Calabogie Track/ Ottawa area

[olgeezer1]

Anybody used this track? Looks great and only 45 min. from Ottawa. At almost $700. for a Lapping Day w/instructor, while probably worth it, still a little outside budget. Any groups trying to put a day together to lower the per car cost?

[Donutz]

Touch base with condor(88000, I think). He runs in that neck of the woods.

[taz4432]

I've been looking into doing a day and/or weekend trip out there. I'll post if I do, in case anyone is interested in joining. I'm going to try and find a group that's running events there, so it's cheaper.

[olgeezer1]

Aha! " Motorsport Club of Ottawa". Check their site. AutoX, Lapping at Calabogie, and Rally. Going to check this out. Looks like a pretty active group. Several lapping days scheduled and while I don't have the info. right in front of me, reasonably priced.

[condor888000]

MCO is a great group, I've been a member since the summer of 2008 and started running timing and registration for the autox series last year. I'm less active in the lapping side, having starting doing 'Bogie only last year. I do know the guys that run the series and they're a good bunch. Very safety oriented, which is what you want when you're starting.

There are normally 3 groups, advanced, intermediate, and novice. Novice are all drivers new to tracking, as well as most drivers new to Calabogie. There are a number of blind corners (3, 7, 9, 14) and a few spots where you do NOT want to lift (1, 16). All novice group drivers will have an instructor in the passanger seat at the start of the day. Once that person feels that the driver is safe and won't be a hazard to others, the driver is "signed off" meaning the driver can now go out solo. Some guys don't get signed off their first day, some get signed off after one or two sessions. All depends on the driver.

Intermediate are drivers with more experience, and advanced are the fast guys with tons of 'Bogie time.

Normally each group runs for 20 minutes, then has 40 minutes while the other groups run to relax and catch rides. There is always a break for lunch.

One important thing to remember, you do need to have a relatively quiet car because of the cottages in the area. You do HAVE to go through soundcheck prior to the first run group, and if you fail you don't get to run, so if your cars on the loud side it's a good idea to check it early.

If you decide to go with MCO, remember you need to have a tech inspection form completed. It is permissable to self sign, but it's always a good idea to have it done at a garage. Here's the form. (http://www.mco.org/cms/attachments/235_vehicle%20inspection%20form%20V2..pdf) Fairly standard stuff.

I wish I'd be there this year, but I just bought a Miata and it doesn't have a roll bar. I can't afford the bar and lapping, so I'm going to be skipping lapping this year to focus on autox. I'll see 'Bogie again, I'll likely be there for one of the days as a spectator, and should be lapping again in 2012.

If you want any more info feel free to pm me here, or you can catch me on MCO, OMC, CASC-Or, etc.

[pacmann33]

I ride there on my track bike, 2007 GSX-R 600

Awesome track!