SilliG

Hello so before I begin I thought I might say please don't flame me for my noobness. I just moved to the Bay Area here in California and Laguna Seca isn't too far away. I have heard of the track and played video games growing up on it like many of us here and have always wanted to drive it. I am finally in a position where I can make it to the trackday so I figured Laguna would be a great place to get a start.

I am a virgin when it comes to putting a car on a track, I have done some autocross but never with my s2000. So I am looking for a beginners group to run with at Laguna Seca, and I do not have a roll cage or a hardtop (car is all stock minus exhaust and intake). Does anyone have any recommendations on what company/group sponsors events I could possibly run with and is good to start out with?

Thanks

thepoi

I always recommend NASA to start doing track events--they're very heavy on instruction and on-track safety. Keep in mind Laguna has some heavy sound restrictions, so depending on how loud your exhaust is, you may not be able to participate in some events. I don't know how often NASA runs Laguna, but they do usually get a no-sound-restriction weekend. Speedventures also runs good group, but there's a lot less instruction than NASA.

bdo

I agree. Speed Ventures is probably the best event for beginners outside of the race organizations. If you do SV, get all day instruction. They at least used to do all-day instruction for beginners for around $90, and you should take advantage of it. You'll get a LOT more learning and improvement and satisfaction out of your day vs a half session of instruction then just driving.

SilliG

Do I need to pass the broomstick test, get a roll bar or a hard top to run with these organizations?

King Tut

I don't know whether they check that at tech for NASA events or not. I know you can run the car with OEM rollover protection and top up or top down with NASA.

SpeedFreaksUSA

I instruct for a couple organizations in the Bay Area and I cant recommend Speed SF enough. They offer one of the best values as far as cost per minute of track time, lower car count (this is my biggest complaint with NASA) in addition to a great instructor program which offers multiple levels of instruction if you choose to stick with it. They also don't enforce a broomstick test so you can take your 100% stock S2000 out on track. Although it is encouraged to install a roll bar and other safety equipment if you start going more often

-Matt M.

gptoyz

If you want to run at Laguna Seca, specifically, I don't think you can get much more affordable than NCRC. If it's your first track experience, I would focus on having fun and bringing the car home in 1 piece.

As far as a roll bar or extraneous safety equipment, I'm a proponent that if you clear the stock roll hoops, then I would make use of the stock safety system: air bag, 3 point, roll hoops. If you don't clear the broomstick test, WITH YOUR HELMET ON and sitting in your proper seating position - then get a roll bar. NCRC has a roll bar credit, so if you buy a roll bar for your car, you actually get future discounts on your track days.

As far as intake and exhaust? What combination do you have? The sound regulations at laguna are pretty draconian.

SilliG

Thanks Matt for the info I hope "Speed SF" was a typo for speed ventures.

Yea I heard that 92db is the limit which is crazy because there isn't any residential areas around Laguna that I saw. I have K&N FPIK and Invidia Q300 cutback so its pretty quiet. I noticed that sonoma raceway was cheaper getting a track day so I might try going there first just to get me feet wet.

manystyles

Good to know! I'll keep this in mind when I'm ready to track.

Cheers!
Alex

King Tut

It wasn't. Speed Ventures is the wild wild west.