A: Test Drive is a High Performance Driving Event (HPDE) or educational track day program held on a road course racetrack. We took our experience from the hundreds of safe, fast, fun HPDEs we have worked in the last 20+ years, then simmered it all down to this new “a la carte” format.
At a Test Drive HPDE you are welcome to do the whole day and enjoy our traditional buffet of speed. But you can do a half day or even just one session if you wish. It can take as little as a couple of hours, and it can cost less than a hundred bucks. Driving fast on a road course doesn’t get any easier than this!
A: We currently hold Test Drives at Summit Point Motorsports Park outside Winchester, VA on the 2.2 mile Shenandoah Circuit and/or the 2.0 mile Main Circuit.
A: Trackcrosses are held on Saturdays. For 2026 we have four dates booked:
TD #1 – Sat Mar 28 @ Shenandoah
click here to register
TD #2 – Sat Jun 13 @ Shenandoah
click here to register
#3 – Sat Aug 8 @ Shenandoah
click here to register
#4 – Sat Sep 26 @ Shenandoah
click here to register
A: Test Drives are open to any age 18+ driver with a valid street drivers license, a legal helmet, and a car that will pass a tech inspection. No prior experience is necessary and beginners/novices are welcome. There is no better, safer, or cheaper way to start doing HPDEs/track days on road courses!
A: Our 2026 entry fees are…
One (1) 30min track session – $99 early discount, $129 week prior/at track
Two (2) morning or two (2) afternoon 30min sessions – $199 early discount, $249 week prior/at track
All four (4) 30min sessions – $349 early discount, $399 week prior/at track
A: You definitely do not need a racecar, in fact the majority of participants are in stock(ish) street cars or track prepared cars that are often still street legal. Any kind of car, from Kia to Koenigsegg, is usually fine as long as it passes tech. We do allow some car-based crossovers as well, please inquire before registering. For safety reasons we don’t allow trucks or 4x4s or most SUVs, and convertible cars need significant rollover protection (explained elsewhere on this page.) Summit Point does not allow electric vehicles to participate. Please check back as we do believe this EV ban will be lifted eventually…
A: Test Drives operate like two half-day events together. Our typical schedule is:
7:00a – AM registration & tech open
8:00a – AM mandatory drivers meeting & classroom
8:30a – Green, Blue, Black, Red track sessions [30min x 2 each]
12:00p – PM registration & tech open
12:30p – lunch break
1:00p – PM mandatory drivers meeting & classroom
1:30p – Green, Blue, Black, Red track sessions [30min x 2 each]
5:30p – checkered flag
(please plan to arrive at least 60min before drivers meeting times listed above)
A: Absolutely yes – you can sign up for all four sessions with your appropriate run group, just the two morning sessions, just the two afternoon sessions (showing up before noon for PM-session-specific registration/tech/drivers meeting), or even just the first session. Note that the earlier you sign up, the more choices you’ll have in that regard and the cheaper your registration will be. Also note that the more sessions you sign up for, the cheaper each session will be.
A: Test Drive run groups are set by driver experience level, not by car:
Green- beginner to novice drivers (est 0 to 5 HPDE days);
instructor & classroom provided; restricted passing with a point-by
Blue- novice to intermediate drivers (est 5 to 10 HPDE days);
check ride or solo; restricted passing with a point-by
Black- intermediate to advanced drivers (est 10 to 20+ HPDE days);
check ride or solo; passing anywhere with a point-by
Red- advanced/expert drivers, licensed racers, instructors (est 25+ HPDE days);
check ride or solo; full open passing
If you are not a beginner/novice/Green driver but have not run with us before, please send your track driving resume to Jon Felton for Blue/Black/Red approval BEFORE REGISTERING. Only equivalent experience (i.e. high speed HPDE days) will be considered toward the run group estimates above – not karting, autocross, trackcross, etc. Anyone new to us may need a check ride for final approval.
