About this event
Porsche Club of America Diablo Region Track Day at Thunderhill Raceway
3-Mile Circuit
Friday, October 11, 2024
Limited size run groups, lots of track space, tons of track time
"Have Fun, Be Safe, Drive Fast"
THIS EVENT IS FOR PORSCHE CARS ONLY - Event details can be found at www.diablo-de.org
Updates:
7/22/2024 - The Diablo Region and Golden Gate Regions are working together to host a run group those participating in the Club Race on October 12-13, 2024 to test and tune there cars. Registration for this run group will open soon.
8/12/2024 - Registration is now open for the Track Performance Group. This run group is for those participating in the Club Race on October 12-13, 2024. Cooperative passing (e.g. point-bys) is required for this run group.
8/12/2024 - Camping in the paddock is available for Thursday evening (October 10, 2024). Camping is dry camping with no hookups or power. Camping fees will be collected by the PCA Golden Gate Region.
Important Dates:
Regular registration is open from Friday, July 26, 2024 at noon to midnight on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
Late Registration (+$100) starts on Monday, September 30, 2024
Registration ends at midnight on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
No refunds after Sunday, September 29, 2024.
We will be holding a joint Diablo Region DE101 and Golden Gate Region Ground School at the Heather Farm Club Room (301 N San Carlos Drive, Walnut Creek, CA 94598) on Saturday, October 5, 2024, from 10:00 to 1:00 PM . This event is open to anyone (you do not need to be registered for the DE on 10/11). All new to DE participants are strongly encouraged to attend this event. Registration is not required for this event.
General Event Information:
This event is open to all Porsche drivers. Only Porsche cars are allowed at this event.
We are a Porsche club, not a driving school or a driving business. We run several safe, fun, and friendly track events each year. We do not race, time trial, or time laps. We aim to limit the number of cars per run group so that we can offer plenty of room on track and lots of track time. The DE team will review all registered drivers and will confirm the run group classification for each driver based on overall track experience. During the event, the DE team will work to accommodate drivers wishing to change run groups, subject to approval by our Chief Driving Instructor (CDI).
We expect to run five run groups: Beginner w/Instruction/Beginner-Solo, Intermediate, Advanced, Track Performance, and Instructors.
Drivers Who Require Instruction:
If you have not been approved to drive solo on the track you will need to register as Beginner w/Instruction where we will provide an instructor for you. We are planning to offer in-car instruction for consenting vaccinated individuals (student and driver). Reservations for drivers who need instruction are on a first-come, first-served basis.
Participants registering as Beginner w/Instruction may be placed on a waitlist until we confirm the total number of Instructors for this event. The waitlist will be cleared on a first-registered/first-cleared basis.
We expect to finalize the Beginner Instruction participation list by Monday, September 30, 2024.
IMPORTANT: Helmet Rating Requirements:
Helmets are required at this event. Helmets must meet Snell SA 2015 or newer standards. Motorcycle helmets are not allowed. You may bring an approved helmet to this DE event, or you can rent one on the day of the event from Thunderhill Raceway.
Passing will be with mandatory point-by in all groups:
We take safety very seriously, and will “black flag” any participant who disregards passing protocols or consistently fails to give point-bys, including denying access to the track with no refund of registration fees if deemed necessary by the Safety Officer.
Safety Inspection Information:
Per PCA guidelines, all drivers must certify that their car passed a safety inspection by an authorized person within 30 days of this event. The safety inspection form can be downloaded from our DE website (http://www.diablo-de.org/home.html). All drivers must complete this safety inspection form to verify that the condition of their car is ready for the track. A well-maintained Porsche should have no problem passing tech inspection if they have good brakes, tires, no oil leaks, and no defects. If in doubt, have the experts look at your car.
The following sponsor is offering free tech inspections:
- Kahler's in Dublin – by appointment. only
- Contact them at service@kahlers.com or by phone at 925-829-2050
Pre-Event Meeting
Drivers are invited (strongly recommended) to attend our DE Introduction briefing called DE 101/201. This introduction is generally scheduled approximately two weeks before the event. Please check back here for the time, date and location. There will be a discussion on driving Thunderhill Raceway and an opportunity for drivers of any level to share their experiences, ask questions, etc.
Instructors
All instructors will need to drive their car on the track and must have been certified by a PCA Region to provide instruction. The Diablo Region DE team will review all Instructor sign-ups.
We are also allowing non-driving instructors to register for this event.
Private Instructors/Coaches:
Private instructors/coaches are welcome to attend our events once approved by our Chief Driving Instructor (CDI). If you are bringing a coach to provide you instruction, please be aware that your instructor will need to:
- Contact our CDI to discuss their participation and obtain approval.
- Need to register on MSR as an ‘Instructing Only’ instructor, and also list your name in the ‘Are You Sharing a Car’ section of their registration form.
- Will not drive their own cars on the track (unless they have registered as a Participant and paid the Participant fee).
- Adhere to all Diablo PCA and track operator requirements.
Private instructors/coaches who show up on the day of the event without following the pre-registration requirements are not guaranteed to participate in this event. Please contact the CDI if you have any questions.
