JH4DC231

Curious. I might be purchasing a car that has a non repairable title, and the only way I can legally transport this car to the track is if I get myself a trailer. Any reason why you all trailer your car?

Lo-Buck EF

i trailer my car because i didn't want to get stuck if/when i broke or wrecked it. i drove to the track all through my hpde and instructing years as well as my first year of wheel to wheel racing in honda challenge. i only was towed home once when i broke a stock retainer and bent a valve.
its definitely nicer and less stressful to tow and you can bring more spares, tools, beer or hookers to the track with you.

AMGkobez

I trailer mine so if I break something I can get home, so I don't have to worry about insurance or registration on the vehicle. I also then don't have to worry about the dot legality of modifications, and I don't have to hear my wife complain about how the ride was super loud and uncomfortable the whole way down and back from the race. Its also nice cause you can take more tools and spare parts without having to stuff everything in one car.

sander

yesh!

Weston

On top of the obvious benefit of being able to break your car and still have an easy way home, it's really nice to have a support vehicle at the track with you... that's more tools, spares, wheel/tires, food & drink, etc., that you can bring, plus it can be a place for you to sleep too.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

My car isnt street legal so it has to be trailered everywhere.
FYI since i know your from nor cal.... Towing your car home from Thunderhill isnt cheap!.
I believe flat rate towing is about 600 bux to the bay.

cluelessmale

iTrader: (1)

One thing back about towing the racecar to the track is the truck sometimes breakdown, then you are 1000's of miles from home. You then need to take the racecar to the local parts store to make the truck able to lime home. FYI not fun, even if wifey thinks it is funning.

[HrZn]4life

I don't trailer my car but it's because the car is still streetable and I'm only doing HPDEs. I will definitely be trailering soon since I'm going for my comp license soon, don't want issues with law enforcement and the biggest reason: The fear of breaking down at the track or wrecking and not getting home.

migs

I havent driven my car to the track in nearly 7 years.

On the flipside, if your tow vehicle breaks down, that means you are really screwed. It isnt fun. I had a Surburban fuel pump go south. I didnt have enough tools to drop the fuel tank. So I had to have a dually fetch us.

We put the Suburban on the trailer and I drove the race car home on the street. Very dangerous but had to be done.

STN_Pat

What I love about my track car is that I can take it to the track on it's own power...this is what my fun is all about.

I bring a lot of spares, and will probably be having a spare motor for far tracks in 2010...all of this in a hatchback

I don't compete though.

E-AT_me

gotta do what ya gotta do.. i don't have enough money to trailer yet, but with two people, a tent, sleeping bags, clothes, tires, my bike, and enough tools to fix hopefully most anything, knock on wood it's been ok.. but it would be so much easier and i think more fun to be able to tow.. a lot less to worry about.. plus, it's much easier to find parts for an F150 in a po-dunk town than a miata.. i should know, i live in po-dunk!

SR20S13

if i had the money i would tow my car to the track every time but well i don't haha

topdog

iTrader: (1)

I tow mine even though I do hpde and track days. After 1 brake down was all I needed to get a trailer. I also find it that I drive better on track this weigh since I don't worry if I will hurt the car if i start pushing to hard.

AMGkobez

Its definitely and investment to tow your vehicle, cause you go from have one car to maintain to three vehicles. Your racecar, your tow car, and your trailer.

Stinkycheezmonky

The cost of a tow vehicle, trailer, and additional insurance/maintenance for them is what keeps me from doing it. No matter how you slice it, a AAA tow home is ALWAYS cheaper, unless you break down/crash like 10 times in a year. Going on seven years with only one tow needed so far... *knock on wood*

P.S. If I had to bring a spare engine for a trackday, I'd just end myself. That is WAY too much work and hassle. If the car is that broken, I'm just calling it a day.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

If we all had the funds for bringing a spare engine and a crew to change it out and not lose much track time it would be worth it.. but i digress. We are still budget racers having a big crew and many spares isnt in our cards.

Zephyr-The Subaru Guy

An additional option if you're short on space or don't want the hassles of storing/registering a trailer is to use a tow dolly. If you're dragging around a Honda a tow dolly is a very cost effective solution. Additionally if dolly towing you don't need the expense of a truck as most cars can efficiently pull a dolly. This past season while up at WGI there was an older German gentleman who towed is Porsche behind a VW van.

JamesL

I drive my car to and from the tracks, although I have only been doing DEs. Ive only needed one tow in the past 6 years, and it was from a track 30 mins from my house(to the tune of $165).

I am beginning to compete in time trials this year, and am starting to wish I had the ability to tow the car to and from the racetrack. And as the car becomes less and less streetable, I foresee a tow vehicle in my future. Probably not for another year or two... but definitely at some point.

E-AT_me

i already have the truck. have had it for 5 years.. just can't scrape up the funds for a trailer. which is truly quite sad.. plus parking of said trailer..

slammed_93_hatch

Tow, for HPDE i'd drive it to the track but i have a race car that isn't street legal so i tow.

For me personally i would never even think about racing and driving to the track. For 100s of reasons.

RE the cost of the tow vehicle.

You can do it cheaper/more budgeted. But for me i needed a DD and a tow vehicle, since have a DD and a tow vehicle doesn't make economical sense.

So i have my truck payment, registration and insurance (haha cheaper on my truck then on the civic).

RE the tow vehicle breaking down, ya anything can happen that is a lot less likely then you blowing a motor/breaking/crash the race car.

Next step for me is an enclosed trailer, nice dry warmer/cooler place to sleep at nice, safe place to leave the car when towing, and i wont have to deal with loading/unloading the truck with all of the tools/spares.

RE **** breaking and not fixing it...

Once you've been through the situation you mind changes. With NASA if you make 1 lap you can not get a refund, PLUS the money on food/hotel/gas that you have spent to get there and back already. I'll do whatever i can to get my car back up and running if i've made a lap, if not my lazybones just flushed ~$500 down the drain.

Realistically motor/trans swap shouldn't take you and fellow racers more then 4 hours. Hell 3 of us have done a motor swap in 6 hours and that includes the 4 hour round trip to go pick up a motor.

ozal92

If the track event or AutoX is less than an hour or two drive, I just drive the CRX there. If it's longer, I tow it with my DD, a Jeep Cherokee.

No trailer though. I got some tow bars on front of the CRX. So I tow it with all four tires on the ground. Disabled the steering lock and with Florida being pretty much flat, the Cherokee pulls it and brakes just fine. Plus I could load up both cars with a ton of parts.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

I agree Jimmy an enclosed trailer is the best route to go..
It will be my next big investment.
My tool/spares list is getting big. Between building a compressor on wheels and picking up a generator. ... My truck is loaded down pretty good.
Having everything inside seems soo much more convenient.
I have seen some really nice set ups with some 23-28 ft enclosed units where they have everything they need including AC so they could sleep at the track.

Lo-Buck EF

and those 2 nutbags towing civics on dollies behind a subaru RS and an old cop car

VegasHB

What do most of you use to tow with? Trucks I assume, F150 minimum? What if you use a dolly? Biggest stress on the tow vehicle is breaks correct? I have an Element and I doubt that would tow my 96 hatch on a dolly.

dirty19

iTrader: (1)

All vehicles have a towing capacity... You'll have to find out what an elements' is..
I wouldnt recommend you using on for towing though.