The Track
Thunderhill (see their official site) is owned by the Northern California SCCA, and is a wonderful 3-mile counter-clockwise figure-eight format, located 90 miles north of Sacramento. This track has a little bit of everything, including elevation changes, two blind turns, a sweeper, an off-camber turn and two high speed turns at the end of straights. There will be seven flaggers on the course, the track controller, and an additional official to manage the staging process.
Thunderhill gates will open between 6:30-7:00am. As usual, please come prepared with your tech sheet completed. There will be a mandatory driver's meeting before entering the track, with the first runs starting at around 8am until about 4:30pm. We will not be using any chicanes on the track. We may drive over the hill at turn 5, or through the bypass, and we typically only run counter-clociwise. Check the event page for the specific event you're attending for specific routes and schedule.
There will be an ambulance and a tow truck on site. Let's make sure we don't use them. You might stop and fill up with gas in Willows, on your way to the track. Gas (including high octane unleaded) and air will be available at the track.
There's a good track primer (as well as ones for Sears Point and Laguna Seca) on the NorCal Shelby Club's web site at http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/otbook.htm. There's a general performance-driving primer on that page as well. The Open Tracking site has a good selection of in-car videos you might peruse, in you're new to the track.
Helmets are available to rent from the track office.
Here are a few references to get acquainted with if you're going to run the track clockwise:
- Trygve Isaacson also has an in-car video of the track, available here
- You can also read Henry and Brad turn descriptions in PDF form
Specific Track Rules
Please be especially cautious on Highway 162, the entry road to the track from I5. The speed limit is 55mph, and it is a public road, with active policing. This is NOT part of the track, and we need to be understanding of the neighbors to the track.
Thunderhill has a 103Db sound limit. They're testing sound periodically at different corners, and violators will be notified with a chance to correct issues. Curiously, Thunderhill also has a Mandatory Muffler requirement - regardless of sound levels.
Turns
Thunderhill has 15 turns, and turn numbers are designated 1 thru 15 by the Thunderhill track, regardless of which way around the track you're driving. NCRC only drives this track counter-clockwise.
Accommodations
Note that since you'll want to be at the track between 6:30-7:00am, you may want to stay at a local hotel the night before, rather than making a long drive in the morning. The recommended hotels are:
Baymont Inn & Suites (was Amerihost Willows)
199 Humboldt Ave
(530) 934-9700
The Baymont is the official NCRC hotel! $10 room discount if you let them know you're coming to the track with NCRC.
Free continental breakfast
Restaurants
Also try Pat & Larry's for a good steak - they have a banquet room too. Go East a couple lights to Tehama, then South a half mile or so. 610 S. Tehama St.
There's a BBQ place in a strip mall opposite the Chevron and down 1/2-block on the main drag - soda fountain there too.
The Casa Ramos, between the Golden Pheasant and Baymont, has decent Mexican food, and is typically where we do pre-registration the night before the event (if we're pre-registering for the event).
Granzelli's, in Williams, and the Maxwell Inn in Maxwell, both have good food if you're headed south after the event.
Towing
L&T Towing, 417 North Colusa Street, Willows (530) 934-7300 is a AAA towing company, and has nice big flatbed trucks. Call AAA direct though for service.