Who Are You People?

Droids & Friends is our intrepid group of car enthusiasts, organizing track days in Northern California.

Founded in 2011 by a group of Silicon Valley engineers, Droids & Friends has since grown into a club with over 500 members, including drivers ranging from beginners to professional instructors and licensed race car drivers. Unlike many commercial track day organizations, Droids & Friends is a private, invitation-only group. We are happy to consider personal referrals by current members, but our events are not open to the general public. If you know someone who is already a member, ask them to refer you.

For more information about our group and our events, please refer to the FAQ.

Where, When, and How Much?

Our track days are held at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, CA. See the Events page for details and available dates. Each track day is an all-day event, from 7 AM until 5 PM. Since the track is a few hours' drive from the Bay Area, it's a good idea to arrive the night before and stay at a local hotel.

The registration fee is $350 - $390 for each driver (depending on course configuration), and $35 for each non-driver guest. For complete beginners, in-car coaching by an experienced instructor is an additional $50 for the day. Our events feature catered breakfast & lunch, plenty of soda and water throughout the day, three small run groups of 20 cars or fewer, and five 30-minute on-track sessions for a whopping 150 minutes of track time.

Who Will Be There?

About 60 drivers and their guests are expected to participate in each event. There are 3 run groups of roughly equal size, one for beginners, one for intermediate drivers, and one for experts. Beginners who haven't been signed off for solo driving must request an in-car coach for an additional fee.

How Do I Join?

Head on over to the Events page to sign up for one or more track days. If you're new to Droids & Friends, you'll be prompted to fill out a registration form and pay a one-time $10 membership fee. You will also need to provide the name of the current Droids & Friends member who referred you.

All Paid, Now What?

See the Trip Planner page for helpful tips. For those with a short attention span:

• Tech Inspection: Print out and complete the tech inspection checklist to ensure your car is safe to drive on the track. See this list of member-recommended shops that can help you with tech inspection.
  
  
• Helmets: Helmets are mandatory for all drivers and passengers. The helmet must be an SA2010 or later auto racing helmet. Motorcycle helmets are not acceptable as they aren't designed for use inside a car. If you don't have a helmet, they are available for rent at the track for about $40.



  
  
• Travel Plans: If you plan to arrive the night before (recommended), you need to reserve a room in one of the local hotels. The Holiday Inn Express offers a discounted rate for Thunderhill guests; call (530) 934-8900 to reserve, and mention that you're with a track day group. Other area hotels, including the Days Inn and the Travelodge, offer less expensive accommodations.
  
  
• Cancellations: Since we're not a for-profit enterprise, we are on a tight budget, and cannot offer refunds unless someone else steps up to take your spot. See the cancelation policy in the FAQ for more info.
 You should take a couple of minutes to read the Trip Planner page carefully, as the last thing you want is to find yourself in Willows the morning of the event and not be allowed to drive.

Track Day Schedule

Most track days take place on Thursdays, and follow the schedule below.

• 7:00 AM: Gates open.
  
• 7:00 - 8:00 AM: Drivers arrive. Breakfast in the clubhouse.
  
• 8:00 - 8:15 AM: Mandatory drivers' meeting in the clubhouse. You won't be allowed on track if you miss this.
• 8:30 - 8:45 AM: Parade lap around the track; coaches' meeting.
• 8:45 - 9:30 AM: Beginner group class. Beginners won't be allowed on track if they miss this.
  
• 9:00 - 12:00 PM: Morning sessions.
  
• 12:00 - 1:00 PM: Lunch in the clubhouse. Don't forget to check your fuel and fill up your tank!
  
• 1:00 - 5:00 PM: Afternoon sessions.
  
• 5:00 - 5:30 PM: Wrap-up in the clubhouse. Gates close at 6 PM, so everyone must pack up and leave before then.

Session Rules

All sessions are 30 minutes long. All cars must clear the track at the end of each session (no bridging).

Point-by passing is mandatory in Group A (Beginner) and Group B (Intermediate) sessions. Beginner sessions have passing zones on the front straight, between T6 & T8, between T9 & T10, and the back straight only. Intermediate and advanced sessions allow passing anywhere on track. The exact rules for passing are explained in the drivers' meeting in the morning.

Drivers may only drive in their own sessions, except the last session of the day, which is shared by Group A and Group B drivers (and follows Group A passing rules).

Guest Policy

See Can I bring a guest? on the FAQ page. If you have any questions or concerns about the guest policy, please contact the organizers.

Coaching

Coaching is provided by experienced HPDE instructors. Beginners who haven't been signed off for solo driving must request a coach for an additional fee, and will ride with their coach in all Group A sessions throughout the day. All beginners are required to drive with a coach until the coach signs them off for solo driving, after which coaching is optional (but highly recommended). We may also be able to arrange for coaching for intermediate drivers in Group B sessions on a first-come, first-serve basis, subject to coach availability. We don't offer instruction in Group C.

Are You An Experienced HPDE Instructor?

Check out the Coaches section for more information on how to sign up to be a coach.