Buttonwillow 1 day HPDE, Friday May 8th, hosted by BMW CCA Central Cal

The HACK · 03-05-2015, 12:25 PM

$275 for CCA members. $323 for non CCA members. Non member price includes a 1 year membership to BMW CCA. Non BMWs welcomed.

No convertibles without adequate roll-over protection, no non-BMW SUVs allowed.

Register here.

If you haven't been to Buttonwillow in a while, it was resurfaced last summer and it's like a brand new track...Places where you think you have no grip now has magical amount of grip, at least when I went last year in October it was magical. Like all CCA events we adhere to a pretty stringent standard, so if you're looking to just churn laps...This may not be ideal for you. But what we offer is an opportunity to have an experienced instructor in the passenger seat to give you the best bang for your buck when it comes to learning how to drive FAST on track.

Hurry. Space is limited. Registration closes April 30th or when spaces sell out, whichever comes first.

mocohead · 03-10-2015, 07:54 AM

Thanks Dan! I hope to be there to help out and bring a brand spanking new d student to scar...ahem...share with some lucky yellos shirt.

Randy

The HACK · 03-10-2015, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mocohead

Thanks Dan! I hope to be there to help out and bring a brand spanking new d student to scar...ahem...share with some lucky yellos shirt.

Randy

Missed you at Chucky...Heard from a little bird that you're back in a BMW?

By the way, another instructor brought a blue Ford to Chucky and I thought it was you, turns out someone else brought a Ford Fiesta (not a Focus) ST. Had some fun with him in my Veloster Turbo. Fun times.

So, bringing a new D student...Does he need a minor waiver?

1forI · 03-14-2015, 09:38 PM

Seems I bit pricier than your typical HPDE day.

What's the expected turnout?

How many sessions planned for the day?

Cheers,
Jason

The HACK · 03-16-2015, 07:57 PM

This one time, our chief instructor opened up the morning participant meeting by asking "which one of the turns on this track is worth $40,000?" I must give credit where credit is due. I've never forgotten that speech by Carl McGinn.

I bring that up, because this is the same question that always gets asked of our events. "Why is your event (BMW CCA track days in the Pacific Region) so much more expensive?" To that, I ask you: How much is your car worth, and which turn on any given track is worth the price of your car?

The truth is this. I've been to various "other" organization's events, either as a spectator or participant. There are two types of HPDEs. One where the "E" stands for event. The other where the "E" stands for EDUCATION. We are the latter.

And I'll be honest. If you're god's gift to driver-kind and can lap with the best Formula 1 drivers, our event is not for you. If you're NOT god's gift to driver-kind, and don't care to learn to drive better and go faster, but just want to churn laps and post your lap time, our event is not for you.

There's a reason why we insist on you carrying anywhere between 100-300lbs of rewards weight in your passenger seat when you come to our events. We believe every driver has something to learn, and even if they DON'T, we can still teach them something. And again. Let's be honest. There are only about 1% of the general populace that are "into cars." Out of that 1%, only 1% appreciate or have the need for speed. And out of that 1%, only 1% truly understands how to satisfy that need for speed.

But I believe firmly that ANYONE can drive any car fast, and we provide that safe environment to do it in.

So after all this dissertation, I'm not going to go over the numbers again. If you want to dig up WHY BMW CCA events cost so much more, it's posted all over the intarweb. But I WILL leave you with this nugget. You know how I've been to all sorts of different DE orgs? From my 1.5 decades of experience, I can tell you this. If you don't get proper instruction for this sport, it will take you anywhere from 2-5X longer to get up to the same speed and skill level as you would had you had proper and appropriate coaching from the passenger seat.

That's right.

I've seen drivers spent countless seat time and circle around tracks lap after lap and event after event, and they MAY be able to eventually churn a few good laps, but that's after spinning out time after time, attempting to dodge $500 junkers that someone's sunk another $500 into to make it track worthy, and are only fast sheerly out of pure muscle memory after spending thousands, maybe even tens of thousands on a ton of track time that really taught him/her nothing but BAD HABITS. And dangerous habits. While B and C students in our org, after maybe a handful of events, maybe they're not churning out the fastest laps, but they're churning out consistently FAST laps that will end up lapping the other guy with tens, dozens, maybe even more days on the same track...Because our participants know what they're doing and have the fundamentals down.

And when I say fundamentals, I'm talking about vision. Track awareness. Ability to sense what the car's doing through various parts of your body. The ability to balance a vehicle through a turn with all your inputs. The skill to see and sense trouble spots on track. All the skills that makes you go fast, but isn't necessarily the skills that you THINK would make you go fast.

