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      08-19-2017, 08:36 PM   #1
spxxx
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Buttonwillow Test & Tune

Highly recommend the Buttonwillow test & tune days for a no frills track day with maximum seat time. Literally 8am-4pm, no run groups or "sessions" - this is targeted to race teams or advanced drivers but you can easily get 3+ hours of seat time. They offer half days too for $100.

Compared to a typical track day with 5x25min sessions with one laps of warm up and one cool down (20min each) so about 1.5hr seat time at a maximum.

Today, I did a half day and did 5 "sessions" that were about 25min each during a half day. I could have easily done another 2-3 sessions, assuming your tires and car are reliable enough you can get about 4x more seat time than a regular HPDE day for less $.
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      08-22-2017, 10:17 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spxxx View Post
Highly recommend the Buttonwillow test & tune days for a no frills track day with maximum seat time. Literally 8am-4pm, no run groups or "sessions" - this is targeted to race teams or advanced drivers but you can easily get 3+ hours of seat time. They offer half days too for $100.

Compared to a typical track day with 5x25min sessions with one laps of warm up and one cool down (20min each) so about 1.5hr seat time at a maximum.

Today, I did a half day and did 5 "sessions" that were about 25min each during a half day. I could have easily done another 2-3 sessions, assuming your tires and car are reliable enough you can get about 4x more seat time than a regular HPDE day for less $.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

So is it basically a free for all? Passing can be done anywhere or are there rules where you have to point someone by? You come across any knuckleheads driving out of control? How did you pay? it seems like the open track day dates are not clickable links on the website. This sounds like a good way to get some track time in.
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      08-22-2017, 01:25 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by houtan View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by spxxx View Post
Highly recommend the Buttonwillow test & tune days for a no frills track day with maximum seat time. Literally 8am-4pm, no run groups or "sessions" - this is targeted to race teams or advanced drivers but you can easily get 3+ hours of seat time. They offer half days too for $100.

Compared to a typical track day with 5x25min sessions with one laps of warm up and one cool down (20min each) so about 1.5hr seat time at a maximum.

Today, I did a half day and did 5 "sessions" that were about 25min each during a half day. I could have easily done another 2-3 sessions, assuming your tires and car are reliable enough you can get about 4x more seat time than a regular HPDE day for less $.
Thanks for sharing your experience.

So is it basically a free for all? Passing can be done anywhere or are there rules where you have to point someone by? You come across any knuckleheads driving out of control? How did you pay? it seems like the open track day dates are not clickable links on the website. This sounds like a good way to get some track time in.
People were pointing by for the most part, using common sense is crucial as their are fully prepped racecars with street cars running together. It sounds like they'll occasionally split run groups but it's important to be cognizant of which cars are getting on the track when you pit.

You just pay at the gate ($175 or $100 for half day) with the annual pass. Not super organized, only downside is they only have 3 corner workers and no ambulance, just fire/rescue.

I actually didn't see that many offs, I did spin at sunset and go 4-off so I was probably the biggest knucklehead there =(
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      08-22-2017, 02:58 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by spxxx View Post
People were pointing by for the most part, using common sense is crucial as their are fully prepped racecars with street cars running together. It sounds like they'll occasionally split run groups but it's important to be cognizant of which cars are getting on the track when you pit.

You just pay at the gate ($175 or $100 for half day) with the annual pass. Not super organized, only downside is they only have 3 corner workers and no ambulance, just fire/rescue.

I actually didn't see that many offs, I did spin at sunset and go 4-off so I was probably the biggest knucklehead there =(
Haha. Well, i was more referring to people that were basically going off the track at every corner the last time i was there. One time, it happens. Every corner, no thanks. I actually left one session after a couple of laps.
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      08-22-2017, 06:06 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by houtan View Post
Quote:
Originally Posted by spxxx View Post
People were pointing by for the most part, using common sense is crucial as their are fully prepped racecars with street cars running together. It sounds like they'll occasionally split run groups but it's important to be cognizant of which cars are getting on the track when you pit.

You just pay at the gate ($175 or $100 for half day) with the annual pass. Not super organized, only downside is they only have 3 corner workers and no ambulance, just fire/rescue.

I actually didn't see that many offs, I did spin at sunset and go 4-off so I was probably the biggest knucklehead there =(
Haha. Well, i was more referring to people that were basically going off the track at every corner the last time i was there. One time, it happens. Every corner, no thanks. I actually left one session after a couple of laps.
At a Buttonwillow test and tune day?? These group that was there this last weekend was really solid. Way more comfortable driving with this group than any track day I've been to. Other than the cars running about 10 seconds faster than me lol
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