Mostly, Thunderhill, Sonoma, Laguna Seca.

Not going to post anything, but was hoping to hear what others experience were.

Mostly, Thunderhill, Sonoma, Laguna Seca.

Not going to post anything, but was hoping to hear what others experience were.

I don't know anything about Z2 Track days but anytime you can get on the track at Laguna Seca is a good day. It's one of my favorite tracks in the world.

Did numerous trackdays with ZoomZoom over the past five or six years..Always a good experience..lots of help if wanted/needed.Well ran and organized.


Be aware that Laguna Seca is VERY strict on sound..Even some stockers wont run under the max..Be sure and talk to whaever provider you are going with as to your individual bike....

Have done a bunch of days with Z2 over the years, but it has been awhile since my last one. Always seemed reasonably well-organized.

Overall happy with the zoom zoom C group trackday experience (I've done two days with ZZ, one at Thunderhill, one at Sonoma). At Thunderhill there was just an overflow of coaches, I mean it was like 1:1 ratio, and most riders weren't even bothering. So I did ask coaches to lead and follow and tried to get some feedback. So hard to complain about that! I was by far the slowest person on the track, it's weird how my 4 trackdays have been like totally different experiences in terms of the riders that show up.

Sonoma C group was well organized, and the sighting lap was a reasonable speed. But the crowds! Ahhhh! I spent most the sessions, I mean like 75% of my riding time, behind a pack of riders who just had to slow down so much in the corners. There was no aggressive riders but also no good places to pass (on an underpowered bike). The last few sessions it cleared out (either people went home or they got faster, I guess...) The advice I got was to go into the pits and I was doing that but the C group was like 2-3 rolling waves of super-slow beginners (this was my 3rd trackday, and I was on a 1981 Honda cx500, I was not breaking any records here, not bragging). I loved the track though, and by the end of the day, I felt I got an awesome experience just being there as a rider and not a spectator.

I wish I could come up with a solution. Maybe you can charge more on some days and advertise that the group size will be smaller!? Or try to promote a 1st timers C group day and then have a day with 'no first-timer C group'??? I do think it is important to be friendly to 1st timers. Maybe try to pull off the slowest riders and do 1:1 coaching?

You did emphasize in the morning meeting "not to be that guy that goes slow in the turns and speeds up on the straights" but you could have been more specific (maybe you were?): check behind you when you hit a straightaway, and if there are a few riders behind you (and you're seeing them lap after lap...) let them pass you! Oh, telling a rider to look behind them is a no-no, right? How about say "there is one place on the track where you should look behind you..." or "if you're on a liter bike, before you twist the throttle..."

At Sonoma I guess I just didn't hear it repeated/emphasized enough where the coaches were and how to get one. They need to be parked under a big sign at the start "FREE COACHING HERE"

Okay, this might sound like a negative review, but overall, you guys do a great job, I imagine it is a tough job (you know, being at the track all the time...) I had a great time, I'll definitely be back this year.

Zoom Zoom is by far my favorite track provider in Northern California. There are three reasons why I think this:

As Alan mentioned, there's always a bunch of instructors available for helping you out (go ask at registration or the starters area if you don't see any).
There seem to be fewer assholes at their days. You won't hear anyone trying to impress the new rider or small bike rider with their credentials or shenanigans.
SAFETY!!! They run the safest trackday that I've seen outside of AFM! I'm ATGATT on my bike and in my life so safety is something that I take seriously and appreciate when others do as well. I just had a conversation with a Z2 instructor who was making safe, but close, passes in a B/A group session and the owner had no problem reminding him of the rules and etiquette for that combo group. I'm routinely buzzed by instructors from other orgs...


Those are the primary reasons for liking them. They also have several instructors on 250s (Mark McKinney, Lisa Kinberger, and I think others).

Z2 (https://z2trackdays.com) has additional programmes that others don't provide. Their Road Rider 2.0 (https://z2trackdays.com/road-rider-2-0/) course picks up where MSF stops. Gives you the on-bike practice needed to actually develop the skills that you heard about in MSF but never had enough time to practice.

Their Novice School (https://z2trackdays.com/z2-novice-school) is a great introduction to track riding for those who've never been before. You get 1-on-1 instruction and training.

