, 08:00 PM   #10
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Quote:
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Can you explain the sound check process a little further and what a "strike" means? I've never been through this before so I'm a newbie. Thanks!
If you blow sound and its not an official sound check run, you get black flagged and a strike for the day. Your session ends and you need to "do something" to fix the problem before your next session. For most, doing something = mental note to lift at the sound booth. 3 strikes and you are done for the day.
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      03-06-2013, 08:09 PM   #11
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^ ok, so you get 3 strikes before they won't let you run, if and only if you do a sound check before the day begins? Is that the point of the check before you start your day, so you get 3 strikes before you are kicked out? (a buffer if you will).

What if you DON'T do the sound check before? Are you kicked out on the first strike?
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      03-06-2013, 08:28 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
There are people who live in that area who have a life mission of getting Laguna seca shut down for good. It's crazy.
Yeah, the time when I went there, I was surprised how close a lot of houses are to the track.

I wonder which came first: the track or the houses...
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      03-06-2013, 10:30 PM   #13
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the track... rich people just buying houses next to a track then complaining. Just don't get on it between 5 and 6. Our stock ZO6 blows sound there.
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      03-06-2013, 10:57 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i View Post
^ ok, so you get 3 strikes before they won't let you run, if and only if you do a sound check before the day begins? Is that the point of the check before you start your day, so you get 3 strikes before you are kicked out? (a buffer if you will).

What if you DON'T do the sound check before? Are you kicked out on the first strike?
No 3 strikes regardless. You can ask for a sound check anytime you want during any session. Basically consists of asking the track steward at the grid about getting a sound check. He'll radio to the sound booth so they know which car is getting tested. You do one warm up lap and then on your second lap you pass the sound booth at full throttle (make sure no other cars are around you) and then go back into the hot pit to get your reading. If you pass you can go back out on the track. If you fail, your session is done but it doesn't count against you since it was a sound test.

My suggestion for a first timer who thinks they might be over sound is to just lift between 5-6 for most of your first session. Probably just getting used to the track anyways. Then when you have 5-10 min left in your session, pull into the hot pits and ask for a sound check. That way if you fail, you don't lose much track time.
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      03-06-2013, 11:03 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
No 3 strikes regardless. You can ask for a sound check anytime you want during any session. Basically consists of asking the track steward at the grid about getting a sound check. He'll radio to the sound booth so they know which car is getting tested. You do one warm up lap and then on your second lap you pass the sound booth at full throttle (make sure no other cars are around you) and then go back into the hot pit to get your reading. If you pass you can go back out on the track. If you fail, your session is done but it doesn't count against you since it was a sound test.

My suggestion for a first timer who thinks they might be over sound is to just lift between 5-6 for most of your first session. Probably just getting used to the track anyways. Then when you have 5-10 min left in your session, pull into the hot pits and ask for a sound check. That way if you fail, you don't lose much track time.
Got it, thanks for explaining. Makes sense, and a good strategy.

Are they testing each car during a session, EVERY time they go through this section of the track? Is there a dude literally monitoring DB's for every car that passes the entire run session and then radioing the folks running the track with cars that are failing?
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      03-06-2013, 11:06 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i
Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
No 3 strikes regardless. You can ask for a sound check anytime you want during any session. Basically consists of asking the track steward at the grid about getting a sound check. He'll radio to the sound booth so they know which car is getting tested. You do one warm up lap and then on your second lap you pass the sound booth at full throttle (make sure no other cars are around you) and then go back into the hot pit to get your reading. If you pass you can go back out on the track. If you fail, your session is done but it doesn't count against you since it was a sound test.

My suggestion for a first timer who thinks they might be over sound is to just lift between 5-6 for most of your first session. Probably just getting used to the track anyways. Then when you have 5-10 min left in your session, pull into the hot pits and ask for a sound check. That way if you fail, you don't lose much track time.
Got it, thanks for explaining. Makes sense, and a good strategy.

Are they testing each car during a session, EVERY time they go through this section of the track? Is there a dude literally monitoring DB's for every car that passes the entire run session and then radioing the folks running the track with cars that are failing?
Yeah?!?! This sounds like a pretty ridiculous situation. Still wouldn't keep me away though
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      03-06-2013, 11:35 PM   #17
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Have the M Performance Exhaust and had zero issues at Laguna at WOT (think the station was between turns 5 and 6), which is probably comparable to Dinan at WOT. Depending on the event, they may have a speed shop set up onsite that rents exhaust muffling pipes that attach to your cans, are bent and point to the inside of the track (they offered these rentals at my event). But cat back cars and some pretty loud stock exhaust cars (including Ferraris, McLarens, Vettes, CTS-V) were totally fine and within the 92 db limit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i View Post
Thanks Guys, this is helpful. I have a Dinan rear section, so not super loud compared to some, but still much louder than stock at WOT. I'm guessing I'm over 92db's when wide open at a high rpm.

Last edited by FogCityM3; 03-06-2013 at 11:40 PM..
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      03-06-2013, 11:46 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Fen335i View Post
Got it, thanks for explaining. Makes sense, and a good strategy.

Are they testing each car during a session, EVERY time they go through this section of the track? Is there a dude literally monitoring DB's for every car that passes the entire run session and then radioing the folks running the track with cars that are failing?
Yup someone is monitoring sound at the booth at every event and writing down car numbers and how loud they are. At the last event they told us there's a guy who's trying to get the track shut down who gets copies of these readings and uses them as ammo against the track at city hall meetings.

This will give you some more insight:

http://www.southbayriders.com/forums...ad.php?t=59281
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      03-06-2013, 11:48 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mhabs View Post
Have the M Performance Exhaust and had zero issues at Laguna at WOT (think the station was between turns 5 and 6), which is probably comparable to Dinan at WOT. Depending on the event, they may have a speed shop set up onsite that rents exhaust muffling pipes that attach to your cans, are bent and point to the inside of the track (they offered these rentals at my event). But cat back cars and some pretty loud stock exhaust cars (including Ferraris, McLarens, Vettes, CTS-V) were totally fine and within the 92 db limit.
I think weather plays a big role. On cloudy days, the meter reads higher. I've seen stock GTR's and Lotus Evora's get black flagged for sound.
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      03-07-2013, 01:08 AM   #20
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You can always do a simple lift right when you pass the sound booth, but sometime they are known to do remote sound checks.
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      03-07-2013, 01:23 AM   #21
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Makes sense & good to know...my event was sunny/no clouds anywhere, prob why no issues that day.

Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
I think weather plays a big role. On cloudy days, the meter reads higher. I've seen stock GTR's and Lotus Evora's get black flagged for sound.
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      03-07-2013, 11:13 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by radiantm3 View Post
Yup someone is monitoring sound at the booth at every event and writing down car numbers and how loud they are. At the last event they told us there's a guy who's trying to get the track shut down who gets copies of these readings and uses them as ammo against the track at city hall meetings.

This will give you some more insight:

http://www.southbayriders.com/forums...ad.php?t=59281
Great link, thanks Radiantm3! Have you been black flagged out there? Did you just start "lifting" at the sound check location? Did that work for you?
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