Not wanting to cheat you guys out of a promised track day & weekend w/Dennis & Rich “The GT Guys”, I’ve been making calls & came up w/2 options. PLEASE GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK ASAP & LET ME KNOW WHICH YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND (if you don't care either way, just say "EITHER"). The place w/the most interest gets it. Keep in mind that the Homestead day won’t be open for long (busy season), so the sooner I can give either of them a “yes” answer & get the contract signed, the better!! There were close to 20 people who were a “yes” for the 1st Sebring event, so I’m hoping all of you guys will be able to make the switch to Homestead if necessary! (To keep it easy, Chin Motorsports offered to manage the event that day & provide the instructors no matter which place we choose.)
Below, I’ve listed both options w/details & the pros/cons of each place to make it easier for those of you new to the track to decide. There are other dates available at both Homestead & Sebring from April 2007 onward (weekdays), but I’d rather not wait that long & I know some of you really want “The GT Guys” here… I'LL KEEP AN UPDATED TALLY OF YOUR RESPONSES ON THIS POST & AS SOON AS WE HAVE ENOUGH FOR ONE OF THE DATES, I'LL LET YOU KNOW - we'll book it & start registration back up ASAP. Once we get the date set, I’ll post hotel info & we’ll be able to work on organizing some activities, dinners, etc for the weekend.
2.21 mile road course w/14 turns. The 2 straights are 1,760’ long. 20° banking in turns.
http://www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com/documents/FullRoadCourse3-06-Web.pdf
http://www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com/images/hms_rental_facility_lg.gif
Price:
$800 – $1000/pp
Price will be about the same. It’s around $2000 less to rent the Homestead track, but we will now be paying $100/instructor & Mark to come to Homestead. Chin Motorsports grp is staying at Sebring that weekend; they are just going to use the short track. As before, any money left over in the end will be refunded to you & price will be set based on how many people want to go.
Pros:
1. The GT Guys have agreed to come to S FL for the weekend (located near many GT owners) & will then provide support at the track!!
2. Covered garage (indoor area for “The GT Guys”; large pit area also available)
3. Increased safety (there are more outs & less obstacles than Sebring’s club course; long straights for safe passing; longer track for less traffic)
4. Track is a little bit smoother than at Sebring
5. Located in South FL (where much of the interest was); near Miami, lots to do & see in South FL
6. Easier on the cars & (per FL Chris) more favorable to the high horsepower cars than the short track (longer track w/a few straights means less wear & tear on the car than the short track & faster!)
7. They have a large tented area for lunch & to stay under in case of adverse weather
8. Will still be able to plan a weekend of social/fun activities prior to track day – weather in FL is usually perfect!
9. We’d have the whole track to ourselves
10. We could easily accommodate as many GTs as want to come!!
11. More space for guests to hang out
12. The hotels should have plenty of room
Cons:
1. Hotel is not located directly on the track (a couple of options w/prices will be given after the date is chosen)
2. Not as much historical significance as Sebring for the GT
3. A couple hrs farther south than Sebring (for non-south FL drivers)
Rather than taking up the whole track, Skip Barber's school will only be on one side of the track (by the straights, skid pads, & classrooms). That will give us the other side to ourselves, which consists of the 1.8 mile club course. The club course is the most widely rented track at Sebring for car clubs.
Price:
$700-$900/pp
$2500 less than the original track day since we don’t have the entire track. Also, compared to Homestead, we won’t have to pay anything for the instructors (since they will already be at Sebring). This would be about $100-$150 less expensive/pp than the Homestead choice.
Pros:
1. They can accommodate our group size w/o a problem
2. Would still be a private event w/our own instructors, track, lunch area
3. Would still be at Sebring (more centrally located; a racetrack w/historical significance for the GT)
4. Will still be able to plan social/fun activities the weekend before the track day
5. The GT Guys will be here all weekend
6. Chin Motorsports will already be there over the weekend (less driving for them & less money to give them for the event since they don’t have to go anywhere)
Cons:
1. Sharing the track w/another group (even though they are on the other side)
2. We’d no longer have an indoor classroom (though they would still have a place to teach)
3. (per FL Chris) the short track doesn’t favor high hp cars (like the GT) – not as fast
4. No indoor room for lunch or rain – need to rent a tent or have lunch at the hotel (long walk or short drive)
5. The 2 long straights wouldn’t be available – which means lots of extra wear & tear on brakes/tires/transmission from constant braking & accelerating through turns; won’t be able to reach the fast speeds w/o the straights
6. Track is a little rough in some areas
7. 1.8 instead of the original 3.7 miles (cars will be crammed closer together w/less room & no straight to pass on (increased safety hazard, especially for newer track drivers)
8. Would need to rent Porto-potties (Skip Barber school would have all the indoor facilities)
9. The GT Guys would just have an open, uncovered area to work with (no covered garage/paddock & no real pit area)
10. Most of the hotels are booked due to Aviation Expo (people would be spread out over 2-3 hotels)
Homestead
1. SuperB/Brian & wife/2nd driver (1st choice)
2. Piccola/MJ (1st choice)
3. Bony/Daniel (1st choice)
4. Tachy/Eliot & son/guest (1st choice)
5. 1418/Manny (1st choice)
*6. Jasper/John/guest (1st choice)
7. Florida Chris (1st choice)
8. Russ Oasis (1st choice)
9. Townshend/Erick (1st choice)
10. Alex A; 2 cars (1st choice)
*11. Jimfro/guest (2nd choice)
12. Tungsten/Don
13. Abolfaz/Mike
Sebring's club course
1. SuperB/Brian & wife/2nd driver (2nd choice)
2. Piccola/MJ (2nd choice)
3. Tachy/Eliot & son/guest (2nd choice)
4. 1418/Manny (2nd choice)
*5. Jasper/John/guest (2nd choice)
6. Townshend/Erick (2nd choice)
*7. Jimfro/guest (1st choice)
8. K-P Garage/Kevin (1st choice)
Below, I’ve listed both options w/details & the pros/cons of each place to make it easier for those of you new to the track to decide. There are other dates available at both Homestead & Sebring from April 2007 onward (weekdays), but I’d rather not wait that long & I know some of you really want “The GT Guys” here… I'LL KEEP AN UPDATED TALLY OF YOUR RESPONSES ON THIS POST & AS SOON AS WE HAVE ENOUGH FOR ONE OF THE DATES, I'LL LET YOU KNOW - we'll book it & start registration back up ASAP. Once we get the date set, I’ll post hotel info & we’ll be able to work on organizing some activities, dinners, etc for the weekend.
