.png)
.webp)
Northern California has some of the best tracks in the country, but Thunderhill West has carved out a reputation as the ultimate momentum circuit. What looks at first like a glorified kart track quickly reveals itself as one of the most technical layouts you’ll ever tackle. Subtle camber shifts, blind entries, and corners that never seem to end keep you working hard lap after lap.
If you’re new, watch a session from pit wall first—but remember you’ll miss Turn 1 while you’re leaving pit exit, so take your opening laps easy. Respect the track, especially early. Lets go...
Fast, left-right kink at the end of the straight. Use the flat curbing to straighten your path (its a fun bump), but brake heavily before the right-hander—it tightens more than you expect. Sacrifice speed here for control. Note: watch for cars merging from pit exit.
A long, 180-degree carousel with changing camber. Starts on-camber, flattens in the middle, and goes off-camber on exit. It’s uphill in, downhill out. Focus on a clean, late exit. Easy to over-push in the middle and pinch yourself at track-out. Throttle varies lap to lap—patience is key.
Quick left-right flick. Flat curbs, but too much curb unsettles the car. Stay smooth, keep the platform flat, and use throttle to stabilize. Higher gear often works best.
Critical corner—sets up the long flat-out run. Unsighted entry, slight adverse camber. Turn in late, apex late, and aim the car at the flag station on the hill. If you’re pointed there, you nailed it.
Flow section. Use the curbs, stay smooth, and position right for Turn 6. Long, tightening left with a blind exit. Short braking zone—commit, but respect the drop-off at track-out. Dropping a wheel here can cost you a rim.
Tight hairpin after a string of high-speed corners. Pace shift makes it easy to blow the brake zone. Trail braking helps rotate the car. Don’t hit the exit curb—there’s a nasty drop.
Fast and blind over a crest, then downhill braking. Keep the car straight and balanced after the hill. Don’t panic-lift—modulate throttle and aim for the flag station.
Cambered apex lets you carry more speed than you think. Stay parallel with the edge at exit, then brake lightly for Turn 10.
Deceptively open. Straight-line braking towards the flag station gives you the best arc. Don’t over-brake. Early throttle is crucial because the front straight follows.
Thunderhill West rewards smoothness, patience, and commitment. Every lap demands focus, and every corner punishes sloppiness. Nail your lines and you’ll find West delivers an unmatched mix of challenge and satisfaction—whether you’re in a Miata or an M3.
Check out WHEELSMITH and this onboard ride in a Porsche GT3 around Thunderhill West. In the video, professional racing coach Dave Smith works from the right seat to fine-tune braking points, turn entries, and exits.
WHEELSMITH provides personalized on-track coaching—helping drivers unlock the full potential of their performance cars, build confidence, sharpen skills, and crank up the excitement of every lap.
Sometimes the best way to understand a track is to ride along with someone who’s still figuring it out. The video below is a great example of a first-timer tackling Thunderhill West. It’s raw, honest, and shows what the track feels like when you’re just getting comfortable. Watching this, you’ll notice a few common beginner pitfalls. Use this lap as your “what it feels like” baseline. Then, layer in the coaching notes from our corner-by-corner guide above to clean up your line, refine your braking points, and build confidence.
Thunderhill West rewards smoothness, patience, and trust in the camber. The beginner lap shows the challenge. Our guide shows the solution. Hope this helps. See you on the track!
Thanks SeanS54 for his beginner’s guide lap around Thunderhill West.
Enter your email address to receive our monthly Enlightening newsletter.
At Thunderhill, we’ve been delivering a superior motorsports experience for over 30 years. Our track remains one of the finest, safest, and cleanest road courses in America. Beyond the track, our team continues to set the standard for world-class customer service, exceeding expectations at every turn.
