The Central Cal Chapter of BMWCCA is putting on a HPDE at Buttonwillow on FRIDAY, April 6, 2007. It's a one-day driving school, good to warm up or for first timers who want to try a track day but may not want to commit to a full weekend. Of all the "So Cal" tracks (Fontana, Willow Springs and Buttonwillow), Buttonwillow is the most technical, and provides incredible learning opportunities.

Sign up ASAP, they need students.

http://www.cccbmwcca.org/index2.html

I'm thinking of attending. It's rare that you have a 1 day driving school, hence a lot cheaper. ie $250 vs. $500. Also, if I run in group c, would I get any track time driving solo? I know it's based on experience, and I've been to 2 track events through NASA (HPDE 1 and 2), and 8 autocross events. Just curious, cuz I would like to have maybe the last session on my own, but have an instructor for the other sessions.

Is anyone driving up to buttonwillow friday morning? I don't want to pay for a motel, so I was thinking that if i drive up with a couple of people, it will make me less prone to falling asleep at the wheel in the wee hours of the morning.

By the way, are you a USC fan? Your name is "M3Pete", just thought maybe it relates to "3 pete" as in USC football. If you are, I'm a big fan of USC football too, and usc alum.

I'm thinking of attending. It's rare that you have a 1 day driving school, hence a lot cheaper. ie $250 vs. $500. Also, if I run in group c, would I get any track time driving solo? I know it's based on experience, and I've been to 2 track events through NASA (HPDE 1 and 2), and 8 autocross events. Just curious, cuz I would like to have maybe the last session on my own, but have an instructor for the other sessions.

Is anyone driving up to buttonwillow friday morning? I don't want to pay for a motel, so I was thinking that if i drive up with a couple of people, it will make me less prone to falling asleep at the wheel in the wee hours of the morning.

By the way, are you a USC fan? Your name is "M3Pete", just thought maybe it relates to "3 pete" as in USC football. If you are, I'm a big fan of USC football too, and usc alum.First, soloing is totally up to the instructor, nothing is guaranteed. In a one-day school, it's probably not as likely to solo.

Second, it's an instructional tool, and does not necessarily signify you are fully skilled, but rather that you have shown some consistency and know your limits. Don't focus on going solo, it's not some huge goal to attain.

Third, an instructor is not your mom. He/she is there to make sure you learn high performance driving, not to slow you down, although going slow is the key to learning how to go fast, by learning the line, being smooth, etc. "Let the speed come to you" is the phrase I hear most often, and it means you need to focus on technique first, and the speed will follow.

Fourth, going solo is harder than having an instructor. You have to remember every single thing yourself, there is nobody to ask, and nobody to remind you of anything.

Hotels in bw are the Motel 6 variety, if you can't afford $40, maybe this is too expensive for you. A track day is tiring, you don't need to start out tired by driving several hours beforehand. Then again, I sleep like crap in a motel, so it's kind of a wash, but I usually drive up the night before.

I'm a UCSB and Loyola alum. I adopted the M3 Pete name when I bought the M3.

USC
You may want to look into NASA So.Cal. the following weekend. Sat/Sun for about 250. 4x20min sessions each day. Instruction is good but not as regimented as BMWCCA. BMW is great for the very inexperienced but can be frustrating for some with track time already logged.
www.nasaproracing.com

Thanks for the reply from both of you. I am not solely focused on driving solo just for the sake of driving solo. My goal is to become better on my own without relying on an instructor, but you are right and only the instructor can determine my abilities.

M3 Pete: I totally agree with you that the instructor helps a lot in making you become faster, smoother and safer, which is important especially at such a technical track as buttonwillow. I learned a lot from all of the bmw driving instructors through autocross, and my neighbor Mark Amarandos (bmw driving instructor, tracking for 30 years, his E30 M3 engine is in Mickey Miller's race car) who taught me how to drive on the track, which is totally different than autocross. Buttonwillow was actually my first track event through NASA, I was scared to death after my first session after seeing a 350Z race car and Mcoupe crash. That was the weekend when there was a fatality on Apr 8, 2005 when NASA held their event.

Yeah, i can afford $40, but choose not to, financial discipline is tough to learn especially with the track and mod bugs, haha. Last time I drove up early to buttonwillow the same day as the event, that's my plan for this time around.

PBFut: Yeah, I think i might have plans that weekend,that's why i was considering the BMWCCA driving school. We'll see.

That was a bad NASA weekend but I feel the need to expain the event before someone gets the idea NASA is a free for all.

The MCoupe was in the advanced HPDE/TT group. Driver is experienced. The ground was so rain saturated that dropping a wheel of track was enough to total your car. The MCoupe that crashed that day could not recover the car well enough to go off track straight. I kept telling him his rear shock was blown but he did not listen. We'll never know because all 4 were gone after the wreck. As a result, the right side wheels dug in the mud as the car slide sideways off track and pole vaulted. Witness behind the car said it jumped so high, he could have driven under it. 3 roll overs and a end over flip. Every panel was bent except the roof. Still can't figure that one. Both strut towers were pushed to the S54 engine block. Driver was unhurt except for harness bruising.

The fatality was a race incident not HPDE. Car was a Factory5 AC Cobra replica . Lots of horsepower and open cockpits are a dangerous thing.

If anyone's looking for a long weekend, Speedventures is at Buttonwillow the same weekend (4/7-8). Speedventures is a good group, and this combo would give someone with prior experience an opportunity to go out with instruction on Friday & then solo on Sat / Sun. Something to think about. (Before someone corrects me - Speedventures does offer instruction for novices as well).

I *may* show up at Buttonwillow that weekend (sat and / or sun) with Speedventures. Can't get away that friday, though. Not sure which car I'd take, either... :rryum

Signed Up for Apr 6 Buttonwillow BMWCCA. Booyah!

M3 Pete, are you one of the instructors? Maybe I'll run into you there. You ever go to the autocross events at Qualcomm last year?

Another USC alumn here... gonna sign up for the April 8th event with Speedventures at BW. Hope to see some of you out there. It's been over a yr since I last tracked so I'm pretty excited.

I think we may be at the April 6th event. ;)

Signed Up for Apr 6 Buttonwillow BMWCCA. Booyah!

M3 Pete, are you one of the instructors? Maybe I'll run into you there. You ever go to the autocross events at Qualcomm last year?I'm not an instructor, just a student trying to make sure the event has enough participants. Unless something happens, I'll be there, and likely the only estoril/black sedan.

I did one autox at Qualcomm last year. Not sure what month, maybe July?

I'll probably be there on Sunday with speed ventures. Friday is a no go tho... :(

I think we may be at the April 6th event. ;)

I might be there also, but it's up in the air at this point. Most likely, with a chance of working at the Driving Concepts Competition Licensing School the following weekend.

OK, finally got off my arse and signed up for April 6. Who else is going?

I'm definitely going now too. The car is all dialed in and I'm ready for some BBQ grub and Mondos at Willows Ranch!

I'll be in the yellow tent, so hunt me down.

Ditto. :)