I know there are a lot of ITR and other drivers in this forum that race regularly on road courses, and Im just about ready to take a stab at it. I dont know too much about what it takes to get involved, and have been trying to read up a bit lately. Ive mainly been reading into SCCA club racing and I was wondering if you guys are involved in that or something else entirely?? The only real road racing body Im aware of is the SCCA. And from what I have read, it appears you have to buy a novice license($50), take some classes/schooling, pay up to around $200 for a competition license, and you can race nationally after competing in 2 local events. Can you guys recommend anything else I should look in to, as far as sanctioning bodies or classes or whatever other than SCCA? I want to be able to run road courses and compete up and down the east coast. Any info is appreciated.

EDIT: I cant spell COURSES


[Modified by RTW DC2, 4:22 PM 8/5/2002]

 

http://www.honda-challenge.com

it's NASA instead of SCCA>. in SCCA i'm not sure in the ITR is legal in any national class anyways.. so you'd be regional there too..

 

you might want to look into shifter karts as well. that's where i started, and it's the best "bang-for-your-buck" racing out there. i'd be more than happy to answer any questions that you may have...

-tony

 

one way is to finish a racing school course, do 3 regional SCCA races, and get your C license,...you need lots of money....the parts to replace everything is getting up there...I'm talking about road racing and not SCCA Solo2.

the shifter cart idea is an excellent suggestion. I may be heading that route instead.

 

Well I dont plan on racing regularly since it is not cheap, but I atleast want to get a few races in per year. I really just want to be able to get out there, drive my car like it was meant to be driven, and not have to worry about cops and running over soccer moms in minivans.

 

Are you looking for HPDE? or racing?

If HPDE just get a helmet and go to the link in my sig
If your looking for "racing" then also go to the link in my sig.

 

I was lookin over that link in your sig, and that sounds very much like what I would like to do. Do they actually get into competitive racing as well, like race days with all out racing from start to finish??

 

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Thats what it takes...

 

unfortunatly true....

 

Karting is the way to go IMO. I`ve raced in a 4 hour enduro and a few others and it was definetely the cat`s meow

 

HPDE's are typically just "paid speeding tickets" as I've heard them referred to as. You pay x dollars and they let you "race" around the track with other cars, but there is no winner and there is no passing in corners. I've been doing it for a year now and it is a lot of fun, but after a while you might want to get more head-to-head and look into some sanctioned racing like SCCA/NASA/ECHC. Maybe you can even find a local track that has it's own series like I have found that has less rules/regulations/requirements, but still lets you race wheel 2 wheel and in a safe environment.

Either way, try the track-days first, it will give you a taste for track road-course racing and a taste of competition. I'm reading over the rule book for a series I want to compete in next year and I already see the $$$ amounting. I just went ahead and got a beater for the purpose of wheel 2 wheel racing as I'm sure I'll end up bumping fenders, or worse.

Anyway, that's my two cents, good luck!

 

I agree with uncleben. HPDE (high performance driver education) track events are a great way to start out. Plus, they give you instruction - usually classroom as well as an instructor who rides with you in your passenger seat. You can have fun, AND learn a lot, for a relatively small amount of money. As you keep doing it, you'll get better and better at it, and THEN you can decide whether you want to participate in some competitive events (races), which will require more money, more safety modifications, and more risk to your car.

There are a lot of groups that hold HPDE events around the country. Some are regional (NASA, Car Guys, Trackmasters, etc) and others are national (TrackTime, BMW CCA, PCA). So, depending on where you're located, you'll want to hook up with a group that runs the tracks in your area.

It's generally a good idea to try to stick to one group, so they get to know you as you develop your skills, and move you to the appropriate run group for you.

 

Thanks everybody for your help

 

grow some nuts and ditch the 4 whels and get on 2

Thats even more expensive especially when you crash....

 

dont you worry bout that..its in the works as well

 

Its all about the 2 wheels baby!!!

 

Luke- who has no nuts and likes his 4 wheels

 

Some sites to check out:
http://www.derekdaly.com
http://www.skipbarber.com
http://www.driving101.com
http://www.bondurant.com
http://www.panozracingschool.com
http://www.jimrussell.com
http://www.racenow.com/home.htm
http://www.drivingconcepts.com

 

http://www.race2000.com/public_courses.html

this is where I did my schooling. It's owned by Don Panoz. They run Reynard F2000's. Compare the prices to the other schools listed.