A: We usually limit registration to about 10 cars per mile of track so the circuit doesn’t get too crowded. Some events are slightly bigger and some are smaller due to demand or season but typically you can expect around 20-25 cars in each session.
A: Tech inspection is a check to make sure each car is in good working condition. We strongly encourage participants to “pre-tech” their cars before each event or have a shop or trusted professional do it. For Summit Point events, the tech inspection rules can be found here. Pre-tech the car if you know exactly what to look for or have that done by a qualified shop or person, we will then re-check the car that morning. You DO need to bring a completed/signed tech form to each event. Sorry there are no refunds or credits for cars that fail tech. Note: electric vehicles are not allowed on track at Summit Point therefore they no longer pass tech, sorry!
A: Convertible rules for Summit Point events as per the tech rules are – rollbars are required unless the car is factory equipped with rollover protection, and it must state such in the manual. Drivers must bring manual and present it at tech. Mazda MX5/Miata, Honda S2000, and Dodge Viper convertibles (among others) all need 4 point full width roll bars added. All convertibles must pass a “broomstick test” as well.
NOTE: Cars with t-tops or targa tops that are removable from an otherwise fixed/structural roof are NOT considered convertibles.
ALSO NOTE: convertibles with hard tops (especially Mazda Miata PRHT or RF trim levels) are still convertibles and the rollbar rules still apply because hard tops are typically not structural.
Please inquire before registering if you have any question about the legality of your convertible. Sorry there are no refunds or credits if you register and/or show up with a convertible that doesn’t pass tech.
A: We only recommend full-face helmets with the latest Snell SA rating. Open face helmets are not recommended and may be prohibited soon. All helmets should have at least the Snell M2015/SA2015 or newer rating and be in good condition. Please verify that your helmet has the brown or orange Snell sticker inside under the liner because that’s what we look for. Sorry we no longer provide rental helmets but our friends at OG Racing near Dulles may have some available in advance. NOTE: all 2010 rated helmets fail tech starting Jan 1st, 2026 because of the new 2025 standard.
A: Yes – your unique car number is your identifier at each event, you pick it when you register. Those numbers need to be “big and visible” on both sides of your car please, on doors not windows – the bigger the better; at least 12 inches tall, and vinyl is highly recommended. Painters tape/masking tape is allowed but not recommended because it comes off so easily (especially when it rains.) Magnetic numbers typically don’t work well for this either. Contrasting colors are good – blue tape on a blue car or white shoe polish on glass isn’t visible enough. Our staff is looking at you from potentially 100-200 feet away so this is important.
A: Sorry – due to insurance regulations your child may only participate when they’re legally an adult. Drivers and passengers at all Test Drives must be age 18+ with a current US-state-issued drivers license to participate, for safety and liability reasons.
A: Adult passengers are allowed with Red or Black group solo drivers after the first session (Green and Blue drivers may only take instructors as passengers.) If any driver spins or goes 4-off, they lose passenger privileges for the day. In all cases the passengers must be at least 18 years old, must be wearing a legal helmet, and must have the same level of safety/protection as the driver. Passengers must also not cause delays on grid getting strapped in, must keep hands and arms inside the car, and may not bring/use handheld recording devices inside the car.
A: Test Drive events are like concerts or sports games – online pre-registration/pre-payment is typically required and many events sell out well in advance. We use an outside system called Motorsportreg, please click here to register for our events on MSR.
