How do you deal with no insurance at the track?

[Bob the Noob]

So I was drunk with power thinking of getting to the track with Christine and her Maggie in a few weeks... dreaming of how fast she'd go and things like that. I picked up a helmet, told Livernois to put a drive shaft loop on it too so I'd be all set for making the car even faster...

And then a fellow car nut at my office said, "What about insurance?"

A quick web search later and I've realized that if you have State Farm/AAA/Geico/Etc you're SOL. You're not covered and will likely be dropped and then put on the "don't insure this guy" high risk list. There's policies that cover you at the track, but the actual "guy next to you blew his motor and plowed you into the wall" coverage is crazy expensive. Rightly so I imagine considering the risk.

In the interest of having a bed to sleep in and my organs intact, I brought this up to the wife yesterday. Naturally even though she had been previously excited about the new power and boasting rights about the fast 1/4 mile time she quickly turned it around (as women do) to being my fault.

So for those of you that race, how do you deal with the feeling of catastrophic damage happening to your car and being out thousands, possibly tens of thousands of dollars?

[TooManyHobbies]

I have gone to the track probably 30 times in the past 3+ years for Test n Tunes. I have seen a handful of issues where a car hit the wall. All of those cases were minor side swipes where maybe a fender needed fixed and painted. Expensive, but far less than Maggie expensive. I have yet to see a car hit another car. It could happen though.

Many of those cases were inexperienced people that did not get out of it soon enough when the car got squirrely. If your car is getting too squirrely foot off the gas!

You have to pay to play, but the chances are very slim. If something does happen, chances are it will be relatively minor, you will not total your car.

It is also a good idea to be faster than the other guy so that if he has issues it will happen behind you.

[TurboMike]

I totalled a car at Pocono. No insurance. Had to eat it. I've seen other guys on the some track days total cars. Some of them were still being financed. Which means they have to keep on paying for it even tho its in a junkyard. Thats a road racing track, where accidents are not that uncommon.

Wrecking at a strip track is much less common, but it can happen. They guy next to you can tbone you and total your car. Its your risk. But is there anything thrilling in the world that has no risk??

[Blanky]

Can't you tow the car and say you wrecked it somewhere else?

[cynic783]

What about liability if u hit someone at the drag strip? Can they sue or do they waive that right to race?

[Bob the Noob]

Blanky, I think that's a bad thing to do and can lead to the person being put in a small room with bars on it and a guy named "bubba".

Cynic, from what I've read you waive your rights to sue the track when you sign in or something, and if another guy smashes you it's between you and him.

[GXPaycheck]

Cross your fingers?

I got track day coverage from a different company for my trip to VIR. The track folks or the group you are going with (THSCC in my case) should have contact info.

[EcoBrick Bob]

This summer at SHO Convention, I didn't track my G8 at Brainerd International Raceway, like 20 - 30 SHO guys did. One fella with a 2012 Mustang GT that had 5,000 mi on it backed into a tire barrier and messed up a fender, rear, and trunklid. At least it was driveable. Since this wasn't technically racing, but just crusing around a 2 mi track, many insurance carriers cover it. But... WHAT A BUMMER!

Most of what I see at the strip is happening just beyond the tree. But... never say never. And don't forget about mechanical failures that don't lead to hitting something. They're expensive too, if not covered under warranty... and why should they be. How much is a long block or a tranny????????

[travis gore]

I would be more worried about breaking something then wrecking.

[gr8lover]

I would be more worried about breaking something then wrecking.

+10.....

If you wreck.... you dont report to insurance company.... if you do, then your really screwed....

like the others said.... if you let off if you start to lose it, you will be good...... I have seen lots of people wreck but most running 7's and 8's... and those that dont let out......

doing a 1/4 mile at track is safer than on street,.... and you only get up to a bit over 120.... for most... so its really nothing....

just be prepared... you wreck, you fix...... most of the time on our speeds... its only fenders and stuff....