Dealer's ‘track days' offer exclusive experience with luxury vehicles, boost customer loyalty

Twice a year, roughly 50 luxury vehicle clients get a chance to drive their vehicles on Sebring International Raceway, North America's oldest permanent road racetrack.

Select vehicle owners who attend Dimmitt Automotive Group's track days can drive at high speeds at novice, intermediate or advanced levels.

"Sure, highway speeds can make an engine purr, but if you want to hear an engine sing, you need a racetrack," a post on the group's website reads.

Based in Florida, Dimmitt Automotive Group sells vehicles from nine brands. It sold approximately 7,000 new and used vehicles in 2022. The group will celebrate 100 years in 2024.

The event is discussed on the sales floor before a purchase is even made. Clients express interest months in advance. Track days allow them to see the capabilities of their vehicles in a controlled manner, said Dimmitt Automotive Group General Manager Andrew Dunton.

The event's rarity helps the novelty factor, and Dimmitt has no plans to increase the number of track days it hosts per year. The highly anticipated event is the product of many moving parts, and its exclusivity allows the group to give customers "the attention they deserve," Dunton said.

Dimmitt picks up owners' vehicles before track day. Once pre-track inspections are completed by the manufacturer, the vehicles are sent on their way to Sebring for the event.

"We'll ride with the client to show them the lines on Sebring International to get maximum enjoyment out of the vehicle," Dunton said. "We're there to provide technical assistance during the day."

The event results in increased customer loyalty, while the return rates for sales and service are "sky high" — which Dunton finds to be the largest benefit of track days. Clients typically return multiple times for repeat visits to the event and to the sales floor.

Track days are as much of a "lifestyle event" as they are a product event because Dimmitt is in a relationship business, Dunton said. Yearslong relationships are built with clients who participate and they get to enjoy their purchases in a way others might not.

But the event isn't just enjoyable for those behind the wheel. Some participants bring guests along, who watch cars speeding around the track from the comfort of a luxury suite stocked with refreshments and manufacturer accessories.

"They bring families and they come up and they can watch," Tracey Ringstaff, the events director, said. "It's a neat experience to interact with everyone."

Dunton has no plans to turn track days into a competitive event — but if he did, he'd bet that some of the women who participate would be favored to win any competition.

"Some of our top-performing drivers and most loyal and prolific customers are female drivers," Dunton said. "It's a very diverse group of all age brackets."

Oftentimes, more experienced drivers will help out newer guests and make them feel welcome, allowing them to see the full capabilities of their vehicles. Some participants make it their goal to "move up through the brands," as they attend more track days.

Clients "start with one make and maybe as their lifestyle and buying trajectory increases. … Maybe [they start] with a Cadillac and end up with a McLaren or Aston Martin," Dunton said.

When the day is done, Dimmitt collects the cars and ships them back to McLaren of Tampa Bay to do a post-track inspection and any needed maintenance.

"It's a really social, fun day. Very safe, safety first because the No. 1 overriding rule is safety — but very fun," Dunton said.

The next track day at Sebring is April 12.

"It's very unique, for my 35 years in automotive," Dunton said. "This is not your typical customer-type event."