A: We may use two kinds of waiting lists depending on the event. If you register as a PWL (Paid Waiting List) entry because the regular spots are already full, we will email you by 24 hours prior (i.e. 7am Friday) if we have a spot for you. If not, that entry will automatically be applied to the next Test Drive. If you register as a UWL (Unpaid Waiting List) entry because the PWL is already full, we will email you by 24 hours prior (i.e. 7am Friday) if a spot becomes available. You will then need to register and pay online OR register and pay trackside, depending on timeframe. NOTE – if you are on either waiting list, you are NOT yet officially accepted into the event until you hear from us, even if your entry is showing on the published entry list…
Sorry, we are not insured or staffed to offer RV or tent camping in the paddock the night before these events. Gates typically open by 6:30am and close by 6:30pm. Summit Point has plenty of hotels and campgrounds within a reasonable distance. We get a great rate of $92 + tax at the Hampton Inn Martinsburg South-Inwood, about 12 miles from the track & just off I-81. Click here to book your room!
A: Renewed for 2026, during all Summit Point events our drivers get a great rate of $92 + tax at the Hampton Inn Martinsburg South-Inwood, just off I-81 about 12 miles from the track. It’s clean and quiet! Click to book your room: https://bit.ly/GetFastEvents2026
A: Sorry – because the paddocks are often in use with other events, trailer or car dropoffs are typically NOT allowed the day/night before these events – gates typically open at 6:30am on the listed event day.
A: We automatically provide in-car instructors only for Green group students. Instructors may be used for “check rides” in Blue and/or to move up to Black or Red, or if you’re new to our program. We do not generally provide instructors in Blue except by special request or as needed for a check ride. Instructors are generally not available in Black or Red groups, but private coaches are welcome with advance clearance.
A: Yes – we welcome inquiries from safe, experienced HPDE instructors. We generally provide a $0.00 entry to run in Red or Black if you will take one Green student for four sessions and sometimes also a quick check ride with a driver in Blue or Black. Please send your track driving & instructing resume to Jon Felton or Greg Haas well in advance for approval. We will be looking for proof of equivalent experience and training including suitable instructor clinics with recognized organizations. Anyone who has been previously cleared to instruct by Jon (for Get Fast, NASA-MA, or TrackDaze HPDEs) or Greg (for Summit Point FATTs and similar) may go ahead and register without further approval.
A: Track insurance is not required, and buying it is a personal choice. While anything can happen on track of course, our opinion is that if you read the rules, listen at the meetings, drive smartly, don’t take risks on track, and drive well within your skillset and traction level at all times, you won’t need track insurance because you will never give up control of your car. But if if makes you feel better about participating, go for it. However we would strongly suggest only using a reputable company with good reviews. Just don’t feel like you must add this additional cost, because it is always optional for everyone.
A: Sorry, Test Drives are not really considered “spectator events” for insurance, liability, and security reasons. You also can’t get near the the action unless you’re a driver/participant and don’t have much way to know what’s going on unless you’re directly a part of the activity, so please register to drive instead of just coming to watch!
A: Registered drivers may bring one or two crew members for no additional cost as long as they all sign the waiver at the front gate on the way in and get a wristband. Drivers are responsible for the location and behavior of their guests at all times. Children must not be left unattended and pets must be leashed/cleaned up after.
A: When we run on the Shenandoah Circuit at Summit Point, the wet skidpad in the paddock is usually open as an additional activity for registered drivers in tech inspected cars after the first heat gets going (think 9am ish to 4pm ish), as long as it’s at least ~40 degrees outside. It’s great fun to slide around and hopefully learn something about understeer, oversteer, and possibly drifting. 🙂
Meanwhile, touring laps are a 20-30 minute session of “highway speeds” orientation/parade laps between pace cars, with no helmets and no passing, done during our lunch break. The driver must be a registered participant and the car must have a valid tech sticker; passengers are welcome as long as they each have a seat belt. Note: lunch laps are only available at some events depending on track and season, and skidpad is only available at our Shenandoah events. There is typically a reasonable charge for both activities TBD per event.
