Do you ever think about getting Track Insurance

[Rusherific]

I agree. I personally saw 2 cars totaled on track this year. One due to another drivers negligence, another due to a parts failure. I’m sure this has driven my decision to go this route.

I’ve been told several times that a car can be considered totaled when the cost to repair is greater than 50% of the value of the car (not sure if that’s 100% accurate or not and I sure it varies by insurer). With carbon fiber bits, some aluminum body panels, and a cabin full of airbags, I don’t think it’d take as much as you think to total a GT350.

Im essentially gambling. If the repair is less than $32000, then I’m out of pocket $740 more with extra deductible and the $40 extra premium ($6,540 total.). But if it’s a total loss, I’m covered 100% minus the cost of my insurance for the day.

I’m not saying this strategy is for everyone, but from a risk standpoint I’m happy with it.

So what you're saying is I need to track with a baseball bat in the trunk so when I wad it up I can make sure the job is...complete

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[pilotgore]

So what you're saying is I need to track with a baseball bat in the trunk so when I wad it up I can make sure the job is...complete

Nooooo, of course not!!!

I’m saying hit the concrete barrier when entering the hot pit. Then back up and do it a few more times till the job is complete. No sense in leaving marks from a baseball bat

 

[trackHERO]

I totally get not having it for the people that get to track 20+ times a year, for me I only get to do it 2-3 times a year so it makes sense. My dad is an instructor and has ben w2w racing for 30 years and has never gotten it. When I first started heavily tracking my S2000 I hadn't thought about it or knew what it was but after watching 2 close friends get into situations from other cars/drivers resulting in total loss of the car I decided I was getting it for sure but it was pretty cheap for the S2K. They also bought the cars back super cheap from the insurance company, stripped them and ended up making 1.5 times more than they got from the total loss so it worked out.

 

[AhuraPro]

I totally get not having it for the people that get to track 20+ times a year, for me I only get to do it 2-3 times a year so it makes sense. My dad is an instructor and has ben w2w racing for 30 years and has never gotten it. When I first started heavily tracking my S2000 I hadn't thought about it or knew what it was but after watching 2 close friends get into situations from other cars/drivers resulting in total loss of the car I decided I was getting it for sure but it was pretty cheap for the S2K. They also bought the cars back super cheap from the insurance company, stripped them and ended up making 1.5 times more than they got from the total loss so it worked out.

One time cost track insurance is roughly $6,400 for my car including premium and deductible if I need to use it and for a fairly benign HPDE with low participation, fresh rubber, and not trying to clear personal lap time bests its not worth it for me because I'm thinking "How hard would it be to do $6,401 in damage?". But if any other factors change and I need the coverage I would totally buy the day coverage.

I'd say too, that most of the track coverage providers also offer annual coverage and its about the cost of one event per month. So if you make it out more than 12 days per season its about a break even on the year.

If I was in a situation like you detailed above, had coverage and the car was totaled I would be happy to buy the car back and repair it to make it a dedicated track car however I'm not convinced this is the best track car platform from a reliability and cost to repair standpoint which puts me off of that benefit.

 

[trackHERO]

One time cost track insurance is roughly $6,400 for my car including premium and deductible if I need to use it and for a fairly benign HPDE with low participation, fresh rubber, and not trying to clear personal lap time bests its not worth it for me because I'm thinking "How hard would it be to do $6,401 in damage?". But if any other factors change and I need the coverage I would totally buy the day coverage.

I'd say too, that most of the track coverage providers also offer annual coverage and its about the cost of one event per month. So if you make it out more than 12 days per season its about a break even on the year.

If I was in a situation like you detailed above, had coverage and the car was totaled I would be happy to buy the car back and repair it to make it a dedicated track car however I'm not convinced this is the best track car platform from a reliability and cost to repair standpoint which puts me off of that benefit.

i gotta ask what are you driving that track insurance would be $6400??!!! Or is that a one time cost and covers for every and track event while owning the car

 

[kiksbutt]

Weird question, but I noticed that in Green/beginner group there are some realllly advanced drivers in there. Like, they will lap everyone 2-3 times and drive very aggressively.

Is this a tactic to avoid advanced groups since it's more relaxed? If true, that's BS since green is only if you had no more than 3 days on track. No way someone can be THAT advanced just starting out.

 

[pilotgore]

Weird question, but I noticed that in Green/beginner group there are some realllly advanced drivers in there. Like, they will lap everyone 2-3 times and drive very aggressively.

Is this a tactic to avoid advanced groups since it's more relaxed? If true, that's BS since green is only if you had no more than 3 days on track. No way someone can be THAT advanced just starting out.

It could be any number of reasons:
1. They got a new car and want to give it a whirl in a slower group to build up confidence before moving up.
2. They weren’t passing people in intermediate and advanced groups like they did in novice and weren’t enjoying it as much, so they dropped down for the ego boost. Some people REALLLLLY get off on passing people vs going for best time.
3. They’re an instructor (which can usually run in any group in their car, but this isn’t as likely.)
4. They’re just a super talented newbie but don’t feel confident giving up the free instructor and running solo. (The organization I run with, you get a free instructor in novice.)

In my experience, if someone is clearly too good for novice but refuses to move up, a quick chat with the chief instructor can usually resolve the issue.

