My first Champ Car event
 

So gang, I did my first ever wheel-to-wheel racing this weekend at the AMP Champ Car event, with the Atlanta Speedwerks crew (car 981), and I think I'm hooked. WHAT FUN!!! I have a lot to learn, but it was a great time and if the danged sound-police were more benevolent, our team might have had a shot at a decent finish. All my DE experience certainly helped a lot, but the rush of racing for real is night and day different. Definitely has me thinking about what to do now...yikes! Whole different slippery slope! Thoughts? (BTW, if you haven't done it, don't knock it just because most of the cars are ugly ducklings). I learned that "fast" is relative this weekend. Pretty does not equal quick (I do love a pretty car myself). The "Flagtronics" system was really useful and they used the "35" virtual safety car set-up for the first time at AMP and it worked really well to save track time. I was impressed with everything I saw and all of the people. ATL Speedwerks did great job and running the Enduros with other teammates was a blast. I forgot to get a photo of the "ugly car winner" (in my book), but there were plenty of well prepared, quick, reliable cars there, in all sorts of makes and build levels. I can't wait to do it again! (I have loved the DE experience for a very long time. But now, I just don't know anymmore...do I need therapy? Is this a gateway drug for Club racing? )

I have done a couple of Champ Car events as well as a handful of AER. Both organizations are very well run so it is no surprise you had a good experience. It is definitely a slightly more comfortable and economical way of dipping your toe into racing, and for those reasons, I recommend both series highly.

I would give AER the edge in better prepared cars and better drivers but not a huge amount over Champ.

You are correct about the ugly duckling car. There is this "944" that regularly competes in AER and Champ and you can barely tell it is a 944.

Glad you had fun - keep at it. It's some good racing!

Thanks! Is that the "white and red" one that looks to be mostly white duct tape and has the back top section cut out? That's the one! They were paddocked right next to us, along with a similarly configured companion 944, but they both had issues and left before I could get a photo. One ran pretty strong actually (I'm told for '23 you can't "chop" the cars anymore, BTW.)

I think Champ/WRL/AER are very compelling series, personally. I have done a few champ races and more WRL races in addition to lots of NASA race weekends. Cheap is a relative term but racing in a competitive A class champ car is one of the best values out there, IMO. Big field of competitors and lots of track time. For me, having the opportunity to go race at some bucket list tracks across the US has been the biggest draw. The time commitment to get to some of these tracks is prohibitive for me personally. Arrive and drive with champ or WRL has allowed me to go to some tracks I wouldn't go to otherwise.

Only downside IMO is that you a really beating on the cars hard and often that can end in heartbreak or loss of track time. You can't control what the other cars or doing or how much risk your co-drivers are willing to take.

That is the 944ish that I was talking about. They are as fast as they are ugly and they are pretty ugly.

Haven't read the 2023 rules yet but we are pretty much in a SPB so doesn't affect us much.

Again, glad you enjoyed the series. I enjoy a race weekend where my all in expenses are equal to a set of tires for my Cup car.

Any kind of racing is fun as far as I know, I've done two Lemons races, and to their credit the one thing they take seriously is safety.

When you get bit it's pretty hard to just go do DE, and the racing thrill rarely wears off if you have a semi-competitive car.

After you do a few Champ and feel you're being the quickest person on the team, try WRL. Another world in terms of driver quality, pace and the cars. Both good, but WRL is definitely much more intense.

I view racing and DE as two separate hobbies almost. Racing has a good king of stress and DE is totally relaxing.

One thing I notice is that when I first started driving DE I would get upset if someone was holding me up. Ever since racing I have more patience at a DE and don't really care. I am there just for the fun of driving on track.

A saying I'm fond of ...
Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy a racecar. And I've never seen a sad person in a racecar.
Not sure if it's really 100% true, but it's gotta be pretty close.

Truth!!!

You can't beat the seat time/$ of the "budget" racing series!

--Aaron

Atlspeedwerks is a great crew to run with

I think that sounds about right. I'm going to sign up to run the tracks I know, and have never "raced" on, and see how it goes. I'd like to experience racing at Road Atlanta, since I have sooooo much time there. Ditto, Barber, the Glenn, VIR, Mid Ohio, and we'll see what else. Sure will be different than in my car! Might do Sebring in January, but I've never driven there, so not sure I'll be helping a team. I think DE is on "hold" for a season, to explore possibilities.

LV, one thought... I think I was pushing the limits of my car too much and often, and the racing thing has certainly opened my eyes, leading me to that conclusion. In DE for me, every lap was a "Quali" lap, or close to it, building, and building, reaching for more speed and best times. Was having a bunch of fun for sure, but not "relaxed" per se, more "mental-floss" for me. Weirdly, the racing was more relaxing to me and everything was slower than normal, make sense? Am I nuts?

I am not a good barometer to determine normalness.

I can tell you this - when I first starting driving at DEs I would treat each lap like I was qualifying, to use you analogy, and was driving "stressed". I was new and wanted to always go faster and catch the car in front of my. Once I learned to relax, and concentrate on fundamentals, I would be "surprised" when my lap times fell.

Racing is a different kind of "relaxed" because you can't think of anything else except the race that is going on. Driving DE you might start thinking about what to get for lunch, what a nice day it is, etc., but during a race that never happens for me. My brain is 100% locked in on racing and a nuclear bomb detonating on the horizon would not distract me from continuing the race.

I think once you race more you will feel more relaxed at DEs. Racing is the full course meal. DE is the after dinner drink.

Ran a Champ Car race this year as well (2nd overall at VIR w At Speedwerks) - totally endorse the series and team! I've raced a lot of enduros via SCCA and PCA (if you can call the 90 minute races 'enduros) over the years and was really pleased with the professional nature of Champ Car and the quality of the racing. Wasn't sure what to expect without the formal 'licensing' process but wouldn't hesitate to run again in the future.