About this event
Audi Club Golden Gate presents
HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER EDUCATION
Thunderhill Raceway Park
Friday through Sunday, January 19–21, 2024
What is the Winter Driving Event?
- It is High Performance Driver Education (HPDE). It is you, behind the wheel of your car, on the world famous three-mile road course at Thunderhill Raceway Park.
- It is safe, controlled, and welcoming. Audi Club Instructors help you find confidence and skill in high performance driving and car control situations.
- It is fun! We have a whole weekend to enjoy both on and off the track activities.
Whether this is your first time or your tenth time attending an Audi Club driving event, we are confident that you will have a great time. The event is open to all skill levels from first timers to advanced drivers. All makes are welcome at Audi Club events.
Novice (A-Students, First Timers) will spend Friday afternoon in car control exercises during which you will develop skills and learn the practical side of vehicle dynamics. The exercises are designed to enhance your car control skills in a controlled and safe environment.
The Winter Driving Event will take place at Thunderhill Raceway in Willows, California. We will be running the eastern 3.0 mile counter-clockwise configuration of the Raceway which is an SCCA track that includes several elevation changes, short & long straights, and a number of technical turns. It is considered to be one of the safest, and best tracks in America for drivers to improve driving skills. This unique combination of safety and complexity creates the recipe for a great driving experience.
Registration Fee
The cost to attend the Winter Driving Event for students is $695. Your registration fee includes two full days of on-track learning, classroom instruction, a light breakfast, lunch each day, and dinner on Saturday evening. This is an extraordinary value! See the registration page for additional details about the event.
Experienced drivers and instructors may add the optional Friday morning Car Control Exercises for $50. Limit (15), BYOL - please bring your own lunch for Friday.
About Audi Club Golden Gate
Audi Club Golden Gate is a chapter of the Audi Club of North America (ACNA), a 501c(3) non-profit organization with the purpose of providing to its members: driver education, driver safety training, and education about the Audi brand. ACGG serves the members in Northern California but our events are open to all Audi Club members, and we encourage you to bring your friends and family. To support the educational experience, ACGG offers events from new Audi introductions, technical seminars, fun drives, teen driving clinics, social events, tours, and high performance driver education events throughout the year. Due to our good standing in the community, ACGG is able to take advantage of relationships with dealerships and well recognized private service centers in Northern California. As a result, many of our sponsors offer discounts and special promotions available only to our club members.
Ready to Sign Up?
If this description of the event sounds exciting, just wait until you get there! Come and join us. You will leave the track on Sunday night with driving skills that will enhance and improve your daily driving experience.
Click Continue to see additional event details and to start the registration process.
Event requirements
Audi Club Golden Gate presents
HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVER EDUCATION
Thunderhill Raceway Park
Friday through Sunday, January 19-21, 2024
What is included with registration?
The Winter Driving Event is Audi Club’s annual wintertime visit to Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California. Your registration includes a variety of features that will make the whole weekend unforgettable.
- Classroom Instruction – All students will have expert classroom instructors that will cover everything from basic car control and dynamics to advanced techniques. The classroom experience is designed to be a two-way discussion so you will have an opportunity to interact directly.
- On-Track Lapping – With you behind the wheel, your instructor will guide you through the 15 turns of Thunderhill Raceway teaching you car control techniques, and the safest and fastest way around the track. Off track, instructors will give you feedback on their observation of your driving on track and will be able to answer questions and address concerns.
- Car Control Exercises – Novice (A-Students, First Timers) will be required to go head-to-head with the cones in a variety of car control exercises on the skid pad. These exercises will demonstrate weight transfer, emergency and threshold braking, and accident avoidance. These exercises will take place on Friday afternoon from 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM. Novice (A-Students, First Timers) should be at the track by 11:30 AM (this is included in your registration fee).
- Catered Meals – Jim Thompson and the Thunderhill Grill crew will serve a light dinner on Friday, lunch and dinner on Saturday and lunch on Sunday. This is the best food you can get in Willows!