 

[jmn444]

i gotta ask what are you driving that track insurance would be $6400??!!! Or is that a one time cost and covers for every and track event while owning the car

he's saying premium PLUS deductible, so total out of pocket before insurance kicks in.

 

[jmn444]

2. They weren’t passing people in intermediate and advanced groups like they did in novice and weren’t enjoying it as much, so they dropped down for the ego boost. Some people REALLLLLY get off on passing people vs going for best time.

I still focus on best times or best segments, but I really have started enjoying traffic and off line stuff towards end of season, makes it more interesting and challenging once the lap times aren't moving down as much! I'd never put myself in novice though, I prefer to be with people that are predictable on track and it takes a while to get to that point.

 

[trackHERO]

I still focus on best times or best segments, but I really have started enjoying traffic and off line stuff towards end of season, makes it more interesting and challenging once the lap times aren't moving down as much! I'd never put myself in novice though, I prefer to be with people that are predictable on track and it takes a while to get to that point.

I’m with you on that. I’m usually with the advanced groups but sometimes that can be a bad thing because some people get a little big for there britches and dive bomb where they shouldn’t

 

[honeybadger]

Weird question, but I noticed that in Green/beginner group there are some realllly advanced drivers in there. Like, they will lap everyone 2-3 times and drive very aggressively.

Is this a tactic to avoid advanced groups since it's more relaxed? If true, that's BS since green is only if you had no more than 3 days on track. No way someone can be THAT advanced just starting out.

Agree with @pilotgore on his points. Also, there's typically a pretty big difference between someone in their first day and someone on day 5-6. After 5-6 days, you'll be lapping much faster and far more comfortable.

Also, some orgs don't allow new drivers to run straight in their advanced groups. When I visited Road Atlanta with Chin, they put me in blue without an instructor because they didn't know me (despite me showing video proof that I was sub 1:38 at the time and being an instructor with a group here in TX). They couldn't ride check me until late in the day, so I spent half a day lapping most of the group 3-5 times a session. It was ridiculous and borderline unsafe, IMHO.

As a side note, in the higher advanced groups, I don't point people by that don't get right on my bumper (like within 10ft and on an alternate line) unless they had high closing speed. If they're a few car lengths back, they're not prepared to pass. This obviously dependent on many different variables, but it could be why the faster guys seem super aggressive. One thing I work with my students a lot is when passing, setup of the pass BEFORE the point-by comes out (just don't pass if you don't get it). It wastes less time and minimizes two cars being side-by-side in the braking zone.

 

[jmn444]

I’m with you on that. I’m usually with the advanced groups but sometimes that can be a bad thing because some people get a little big for there britches and dive bomb where they shouldn’t

for sure, i moved myself to intermediate after 2 sessions at the last event because of an ass hat that thought point by's weren't meant for someone as fast as he was... later in the day i timed his laps and he was 4 seconds ish slower than me lol... there were trains at the beginning of the sessions and he dove into the corner cutting off 3 drivers in the process 3 diff times. some folks just don't get it i guess.

 

[honeybadger]

for sure, i moved myself to intermediate after 2 sessions at the last event because of an ass hat that thought point by's weren't meant for someone as fast as he was... later in the day i timed his laps and he was 4 seconds ish slower than me lol... there were trains at the beginning of the sessions and he dove into the corner cutting off 3 drivers in the process 3 diff times. some folks just don't get it i guess.

One of the things I really like about the white group at COTA with Edge Addicts - everyone is sub 2:30 and understands how the game is played. I really rarely have any issues and the sessions are super fun. Predictably, a few red drivers try it out in the morning and get overwhelmed and jump back down. The afternoon sessions are always sublime.

I will say, though, if yall throw on big aero, vent the crap out of the hood/fenders, and make it sound like a pack of demons, people get out of the way pretty consistently

 

[jmn444]

Also, some orgs don't allow new drivers to run straight in their advanced groups. When I visited Road Atlanta with Chin, they put me in blue without an instructor because they didn't know me (despite me showing video proof that I was sub 1:38 at the time and being an instructor with a group here in TX). They couldn't ride check me until late in the day, so I spent half a day lapping most of the group 3-5 times a session. It's ridiculous, IMHO.

This has been difficult for me to grasp as I've started to branch out, I understand WHY they do it, but frustrating to have to give up a day dealing with being in the wrong group when I may never go to a given track again. Hopefully as I get more signoffs in diff groups the process will get a little easier but I guess either way it's more fun to try different tracks so it's worth the little bit of headache over it.

 

[honeybadger]

This has been difficult for me to grasp as I've started to branch out, I understand WHY they do it, but frustrating to have to give up a day dealing with being in the wrong group when I may never go to a given track again. Hopefully as I get more signoffs in diff groups the process will get a little easier but I guess either way it's more fun to try different tracks so it's worth the little bit of headache over it.

I understand too, but I can tell you that I see less crashes at COTA with 150+ cars than I did at Road Atlanta and similar tracks when running these super "strict" rules. But I digress.

When branching out, I try to find the more race oriented groups as their days tend to run smoother and have more freedom (David Murry Track days is my favorite so far - Just Track It was great too). Chin runs a good day once you get into red OR if you're a novice driver. But their rules are annoying.

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