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Simraceway Performance Driving Center Tag

What’s Happening in September at Simraceway

September means Labor Day and heading back to school, but it also means more time at Simraceway for track experiences, skill-building, racing, and lots more.

Here’s what we have on the agenda after Labor day:

Spend a Day Behind The Wheel of a KTM X-Bow

According to Road & Track’s Sam Smith — who drove a KTM X-Bow for a week last February under the guidance of Simraceway’s instructors — “The whole thing is just a gem.” The KTM X-Bow is one of the world’s lightest, fastest, most nimble track cars. 

X-Bow Cup USA at Simraceway Performance Driving-Center Sonoma Raceway

The KTM X-Bow Experience has inspired a lot of five-star reviews on TripAdvisor like this one from an enthusiastic dad. If you’ve ever wondered what it would feel like to go around a two-and-a-half-mile road course in a sports car, the KTM X-Bow will answer your questions and more.

You’ll experience an ultra-light, nimble race vehicle for an unforgettable day.

Learn More, Lap More, Race More in Kart Racing School

There’s a reason karters say that Simraceway’s Kart Track is “Best in the West.” Simraceway’s karts are the fastest karts in the state on the longest track in the west. 

Simraceway’s karting begins with the Race Karting Experience, a half-day program that will show you the ropes of karting and racing. Move up to the Kart Racing School Stage 1 and 2. Kart Racing School Stage 1 is a full-day program that will give you more fundamentals of go kart racing. Move to Stage 2, which will build your skills and speed around the track in ROK-powered Sprint Karts. 

Go Kart Racing at Simraceway

Once you complete both stages of the Kart Racing School, you’ll be eligible for your Kart Racing License. Drivers age 13 and older are eligible for karting programs. Karting is incredibly fun and it’s a fantastic intro to the world of racing. 

Open Kart and Moto Practice and T1 Karting Days in September

Take Simraceway’s National Pro karting track in reverse or conventionally on select weekday and weekend days in September. Turn 1 club members can take advantage of T1 Club Karting days reserved for T1 club members. 

Rent an Lo206 or a ROK-Tony Kart starting at $40 for a 15-minute session. Simraceway’s Performance Karting Center offers complimentary standard safety gear. Plan ahead: ROK-Tony Karts have to be reserved at least 48 hours ahead of your open practice or track day.

Advance Your Driving Knowledge, Learn New Techniques at Simraceway

The KTM X-Bow Racing School Stages 1 and 2 have open dates in September. After completing the KTM X-Bow Racing School, you’ll be eligible to compete in Simraceway’s KTM X-Bow Racing Series.

KTM X-Bow Racing School

The Performance Driving Program continues in September with Stages 1 and 2 of the Performance Driving School and the Car Control Clinic. Bring your own car: in each stage, you’ll have opportunities to drive world-famous Sonoma Raceway’s track and receive in-class instruction and car control exercises, including on Simraceway’s skidpad. 

We make it as easy as possible for you to take part in any of our events at Simraceway. Whether you’re looking into karting for the first time or seeking to move up in racing skill, check out the September schedule at Simraceway. We want to see you at the track!

Celebrate the Holidays at Simraceway

As we approach the end of the year, it’s time to start planning holiday festivities.

Whether you are planning a corporate holiday event, a family celebration or activity, or even a bachelor party, Simraceway offers a one-of-a-kind experience to make a big impression. 

The Greatest Corporate Event You’ll Ever Throw

Simraceway offers the perfect alternative to the stale company holiday party we all know.

Corporate Events Bay Area

Instead of giving your hard-working employees a couple of drink tickets in a nearby hotel conference room, why not treat them to a hair-raising, adrenaline-fueled experience that they’ll be talking about for years? 

Simraceway has a reputation for being experts at corporate entertainment, and we pride ourselves on being engaging, fun, and safe.  

Go Karts – Arrive and Drive: $150 Per person/Min 24 People, for Up to 2 Hours

Our Go Kart Arrive and Drive experience will put your staff behind the wheel of high-performance 70-mph Go Karts on the longest and most challenging circuit in California with all necessary equipment over the course of two hours.

