Taking your car to the track is an amazing experience. And, having trained HPDE (High Performance Driver's Education) instructors help you figure out how to handle the car safely is a huge plus. the easiest way to get on track is to sign up with a driving club. There are a number of clubs available so you're sure to find one that meets your expectations. Below are links to a number of popular clubs:

• BMW Car Club of America
  
• Chin Motorsports
  
• FAASST
  
• Fridays at the Track
  
• Mazda Drivers
  
• MVP Track Time
  
• NASA - Arizona
  
• NASA - Northern California
  
• NASA - South California
  
• NASA - Florida
  
• NASA - Great Lakes
  
• NASA - Mid Atlantic
  
• NASA - Midwest
  
• NASA - Northeast
  
• NASA - Southeast
  
• NASA - Texas
  
• Porsche Club of America
  
• Sports Car Club of America
  
• SVT Cobra Mustang Club
  
• Trackdaze
  
• Turn One Track Events
  

Yes.

Specific rules vary depending on the club but preparing your car for the track is a fairly simple procedure. Basic checks to make sure your vehicle is safe on the track generally include checking the brake pads/rotors, bleeding or flushing the brake fluid, proper tire tread, and making sure there are no loose items in the car or trunk. You should check with your specific club for more details on their required safety checks.

Although you may have certain specific items that you may need with you for the weekend, most items will probably be pretty standard.

The best advice would be to check with your insurance provider to see if your policy will cover this type of event. However, most auto insurance policies do NOT provide coverage for a vehicle driven on a track or any road surface that may be used for racing. There have also been reported cases where insurance companies have dropped coverage for individuals inquiring about HPDE coverage through their existing policy so you may want to consider this before contacting them.

If you would like to protect your investment, you might want to consider purchasing HPDE specific insurance for these events. Insurance can be purchased either for individual events or you can get coverage for an entire year. Below are a links to a few companies that provide this type of coverage:

• On Track Insurance (individual event coverage)
  
  
• Lockton Affinity (individual event coverage)
  
  
• WSIB Motorsports Insurance (annual policy covering 10, 15, or more events)
  
  

If you are new to HPDE, you will probably find the classroom sessions very informative. Most instructors will encourage questions and general discussion from the drivers in your class. These can provide many helpful tips and other items that you may find useful on track.

The key to quick lap times isn't directly related to maximum horsepower, it's about being able to put down the maximum average horsepower around the entire length of the track. To do so involves being able to hold maximum average throttle through the curved portions of the track as well as the straights.

Although these flags are very attractive and colorful, they actually serve a very important function. Aside from marking the start or end of a session, many of these flags help to keep you safely notified of any any issues that might occur during your trip.

Tenths are used as a system of assigning a relative speed, concentration level, and/or demonstration of car physics on-track to someone.

As with any new venture, there can be a lot of new information to learn but, don't worry. After a while, it will all start to make sense and soon you'll be spouting out this same gibberish just like everyone else.

No, this is generally a very bad idea. However, if you have the Stillen GT-R splitter, it may not turn out too bad.

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