I can't find membership fees anywhere on the website and I'd rather not pay for a membership if I only end up going once. I want this track time to help estimate any kind of racecar driving skill I might have.
You can become a "member" but that's not required for you to drive your car there.
What's the best type of race event/practice run for me to attend? Also, please tell me how much it would cost to attend said event. During the Summer...., there are open lapping/race weekends called "GCRS Summer Series' that you could attend....and by that I assume you mean as a non-participant.
To just attend, $0-$10 gate fee....depending on whether they charge an admittance fee for those....it's been a while since I've been to a Summer event so I don't remember.
The real Gulf Coast Race Series cranks up in September and many more racers attend those so if you were going to attend an event and want to talk to more racers, etc., that'd be the target.
But....there surely is a novice group that you can lap your Z28 in at the Summer events and have 1-2 lapping day's experience under you belt before the real season kicks off.
What kind of equipment do I need? (Helmet, roll cage, etc.?) Just to drive your car around the circuit in open lapping or a DE (driver's education) environment, no, you don't need a roll cage, roll bar or anything like that....just an approved helmet (not motorcycle) that is tagged with the appropriate 'SNELL' or 'FIA' rating. It's generally wise to come with long pants too, sometimes in the heat of Summer, shorts are allowed at the organizer's discretion but those decisions are usually made on site so you need to be prepared and have long jeans etc.,
You can opt to have an instructor ride along and this may or may not be mandatory at GCRS lapping days if you are totally green.
Other events sponsored by BMW or Porsche Club require all "green" (novice) group drivers to have an instructor in the passenger seat. These events are open to all makes/models of cars, not just BMWs and Porsches.
Is there anything you can recommend that I bring with me or do to my car prior to running it at the track that's not required? You will need to download a "mechanical checklist" form and have your car prepared in accordance with this sheet, i.e., no loose items, floor mats removed, brakes in good condition, wheels torqued, etc. Other than that....start upping your liquid intake a couple of days before an event....in the Summer, car interior temps could reach 120F and you can quickly become dehydrated. It's too late to start cramming water down the day of an event.
If your car is so equipped, you can run your air conditioner but your window MUST remain DOWN while on track.
Any other newbie tips would be greatly appreciated. I've dreamed of racing on a track for years but financial situations have always haltered them. Thank you in advance for reading this and answering any of my questions.
There's no greater venue in the "bang for the buck" category than road racing or driving your car at your limits on a road course.
A lapping day with several 20+ minute sessions with an available instructor versed with the correct terminology and skills to make you a better driver, complete with skilled persons at corner stations to aid you should something go wrong should darned near be priceless in my opinion....and this can all be had for $100 a day or marginally more.
Word to the wise, focus on your brake pad condition and flush/bleed your fluid with some quality high temp product like Motul, etc. Camaros are heavy and make decent power....you will be scrubbing off a lot of speed to make the corners while learning.
Be focused and aware while on track is the best advice in instilling confidence in your instructor while he evaluates your ability to advance up the ladder to solo groups where you drive alone and more passing is allowed.....after that, comes the need for more advanced safety equipment but that's another topic.
T