Two Drivers Sharing One Car:
If two different drivers are planning to drive the same vehicle, BOTH drivers must MUST be qualified to drive in different run groups (i.e., one driver must have enough DE experience to run in a higher run group than the other driver). Both drivers will not be allowed to drive in the same run group.
No passengers or guests are allowed in cars during hot lap sessions.
Run Group Selection (Run group classifications may change depending on the number of cars registered for the event):
- Beginner - Drivers with 5 or fewer track days, or who have not been cleared to drive solo, must register as Beginner w/Instruction. Drivers that have been cleared to drive solo may register as Beginner-Solo.
- Intermediate - Drivers with 19 or fewer track days who have been cleared to drive solo may register as Intermediate.
- Advanced - Drivers with 20 or more track days or Instructor experience may register as Advanced.
- Track Performance - Drivers participating in the Club Race on October 12-13, 2024 must register as Track Performance.
- Instructor - Drivers with Instructor experience may register as Instructors.
Registration Fee: $500 for Beginners Requiring Instruction, $450 for Beginners driving Solo, $450 for Intermediate and Advanced Drivers and $450 for the Track Performance Group.
- Early registration will close when at midnight on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
- Beginning on Monday, September 20, 2024 a procrastination fee of $100 will be charged (excluding instructors).
- All registrations are considered preliminary until confirmed by the DE Committee. You will be notified once your registration is confirmed, if you are wait-listed, or if we were not able to accommodate your registration for this event.
- All Beginners w/Instruction and Beginner - Solo will be wait-listed pending registration of Instructors.
- All refunds are subject to a $75 cancelation fee. Sorry, no refunds after Sunday, September 29, 2024.
- Instructors who will also drive their car are $175, Instructors not driving are free.
Event requirements
IMPORTANT STUFF
1. Registration is Critical – Priority for acceptance into this limited Event is decided by the date of registration. In the unfortunate event that you register and we do not have a place available for you, you will not be charged a registration or cancelation fee. Your credit card is not charged at the time of registration. It will be charged on a space-available basis as we confirm you into the Event and prior to the event taking place.
2. Per PCA requirements, you must be 18 or older with a valid Drivers License to participate in this event.
3. Final Event details, schedules, and instructions will be emailed to you about 1 week before the event.
4. Drivers are invited (strongly recommended) to attend our DE Introduction briefing called DE 101/201. There will be a discussion on driving Thunderhill Raceway and an opportunity for drivers of any level to share their experiences, ask questions, etc.
5. With the end of California's Covid-19 state of emergency, Diablo Region no longer requires masking at our DE days, please feel free to continue using masks if you feel more comfortable doing so. Anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19, has exhibited any COVID-19 symptoms, or has had close personal contact with anyone else who is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms within two weeks of the event is not allowed to attend the event. Anyone that is not feeling well, or experiencing a cough or fever, is requested to stay home.
6. Helmets are required and must meet Snell SA 2015 or newer standards. Motorcycle helmets are not allowed. Helmets can be rented at the track (Thunderhill only).
7. On the morning of the event, you must present the Registrar with a completed safety inspection form (the driver certifies that their car has undergone a safety inspection by an authorized person within 30 days of the event). Please find our Tech Inspection form here http://www.diablo-de.org/home.html. You may be asked to show your valid Driver's License at registration or during the Tech Inspection on the day of the event.
8. We will supply disposable vinyl numbers for your car, which you can place on the glass of your windshield and rear window. For those of you with windshield film on the outside of your window, place your numbers on your hood (removal of the stickers may leave a mark on your windshield film).
9. All drivers must attend the mandatory driver’s meeting which takes place before the track is opened. We will review important information, such as passing and safety rules, the flags used by corner workers, the condition of the track, etc. You will receive your run group wristband at the end of the morning meeting. No one will be allowed onto the track without a wristband.
10. If you arrive at the track after the morning meeting, you must meet with a Diablo DE team member to complete the registration process, turn in your completed Tech Inspection Form, review the items discussed during the morning meeting, and receive your wristband. You will not be allowed to go on the track until you have done this.
11. High-speed driving is inherently dangerous and all drivers and other participants in a PCA Diablo Region DE Event must accept and assume the risks associated with this sport. All participants must sign the PCA Release and Waiver of Liability, Assumption of Risk and Indemnity Agreement. Before the event, members of the DE team will drive around the track to look for any unusual conditions on or around the track, such as mud, water or other debris, sandbags or other objects, uneven surfaces, etc., and we will discuss any such unusual conditions during the morning driver’s meeting. However, the PCA Diablo Region and our DE team members are not experts about track conditions and safety or about conducting track inspections, and you should not rely on us to spot or notify you about every potential hazard you might encounter during this Event. You are ultimately responsible for driving safely, which includes being aware of the track conditions. We encourage you to conduct your own inspection of the track and its environs in order to spot and avoid potential hazards on or around the track, such as walls, tire barriers, mud, water or other debris, sandbags, or other objects, uneven surfaces, etc.
Questions? Ask the DE Committee chair, Ed Won (DiabloPCA.DEChair01@gmail.com)
