Road Course
★★★★☆
Buttonwillow Raceway Park, located in Buttonwillow, California, provides a road course experience on a twisting closed circuit, driven both directions of turn. You'll find a variety of events, including Track Days, Club Racing, and Autocross; for details on specific programming, call (661) 764-5333. SCCA and NASA are active organizations running events throughout the year at this venue, which also hosts Corporate Events.
SCCANASATrack DaysClub RacingAutocrossCorporate Events
Watch: Buttonwillow Raceway Park
Know Before You Go
- Gear requirements
- Track-day organizers typically require a Snell SA-2020 helmet (or newer), long sleeves, long pants, and closed-toe shoes. Many tracks have rental helmets for first-timers.
- Run groups
- Drivers are slotted into novice, intermediate, or advanced run groups based on pace and instructor sign-off. Group-jumping isn't permitted — you build up over time.
- Tech inspection
- Expect a pre-event tech form plus a visual gate check. Brake-fluid age, throttle return, battery tie-down, and seatbelt condition are the most common flags.
- Cost expectations
- HPDE / open-track days typically run $200-450 per day with 4-6 on-track sessions of 20-25 minutes each. Memberships at private clubs are substantially more.
- First-timer tip
- Most clubs require novices to ride with an instructor for the first day before being released solo. Sign up for instruction in advance — slots fill weeks ahead.