Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums - Looking to get into a cheap racing series

Rennlist - Porsche Discussion Forums (https://rennlist.com/forums/)

- Racing & Drivers Education Forum (https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-and-drivers-education-forum-65/)

- - Looking to get into a cheap racing series (https://rennlist.com/forums/racing-and-drivers-education-forum/32704-looking-to-get-into-a-cheap-racing-series.html)

Looking to get into a cheap racing series

I would like to get into racing, but I don't think I could aford to race a porsche. I'm looking for something I can do cheap, but has a lot of events I can perticipate in. I was think of something along the line of getting a CRX. I know thereare a lot of things I could run that cheaply in.

Buy a kart if you want to race cheaply.

Can't afford to race a P-car, but can afford to race a CRX? The ITA-winning CRX's cost in the neighborhood of $25-35k to build, depending on whom you believe.

What are your primary motivations behind getting into racing? If you simply want to do it as cheaply as possible, don't race. You've heard the joke, right? "Wanna know how to make a small fortune in racing? Start out with a big one!"

If you want to be competitive and maximize track time/learning experience while minimizing downtime/maintenance and repair costs, get a kart, like a RotaxMax.

1. Fast
2. Reliable
3. Cheap

There is your racing program options. Now you may pick any two of the three. :)

Check out the spec series. There are several around being run by SCCA, NASA and others using cars like Miatas or 944 or even 911s. You can search on here for 944 cup or spec 944 for some more info.

Go race karts. Would you rather race five weekends a year, or twenty?

When I raced karts, a $100 one year membership to the local kart track allowed me to practice/test 5 days a week, all year.

There is also usually quite a bit more competition.

And no 13/13 rule. :p

Spec Miata!!!
Of course its a chick car but it is huge in our Colorado region scca. Cheap to build and maintain.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by 924RACR:
Buy a kart if you want to race cheaply.
<hr /></blockquote>I cannot say enough about karts. I've (in order) autocrossed, raced karts, attended commercial racing school, attended the SCCA licensing schools, and now race in SCCA IT. By far the most educational, greatest seat time, thrill per dollar, etc. was karting. I've found that on the race track I lean on my karting experience almost 100%. In fact, it's possible to get more seat time in one weekend of karting than a modest season of car racing. Yep. You read that right. The club I used to race with had an open track on Saturdays where I'd often get 6 hours of seat time, but the approximately one hour or more on race day (practice and races).

Competitive two-cycle karts can be had for $2000 if you look around and know what you're looking for. I guarantee you that karts will give you greater feeling of speed than any car you'll ever drive. Oh, and don't be macho and think you have to race a shifter kart like a lot of guys seem to do. I guarantee you that a Yamaha 100cc powered kart will give you more adrenaline rush than you bargained for. :D

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by 924RACR:
Can't afford to race a P-car, but can afford to race a CRX? The ITA-winning CRX's cost in the neighborhood of $25-35k to build, depending on whom you believe.
<hr /></blockquote>All depends upon your goals. If you want to build a car capable of winning and pay someone to do most of the work, yes. But, if you build the car over a few seasons and start simply by making it legal (bolt-in cage and other safety stuff), it can be done reasonably. Then again, unless you have specific reasons to believe you can build a race car better than the average bear, just buy one. It's cheaper anyway unless you can do all sorts of fabrication on your own.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by 924RACR:
What are your primary motivations behind getting into racing? If you simply want to do it as cheaply as possible, don't race.<hr /></blockquote>Why not? I disagree with this. My car owner started out with basically a SS car in IT and has progressively built a decent car over the last 4 years and he's done this mostly on a shoestring. I've brought a few parts to the game as rental payments, but the bottom line is, IMHO, if you want to race, git yer butt out thar. :)

The 944 Cup runs out of Virginia, Summit Point's the home track. Take a look at <a href="http://www.944cup.com," target="_blank">www.944cup.com,</a> e-mail David Derecola and he'll be happy to tell you about the series. Good people and fun, low cost racing. If you wanted to just try it they even have rentable 944's.

