What exactly are the rules behind 16 - 17 year olds being on the track?

Is it any different from being 18 on the track?

Are 16 - 17 year olds even allowed on the track?

Please enlighten me because I want to try out the track sometime this summer (I turn 17 this June) and wanted to know if it was even possible and if anything was required since I am a minor.

Depends entirely on the organizer of the event. For those events that do allow 16-17 y/o's, you'll almost assuredly need your parent/guardian's permission.

Thanks.

What Jeff said. Some tracks themselves have rules, regardless of the event, and it's often available on the track's website, or on the main recording in the voice mail system.