A: One of our “sorry, no exceptions” rules is that everyone must be through registration and tech no later than the drivers meeting start time. This is because all staff and officials scatter to restricted areas around the circuit to put on the event by a fixed schedule. So after ~8am for morning sessions or ~1pm for afternoon sessions there is nobody around to help you register/tech and no time to give another drivers meeting because all the people who perform those activities are now a mile from the paddock doing some other mission-critical task to make the event run smoothly. We are also not able to offer entry fee refunds or credits for those who arrive late, so you forfeit your entry if you can’t get there on time. Please think of your entry like non-refundable airline tickets. If you’re not on the plane when the doors close, the tickets have no value. The best way to not have this problem is to stay in a nearby hotel the night before and/or leave early to give yourself a good time buffer if you’re driving in that day. All participants really should be there by 7am for morning sessions or 12pm for afternoon sessions!
A: Our Test Drive events will take place as scheduled “rain or shine, hot or cold” like all road course events. We will only postpone an event for frozen weather or a significant system like a hurricane, and your entry would then automatically apply to the rescheduled date while still being subject to the normal cancellation policy detailed below. Note: during any event day we do pause for thunderstorms (to get corner workers out of possible lightning strike areas) and resume once they have passed. Regardless, we can’t control the weather so please be prepared for wet or dry and hot or cold conditions!
MotorsportReg now offers optional event cancellation insurance for a few extra bucks when you sign up. This is great (and literally the only way you can get a refund), but it is a third-party service that has nothing to do with us, so we can’t help you apply for a refund if there is severe weather. You would need to contact the insurance company directly – please learn more about it here and here.
A: In the rare case of a Test Drive postponement for unsafe weather or some other significant issue, everything is simply moved forward. So if you registered for the original event you are automatically registered for the postponed/rescheduled event as well, and all else is the same as per our usual cancellation policy detailed below. In the very rare case of an outright event cancellation (i.e. no postponed/replacement date scheduled) for some major problem, typically full entry credits are issued or replacement signups are handled privately, but refunds are never available – just event entries. In any case, registered drivers are notified ASAP via email so please make sure your profile/address is current.
A: For all Test Drives the policy you agree to when you register is “All sales final – no cancellation, refund, or credit. Entry is transferrable to another person for this event only.” We are truly sorry if you disagree but there are no exceptions to this policy so please don’t ask. Think of your registration like concert tickets or sporting event passes – they get you a seat at a specific place and time for a usually sold-out event, and that’s all. If you are having car problems, your best option is to bring a different car. If you find you cannot attend for any other reason, your best option is to sell or give the spot to someone else qualified to participate, then let us know whose name to put on it by NOON ON THE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY PRIOR i.e. 72 hours prior to our arrival at the track to set up (noon Tuesday if a Saturday event, noon Wednesday if a Sunday event.) The only possible way to get a refund is if you purchased the optional insurance through MSR, please see below for details.
This policy is financially necessary – we run these events very close to “at cost to put on” by design, so our entry fees can be as low as possible. If we have to factor in refunds or credits we’re then taking dollars away from later events. That would make our entry fees go up and fewer people would get to come drive which means less fun for everyone. The down-side of this arrangement is that sometimes people just have to lose an entry due to circumstances beyond their control, it’s unfortunate but necessary. So our entries are as cheap as possible, but they are treated like sold-out plane tickets or concert tickets or similar: if you’re not there, regardless of reason, they have no value – and it’s always your problem to find someone who wants your tickets well in advance. Also please note, the deadline for putting someone else’s name on your entry or otherwise updating said entry is NOON ON THE TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY PRIOR i.e. 72 hours prior to our arrival at the track to set up (noon Tuesday if a Saturday event, noon Wednesday if a Sunday event.) The ONLY changes we will be able to facilitate after that time (including at the track on an event morning) are ONLY if you need to change run groups or bring a different car.
MotorsportReg now offers optional event cancellation insurance for a few extra bucks when you sign up. This is great (and literally the only way you can get a refund), but it is a third-party service, so unfortunately we can’t help you apply for a refund if you’re sick or your car is broken. You would need to contact the insurance company directly – please learn more about it here and here.