Spring Mountain Impressions

[bwblue]

Thanks for the replies.

Does credit card insurance cover this? I know some CC's (eg CSR/CSP) have pretty robust policies; I couldn't find anything about track coverage, though.

 

[TalsBW]

In hindsight, I wish I would’ve paid the $250. It would’ve loosened me up a bit…calm down everyone

 

[Throat Yogurt]

I did not pay the $250. I am at Spring Mountain as I type this, and having had two sessions on track today (and another 3 sessions tomorrow) I am comfortable with my decision.

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

I paid the $250 to feel better about fully sending it on track.

 

[Tall Steve]

On my first trip with the 5BW I paid the $250 for me and my son.. Lol, he spun out in turn one but did not hurt the car.... On my second trip with the 4BW I did not pay it...... Do you need it, probably not but its cheap insurance...

 

[Tall Steve]

I did not pay the $250. I am at Spring Mountain as I type this, and having had two sessions on track today (and another 3 sessions tomorrow) I am comfortable with my decision.

Have fun today and be safe! #CT4VBWGang

 

[Blackwing16]

I paid the 250 as I couldn’t really afford a 10k hit if I did end up totaling a car on the track. In hindsight, I probably didn’t need it as the cars are extremely difficult to take past their limits. It really depends on what you would be able to pay if something bad happens. As others have stated, it’s cheap insurance.

 

[Kanetch]

To those who have attended, did you stick with the $10,000 liability or buy-down to $2,000 for the extra $250?

Previous track events I've been to had full insurance coverage lumped into the program price with nothing extra required of me.

I'm not planning to break world records when I go (i.e. majorly push the car's limits), so I'm thinking the 10K should be fine, but the 'chance' of things going off the rails is making me pause for thought. (There's a chance of anything, anywhere. I know, I know...haha)

Sorry if I missed it in this thread; I searched but didn't find anything.

I did not buy the extra insurance and it was the correct decision. If you have any track experience and can recognize when a car is nearing its limits of traction, you will be fine. The track is pretty generous in width so if and when you start to slide, there is time and space to correct. Also, your track time is all lead follow. The instructor leading you will quickly call you out if you are doing something overly aggressive. Have fun!

 

[Throat Yogurt]

I'm sitting at the airport waiting for my flight home from Vegas, and I am still in complete shock at the amazing time I had at Spring Mountain, which ended earlier today. What an experience. Completely professional from start to finish. I learned so much...too much to try to recount here. Suffice to say I improved so much that on my laps this afternoon I beat my instructor's time in my car with a 1:19.4 in a 4 manual. I had no idea what this car is capable of on a track...I'm still not sure I believe it.

I met up with @dstewart51 and we traded war stories and were in the same run group earlier today for the autocross, track, and other activities. He also gave me a ride in his car which has a JB4 and a few other mods. It was about the time when he was breaking the tires loose accelerating in 3rd gear on dry asphalt that I knew I was going to need a JB4 as well. God damn his car is quick.

For you all who have yet to go to SM, you are really going to love it.

 

[dstewart51]

^ Word. OMG I was amazed what this car could do on a track. Had a frigging blast and was literally laughing on my final laps. We where at the lap times of our instructor demo laps and it felt great.

 

[Berserker]

I probably didn’t need it as the cars are extremely difficult to take past their limits.

I can take my car past its limits without leaving my driveway.

I did about a dozen track days back in 2004 thru 2007. Offhand I can recall two wrecks at events I attended, one of which involved a car ending up on its roof. I also recall two off-track excursions that I am not calling "wrecks", but were bad enough that the cars were not driveable and left on a rollback.

During that same period a friend was at a NASA track day, which were run in conjunction their amateur racing series, where one of the racers was killed.

The complacency with which people are discussing thrashing 2-ton cars with almost 700 hp makes me wonder what they are teaching at this place.

I've already paid the $250 and I don't attend for another 4 months.

 

[OldGoat]

To those who have attended, did you stick with the $10,000 liability or buy-down to $2,000 for the extra $250

Sorry if I missed it in this thread; I searched but didn't find anything.

I paid it, more so to save myself the aggravation my overly worried wife would end up causing me. Last thing I would want to hear is "I told you so"

 

[Jameson's Viggen]

I'm sitting at the airport waiting for my flight home from Vegas, and I am still in complete shock at the amazing time I had at Spring Mountain, which ended earlier today. What an experience. Completely professional from start to finish. I learned so much...too much to try to recount here. Suffice to say I improved so much that on my laps this afternoon I beat my instructor's time in my car with a 1:19.4 in a 4 manual. I had no idea what this car is capable of on a track...I'm still not sure I believe it.

I met up with @dstewart51 and we traded war stories and were in the same run group earlier today for the autocross, track, and other activities. He also gave me a ride in his car which has a JB4 and a few other mods. It was about the time when he was breaking the tires loose accelerating in 3rd gear on dry asphalt that I knew I was going to need a JB4 as well. God damn his car is quick.

For you all who have yet to go to SM, you are really going to love it.

View attachment 16935

1:19 was moving, was that on the North Track layout?

 

[Deneed4spd]

I paid it, more so to save myself the aggravation my overly worried wife would end up causing me. Last thing I would want to hear is "I told you so"

Sounds like both old goat and I paid $250. That leaves us not having to hold anything back! Who shall win the auto cross!

 

[DustinEarnhardt]

Me.

 

[Tall Steve]

Sounds like both old goat and I paid $250. That leaves us not having to hold anything back! Who shall win the auto cross!

You don't need insurance for autocross so let it all hang out!

 

[Tall Steve]

Me.

Me... I won the 4BW came in second in 5BW... @soulsea beat us all up!

 

[Throat Yogurt]

I can take my car past its limits without leaving my driveway.

I did about a dozen track days back in 2004 thru 2007. Offhand I can recall two wrecks at events I attended, one of which involved a car ending up on its roof. I also recall two off-track excursions that I am not calling "wrecks", but were bad enough that the cars were not driveable and left on a rollback.

During that same period a friend was at a NASA track day, which were run in conjunction their amateur racing series, where one of the racers was killed.

The complacency with which people are discussing thrashing 2-ton cars with almost 700 hp makes me wonder what they are teaching at this place.

I've already paid the $250 and I don't attend for another 4 months.

By all means everyone should get the track insurance if they want to or if it makes them feel better, but it is really disingenuous to compare the safety/risk of wheel to wheel racing to what is going on at Spring Mountain. The laps at SM are lead/follow, and the cars are in PTM Sport so they have both traction and stability control on. That is not the case in the conditions you're describing above.

They showed videos of a few offs at SM, but in every case the driver simply forgot to brake going into a turn. It is pretty much the safest way to experience a car on a track, and there is plenty of margin for error in terms of extra room on the track as it is laid out and safety nets in the car itself. Please don't scare people, this is *nothing* like a NASA track day. I'm going to post one of my PDR videos so people can get an idea of what to expect.

 

[Throat Yogurt]

Me... I won the 4BW came in second in 5BW... @soulsea beat us all up!
View attachment 16939

Got that too!

Our autox course was super slippery. It was cold, and there had been high winds the day before that blew dust all over the lot. It was really hard to even accelerate to 40 MPH for the lane change exercise...the cars just couldn't put power down.

 

[Jameson's Viggen]

Sadly my PDR came with no audio, a settings issue on their part I hit a peak of 1.4g's, and 104mph on the North Track.

I did no better than a 30.x on autox, same thing, VERY windy and cold in the morning there last week.