THAT, is why our events cost more. We're not here so you can try and figure out how to go fast by yourself. We're here so you don't have to. So yes. We're typically anywhere between 50%-100% more expensive than your average "track days." But you get so much more out of it. Especially if your ultimate goal is to learn to improve your skill set as a driver, improve your lap time, while doing it in the safest setting possible.

1forI · 03-16-2015, 09:02 PM

Awesome response. I'm glad I sparked it...I'm usually more careful about researching something before asking a public question.

Thanks for the explanation. I only have a few track days and instruction under my belt and I can easily see that this is like any sport...you don't know what you don't know...until a "pro" shows you.

Good instruction is certainly worth the money. I spring for it on golf lessons, bowling lessons, and a broken 5 iron doesn't hurt nearly as bad as a broken car.

...I'm still curious though - about how many instructed sessions do you get? Sorry if that info is out there on the net too, but it seems like you're in the answering kinda mood : )

mocohead · 03-17-2015, 08:08 AM

Typical days are 4 20 minute sessions. All are instructed unless you are an a+ student or a b student that gets signed off and wants to go out alone.

Like Dan said I too have done countless events with other groups. But because I like my car and my life I now only run with bmw cca. The education is unbelievable!

Dan you heard right - I picked-up a 2012 128i msport 6 speed from a dealer in Chicago. Only 7,900 miles. It is a super clean and amazing car that will go to my son when he turns 16 in August.

The Ford was simply awful. Couldn't ever get it right on the track and it was way too much car for Alex. This 128i is both more predictable and more likely to boost his social life!

No I'm not bringing him. My D student, if she decides to go, is beyond novice...unlikely she will go though.

