Come out and play on a REAL, FUN track!
Drive your Ferrari or other sports car as it was meant to be driven!

Saturday March 18th, 2006 8:30am-4:30pm Cost: $189 per car for the day. ($210 for non-FCA members) $10 each for guests or extra drivers Attendance limited to no more than 20 cars. All the driving you can stand, all day long!

Take yourself and your car to the limit in a controlled environment on this one-and-a-half mile roadcourse track designed for testing and improving your handling skills. Runoff areas are either cement or grass, so there are no guardrails or fences to damage your car if you misjudge a turn! There will be no car-to-car/wheel-to-wheel racing — cars will be spaced such that you are only trying to better your own performance and get the most out of your car at this driver education event. Improving your skills and getting a better understanding of your car in this controlled environment can make you a better driver in an emergency situation during regular street/highway driving. For those of you who have been with us on this track in past years, early in 2001 the track was upgraded, repaved and lengthened on the inside turns. Click Here for an overhead photo of the track. We'll be driving the track counter-clockwise in the morning, and then clockwise after lunch. It's like getting to drive on two different tracks the same day! We also expect to have a mini/informal driving school. Experienced track drivers have offered their services so you can have one of them ride as your passenger to help you “master the line” of the track and to provide coaching to help you improve your driving skills, or you can ride as passenger in one of their cars for a real white-knuckle thrill and some high G’s. Participation is strictly optional and with no extra charge. Requirements: Your car must be in good condition, and be able to pass a basic tech inspection for tires, wheel bearings, brakes, seatbelts and other general roadworthiness condition. Click here for FCA's Tech Inspection Sheet. You must get this done within 30 days of coming to the track; there will be no tech inspection at the track itself this time; merely a grid inspection. The only special safety equipment necessary for this event is a Snell SA95, SA2000 or SA2005 rated helmet which we've seen can be purchased new for as little as $150 for an open-face helment or $250 for a full-face helmet (either style is acceptable) in the latest SA2005 specification. We will have two extra "club" helmets available for loan to passengers, but you'll need to have your own as a driver. "DOT"-, "M"- or "MA"-rated (motorcycle) helmets are not acceptable. You need leather shoes with non-skid soles (tennis shoes are adequate) and long cotton or cotton-blend pants. Proof of regular street insurance is required... since this is not a timed event, not a race, and not considered a speed event, but is rather a driver's education/skills improvement activity, it is up to you to determine if you need or want any special insurance/liability coverage and take care of obtaining it prior to the event. This link provides some additional data -- as information only -- that may be helpful to you, but you need to determine if/how it applies to your particular insurance policy and coverage. We plan to also have an "open session" at lunchtime (aprox 12:00pm-12:45pm) where friends, family and guests can take their own car out for a little "track experience". Any car is welcome, even the family car, but no trucks, SUV's, vans or motorcycles, please. A $20 donation to the FCA is required to participate in the "open session". A helmet is not required for the open session, but is strongly recommended. You won't need a full tech inspection sheet, but your car must be able to pass a grid inspection on-site before going out on the track, so make sure it's in good condition. You DO have to attend the morning safety briefing.

A G E N D A

8:15 am — Track opens (CENTRAL time) 8:30 am — Registration and collection of tech inspection sheets 9:00 am — Safety/Orientation meeting - you MUST attend to drive (or ride) on the track! Gate will be locked at 9:00am. 9:30 am — Grid Inspection and orientation runs 10:00 am — Go for it! 4:30 pm — We go home tired but happy

There are ADDITIONAL NOTES for the track event.
PLEASE CLICK HERE to read them!

Contact Tommy Cosgrove (event chairman) at 205-956-8744 in Birmingham or Michael Charness (FCA SE Region director) at (256)880-2277 in Huntsville with any questions or for advanced reservations (required). Track is 20 minutes south of Anniston on Hwy 21, around two and a half hours south of Huntsville, and between Atlanta and Birmingham. Click here for map/directions. Attendance is limited, and Ferrari owners are given preference. Recommended lodging in Anniston is at The Victoria Inn. Several of us will be meeting there for dinner or dessert and coffee Friday night at 7pm (Central), with a social hour starting at 6pm (Central). We've arranged a group rate of $72 per night (regular rate $89) for their king-bed or double rooms including a Saturday morning breakfast. Ask for the "Ferrari Block Group Rate" rooms when you call, and you must make reservations no later than March 3rd to ensure availability, though you can cancel with 72hrs notice with no penalty. They also have suites available. Though we've never had a problem in the past, if there is enough interest we will hire a guard or valet to watch the cars overnight in the main parking lot just for peace of mind.

To get your name on the list for the next event, call Michael Charness at (256)880-2277.

For photos from our June 2, 2001 event, including the 355 Challenge cars, click here.

For photos and movies from our March 2, 2002 event, click here

For photos and articles by two previous participants, click on the two links here:
The (less than) 24 Hours of Talladega by Nick Van Goor
Talladega Track Day, December 1997 by Marc Kilburn

See more of Mike Charness' car