(Tim Comeau on John's computer)
Yep, there's alot of good info above. But you CAN still race a Porsche if you want. Karting will improve your driving by seconds, which is alot! But, if you have contact kart to kart, there can be not only bent axles, bodywork, tie rods, etc., but injury. Especialy if you're in a huge class like I was.Very exciting , but rough and tumble. You already know the 944 model, right? My advice is to buy a normally aspirated 944 and prep it to one of the spec classes that has a group near you. 944 Cup is on the East Coast. 944-spec is growing quickly on the West Coast and is now a recognized class in every NASA chapter across the country. You can probably move between those 2 classes with a minimum of mods, depending on where you want to race. Note the minimum weights for the different classes. See the 944-spec rules at <a href="http://www.944-spec.com." target="_blank">www.944-spec.com.</a> The NASA rules are at <a href="http://www.nasaproracing.com." target="_blank">www.nasaproracing.com.</a> PCA Club racing will put you in GT4S class.
You can check out the thread on 944-spec racing under the 944 & 944S2 forum on this site.
Tim Comeau
NASA SoCal 944-spec series Director

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by John Anderson:
But, if you have contact kart to kart, there can be not only bent axles, bodywork, tie rods, etc., but injury.<hr /></blockquote>Baloney. In 8 years of karting I bent one tie-rod and I had some Lexan homemade sidepods destroyed, but that was rectified with some ABS CIK homolugated sidepods. Oh, I had an aluminum axle bent too, but that was a bad experiment anyway and I went back to a chromo axle. Otherwise, nothing was ever damaged to to the point of needing replacement as a result of contact.

Now, karts do have open wheels and they can occasionally launch a kart into an endo but that is surprisingly rare and even more suprising is that injuries from endos are not at all the rule. In those 8 years, I think I saw someone leave the track in an ambulance maybe 4 times and that includes some large national race meets.

I'll throw my 2 cents in for Sports 2000 w/ SCCA. The cars are fast, great looking (think Can-Am), reliable, and relatively affordable. $15-20k gets a good Swift w/ some spares; $30k gets you a very competitive Lola w/ spares.

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by s2racer:
I'll throw my 2 cents in for Sports 2000 w/ SCCA. The cars are fast, great looking (think Can-Am), reliable, and relatively affordable. $15-20k gets a good Swift w/ some spares; $30k gets you a very competitive Lola w/ spares.<hr /></blockquote>Somehow, a Formula Continental with an enclosed body doesn't exude "relatively affordable" to me. :)

IMHO, the only relatively affordable sports racer/open wheel class is Formula Mazda. Engine rebuilds every 3-4 seasons, a tank-like chassis, and all spec parts which keeps you away from constactly developing the car or buying the latest go-fast parts just to stay competitive.

Noted, S2's are a blast to drive, but I think the FM offers a better cost value and nearly as much speed, with a guaranteed level playing field.

Plus, there are cool regional series all around the nation where you can actually win $$ and prizes while racing under SCCA sanctioned regional and national races:
<a href="http://www.starmazda.com/y2k/sched2003.htm" target="_blank">http://www.starmazda.com/y2k/sched2003.htm</a>

Euro,
There are many places one can race on a "limited budget" No racing is "cheap" however.

One thing over looked is the basic fun factor.
What I am pointing to here is the people you will be racing with. I race 944-spec and love it. The racing is great, cars are cool, and the best part is that I have made some great friends.

Our last event in Willow Springs was really cool since all 5 cars and drivers were pitted together and shared the fun and agony that makes racing what it is. Honenstly it is a complete blast to finish a race and be able to discuss and re-live your events to your friends/competitiors. It just makes things even more fun.

Also some cars in general a more fun to race. This does not mean faster or slower, but you can take more pride in racing them. Consider this as well.

Good Luck <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" />

Mr. Roffe, You must race with wussies on a very wide race track! No, just kidding....I raced for 1.5 seasons with the San Diego Karting Ass'n. and had 3 bent axles, 2 sets of body work. My experience was real. Our class, HPV-4 was very rough and tight. I saw at least 3 cart wheels, one of which I have on video! I went seriously airborne twice. One time, I was in the air so long, they started serving drinks!! I love karting, but it's not as cheap as people think and certainly more dangerous than sportscars. I'm selling all my karting stuff to pay for the 944-spec car. BTW, I was one of the 5 at Willow Springs having a blast in the above post.
(Tim Comeau on John's computer)

<blockquote>quote:<hr />Originally posted by John Anderson:
Mr. Roffe, You must race with wussies on a very wide race track! No, just kidding....I raced for 1.5 seasons with the San Diego Karting Ass'n. and had 3 bent axles, 2 sets of body work. My experience was real. Our class, HPV-4 was very rough and tight. I saw at least 3 cart wheels, one of which I have on video! <hr /></blockquote>Good God, who are you racing with? Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder?? <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[oops]" title="" src="graemlins/oops.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[bigbye]" title="" src="graemlins/xyxwave.gif" /> :p