Go Kart Racing at Simraceway

Everyone will get as much seat time as they could possibly want, and your employees will leave with an adrenaline rush.

Additionally, our packages and experiences encourage people to push their limits, become more competitive, work together as a team, and seek perfection in everything they do.

While many employees may roll their eyes at “company team-building exercises,” our bolt-on experiences like the Go Kart Relay Race, Junkyard Challenge, and F1-Style Pit Stop Challenge will challenge them to work and grow together in a fast-paced and fun environment:

  • KTM X-Bow Demonstration Laps: $195 per person, for up to 30 minutes
  • Go Kart Relay Race: $75 per person, for up to 1 hour
  • Go Kart Junkyard Challenge: $50 per person, for up to 30 minutes
  • F1 Style Pit Stop Challenge: $50 per person, for up to 30 minutes
  • Autocross Time Attack: $295 per person, for up to 1.5 hours

KTM Experience: $795 Per Person/Min 6 People

If you’re looking to reward a few exemplary employees or a top client with something downright magical, our KTM Experience is a better “thank you” than any gift card or plaque.

KTM Experience Bay Area

Your employees will get behind the wheel of the 300-horsepower carbon fiber KTM X-Bow R and take it around one of America’s premier racetracks at full speed. Needless to say, save the drinks and celebrations for after the victory lap.

Go Kart Competition: $275 Per Person/Min 8 People, for Up to 3 Hours

Do you have hordes of people descending on your home from out of town for the holidays and need a reason to get out for some fun?

Our Go Kart Competition package is perfect for smaller groups like families and friends, encouraging you to compete with each other and have more fun than you can imagine. It is the perfect opportunity to insert a bit of levity into your group and break up the monotony of holiday traditions.

Simraceway has Fun for Everyone

Simraceway also offers options for those who are too young to drive but have a budding interest in all things automotive.

Our garage tours will allow them to come face to face with some legendary racing cars, exotics, and a few other surprises that are kept at Sonoma Raceway. We also offer the Polaris Circuit Tour, in which a professional driver will take you around the track’s perimeter road in our off-road buggy, showing off its capabilities, giving you a thrill ride along the way. 

  • Polaris Circuit Tour: $50 per person, for up to 30 minutes
  • Garage Tours: $50 per person, for up to 30 minutes

Book Your Event Now!

If you are interested in hosting an event at Simraceway, visit our Holiday Party page to make reservations online, or call 1-800-733-0345.

For more on the facilities and programs, be sure to check out our website to see all that we have to offer. 

How to Get Involved- Simraceway Series

The tantalizing dream of going racing is one that Simraceway prides itself on fulfilling. 

Our Simraceway Series is designed specifically to give anyone with the passion to race on a world-class circuit an opportunity to experience the excitement of mixing it up on track behind the wheel of cutting edge performance machinery. The series provides a high-quality racing environment that is akin to a one-make series but without the high price point.

There are three cars to choose from – the popular KTM X-BOW Comp R, Formula 3 and Formula 4 cars. The ‘arrive-and-drive’ format of the Series means you simply bring your racing, boots, gloves, helmet, and HANS device! You’re welcome to bring your own race suit, but our Simraceway professionals can supply those for you as well.

Many of the participants in the Simraceway Series graduate to IMSA Michelin Pilot Cup, IMSA Prototype Challenge, and Michelin Le Mans Cup. We also see a lot of drivers participate in manufacturer one-make series such as Ferrari Challenge, Maserati Trofeo, Lotus Cup, Porsche Carrera Cup, or the Pure Mclaren GT series.

The Simraceway Performance Driving Center boasts the lowest instructor-to-student ratio in the industry, a premium facility, the finest driving instructors, and access to Sonoma Raceway’s 12-turn, 2.52-mile road circuit.

