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L.A. Track Day feeds automotive journalists' need for speed
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Journalist participants wait for the green flag at the start of Track Day.
"So, you get to drive all the new cars and evaluate them." As an automotive journalist, you get this comment each time you reveal your profession. And, for the most part, it's true. If there is a new nameplate available and you are deigned worthy, automakers allocate "press fleet vehicles" for a one week test. However, since there are only so many vehicles to go around and budgets are tight, there's a genially administered pecking order that determines who gets the hottest cars first. Heavy-hitters from Edmunds, Car and Driver, Motor Trend, Road and Track, and major television and newspapers seem to get the first shot, then bloggers and more specialized pubs get what's left in the ensuing months.
But there is one day each year in the greater Los Angeles area, where all journalists (for a nominal fee) are treated equally. Track Day, run by the Motor Press Guild, sponsored by Shell and held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA, is a two-day ultimate test drive of nearly every new model where the automotive press can evaluate new cars on both the track and the street in one big blow-out test drive extravaganza. Nearly 100 cars were made available to over 100 automotive journalists and special guests at this year's event.
"Track Day is a great event because you can catch up with any of the cars you missed over the past model year you and get all your questions answered from the manufacturers right there on the spot," said participant, Dave Kunz, automotive reporter for KABC news. "Another unique thing about track day is that you can drive competitive models back-to-back for immediate comparisons."
I drove two of the latest "square cars," The Nissan Cube and the Kia Soul in succession and found both to be roomy and fun. In an apples-to-apples road test, however, I'd have to say that the Kia Soul impressed me more with its solid cornering ability and its very cool audio system with front door speakers that give you a light show while you cruise.
The darker side of Track Day revolves around people who write for a living pretending to be people who drive professionally -- and stories of past infractions are always the buzz. Typically, after the waivers are signed and tours of the track are completed, many speed-hungry journos run for the fastest cars first. On track this week were two Lamborghinis (SuperVeloce LP 670-4 and Gallardo LP 560-4) and a couple of Lotus racers (Exige S260 and Evora). Also, Porsche brought the Panamera sedan and some street racers where there to keep the noise going -- a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR Touring and a Subaru WRX STI. Although no metal was harmed during the event this year, track management and MPG staffers will pull driving privileges from those who drive over their ability and take cars into the dirt or do not use proper decorum in passing and keeping a safe distance between cars.
Suzuki took advantage of the media access and previewed four concept cars, three of which were hot aftermarket versions of their new 2010 Kazashi from Road Race Motorsports, Delta Tech Engineering and Westside Auto Group. David Boldt, Suzuki's manager of media relations, said that track day not only provides a motor press audience for their car announcement, but gives them a chance to check out the competition as well. "Track day is an awesome opportunity to share our enthusiasm with Southern California's automotive community and not only to talk about Suzuki, but to see what everyone else is doing."
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