- Saturday Entertainment – We will be holding our banquet dinner and auction on Saturday night at the track. This is a chance to socialize and enjoy off-track time with fellow club members.
- Friday/Half Day Car Control Exercise Day – Advanced drivers (those in B group or above) have the option of a half day (8:00 AM to 12:00 PM) of driving on the skid pad for $50. No instruction is available on this day. Limited to 15.
- SUVs and CUVs – Smaller SUVs are allowed at Audi Club events. These include vehicles like the Q3, Q5/SQ5, Allroad, e-tron, Cayenne, Macan, X1, X3, X4, X6, Tiguan, Touareg, RAV4, Forester, Outback, etc. Contact registrar@audiclubgoldengate.org to confirm your vehicle is OK to drive on track.
All registrants must be licensed drivers over 16 years of age and must be members of Audi Club North America (http://www.audiclubna.org/membership).
Equal seat belt restraints are required for driver and instructor. Lights, turn signals, etc. must be operating.
Each car must pass a Technical Inspection (see below).
A failure to meet safety checks or submitting an incomplete Technical Inspection form may disqualify students from event and cause forfeiture of the entry fee.
Helmet Requirements: Participants must wear helmets bearing Snell SA 2015 or SA 2020 certification. This certification sticker MUST BE present and visible inside the helmet. Helmets are available to rent at the Thunderhill Retail Store.
Medical Information: No medical form is required for ACNA events. Please be sure your MotorsportReg.com profile has updated emergency contact information.
Technical Inspection for the Winter Driving Event: You are STRONGLY encouraged to have your vehicle inspected by a qualified individual/mechanic from an Audi dealer or local independent shop to verify its safety. You MUST have your Tech Review Form filled out by a mechanic no more than 30 days prior to the event. No technical inspections will be provided at the track! You are solely responsible for insuring that your vehicle is safe before you come to the track. Failure to present a completed Tech Inspection Form will disqualify you from participation in the event and your entry fee will be forfeited. Click to download the Tech Inspection Form.pdf.
Registration Fee
- Student Registration – $695 – includes light dinner on Friday, lunch and dinner on Saturday, lunch on Sunday and on-track instruction and classroom instruction.
- Instructor – $350 – Includes light dinner on Friday, lunch and dinner on Saturday, lunch on Sunday and the thrill of riding in the right seat.
- New instructors who received their MSF Level ll certification at the October 15 instructor clinic will receive a 25% discount ($87.50) via a credit applied at checkout.
- Women Drivers will receive at $75 discount for the two-day student registration The $75 credit will be issued post registration by our registration team.
- Friday Car Control Exercise Day – $50 – This option is for experienced drivers only on the small skid pad (limited to 15 drivers).
Included meals: light dinner on Friday, lunch and banquet dinner on Saturday, lunch on Sunday.
Driver Requirements
All drivers must:
- Be a current member of Audi Club North America at the time of the event.
- Possess a valid state-issued driver's license.
- Be at least 16 years old.
- Wear an approved motorsport helmet (Snell SA 2015 or Snell SA 2020).
- Wear appropriate driving shoes (no boots or open toes), long sleeve shirt and long pants.
Vehicle Requirements
- Vehicles must pass a technical inspection before the event. A technical inspection form will be collected at the event.
- Vehicles need not be made by Audi. All marques are welcome at Audi Club events.
- All vehicles must have working turn signals.
- Safety restraints must be equal for both driver and front passenger.
- Convertible or open-top cars are allowed if they have factory rollover protection or a suitable 4-point roll cage installed. Drivers must be able to pass the “broomstick” test. Contact the event registrar for details.
- Certain SUVs and CUVs are allowed in lower run groups. Please contact the event registrar to confirm your vehicle is appropriate before registering.
Experienced Drivers
If you are an experienced driver but have never driven with the Audi Club, please send us a note after you register so that we can discuss your driving experience and place you in the appropriate run group. Remember you must be a member of the Audi Club North America to participate.