How To Get Involved

If you’ve decided to see if you have what a takes to compete, there are several paths to becoming involved and enjoying all of what the Simraceway Series has to offer. First is the Simraceway School of Racing. Participants will have access to one of the most advanced fleets of school racing cars in the world, and the wealth of knowledge of our incredible instructors. Upon completion of Stages 1, 2, and 3 of the Racing School, you are qualified to compete in the Simraceway Series, and your dream of competing in this fantastic program is about to be realized!

If you already have your SCCA Full Competition License, simply submit your driver CV to [email protected] for review and approval. After reviewing your CV, our Chief Instructor will either determine you’re qualified to move directly into the Simraceway Series or a one day Driver Development Course is needed to fine-tune your skills. Once completed and you’ve participated in one of our Race Clinics, it’s time to go racing.

And finally, if you currently have your FIA Competition License, you’ll go through the same process as our SCCA licensed members. Email over your driver CV and move directly to the Simraceway Series after approval, or simply complete a Race Clinic and you’re good to go!

What To Expect

Costs for the Simraceway Series are extremely reasonable (in as far as Motorsport goes). A weekend event with 4 races and plenty of seat time, starts at $9,950 for our entry-level X-BOW Cup class. This includes everything, including premium hospitality. The only items not included are travel, accommodation, and any crash damage costs you might incur.

The Launchpad To Your Racing Career

If you have desires of a racing career in TCR, GT4, LMP3, FIA Formula Car or other leading racing series, the KTM X-BOW Cup USA or Formula Car Cup (which is also part of the Simraceway Series) is the ultimate acid test, and potentially the launchpad to the next level of your racing career. Or, perhaps you simply want to race against the best up-and-coming drivers in cutting edge machines with a chance of the top spot on the podium. Whatever your dream is, the Simraceway Series and the KTM X-BOW Cup USA can help make it come true!

Join the T1 Club: Simraceway’s Private Motorsport Club

If you’ve experienced the adrenaline rush that comes with driving at speed on a racetrack, you’re probably itching for more. 

The T1 Club Program at Simraceway is our private motorsports club for graduates of our Performance driving and racing school programs. It’s for drivers looking to explore their passion at a deeper and more frequent basis than a few track days a year can offer. The T1 Club will help you develop your skills beyond what standard courses and schools can offer, and transform you into the driver you know you can be.

Get More Track Time

If you plan on joining a private motorsports club like the T1 Club, you should expect opportunities to enjoy it. To that end, members have access to an unparalleled 60 on-track dates a year which are hosted between four and eight times per month. These days are exclusive to T1 Club members and can be used in either our Full or Express days format. 

Full days consist of four or five 30-minute track sessions with breaks for performance debriefs and lunch, while an Express day offers two 30-minute sessions with a break in between. As the name suggests, a Full day will run from 8 AM to 3 or 4 PM, while Express days are usually offered in the morning from 8 to 10 AM allowing you to get some track time in before work or other important matters. 

If you have a fully track-prepped race car, or at least a racing license, you can also use your Full days on Sonoma’s Open Testing days to get it prepared for events. We’re also working hard to increase the number of T1 Club track days to bring members even more value.

Need to get some work done when you’re at the track? Our clubhouse is well equipped, allowing drivers to check in or take video calls and attend to work between sessions.

Become a Better Driver

Both Full and Express days include free base level instruction with our expert professional instructors posted at key corners of the track taking notes to help you debrief during breaks. During the debrief, they’ll give you key takeaways that you directly apply to your next session to help you cement improvements and reduce your lap times. 

Additionally, T1 Club members have access to schedule 1:1 private coaching with our professional instructors, all of whom have decades of experience in professional racing careers. It is by far the best way to improve your skillset and get the most out of your passion.  

Additional Membership Benefits and Services

T1 Club members receive more than just expanded track time and coaching services. We know that some of the best cars for driving on the track are not ideal on public roads and highways, so all members receive complimentary car storage for one vehicle at the track. Members also have the option of expanding their storage options to up to five vehicles for an additional fee.

Vehicles stored with Simraceway are also eligible for the Arrive-and-Drive Pit Lane Concierge Service, wherewith advance notice we will get your car cleaned and prepped for the day so all you have to do is show up. If your vehicle requires maintenance, you can use Simraceway’s mechanical support at a preferential rate depending on the vehicle. 

