Track Days; Your Opinions

[fmcd92]

All conversations we can have about trackdays are interesting but just for now could anyone who cares to offer their experiences and opinions for the DOCC track days, please?

Not limited to but including:

Weekday events – much less rental cost and much more choice of dates. (yes/no)

le Circuit Mont Tremblant – weekdays are avaiable but would you pre-register way ahead? (yes/no)

Now's the time for this conversation!

Thank you,

Francis McDermott

old fart

[Rob374]

Fran
Weekday events are a tough go for a lot of people. Limited Vacation time to spread around. I try to save as many weeks as I need for track days but others cannot. Tremblant was never on my radar as we could never seem to get a straight answer about camping. It appears it would be 9 or 10 hours for me to get there. How stringent are the noise rules at Tremblant? That is a long drive to find out my bike wont pass even with DOT exhaust. I generally pay for events ahead of time as soon as I know the dates. The sooner I have dates the sooner I can schedule vacation and funds. The longest trip I have ever made for a track day was to Mid Ohio. I cannot remember how long but it was longer than Grattan which was 6 to 7 hours depending on the border.
The tracks we go to now I like and they provide a pretty wide range of riding challenges.
Cheers
Rob

[ducati588]

Here is my 2 cents....

When the club went to Tremblant in 2006 we had noise problems then with a bunch of the bikes with DOT exhausts, and some were racing exhausts. Also the bathrooms had not been cleaned since 1969, they locked everyone in at 10-11pm so we couldn't go out. More importantly an ambulance could not get in after dark, if someone needed transport and hospital care.

I like the track, it is very challenging, but it isn't very customer friendly.

For me weekend dates work best. This is because of the driving required and it is usually easier to get weekends off work.

I always want cheaper events - but we have to pay to play....

I think it is a good idea to keep the mentor program with the Marshal's, it seemed to be positive all round. It is good to see people progress and assist them in getting rid of those bad riding habits early.

I would like to do Calabogie and Mosport with the club, not sure where else is suitable. Grand Bend is out for me. .....and I will do week day events, but weekends with no rain are preferred!

Thanks, Rob

[lazygoodan]

Hi, Fran,

Weekday events – much less rental cost and much more choice of dates. (yes/no)
Not for me. It may be possible once in a while, but I am already taking off Friday and/or Monday to do a weekend event. If the event was on Tues/Wed, for example, I'd have to take a week's vacation to fit it in.

le Circuit Mont Tremblant – weekdays are available but would you pre-register way ahead? (yes/no)
Also, no for me. It's too far. The only way I'd pull that off is if I could work it in with a family vacation.

I like Mosport best. Nice track, good location. Grand Bend is actually closest for me, but that onion smell this year was nauseating. Also, it's kind of "Mickey Mouse". I also go to Grattan with another track day group. That' s a nice track - sort of in between Mosport and Grand Bend as far as facilities, difficulty, etc. I'd like to do Calabogie, but it's also too far for me.

I like trying new tracks. I've thought about going to Mid-Ohio, Nelson Ledges, Putnam, etc. Has the DOCC ever run at Shannonville?

Thanks,
Jim

[Flash]

Would one 3 day event at boagie attract more riders and maybe the Friday or Monday price would reflect this
With only 1 chance to ride the track more interest
might be shown

[Chris LaPrade]

Our Mosport and Calabogie is a must I will work my vacation time around any dates we can get but (Weekends are always preferred). Themblant would be great if we could get it.. Grand bend I could take it or leave it.
My only problem is I will need to know our dates within the next few weeks as work requires my vacation dates by month end... ya I knows its B.S but that's life. So as soon as we have dates please let myself & membership know asap.

[fmcd92]

Please rest assured we're trying our best to get date confirmation for the events we love. Track management naturally has sound business reasons for selling race events first, trackday organisations get whatever is left. This means the "Don't call us, we'll call you..." message is the only news I get and it has always been like this. Makes it tough to provide you with useful information and I apologise for this. As soon as anything is available we'll hit SEND.

Thanks for your support!

FMcD

[Chris LaPrade]

Thanks Fran, I hear ya. Everything for the good of the people seem to get harder and harder as profit seem to always trump good people trying to do good things.
Funds are always an issue for everyone looking for top value and you get what you pay for but at the end of the day tracks days come last on the list for many, they are top of the list for me but all the events going on in the summer eat up all my funds, and vacation time. There are only so many I can do.
Its a struggle for me thinking about doing other events i.e.. VRRA, Soar, or other U.S track events, it would be great to change it up year over year at different venues keeping our events fresh and people coming out, because not joining my d.o.c.c family at all our events would be a hard thing for me.
(Mosport, Calabogie, Mt. Themblant, a Grattan, Mid-ohio just to suggest a few.) Mosport and calabogie is a must.

Just a thought, and not sure how it will go over with the club but if its not possible to set up U.S events through the club, have membership get together , and plan something with another organisation. After all its the people that make the club, so if we are all there together no matter where we are, that is what its all about isn't it?? What is your feeling on that?? anyone??

[fmcd92]

Hey Chris,

I'll throw my .02 in, insurance for a States venue is one thing but no reason not to have our exec negotiate something reciprocal with a US group and promote both. For me a trip to Barber in Dec. or early April would be magic!

Costs are a big challenge and my thinking is to try for a few things done well. I ride lots of single-track off-road so maybe that's something other DOCC people would find pretty good value. Like all riding it goes much better with friends.

Tremblant would be something different and in $CDN might compare favourably with anything Stateside.

Thanks!

FM

[paul w]

Doing a reciprocal with one of the US groups would be good and would stretch our season some, not to mention a nice break from the chill. If people head south to golf why not to ride. Also it would be nice to have some guests come to one of ours.

[Steinke]

Weekday events are tougher to co-ordinate. Vacation time required for me, not impossibile but need as much notice as possible.
Mont Tremblant would be too far for my preference

I love Calibogie and Mosport and actually dont mind Grand Bend which is a great track for my little RS.

I would be open to trying a track in the US as well.