This was already posted in the West form, but I thought there might be interested parties here....

Friday at Buttonwillow; September 20th, 2002

Price: $125 ( + $20 instructor fee required for novices )

Duration: 1 day: 2.5 hours of track time per group!**

Track: Buttonwillow Raceway (near Bakersfield)

Registration: Registration online at http://speedventures.net/event_forms.asp

Event Info:

At 3 miles, Buttonwillow is the longest and most technical track in the Los Angeles area. With twenty-three turns, three major elevation changes, the banked "Riverside" sweeper, and a perfect drift over "Lost Hill" (AKA "Magic Mountain"), Buttonwillow offers both a unique learning environment, and a challenge to advanced drivers. We will be running the full track in race configuration #1, counter-clockwise, as highlighted in yellow below. This track is suitable for street cars, though we suggest that the Riverside turn should be approached at conservative speeds of 70-80 mph in cars without race rollover protection. The remainder of the turns on this track are moderate-speed (35 - 70mph). Turns have wide runoff areas, clear of major obstacles.

There will be three run groups at this event, and registration is limited to keep traffic light.

Potential Bonus: We are attempting to work out a deal to allow single dyno pulls at the track for people at discount prices (something less than $30). If you are interested, please mention it in the "comments" field of your registration form, and we'll get back to you about it. Thanks!

This is a great deal at an excellent track. If you're interested, please see for registration.

 

Will there be a full staff of cornerworkers and a tow truck and ambulance there too?

I've never driven with speedventures. Are they timely and professional? What is the caliber of the attendees. I've raced with speedtrialusa.com and most of those guys drove like ***** and my girlfriend said she could beat them in her Geo Metro!


-bp-

 

Yes, there are always cornerworkers, ambulance, etc at Speed Ventures events. Obviously I'm biased, but I these events are not the "free-for-all" chaos that SpeedTrial USA is reputed to be (I've never driven with SpeedTrial).

As far as driver level, we get everything from SCCA National Champs to first-timers, all seperated, of course, into their proper run groups.

If you want an idea of what the events are like, check out http://www.NSXFiles.com Doug Hayashi comes to our events, and has written several writeups about them (usually entitiled S2000 Challenge).

 

Speed Ventures puts on VERY good events.

Just don't try to drive a mustang hard with a run-group of 8 c5 vettes in front of you.

 

this is a great bargain if you can get to the track on a friday and the group is run very professionally. I will say it is geared more to the hot lapping/ open tracking group. not many if any hardcore race cars. We ran their last event at Willow Springs to shake down one of our stock cars and our guys got alot done and thought the Speed Ventures guys did a great job. full compliment of safety and corner workers, just like a race weekend without the racing. If I remember correctly they also carry insurance, this is not the case with most other hot lapping groups that don't have safety trucks, cornerworkers, or insurance.

 

Thanks, Dyre and Tims.

Tims is right, 98% of the cars are just modified street cars, with only the occasional full-race car thrown in. We don't have lunch-time races or anything, so when the full-on cars show up it's for testing or getting to learn the track. We do, however, have some very fast drivers/cars with us, and I fully expect to see people running sub 2:00 laps on BW #1 CCW this event.

We do carry insurance and always have an ambulance, etc present, but I wanted to clear up that we don't, however, have full fire trucks at our events as we're not running actual races. We have safety covered for our type of events, imo, but not to the extent, for instance, that an ALMS series race would...we'd have to charge much, much more to cover expenses like that.

Anyway, any other questions, just let me know!

 

Thanks everyone. Sounds like a good group to run with.
I look forward to driving with speedventures.

-bp-

 

Fluxen,

Do you know if BW has the skid pad still?

PaulC

 

part of the skid pad has been turned into the kart track. If kart track is finished skid pad maybe reopened. last time I was there it was closed, as construction was going on.

sorry, about the "safety trucks" more like a tow truck.

 

Interesting...I haven't been there for months, so I'm not up on the latest additions at BW...good to know though.