Here's their schedule for the rest of 2017:

May 18 - Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA
May 26 - Thunderhill Raceway East, Willows CA
June 5 - Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA
June 10 - Thunderhill Five Mile, Willows CA
June 11 - Thunderhill Raceway East, Willows CA
June 17 - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas CA, Car/Bike
June 18 - Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Salinas CA Car/Bike
August 14 - Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA - Yamaha Event (Post MotoAmerica)
August 15 - Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA - Yamaha Event (Post MotoAmerica)
August 19 - Thunderhill Raceway East, Willows CA
August 20 - Thunderhill Raceway East, Willows CA
October 6 - Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA, Car/Bike
October 7 - Sonoma Raceway, Sonoma CA, Car/Bike
November 25 - Thunderhill Raceway East, Willows CA
November 26 - Thunderhill Raceway East, Willows CA
December 31 - AFM Chargeback

Sonoma C group was well organized, and the sighting lap was a reasonable speed. But the crowds! Ahhhh! I spent most the sessions, I mean like 75% of my riding time, behind a pack of riders who just had to slow down so much in the corners. There was no aggressive riders but also no good places to pass (on an underpowered bike)I know what you mean now! Had my first C-session ever due to having all three A-B-C bike groups lumped together into one session at a combined car+bike event @ Sears Point/Sonoma recently. They're people throwing out boat-anchors in the corners!!! :eek: That's ok... we have ways to deal with them...

The 250R has little power, so I had to use the corners to pass them. NOT passing IN the corners, but I would start braking into the corners a little earlier to open up a gap ahead, then coast the last second or so. Then really nail the throttle through corner with a late-apex. I can easily make up 1-2 seconds on the big-bikes of C-group in each corner. Then as I'm about to rear-end them coming out of corner, take inside line and pass them ALL, buwahahahahah!!!! :D

Z2 Trackdays 2018 schedule

feb 24 - sat Laguna Seca
feb 25 - sun Laguna Seca
apr 1 - sun Sonoma
may 21- mon Sonoma
jun 4-mon Sonoma
jun 15-fri Thunderhill AFM
jun 23 - sat Thunderhill
jun 24 - sun Thunderhill
july 14 - sat Thunderhill
july 15 - sun Thunderhill
aug 13 - mon Sonoma - post MA
aug 14 - tues Sonoma - post MA
aug 18 - sat Thunderhill - Luau
aug 19 - sun Thunderhill
sep 21 - fri Thunderhill
oct 19 - fri Thunderhill-AFM-Friday
oct 20 - sat Laguna Seca
oct 21 - sun Laguna Seca
nov 17 - sat Thunderhill
nov 18 - sun Thunderhill

February 11 - Monday - Sonoma

March 30 - Saturday - Thunderhill East
March 31 - Sunday - Thunderhill East

April 21 - Sunday - Sonoma

June 10 - Monday - Sonoma

June 22 - Sunday - Thunderhill 5-Mile
June 23 - Monday - Thunderhill East

July 13 - Saturday - Thunderhill East
July 14 - Sunday - Thunderhill East

August 12 - Monday - Sonoma -Yamaha R/World Track Day
August 13 - Tuesday - Sonoma -Yamaha R/World Track Day

August 24 - Saturday - Thunderhill East
August 25 - Sunday - Thunderhill East

September 20 - Friday - Thunderhill East

October 7 - Monday - Sonoma

October 25 - Friday - Laguna Seca Car/Bike

November 16 - Saturday - Thunderhill East
November 17 - Sunday - Thunderhill East

Z2 Trackdays 2020 schedule

Apr 12 Sun - Sonoma

May 4 Mon - Laguna Seca

Jun 20 Sat - Thunderhill East
Jun 21 Sun - Thunderhill 5-mile (East+West combined)

July 11 Sat - Rich Oliver Mystery School (Prather, CA)
July 12 Sun - Rich Oliver Mystery School (Prather, CA)

July 18 Sat - Thunderhill East
July 19 Sun - Thunderhill East

Aug 8 Sat - Thunderhill East
Aug 9 Sun - Thunderhill East

Aug 17 Mon - Sonoma - Yamaha R/World
Aug 18 Tues - Sonoma - Yamaha R/World

Sep 4 Fri - Thunderhill East

Oct 12 Mon - Sonoma

Nov 14 Sat - Thunderhill East
Nov 15 Sat - Thunderhill East