What is a Track Day?

Learn everything about Track Days.

Can I Drive on a Racetrack?

Yes! Anyone who loves driving can learn the rules and techniques of high-performance driving on a real race track. Speed Ventures rents time at the best racetracks in California, Nevada, and beyond, so drivers like you can experience the thrill of road racing.

Speed Ventures has over 22 years of experience running track days, so we know how to make an event run smoothly so everyone has fun. We provide instruction for beginners, so anyone can learn the limits of their car in a safe, controlled environment. We also provide a flagging team and safety crew to control the track.

This kind of event is called an “open track day” or “HPDE” day which stands for High Performance Driver Education.

We can organize private track days, corporate events, customer appreciation days, and more. We can also reserve private run groups at most of our existing dates. Email us for more info.

Do I Need Special Gear?

No! All you need to enjoy one of our events is a car and the desire to have fun while becoming a better driver. No special safety gear is required beyond a current Snell-rated helmet, and you can rent from us if you don’t have one.

Do I Need a Racecar?

No! Most modern cars are more than capable of delivering a thrilling driving experience on the track. We welcome all car makes and most models—just about all sedans and wagons are welcome (and some smaller SUVs and crossovers on a case-by-case basis). Classics, too!

Do You Rent Cars?

No, unfortunately we don’t have cars to rent. However, we know people who rent race cars. If you are interested, email us and we’ll put you in touch.

Where Can I Do This?

We hold events at tracks across California and beyond: map

What Time Do I Start and Finish?

Here’s a typical track day schedule for a 1st time driver:

  • 7:00am Gates Open: Drivers begin to arrive, find parking spots, prepare their cars, and get settled.
  • 8:00am Drivers Meeting: We go over all the important details of how the day will run, including the schedule, procedures, and safety reminders. After the meeting, those who are receiving instruction will meet up with their instructors and prepare for their first session on track.
  • 9:45am Session #1: The Beginner group goes out on track with their instructors for medium-speed lead/follow “parade laps” to get warmed up.
  • 10:05am Download Meeting: After the track session is over, drivers will meet again briefly to discuss how it went and what to work on in the next session.
  • 11:45am Session #2: The Beginner group goes out for another session of lead/follow practice with their instructors.
  • 12:05pm Download Meeting: More classroom time to review what was learned in the morning sessions and what to work on in the afternoon.
  • 2:10pm Session #3: The Beginner group is now free to enjoy a “live” session where point-by passing is allowed.
  • 2:30pm Download Meeting: One final meeting to review the last session and introduce some advanced driving techniques.
  • 4:00pm Session #4: Another live session to build on everything learned so far.
  • 4:30pm Goodbye: Time to go home and start planning your next track day!

How Do I Get Started?

Go to our Events page and pick a time and place that works for you. We hold the beginner portion of our On Track Performance Driving School and almost every event. First-time drivers will be prompted to choose our First-Time Driver group and select either our Group Instruction or Private Instruction for Beginners, depending on the format of that specific event.

Group Instruction matches you and two or three other students with an instructor who will guide you through lead/follow practice in your first two sessions. Private Instruction means you’ll have an instructor in your passenger seat for sessions 1 and 2.

If you’ve done an organized track day/HPDE before, you are welcome to join one of our beginner, intermediate or advanced groups, based on your experience. We think you'll find Speed Ventures events run smoothly, stay on schedule, and deliver a better experience than any other organizer.

What If I Have More Questions?

We cover lots and lots of common questions on our FAQ page.