03-05-2015, 12:25 PM	#1
The HACK Midlife Crises Racing Silent but Deadly Class 1821 Rep 5,337 Posts Drives: 2006 MZ4C, 2021 Tesla Model 3 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Welcome to Jamaica have a nice day iTrader: (1)	Buttonwillow 1 day HPDE, Friday May 8th, hosted by BMW CCA Central Cal $275 for CCA members. $323 for non CCA members. Non member price includes a 1 year membership to BMW CCA. Non BMWs welcomed. No convertibles without adequate roll-over protection, no non-BMW SUVs allowed. Register here. If you haven't been to Buttonwillow in a while, it was resurfaced last summer and it's like a brand new track...Places where you think you have no grip now has magical amount of grip, at least when I went last year in October it was magical. Like all CCA events we adhere to a pretty stringent standard, so if you're looking to just churn laps...This may not be ideal for you. But what we offer is an opportunity to have an experienced instructor in the passenger seat to give you the best bang for your buck when it comes to learning how to drive FAST on track. Hurry. Space is limited. Registration closes April 30th or when spaces sell out, whichever comes first. __________________ Sitting on a beat-up office chair in front of a 5 year old computer in a basement floor, sipping on stale coffee watching a bunch of meaningless numbers scrolling aimlessly on a dimly lit 19” monitor.
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03-10-2015, 07:54 AM	#2
mocohead Lieutenant 54 Rep 453 Posts Drives: '16 M235i 6MT & 12 128i Msport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: CA iTrader: (1)	Thanks Dan! I hope to be there to help out and bring a brand spanking new d student to scar...ahem...share with some lucky yellos shirt. Randy
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03-14-2015, 09:38 PM	#4
1forI Second Lieutenant 18 Rep 205 Posts Drives: N55 DCT 135 / E36 M3 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Culver City, CA iTrader: (2)	Seems I bit pricier than your typical HPDE day. What's the expected turnout? How many sessions planned for the day? Cheers, Jason __________________ [SIZE="1"]JB4 ISO, PURE Turbo Stage 1 v2, Megan DP, 5" stepped VRSF FMIC, AFE CAI, Fuel-it Stage 1 inline LPFP, ER Charge Pipe, KWV3 w/swift spring conversion, M3 Front Control Arms, e90 M3 FSB, Whiteline RSF Inserts, Dinan Camber Plates
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03-16-2015, 07:57 PM	#5
The HACK Midlife Crises Racing Silent but Deadly Class 1821 Rep 5,337 Posts Drives: 2006 MZ4C, 2021 Tesla Model 3 Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Welcome to Jamaica have a nice day iTrader: (1)	This one time, our chief instructor opened up the morning participant meeting by asking "which one of the turns on this track is worth $40,000?" I must give credit where credit is due. I've never forgotten that speech by Carl McGinn. I bring that up, because this is the same question that always gets asked of our events. "Why is your event (BMW CCA track days in the Pacific Region) so much more expensive?" To that, I ask you: How much is your car worth, and which turn on any given track is worth the price of your car? The truth is this. I've been to various "other" organization's events, either as a spectator or participant. There are two types of HPDEs. One where the "E" stands for event. The other where the "E" stands for EDUCATION. We are the latter. And I'll be honest. If you're god's gift to driver-kind and can lap with the best Formula 1 drivers, our event is not for you. If you're NOT god's gift to driver-kind, and don't care to learn to drive better and go faster, but just want to churn laps and post your lap time, our event is not for you. There's a reason why we insist on you carrying anywhere between 100-300lbs of rewards weight in your passenger seat when you come to our events. We believe every driver has something to learn, and even if they DON'T, we can still teach them something. And again. Let's be honest. There are only about 1% of the general populace that are "into cars." Out of that 1%, only 1% appreciate or have the need for speed. And out of that 1%, only 1% truly understands how to satisfy that need for speed. But I believe firmly that ANYONE can drive any car fast, and we provide that safe environment to do it in. So after all this dissertation, I'm not going to go over the numbers again. If you want to dig up WHY BMW CCA events cost so much more, it's posted all over the intarweb. But I WILL leave you with this nugget. You know how I've been to all sorts of different DE orgs? From my 1.5 decades of experience, I can tell you this. If you don't get proper instruction for this sport, it will take you anywhere from 2-5X longer to get up to the same speed and skill level as you would had you had proper and appropriate coaching from the passenger seat. That's right. I've seen drivers spent countless seat time and circle around tracks lap after lap and event after event, and they MAY be able to eventually churn a few good laps, but that's after spinning out time after time, attempting to dodge $500 junkers that someone's sunk another $500 into to make it track worthy, and are only fast sheerly out of pure muscle memory after spending thousands, maybe even tens of thousands on a ton of track time that really taught him/her nothing but BAD HABITS. And dangerous habits. While B and C students in our org, after maybe a handful of events, maybe they're not churning out the fastest laps, but they're churning out consistently FAST laps that will end up lapping the other guy with tens, dozens, maybe even more days on the same track...Because our participants know what they're doing and have the fundamentals down. And when I say fundamentals, I'm talking about vision. Track awareness. Ability to sense what the car's doing through various parts of your body. The ability to balance a vehicle through a turn with all your inputs. The skill to see and sense trouble spots on track. All the skills that makes you go fast, but isn't necessarily the skills that you THINK would make you go fast. THAT, is why our events cost more. We're not here so you can try and figure out how to go fast by yourself. We're here so you don't have to. So yes. We're typically anywhere between 50%-100% more expensive than your average "track days." But you get so much more out of it. Especially if your ultimate goal is to learn to improve your skill set as a driver, improve your lap time, while doing it in the safest setting possible. __________________ Sitting on a beat-up office chair in front of a 5 year old computer in a basement floor, sipping on stale coffee watching a bunch of meaningless numbers scrolling aimlessly on a dimly lit 19” monitor.
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03-16-2015, 09:02 PM	#6
1forI Second Lieutenant 18 Rep 205 Posts Drives: N55 DCT 135 / E36 M3 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Culver City, CA iTrader: (2)	Awesome response. I'm glad I sparked it...I'm usually more careful about researching something before asking a public question. Thanks for the explanation. I only have a few track days and instruction under my belt and I can easily see that this is like any sport...you don't know what you don't know...until a "pro" shows you. Good instruction is certainly worth the money. I spring for it on golf lessons, bowling lessons, and a broken 5 iron doesn't hurt nearly as bad as a broken car. ...I'm still curious though - about how many instructed sessions do you get? Sorry if that info is out there on the net too, but it seems like you're in the answering kinda mood : ) __________________ [SIZE="1"]JB4 ISO, PURE Turbo Stage 1 v2, Megan DP, 5" stepped VRSF FMIC, AFE CAI, Fuel-it Stage 1 inline LPFP, ER Charge Pipe, KWV3 w/swift spring conversion, M3 Front Control Arms, e90 M3 FSB, Whiteline RSF Inserts, Dinan Camber Plates
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03-17-2015, 08:08 AM	#7
mocohead Lieutenant 54 Rep 453 Posts Drives: '16 M235i 6MT & 12 128i Msport Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: CA iTrader: (1)	Typical days are 4 20 minute sessions. All are instructed unless you are an a+ student or a b student that gets signed off and wants to go out alone. Like Dan said I too have done countless events with other groups. But because I like my car and my life I now only run with bmw cca. The education is unbelievable! Dan you heard right - I picked-up a 2012 128i msport 6 speed from a dealer in Chicago. Only 7,900 miles. It is a super clean and amazing car that will go to my son when he turns 16 in August. The Ford was simply awful. Couldn't ever get it right on the track and it was way too much car for Alex. This 128i is both more predictable and more likely to boost his social life! No I'm not bringing him. My D student, if she decides to go, is beyond novice...unlikely she will go though.
	Appreciate 0 Quote