Thunder Hill

[drey]

Hey guys -

I can't wait any longer - 10K+ miles on my E90 (yeah, it's a garage queen) and the time has come to TRACK THIS PUPPY. I live north of Sacto and plan to get over to Thunder Hill in Oct. or Nov...

Here's my question: is the best way to get track time at TH to register with Hooked on Driving ($295 a day) or is there a better way to go, in your humble opinions?

Thanks for any input - would love to hookup with other Sac area M3 guys if there is interest out there!

[pkimM3r]

Originally Posted by drey

Hey guys -

I can't wait any longer - 10K+ miles on my E90 (yeah, it's a garage queen) and the time has come to TRACK THIS PUPPY. I live north of Sacto and plan to get over to Thunder Hill in Oct. or Nov...

Here's my question: is the best way to get track time at TH to register with Hooked on Driving ($295 a day) or is there a better way to go, in your humble opinions?

Thanks for any input - would love to hookup with other Sac area M3 guys if there is interest out there!

Try bmw cca they have good instruction to build your fundamentals.

Ncracing.org (norther cali race group)

[FogCityM3]

Hooked on Driving is an awesome program...very safe and excellent instruction (not to mention they have a great track record with few incidents). Porsche or BMW CCAs are also excellent.

[davesaddiction]

Originally Posted by drey

I can't wait any longer - 10K+ miles on my E90 (yeah, it's a garage queen) and the time has come to TRACK THIS PUPPY.

Look forward to a whole new appreciation of this beast!

(and a much better understanding of how much you can improve as a driver)

[radiantm3]

BMWCCA has a 2 day t hill event coming up. Might be sold out though. Either them or hooked on driving are the best ways to get your feet wet.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by davesaddiction

(and a much better understanding of how much you can improve as a driver)

aint it the truth! i remember thinking how fast i was 7-8 seconds a lap ago. now i still feel slow and know there is more to be had.

[USCTrojanMan29]

PCA Golden Gate chapter has a 2-day HPDE event at TH this Saturday and Sunday. I'm gonna be up there with my new 18s and NT01s.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by USCTrojanMan29

PCA Golden Gate chapter has a 2-day HPDE event at TH this Saturday and Sunday. I'm gonna be up there with my new 18s and NT01s.

have fun. thunderhill is a track i meaning to get to when i have a trailer.

[USCTrojanMan29]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

have fun. thunderhill is a track i meaning to get to when i have a trailer.

I'm having my car trailed up to San Jose so I can go to TH this weekend and will leave it at a shop owned by a PCA instructor and then come back to pick it up in 2 weeks to go to Laguna Seca on Sept. 15th. I doubt I'll come back up again like that due to the expense but I'll be able to cross off TH and LS off my track list. Best part is it's only gonna be around 90 both days at TH.

[1MOREMOD]

ah i hate hot track days. like overcast and mid 60s low 70s makes for lots of grip and power. i have a track day tomorrow and its gonna be 80 and im bitching already.

[ivad32]

I will second NorCal Racing for a hands-off approach to introductory track driving. Their driving school focuses on track adequate and safety, not so much physics. There is no in-car instruction, but it is available. Otherwise, hard to beat $135 track days.

This is a good resource to learn the track in theory prior to your trip in addition to countless YouTube videos.

I'll be back there early next year to break my car's track cherry. It will be a speed rush coming from my E36 M3.

Good luck!

[Z K]

Thunderhill is a great track. Lots of run off areas so you don't go into a wall if you go off track. Lots of flowing corners which is great for getting into a rhythm. Been driving this track for over 12 years so it's the "home" course I measure all my cars on.

Laguna Seca is more like a giant drag race between corners... some very sharp corners, steep hill climbs and some areas where I've seen people go into walls. I had a close call which nearly totaled my previous car in turn 2... been a bit afraid of that section since.

[OC3]

Originally Posted by Z K

Thunderhill is a great track. Lots of run off areas so you don't go into a wall if you go off track. Lots of flowing corners which is great for getting into a rhythm. Been driving this track for over 12 years so it's the "home" course I measure all my cars on.

Laguna Seca is more like a giant drag race between corners... some very sharp corners, steep hill climbs and some areas where I've seen people go into walls. I had a close call which nearly totaled my previous car in turn 2... been a bit afraid of that section since.

Agreed. A fast track, hard on the brakes, not really technical...

[Z K]

Originally Posted by OC3

Agreed. A fast track, hard on the brakes, not really technical...

I did Buttonwillow once, very fun course! Tight and technical. No elevation changes. Drives like a twisty mountain road or fast autocross course. We don't have anything like that up north. Maybe Reno/Fernley but that's kinda far.

[USCTrojanMan29]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

ah i hate hot track days. like overcast and mid 60s low 70s makes for lots of grip and power. i have a track day tomorrow and its gonna be 80 and im bitching already.

I've been out at the track when it gets 105-110 so the 90 degrees will be very welcome. My car handles tracking and the heat just fine, it's me that get overheated. lol

[OC3]

Originally Posted by Z K

I did Buttonwillow once, very fun course! Tight and technical. No elevation changes. Drives like a twisty mountain road or fast autocross course. We don't have anything like that up north. Maybe Reno/Fernley but that's kinda far.

Indeed. And, Chuckwalla is similar (technical/momentum tracks).

We see lots of NorCal people at Buttonwillow. And, NCRC is there on the weekend of 09/14~15, which I'm sure will be 80% NorCal drivers.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by USCTrojanMan29

I've been out at the track when it gets 105-110 so the 90 degrees will be very welcome. My car handles tracking and the heat just fine, it's me that get overheated. lol

I've done a saturday sunday here that was low 90s first day and high 90s second. I sweat my ass off. Not usual for here at all.

[USCTrojanMan29]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

I've done a saturday sunday here that was low 90s forst day and high 90s second. I sweat my ass off. Not usual for here at all.

Oh I'm sure I'll be sweating for sure, especially since PCA requires long sleeved cotton shirts. But 90ish is much better than 105-110.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by USCTrojanMan29

Oh I'm sure I'll be sweating for sure, especially since PCA requires long sleeved cotton shirts. But 90ish is much better than 105-110.

thats retarded. i wore shorts and still about died. weird thing is i dont notice it in the car even though im sweating like crazy its when im done. weird how that works. one time left ipod playing whole session pretty loud. never heard it until i came into the pits.

[radiantm3]

Originally Posted by OC3

Agreed. A fast track, hard on the brakes, not really technical...

If that were the case I wouldn't be passing MP4-12C's and a few GTR's left and right. It is a very straight forward track, but there are still tough corners to go fast through. You just have a lot of breathing room in between.

[1MOREMOD]

Originally Posted by radiantm3

If that were the case I wouldn't be passing MP4-12C's and a few GTR's left and right. It is a very straight forward track, but there are still tough corners to go fast through. You just have a lot of breathing room in between.

[PrimeBMW]

Originally Posted by 1MOREMOD

have fun. thunderhill is a track i meaning to get to when i have a trailer.

A bunch of us will drive down this fall. They just started pushing dirt this week for a large addition to the west. They hope to be done early 2014........I will have to head back down for to try out the new track!!