1/15/07 Homestead Miami Speedway
General Info:2.21 mile road course w/14 turns. The 2 straights are 1,760’ long. 20° banking in turns.
http://www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com/documents/FullRoadCourse3-06-Web.pdf
http://www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com/images/hms_rental_facility_lg.gif
Price:
$800 – $1000/pp
Price will be about the same. It’s around $2000 less to rent the Homestead track, but we will now be paying $100/instructor & Mark to come to Homestead. Chin Motorsports grp is staying at Sebring that weekend; they are just going to use the short track. As before, any money left over in the end will be refunded to you & price will be set based on how many people want to go.
Pros:
1. The GT Guys have agreed to come to S FL for the weekend (located near many GT owners) & will then provide support at the track!!
2. Covered garage (indoor area for “The GT Guys”; large pit area also available)
3. Increased safety (there are more outs & less obstacles than Sebring’s club course; long straights for safe passing; longer track for less traffic)
4. Track is a little bit smoother than at Sebring
5. Located in South FL (where much of the interest was); near Miami, lots to do & see in South FL
6. Easier on the cars & (per FL Chris) more favorable to the high horsepower cars than the short track (longer track w/a few straights means less wear & tear on the car than the short track & faster!)
7. They have a large tented area for lunch & to stay under in case of adverse weather
8. Will still be able to plan a weekend of social/fun activities prior to track day – weather in FL is usually perfect!
9. We’d have the whole track to ourselves
10. We could easily accommodate as many GTs as want to come!!
11. More space for guests to hang out
12. The hotels should have plenty of room
Cons:
1. Hotel is not located directly on the track (a couple of options w/prices will be given after the date is chosen)
2. Not as much historical significance as Sebring for the GT
3. A couple hrs farther south than Sebring (for non-south FL drivers)
1/15/07 club course (short track) at Sebring
General Info:Rather than taking up the whole track, Skip Barber's school will only be on one side of the track (by the straights, skid pads, & classrooms). That will give us the other side to ourselves, which consists of the 1.8 mile club course. The club course is the most widely rented track at Sebring for car clubs.
Price:
$700-$900/pp
$2500 less than the original track day since we don’t have the entire track. Also, compared to Homestead, we won’t have to pay anything for the instructors (since they will already be at Sebring). This would be about $100-$150 less expensive/pp than the Homestead choice.
Pros:
1. They can accommodate our group size w/o a problem
2. Would still be a private event w/our own instructors, track, lunch area
3. Would still be at Sebring (more centrally located; a racetrack w/historical significance for the GT)
4. Will still be able to plan social/fun activities the weekend before the track day
5. The GT Guys will be here all weekend
6. Chin Motorsports will already be there over the weekend (less driving for them & less money to give them for the event since they don’t have to go anywhere)
Cons:
1. Sharing the track w/another group (even though they are on the other side)
2. We’d no longer have an indoor classroom (though they would still have a place to teach)
3. (per FL Chris) the short track doesn’t favor high hp cars (like the GT) – not as fast
4. No indoor room for lunch or rain – need to rent a tent or have lunch at the hotel (long walk or short drive)
5. The 2 long straights wouldn’t be available – which means lots of extra wear & tear on brakes/tires/transmission from constant braking & accelerating through turns; won’t be able to reach the fast speeds w/o the straights
6. Track is a little rough in some areas
7. 1.8 instead of the original 3.7 miles (cars will be crammed closer together w/less room & no straight to pass on (increased safety hazard, especially for newer track drivers)
8. Would need to rent Porto-potties (Skip Barber school would have all the indoor facilities)
9. The GT Guys would just have an open, uncovered area to work with (no covered garage/paddock & no real pit area)
10. Most of the hotels are booked due to Aviation Expo (people would be spread out over 2-3 hotels)
Track Response
Homestead
1. SuperB/Brian & wife/2nd driver (1st choice)
2. Piccola/MJ (1st choice)
3. Bony/Daniel (1st choice)
4. Tachy/Eliot & son/guest (1st choice)
5. 1418/Manny (1st choice)
*6. Jasper/John/guest (1st choice)
7. Florida Chris (1st choice)
8. Russ Oasis (1st choice)
9. Townshend/Erick (1st choice)
10. Alex A; 2 cars (1st choice)
*11. Jimfro/guest (2nd choice)
12. Tungsten/Don
13. Abolfaz/Mike
Sebring's club course
1. SuperB/Brian & wife/2nd driver (2nd choice)
2. Piccola/MJ (2nd choice)
3. Tachy/Eliot & son/guest (2nd choice)
4. 1418/Manny (2nd choice)
*5. Jasper/John/guest (2nd choice)
6. Townshend/Erick (2nd choice)
*7. Jimfro/guest (1st choice)
8. K-P Garage/Kevin (1st choice)
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