Originally Posted by jdmgeek21

wats going on guys ive been in to car for a long time now and spent a good while of it more on the dragracing side but now i want to get into more of the roadracing part of it i have a stock eg vtec sohc im not trying to make a full on race car it has to be my daily driver so if any one had any suggestions feel free to post also I stay in NOVA so if any body know were I could do some test driving let me know

Originally Posted by nsxtasy

My advice would be to start out driving in some HPDE events. These are non-competitive "High Performance Driver Education" events, where you're just learning how to drive fast around the track, without competing (no timing, no trophies, etc). They do not have any requirements regarding equipment, other than that your car must be in good mechanical shape, as verified by a mechanic who signs off on an inspection form. As long as your car is in good shape, the only thing you really need to do to participate in such events is to make sure you've flushed (replaced) your brake fluid within the previous six months or so. And if your brake pads don't have a lot of thickness on them, it's a good idea to bring an extra set with you so you can change them if you wear them out. (If you don't have mechanical skills or tools with you, other folks at the track are usually happy to lend you tools and talk you through it.) But that's really about all you need to go out and have a good time at it and start learning how to drive around a track.

Once you start building up experience in HPDE events, then you can start thinking about whether you want to begin actual competition and what changes in equipment etc are required. Or, you can continue doing HPDE events, but as you gain experience you might start thinking about performance upgrades to your car, such as in brake pads, tires, suspension, etc.

Groups with extensive national programs of HPDE events include NASA, BMW CCA (which does not limit participation or membership to BMW owners), and Chin Motorsports. There are also smaller groups running HPDE events at one particular track or in one part of the country; for example, in the Northeast, Trackmasters holds novice schools (as well as open track events) at the Glen, and PDA also holds schools at tracks like Lime Rock.

HPDE events don't have "classes" of vehicle; they will put you in a run group based primarily on your experience (e.g. you'll start out in the novice run group). For a more detailed explanation of how an HPDE event works and what you need to know, the NASA website has some good articles. Click here and scroll down to the links under the heading "HPDE Articles" and read those articles. Then feel free to ask more questions!