Lastly, members can bring up to three non-driving guests with them at any time, and they’ll have access to the clubhouse during normal business hours. Members also receive six annual guest passes. Qualified guest drivers can bring their own car as long as it meets mechanical standards and they are suitably experienced per Simraceway’s sole discretion. 

How to Join the T1 Club

In order to qualify for the Tier 1 club, you must be referred by an existing member or one of our instructors. That typically occurs through participation in our racing schools or high performance driving programs, which we strongly encourage as it gives us the opportunity to get to know you, your current driving skill level and future targets. You’ll also need to have graduated from either Stage 2 or Stage 3 of the Performance Driving Stage programs. This is to ensure safety and a high standard of driving performance on the track so you get the most of your membership.

If you are interested in joining, please fill out this form to apply

T1 Club: Get Your SCCA Racing License in Your Own Car

T1 Club members can now bring their own cars to the SCCA (Sports Car Club of America) Racing License Courses at the Simraceway Performance Driving Center. Learn more about your car’s behavior and limit before you get it into races.

This new benefit is a convenience to members who are curious about starting a path towards racing and want to explore that possibility in a vehicle environment they’re knowledgeable about and comfortable in i.e. their own car.

After the completion of the SCCA Racing License course, graduating members can participate in numerous racing events from coast to coast. The SCCA promotes a diverse range of championships across the country and a series to suit more or less every budget. There are time trials and sprints that have classes for stock street cars through to fire-breathing prototypes to full grids and serious race weekends.

Membership of the SCCA is part of the package and comes with its own benefits, and the racing license is just the first step towards a competitive motorsport future.


What’s included in the SCCA racing license course?

The SCCA course is a 2 day program which includes classroom tuition on track rules, safety and the basics of race craft. Drivers will spend time on track and paddock undertaking a series of tests. Like all our racing programs it includes a lot of time on-track, under the watchful eye of Simraceway’s instructors, who will help them reach the required standards.

The SCCA certification doesn’t turn anyone into a winner. It’s designed specifically to make sure new drivers understand the rules and regulations of racing and how not to be a danger to other drivers (or themselves) when they head out on the track in a competitive context.


Why get a license at Simraceway?

Whilst our Track days and sportscar experiences have helped turn Simraceway Performance Driving Center into the number one attraction in the region, according to TripAdvisor. Our racing school programs are the advanced option and take driver training and members time on track to the next level.

Whilst graduating Racing School 1 and Racing School 2 will also qualify you for you for an SCCA license, as well as approval to race in our own series – simraceway series . This licensing specific program focuses purely on the needs and requirements of licensing and is a time and cost efficient way to acquire your racing license.

T1 Motorsport Club members can opt to attend in groups (arranged by the club) or 1-on-1 with North America’s finest team of racing instructors. Most of whom are active racers themselves. They come with real-world experience of racing cars at the limit and go beyond the basics to help T1 Racing Club members get the absolute most from their car and their fledgeling career.


From Track Day Hero to Racing Legend in 2 days

Simraceway adds a coaching element to the SCCA course that will turn your time on track into education, rather than just an exam. T1 Club members can hone their skills and maximize their car’s performance during the certification process.

Keeping Simraceway’s stable of track cars, such as the KTM X-Bow Comp R , locked away in the paddock saves on costs too. So, while a 2-day course with all machinery provided costs $6,495, T1 Members can bring their own cars for the full course and pay just $2,995.

Get in touch for the full details on the SCCA racing license course here.

Racing school graduates gridding up for a race in Simraceway Series F3 class.

Upcoming program dates

  • T1 SCCA Full Competition License School – June 26/27
  • T1 SCCA Full Competition License School – July 12/13
  • T1 SCCA Full Competition License School – August 28/29
  • T1 SCCA Full Competition License School – September 4/5

If you not yet a T1 Club member but are interested in membership, please apply here.

