Has anyone noticed that it has become rather expensive? 400 bucks...that's what I used to like about Mazda was it was a fun/cheap event.

I sure hope for 400 bucks it is not as crowded as it has been in the past. I see the potential for trains to form on the Grand east. The rolling chicanes are frustrating especially if you pit for traffic and loose a lap. And with only 6 or so laps, that is a lot of time lost.

IMO the price should be 300 max for as packed this event will be. I'll pay 400 if I can get another session per day on track.

 

im skippin this one due to cost..
can grab other events for less and more seat time..

 

I would have signed up by now if not for the cost (I might still do it but I'm holding out). Any other recommended events?

 

BMW June 16-17 for 330 bucks @ VIR

 

Isn't the mazda drivers event at VIR June 17th-18th? It probably is a little more expensive (and crowded) because it is on a saturday and sunday.

 

The rental for this configuration, is for the entire facility. So the price will be higher. In the other configurations you're sharing the rental fee with another group running another configuration. Example: North and South are seperate and run seperate events, another is Full course and Patriot course. $400 is a bargain for the entire track.

The only problem with running the Grand East was the time it takes to cycle for the checker and black flags because it's so long. Never really had a problem with trains in the advanced groups.

 

In fairness, this is the Grand East course. It is a much more expensive track to rent, in fact it is the most expensive way to rent VIR. With the North or South course you are only renting half of the facility. With the Full course, they can still rent out the Patriot Course, but with the Grand East the entire facility is what you get, so it costs more. FWIW, most full course events have entry fees that are as high (or more) than the MazdaDrivers event. I think Car Guys charges charges $475 for the Full Course, and that is pretty typical.

So if you are not comapring apples and oranges, they are still one of the least expensive groups to run with.

 

I've decided to sign up, its expensive but I think it will be worth it for the full course and not having to take time off. Plus I've always had a good time at mazda drivers events because of the staff and other participants.

I'll blow $70 in gas just getting to the event...

 

One of the other interesting aspects to this is that you are doing an event on the weekend. Some of the other groups charge more and are on weekdays. For me the value of a vacation day surpasses for example the extra $75 I pay for the entrance fee.

To make matters worse (from a cost perspective) my wife is participating in the event as well. $800.....

Ramon

 

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What he said. I sent off my check this morning Now to get the car in shape...

 

That is actually GREAT!!!! When your wife participates it makes things about the events just so much more fun!!! I used to SCCA race (for many years). My entire family was involved in our racing. Going to a race weekend would be me, wife, mother, father, cousin, and at least a few very close friends. We would camp at the track and jsut had a great weekend. Those race weekends were often the best times of my (now long) life.

I look forward to see you guys at the event, I will be in an ratty old first gen with peeling clearcoat paint.

 

BTW, if you are looking for a cheaper event, A friend of mine is looking for entrants may 6th at VIR for the Patriot Course. It ia just an autocross type event, but it is timed laps around the patriot course:

http://www.autocross.us/forums/index.php?showtopic=1636

For info. Jon tells me they are short of entrants and looking for some more. Entry fee is low and it is also a race weekend on the full course, so you have some racing to watch and spend some time on the small, but fun track..... Guaranteed good time.

 

I don't mind paying if I get seat time. However, I know this event will be packed and I will not get 400 bucks worth of seat time. Have fun everyone. FWIW Tarheel BMW did a 3 day Grand course event for 450....

 

FWIW PAT, I did the Mazda event at VIR north in April, and they had something like 4 or 5 run groups, but it was so well-organized, that they went about like any other group.

Within the runs, it's funny, I ran the same course last year w/ Fritz w/ Porsche 1st settlers, and was the fastest thing in the "A" group (except when Fritz came out in "A" to tail me in the Bee), but not so in the MSA "red" group. Some of the long-time <track> RX7 guys like Doug and others were there, along w/ a GT3 Cup racecar (there was one at the PCA event, I passed it), and I actually had to issue some point-by's! The downside was there were one or two moving chicanes out there that were VERY slow in pointing people by. Overall though, i'd say the quality of drivers was higher than at the last couple hoity-toity club events i've done, and I wasn't any more stuck in traffic, or waiting around for runs than anywhere else.

FWIW

 

So Pete you going to go? I don't think my car will be ready, but I might rent one from Fritz