Thunderhill's new 5-mile Course with NorCal Vipers, June 7 - 8

[VENOM V]

Hi all, this is a little north of you but this will be worth the drive.  A bunch of NorCal Vipers are are heading to the new 5-mile course of Thunderhill Raceway at 5250 California 162, Willows, CA.  We are teaming with Hooked on Driving (HOD), which has a superb safety record for their High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) events.  You can track with us Saturday, Sunday, or both days.

Viper Dinner and Tracking Presentation, Friday June 6:
We will be having our dinner meeting at Old Highway 99 Steakhouse, 610 S Tehama St, Willows, CA, on Friday June 6 at 7:30pm, in a private room.  HOD has graciously offered to give us an Introduction to Tracking presentation that eve.  And they will also present the layout of new 5-mile track, to familiarize us with the driving line.  I highly recommend planning to leave for Willows around lunchtime Friday so that you can join us for this informative dinner.

Coaches included at no extra charge:
Whether you are new to tracking or a veteran, coaches will be available to you at no additional charge.  Every driver in Beginner Group A will be paired with a coach.  Intermediate B Group and Advanced C/D Group drivers may also request a coach, to learn the new course or get the rust off.  In addition, HOD will be taking us on parade laps around the course to learn the line.  And we also have the "Buddy System," where newer drivers will have the option of being paired with an experienced Viper buddy that will show them the ropes - everything from where to park, to where to line up, Etc.

Viper Snake Pit!
HOD is giving the Vipers the royal treatment- we will have our own dedicated Viper parking area, and Maurice is working on getting us a banner to mark our snakes' domain.

Trackside BBQ, Saturday Eve:
In addition, we will join HOD for a trackside BBQ Saturday.  Price for the BBQ is typically around $10 to $12, which includes food, soft drinks and beer.  There's nothing like unwinding and sharing stories after a fun day at the track!

What do I need to bring?
•   Helmet, Snell SA 2005 or 2010.  Available for rental for $25, when you register.  Or buy one from Wine Country Motorsports at the Hooked on Driving 10% discount:  www.winecountrymotorsports.com
•   Self-check Car Inspection Checklist: http://www.hookedondriving.com/downloads/Techical_Inspection.pdf
•   Here's a useful link with a wealth of info for first-time trackers: http://www.hookedondriving.com/first-timers

Optional Track Day Insurance:
Most auto insurance policies don't cover damage at a HPDE event, so I highly recommend purchasing track-day insurance to protect your snake.  It's easy to sign up online, you pay per event, and we get the Hooked on Driving 10% discount:
http://www.locktonmotorsports.com/event/hooked-driving-38/

Where to stay:
•   Holiday Inn Express in Willows (800-315-2621) = about $114/night
•   Baymont Inn in Willows (530-934-7026) = about $70 to $90/night
•   Motel 6 in Willows (530-934-7026) = about $60/night
 
If you plan to join us, PLEASE REGISTER VERY SOON.  HOD says that the A Group may be sold out within a couple of weeks, as the new 5-mile Thunderhill course has proven extremely popular.  Price is $335 for a single day, or $595 for both days.

Registration for the Tracking Event at Hooked on Driving's website:

Saturday and Sunday:  http://www.hookedondriving.com/event-details/Thunderhill,_NEW_5_MILE_COURSE_-_FULL_WEEKEND,_June_7_and_8

Saturday only:  http://www.hookedondriving.com/event-details/Thunderhill_-_FULL_5_MILE_COURSE_-_SATURDAY_ONLY,_June_7

Sunday only:  http://www.hookedondriving.com/event-details/Thunderhill_-_FULL_5_MILE_COURSE_-_SUNDAY_ONLY,_June_8
 
Note that this is not an official NorCal Viper Club event, as HOD has taken care of all of the logistics such as renting the track, hiring coaches and safety workers, liability insurance, Etc.  So all we have to do is show up and drive!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask.  Hope to see you out there!

-Todd


Caution regarding 1996 factory wheels (have been known to break when run with sticky tires).

[VENOM V]

Update:  Beginner Group A is already sold out on Saturday, but available on Sunday.  Intermediate Group B and Advanced Group C/D are available both days.  Sign up ASAP!

[Speedtactics]

Thanks for the info! I would love to do this but have other plans during that time. Hopefully we can get a track event with both groups soon.

[VENOM V]

Agreed, I've always thought Buttonwillow would be a natural place to get Vipers from north and south together.  We polled our members and they selected Thunderhill and Sonoma for this year's track events, but I'll keep suggesting Buttonwillow.  In fact, I'll be there this weekend in the Camaro.

Just a heads up, the NorCal Vipers will also be heading to Sonoma on Thu 10/9 to join the McClarens on track (it's a Hooked on Driving event, not exclusive to McClarens), should be interesting as well!

[Speedtactics]

Sty tuned our Track committee is working on a Button Willow date  8)