Simraceway Performance Driving Center Hosts Autoweek Magazine

 

IMG_3457In its second year now, the Simraceway Performance Driving Center was proud to host the Autoweek Fantasy Camp where 20 individuals got to live the pampered life of an automotive journalist. 10 cars were invited to the party: the Lexus IS-F, BMW M3, Dodge Charger Hellcat, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet SS, Audi S4, Mercedes Benz C400, Chrysler 300C & Acura TLX. Ganassi Racing’s dynamic duo Scott Pruett & Joey Hand were also there to offer some fun racing stories as well as some wild rides in the Lexus RC-F.

 

IMG_6050Starting with a street drive through the winding hills and valleys of Sonoma/Napa, the “editors for a day” rotated through the cars to get a good feel for each car. They ended up at Simraceway Performance Driving Center at Sonoma Raceway to start the serious business of really putting these cars to the test. Here our instructors went along for the ride, helping with track and driving tips as they drove the cars on our performance Autocross as well as the raceway itself, all the while writing their thoughts on how each one stacked up against each other. Some serious rubber was burned, especially in the Dodge Charger Hellcat as horsepower doesn’t suck, where no one could resist holding that throttle all the way to the floor (and the noise wasn’t half bad either)! This was a unique opportunity that everyone seemed to have a ball being a part of. Even our instructors seemed to find some new cars they’d like to add to their garage. After a fantastic day of endless car talk and fuel burning fun, they headed over to Aston Martin headquarters at our friends TRG’s raceshop & winery. We are already looking forward to next year’s program, so stay tuned to Autoweek to see if you can be one of the lucky ones in 2016!

—Paul Charsley

 

Pictures from the day:

The Perfect Formula for Corporate Hospitality

Did you know that the Simraceway Performance Driving Center is available for corporate events, accommodating groups of between 4 and 400? We’ve hosted some of the world’s biggest companies at Sonoma Raceway, so if you’re charged with organizing your employer’s annual offsite this year, why not chat to one of our event planners?

 

You can get your colleagues’ pulses racing in everything from our super-fast karts to our prestigious Formula 3 fleet! Find out more.

Road Safety: Don’t Leave Anything to Chance

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has shown that modern cars are safer than ever before, largely thanks to recent design implementations. However, despite these reassuring findings, we all hope we will never have to see a deployed airbag or utilized crumple zone.

 

The best way of ensuring that is to be the safest driver you can possibly be–something that the Simraceway Performance Driving Center can help you with thanks to its acclaimed Safe Driver Training programs. Click the red tab at the bottom of the screen to find out how you can make your loved ones safer on the roads.

Get Hands On with the MTP in 2015

Our latest Mechanics Training Program course is off-and-running with students already supporting our recent F3 Race Series events at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca! The next class will be kicking off in June–sign up now to avoid disappointment!

Happy New Year–Now Let’s Get Racing!

Don’t let that bite in the air fool you, at the Simraceway Performance Driving Center, we’re out in full force! The new calendar has been hung and January is shaping up to be a fantastic month with everything from 2-for-1 karting to Jim Russell F3 Winter Series racing at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca!

 

Find out what’s going on in January at the PDC.

Give the Gift of Safety this Holiday Season

Prepare the drivers in your life for the tough road ahead with the help of professional instructors and vital hands-on car techniques. Save $200 on any future Teen Safe Driver course with the purchase of a gift certificate via our website or by calling 1-800-466-5792 Monday through Friday.

 

Pick up a gift voucher before this amazing deal ends on December 24. 

Lap of Champions in the Lola SRW F3

Our online simulation’s popular Hot Lap Hump Day YouTube series had a very special addition recently. Usually featuring in-game footage, this special episode took a lap with a driver from our Jim Russell F3 Series Race of Champions, held last month. Featuring the dulcet tones of our up-and-coming commentator, Liam Jenkins, the footage provides a unique perspective on what it feels like to turn a lap of Sonoma Raceway in our industry-leading Formula 3 car.

 

 

If you want to take this awesome open-wheeler through the twists and turns of Sonoma Raceway, check out our F3 courses and experiences–there’s bound to be one for you!

Take Your Experience Home!

