I currently have an enclosed trailer and diesel pickup truck for my track events. I’ve been thinking about simplifying life a bit and moving down to an aluminum open trailer I can pull behind my Cayenne (daily driver). I typically go to 2 day events and am gone 3-4 days depending on travel time. My longest trips are ~15 hours of driving to the track.

Living in CT, there’s also a fair amount of carry for the truck/trailer that only get used once a year. We have to pay personal property tax on it every year, along with insurance and parking. All in it’s about 5k/yr in carry alone. Plus the value of it all (~80k).

Everything is insured.

Would anyone have any concerns switching down to the open trailer? I’ve done it before but the RS gets a fair amount of attention - people asking questions at gas stations and lots of stares. But the draw to simplify life is appealing

 

Its annoying because half the cars hang next to you, in your way while they admire the car..
Another issue maybe is once you have overnight stops, you want to be parked somewhere safe.

Other than that, its easier to loan and unload perhaps, and you can do with a smaller tow vehicle.
Once you go enclosed, bigger is better with a gooseneck but it may just not make sense in CT..

 

If it annoys you a lot, then you can also use a car cover during transport in an open trailer.

 

This is the problem - I now have a 24' enclosed with a big F250 Diesel to yank it around. Which sits there most of the year. My Cayenne is more than capable of towing it on an open trailer.

At some level, if someone steals it I kinda just feel like "well, insurance will handle it". I guess as I get older I want things simpler. The "adventure" of it all has worn off for a non-professional racer.

 

I feel like that would damage the car as it collects road dust/dirt under it.

 

I guess I should also mention that I only get out to 2-3 weekend events a year at this point. I used to do closer to 10, but my schedule (pre-covid) has me back to only 2-3 events for the foreseeable future.

 

This why my new track toy is a 1999 Ford Mustang SVT Cobra with a Gen 3 Coyote in it. Open trailer. Sold the motorhome and enclosed trailer.

Nice not to worry about dust, dirt, lookers, parking overnight... Staying in hotels vs the rig is okay. Although I do prefer the track.

There are a few really nice open trailers. Wind breaks and lowering car flat to load and unload are pretty cool options.

Good luck.

 

Well, this is a first. All open trailer guys I know want to "upgrade" to an enclosed. LOL. I'm one of them, having had an open trailer going on 6 years now. There are luxuries to be gained with an enclosed trailer, luxuries you would lose going to an open. That would be my concern.

Ok, to your concerns. Yes, a lot of people will hang with you on the highways, gawking at the car, taking photos, honking horns, but they'll do that anyway when you're simply driving the car rather than towing it. Your car can get stolen whether you are towing it or driving it, no big difference. Having said that, make sure all your connections are locked (you probably do that anyway), and pre-plan the trip so you stay overnight at safe places (you also probably do that already anyway). Dirt while getting towed.....well, you probably get more dirt, debris, stone chips driving on track. So, as far as I can tell, there should be no concerns going to an open trailer while gaining the advantages you are talking about.

Just a thought, but I have friends who tow their 911s in an enclosed Trailex with their Cayenne. Something else for you to think about.

 

Trailex enclosed. It takes same space as an open trailer and can be easily towed by the Cayenne. Only slightly negative is to deal with the looong ramps.

I switched to enclosed just to avoid the stupid random questions ppl ask at gas stations lol. Enclosed trailer also provides shelter at track when there is no available garage.

 

I have made the same decision and will tow may new Clubsport behind my Diesel Cayenne. I have chosen the Futura Super Sport 16.5. The new trailers have lower ramp angles and improved suspension. Will get the tire rack, air dam and winch as options.

 

worse than an open trailer or at a track?

 

How did you secure the cover so it doesn't accidentally fly off the car during transit?

 

The cover flapping in the wind will potentially rub and create burn marks on the paint.

 

I had an open trailer for about 15 years running cheaper cars. Switched to an enclosed trailer when I got the RS as the attention was annoying and I was concerned about theft. Went to an enclosed and while it is certainly more luxurious, it comes with many *many* more hassles - it's a giant wind sail with crosswind, it's 30' long and requires better parking, weighs 4k (all aluminum ATC) by itself so over 8k loaded and needs a heavy duty truck, gets scratched by low-hanging trees along narrow roads/driveways, has more complexity with electrical systems and AC. The list goes on and on. While the luxury is nice, for 6 days (3 events) a year I'm not sure it's worth the hassle

I was thinking about a Trailer enclosed as well. I might go that route eventually. Right now I have a line on an 18' all aluminum flat-bed trailer with a wind guard up front for 3k. My buddy is selling it so I know it's history and where it's been. Hard to pass that deal up. I could always flip it in the future and upgrade to a Trailex (which is pretty likely to happen).

Worse with the cover on the car during transport. Dirt gets lodged under the cover and the wind at 60mph just beats the cover against the car. I think an open car on an open trailer would be less damaging. Just my opinion.

 

No idea - just seen this pic.
I drove to my trackdays with my car and I don't care about the mileage much.

And in Germany, driving a GT3 or GT3 to the track on the autobahn is relatively faster than the SUV / Truck with a trailer. With trailer you can up to 100km/h and with your GT, you are only bound to the speed limit on the road at that moment.