This is me running in the Reynard. 63mph in 1st gear shift. We did 170 mph up the backstraight. The gearbox is a non-synchro 4 speed and so you should be proficient at heel and toeing and comfortable with a standard. The clutch is a racing 6 puck and no slip...it's an on/off switch basically. You learn how to rotate the car using trailbraking and using the throttle with minimal steering input...5 degree slip angle.
Great instructors and 1 on 1. I hear Derek Daly uses telemetry which is why their school is a bit more expensive. If that sort of thing is important to you then you may want to shell out the extra cash. I found the one on one anaylsis based on the instructor watching your driving more than adequate. The lap times come down.

our version of "heaven's gates"




our senseis: Mike to my right and Ugo to my left...they're amazing!



gettin ready



Saddle Up boys and girls!!



ready to go thumbs up...gotta love the homemade Home Depot tear away strips I made for my visor...the blue tabs are painter's ez peel masking tape...LOL





at speed up the backstraight at 170 mph in 4th



clip the apex on the throttle and look past the exit of the corner



Skip from Houston on my tail after heel and toeing/ downshifting 3 gears at turn 12 from 170 down to 40 mph at the exit of the corner past the start-finish....Skip did the Derek Daly course as well....



I highly recommend this school....please check your ego at the door...arrogant, know it all people with the red mist attitude behind the wheel graduate early shall we say....


cheers


[Modified by Michael Delaney, 10:49 PM 8/5/2002]

 

awesome what was the approximate cost to COMPLETE that particular school?

 

the 3 day course is $2090 US. That's $1000+ less than the other schools for the same content. I recommend the 4 day course $3190 since on the 4th day you learn passing techniques and standing starts...there are 2 x 10 lap races in the afternoon. The cars are meticulously maintained and rebuilt after each course. All equipment is provided although I brought my own SA95 Bieffe helmet. The SA95 standard is good until the end of next year for the school but for most places you don't have to go to SA2000 standard until 2005. There has been no injuries or fatalaties in the 18 years that the school has been open and the instructors are full time instructors not mercenaries hired to cover for a week or 2.

I suggest you look at the link I provided for more details....tell them that Tuan says hi...


cheers




[Modified by Michael Delaney, 12:09 PM 8/6/2002]

 

ouch....I definitely dont have that kinda cash. What do you get for completing the course?? Some kind of certificate or license? Could you just go out now and join SCCA or whatever without taking their courses or schooling?

 

..our after road racing, you have a few ways to go, to compete in say the Speedvision World Challenge, you need to do the following:

First you join SCCA and apply for a novice lic.
You get a physical and take the 2 day school.
After that you get the lic.
Then you need the regional lic.
To get that you must complete at least 2 regional races without incident.
Then you need the national lic.
To get that you must complete at least 2 national races w/o incident.
Then you need the pro lic.
To get that you must complete at least 2 pro races w/o incident.
The lic. steward has to sign you off each time.
If you are a god you can do it in 6-8 events.
It took Taz Harvey 2 years.
He did it the fastest so far (getting the pro lic).
Info courtesy of Pual SiRBoy

From my own due dilligence, you can circumvent the frist series of steps leading up to the regional liscense by attending the 3 day Skip Barber RACING school, completetion of this school makes you eligable for your regional SCCA licsense, then you follow the above steps to get the pro liscense.

HTH,
Hubert

BTW-If your in California, and want to get a taste of open track sessions, I'll be at Willow Springs this Friday, you can come up, I'll be more than happy to give you some ride alongs, just bring a helmet.





[Modified by bb6h22a, 8:20 PM 8/5/2002]

 

the SCCA C license requires that you have a certificate from a racing school and 3 regional races done under your belt with no DNF's. You then move up the ladder C-> B -> A etc. ...if you get the sponsorship hell you can go for a superlicense in F1! LOL

But to start you need those 2 pre-requisites for ROAD RACING. not Solo2 or the High Performance Driving.

I have to tell you that if you want to road race, shifter go karts are the way to go. It's the same principles but you don't have fork out the huge dollars. Hey they use 125 cc motocycle engines with sequential shifters (just like CART and F1). This is where I'm heading. The instructors tell me that you don't get noticed by the big league like American LeMans Series or CART, until you get up to the level of Toyota Atlantic or Indy Lights. Before then, you are just a fish in a big ocean with lotsa other fish. To get into a Toyota Atlantic or Indy Lights ride, you need at least $900,000 US sponsorhip money for the season...now you can see why this is a sport only for the rich or you know someone.... The Skip Barber Mazda Series is a less (relatively speaking) expensive series. Even this is out of the realm for myself and many people here. Go Karts...seriously...Schumacher and Raikkonen started in Go Karts....

Another school you may want to look at is Jim Hall's Go Kart Racing School in Ventura CA...same principles as the Formula cars ..understeer/oversteer, trailbraking, left foot braking, using the throttle to rotate the car, learning how to look, learning the racing line....fender to fender road racing....

http://www.jhrkartracing.com/index.htm

much more affordable....


[Modified by Michael Delaney, 11:27 PM 8/5/2002]

 

it's 3 regional races without incident or DNF now not 2..... you have to prove to the sanctioning bodies that you are a safe driver , not a danger to the other drivers, and you don't embarass yourself or the race organisers...after all it is a show...


[Modified by Michael Delaney, 11:23 PM 8/5/2002]