Take home the all the excitement of the track with our new GoPro rental program, which allows you to capture high-resolution on-board video without the hassle of bringing your own camera–all for only $50!

 

The rental includes a GoPro Hero 3 camera, unlimited batteries, and car mount. We also have 32GB microSD cards available for purchase, also for $50.

 

Cameras are limited, so be sure to reserve one before your event day by contacting one of our sales managers–just click the red tab at the bottom of the screen!

Take Your Car onto Sonoma Raceway!

You’ve invested a lot in your high-performance street car, so why not invest a little more in learning how to get the most out of it?

 

Our Performance Driving Program invites you to take your own car out onto the world-famous Sonoma Raceway, exploring its true performance capabilities in a safe, controlled, and legal environment—and benefiting from targeted feedback from our expert instructors, designed to turn you into a safer, more capable driver.

 

Find out more about how you can take your car out onto Sonoma Raceway.

New Career in 2015?

Following its successful relaunch, the industry-acclaimed Mechanics Training Program is currently accepting applicants for a brand new course in January 2015.

 

To find out more about the MTP, check out its dedicated Facebook page.

 

To apply or enquire, email [email protected], phone 1.707.939.4633, or click the red tab at the bottom of the screen.

IndyCar at Sonoma — the Simraceway Performance Driving Center Way

Indycar Collage 1There’s no better seat in the house than inside turn 1 at Sonoma Raceway when the green flag drops for the IZOD IndyCar series. As the drivers jostle side-by-side up the hill to the always eventful turn 2, the smell of fuel and scraping under trays & sounds of higher powered V6 Turbos is something you can’t get through a TV screen—and that’s exactly what guests of Simraceway Performance Driving Center’s IndyCar VIP Party got to experience last week as the IndyCar series raced the penultimate round of the 2014 season. And what a race it was, possibly the best ever in the many seasons the IndyCars have been coming here, culminating with the drama of a pass with 2 laps to go to crown Scott Dixon the winner!

 

From champagne to canapés, and sports cars to skyjumpers, there was always plenty going on during the day. Whether you were coming in fresh from the Audi sportcar experience’s polo match and seeing the spectacle of high speed formula cars for the first time, or one of the F3 series championship competitors reliving your own moments out on the 2.5 mile roller coaster that is Sonoma Raceway.

 

A pre-race chat hosted by Simraceway chief instructor Nico Rondet and program manager/professional auto racing podcaster Paul Charsley covering IndyCar rules, facts, strategies and track talk prepared new and old fans. There was also Simraceway simulators on hand to give everyone a feel for what it’s like to be out on the big track as well the full gamut of Simraceway and Audi sportscar experience’s fleet of performance and race cars to get up close and personal too. But for sure the most popular “seat” was on your tippy toes and against the fence as the IndyCar warriors thundered by lap after lap.

 

The Mechanics Training Program is Back!

The Simraceway Performance Driving Center is relaunching the industry-acclaimed Mechanics Training Program, with the first intake due in September.

 

The MTP was last run in 2009, with the majority of its 2,700+ graduates finding employment at all levels of IndyCar, NASCAR, IMSA, SCCA, and vintage racing teams, as well as major chassis and engine suppliers. The program’s manager, Ky Boe–himself a noted alumni of the course–and his team have been working hard on ensuring the latest installment of this popular program reflects the very latest technological advances in motorsport. Read on to find out more.

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How to Get Around COTA…Fast!

Simraceway Performance Driving Center instructor Matt Bell is one of a select group: a driver who has taken on Circuit of The Americas twice. In fact, in March of this year the Californian got up-close-and-personal with the Austin circuit twice in one day—once in a Chevrolet Camaro SS GS.R, and once in an Audi R8 LMS.

 

So who better than the expert GT racer, who has placed second in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge Series Driver’s Championship (GS Class) two years in a row, to guide us through a lap of COTA in our R8 LMS ultra–as Simraceway players battle to record the quickest times with that same car/track combo and qualify for the 50th Sunday Race-Off?

 

Read on to benefit from his video and guide, which is also available to download as a PDF.

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