Where were you for the 2024 eclipse? The moon cut a swath of darkness from Mexico up through Texas and across the United States to Maine. Those within the direct path were treated to several minutes of temporary night in the middle of the day.
The greater Dallas-Fort Worth area was an ideal eclipse location. Many traveled to the area to get the best solar eclipse experience. Jeff Francis trekked about an hour north and west of Dallas to Decatur for The Speed Journal in search of an experience as well. Opting for a racing helmet instead of eclipse viewing glasses, Francis spent the time of totality at the wheel of a BMW M2 picking out braking points and apexes at the Eagles Canyon Raceway.
First opened in November 2007, Eagles Canyon Raceway is a natural terrain road course with a full calendar of events. Members enjoy dedicated open track days, guests attend performance driving school, and the track hosts events from organizations like SCCA and NASA. New ownership took over the facility in 2017 and embarked on an upgrade project to the track and surrounding facilities. The course winds its way 2.75 miles through 15 corners and can be segmented for shorter configurations.
Instructor Steve Hilde races a Formula Mazda and Formula Vee in vintage events. He also regularly swaps road tires for racing tires on his daily driver Corvette C8 for track time. Hilde invited Francis for an open track day to see Eagles Canyon Raceway first-hand. Steve’s day job is building custom homes in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, but he is a member and spends much of his free time at the track.
Francis had no car of his own, but Eagles Canyon Raceway had four ready-to-go rentals on hand: BMW M2, Porsche Cayman, Porsche Cayman GT4 and a track prepared Toyota Supra. The BMW M2 got the nod and turned out to be a perfect choice.
The open track day alternated 30 minute sessions between cars and motorcycles. Hilde led the way in his Corvette and Francis followed in the BMW. As with any completely new track, a learning curve is in play. What is the sequence of corners and straights? Where is the driving line? Where are the tricky bits? The track’s rolling elevation changes produced blind corners in spots, heightening the challenge to know the track and hit the turn-in points. The circuit flowed with no sharp chicanes or artificial disruptions to interfere with the driving rhythm. Anyone who enjoys driving their street cars through canyons, foothills or countryside would appreciate the sensation but with the added bonuses of run off room and no oncoming traffic or intersections.
After a break to tour the class rooms and simulators, it was time for a second session. This time, Hilde strapped into the passenger seat to provide direct coaching. He provided valuable input and tips to navigate the track. The track runs in a counterclockwise direction. The start/finish line on the pit straight led to a quick right/left sequence through the first two turns. A short uphill straight funneled into a double apex left hander followed by a succession of undulating right handers through turns four, five and six. Turns seven and eight were left handers and Hilde pointed out a line that was fast but not intuitive.
A quick flick through turn nine set up the crucial turn ten left hander was followed by the longest straight of the lap. The heavy braking passing zone at the end of the straight into turn 11 was the most common passing opportunity. A quick lap required steady rhythm through a fast right hander in turn 12 and a double apex left hander in turn 13. A long U shaped turn 14 sloped uphill and required patience to make the most of another long straight before the final double apex left hander. A good exit set the driver up for run down the pit straight for another lap. The track is full FIA-spec and has design elements drawn from Formula One tracks.
A full-service café with a view of the track allowed a chance to regroup and refuel. Hilde gave a walking tour of more parts of the facility. Comfortable member lounges provide places to watch the track action. A game room with pinball machines and other novelties is decorated with automotive memorabilia. Garages allow owners to store and work on their cars at the track.
Racers also can make use of rooms to stay for a night or weekend, making it easier to spend time at the track. Concierge Motor Sports operates a shop on-site for racecar preparation and trackside support, primarily for vintage racers.
The third session let Franics push the BMW M2 on his own. The track came together and Francis found comfort and started to build speed. The M2 was a champ. It had good power, snappy shifts using the paddle shifters, and aggressive track mode.
While the skies darkened and others focused their attention upward, Francis virtually had the track to himself. His headlights illuminated the track that only minutes earlier was bathed in bright sunshine. The shift into and out of darkness felt like a small taste of an endurance race that transitions through dusk and dawn.
For the fourth and final session of the day, Hilde uncorked a pair of his Formula Mazda open-wheel racers. Hilde drove his primary car and Francis jumped into his backup ride. Like any purpose built open-wheel race car, the Formula Mazda was a serious race car. Francis wedged himself into the snug seat. The pedals were easily accessible but close to one another. The right-hand shifter had short throw and starting from first gear required a little finesse. Once underway, Hilde disappeared down the track, running laps at qualifying pace.
Francis quickly reacquainted himself with the sensations of driving an open cockpit formula car. The precision steering, wind buffeting the helmet, and clear sight lines across the front tires was a different level of performance than the road-ready BMW M2.
The Formula Mazda was an amazing bang for the buck, purpose built race car. Just as with the BMW, Francis wasn’t racing so he maintained a margin of safety and didn’t push the limits of a borrowed car. Hilde was unbothered with such considerations and put on a mini-demonstration of the car’s impressive capabilities. It was a good way to end a good driving day.
Eagles Canyon Raceway proved to be a hidden gem. The track provides a world-class driving experience with a top-tier layout and safety measures in addition to an enormous skid pad. The facility offers a friendly club atmosphere, several levels of membership to meet different needs, on-site track cars for rent and a complete shop to help keep cars on track. Garages for cars and condos for people make it easy to spend time at the track. For those who want to get dirty, the adjacent off-road course is another option.
Thanks to Steve Hilde, the Eagles Canyon Raceway team, and an astronomical assist, the inaugural visit of The Speed Journal was a unique and fantastic adventure.
