Chuckwalla Race Track "Review"

[Mako Koiwai]

Jeff Stuart, Karen and I did a Speed Ventures track day/Miata Challenge at Chuckwalla last weekend. We loved the track. I would say it's very similar to Buttonwillow, but I Iike it a bit more ... probably because it's newer, smoother and has safer run-offs. BW is a bit fast. I doubt our little Miata's hit 95 ... at BW we've seen 99.

It's a good hour from Palm Springs, which is where we ended up with Priceline.com. One can save a good 20 minutes staying at Indio. The ONLY gas within 30 miles of the track is the 100 octane at the track, that is over $9/gallon. So plan accordingly. Some folks were spending more money on gasoline then they had on the entry fee! Hopefully in the future they will sell 91 octane at the track also. The only food in the area is cooked up by some locals with a BBQ ... tasty in a fatty way. The track IS planning on expanding, so eventually it will hopefully have all the amenities that our other local tracks have.

The gates only open at 7 am, so don't get there a half hour too early like we did.

A couple of (3D) video's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjQmB2C94Qg

(The other ones aren't finished uploading yet. The GoPANO video should be cool, once I figure out how to unwrap it.)

GoPANO 360 degree snaps:

Jeff changing tires:

[Mako Koiwai]

With the right software, one can pan around WHILE the video is playing ... so one can see all around oneself, with one camera. Here, I had to select one angle, but I do change the camera position a number of times.

Yah ... I was getting car sick while shooting this ... which you can experience from this video's Jello Effect! :barf:

GoPANO video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtkKuNwTDRw

Here Karen is taking GoPano stills ... camera looks up into a 360 mirror cone:

[Jeff Stuart]

Here's a video of my fastest lap from the weekend: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mitvemzXals&hd=1" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I got 6 sessions on Saturday, and could've run 5 on Sunday but left after 3.

I had a great time, and really enjoyed the track. I felt really safe because of the huge, flat runoff areas.

I had my first ever off in the third session on Saturday, in between turns 6 and 7. It was painless as I went off straight rather than trying to save it.

I sure hope they get some cheaper gas in there. I had to buy 20 gallons at $9.30/gallon throughout the weekend. Those RX-8's like their gas....

Track Map:

[Mako Koiwai]

Only semi-bad incident of the weekend was I got forced off between 2 and 3, in the last run group on Saturday. A car waved me by going onto the front straight, and then drag raced me down the straight. I was on the inside of 1, but then on the outside, and ran off. Caught him at the same place on the next lap and got by him. He WASN'T suppose to race me. I caught him easily, he was faster on the straights but over all I was quite a bit faster so he shouldn't have forced the issue. At the drivers meeting they stress this point. He wasn't there on Sunday.

[Rick Brown]

All my motorcycle friends that do track days there rave about it. And due to the remoteness, they have learned to bring everything with them including barbeques. Many of them also camp on site. In campers, trucks, vans or just on the ground.

[Mako Koiwai]

Nice Jeff ... I got down to 2:13.0XX

[Mako Koiwai]

Some Caliphoto snaps:

[Mako Koiwai]

Caught by Caliphoto shooting with the GoPANO:

[Arthur Grant]

Mako, couple of questions. For camping does the track have showers available? Second, how come the housing on your 3D is black?

[Mako Koiwai]

I don't believe there are any showers available ... yet. Looks like there is a dump.

I believe there are trailers for rent ... perhaps they have showers? I'd give them a call.

I paint some of my mini cam housings black so that they are not as obtrusive ... when they are positioned so that other cameras might see them, on pro shoots/commercials.