David K.

I was ready after 10 years of DE's.......

Sean F

Chris, there are folks that rent 944's and even SRF's. I know Mantis out of Canada rents a 944 for DE and racing and a company called Entropy Racing rents Miata's and what is basically an SRF at tracks local to you for DE and racing http://www.entropyracing.net/

Sean F

This seems like a pretty good option

Vampire

You have lots of car choices in F class. 944S2 and 84-89 911’s are the most common. Different ones have advantages on different tracks. I enjoy F class because of the large amount of competition. G class is much smaller, but has some great races in it.

As for getting started, talk to your chief instructor now to see how close is to signing you off. The paperwork can be moved along quickly if needed. Finding and prepping a car can take time as well. Since it is getting late in the season, use the rest of this one to get some practice and decide on a car type. Talk to racers that you already know.

Do you plan on going for first places or do you want to just have fun running mid pack like many of us? Knowing that may factor into what car, class, and modifications (legal and/or illegal - hopefully not) that you may want.

Start asking for stuff (suits, cool shirt, gadgets…) now for birthdays and holidays.

Did your spouse give approval?

Start setting up a budget.

cooleyjb

The more I sit and think about how to answer this question, I go back to where you mention you went through Skippy.

My recommendation to you is to take the 2 day Advanced class and run some Skip Barber Regional races. You will have a coach at every corner of the races you attend to give feedback. It's a heck of a deal if you really look at the overall cost of running your own car. After you've run with them for a while and start getting a feel of what you like you then can get a car that you want.

924RACR

This may be worth picking up... had the chance to race with the author last weekend, good guy, knew his stuff!
http://www.goaheadtakethewheel.com/

srf506

Go to the SCCA Enterprises home page, go to SRFs and get a list of the CSRs. THose guys will rent you a SRF and I'm sure there's one probably close to you. There are other race prep shops that rent FVs or FFs. Like you said spec Miatas are pretty easy to rent. Continue racing in the Skippy series is good advice. Even go Kart time is track time and that's what you need. Do an internet search and I'm sure you'll find some more.

Just remember, in racing you break it you fix it. So choose carefully as to whether you want to risk totaling a $40000 car or a $15000 car.

Phokaioglaukos

I signed up for the discount on the 2-day class, so I will do that, probably in the spring back at Laguna Seca (a beautiful track and a great area). I wasn't sure whether the race series was all that good, though. I found the instruction in the 3-day class to be good, but not nearly as intense as what I have gotten from some of the racers who drive with me in PCA DEs. Getting instruction is, however, a good thing--particularly after I get some racing track time under by belt. I figure the first races will be just to get used to racing, and then I can think about racecraft and being better.....

cooleyjb

3 day isn't really built for lots of learning. It's built to make money on people who think car racing is cool. Out of the class of 16 that I was in, maybe 4 will ever see a race track. Out of the other 12 3-4 should have taken the one day class before they took the 3 day. Due to the massive disparity in drive quality the instructors are busy spending a LOT of time with the squeaky wheels. The 2 day class has much better instructor/student ratio and will have already trimmed away some of the people who just wanted to see what it was like.

I spent some time talking with one of the skippy guys about the 'lack' of instruction for some people in the 3-day. The beat around the bush but indicated that in the format they run the 3day it's unfortunate. But often they are starting with people who know nothing about track drving. The amount of good instructor time goes up a lot in the 2day.

As for the races with Skippy, you will be racing against some people that just wanted to try racing, some people that have raced forever with Skippy, and some young hotshots that are VERY fast. The best thing about Skippy is that the cars are pretty much identically prepared and tested to be equal every few weeks.

When I get more money that I don't throw at my racecar I'll run a few Skippy events just because the competition is great and the price isn't that bad.

Sorry if this sounds like Skippy propaganda but I've had a number of people in the racing world who aren't affiliated with SB push me that direction when I was starting and I don't regret it one bit.

Phokaioglaukos

Joe, glad to hear the 2-day is better. We did have a coupld of really great instructors in the 3-day, it's just not as intense as having Larry Herman sitting in my passenger seat....

I will do the SB 2-day, already paid some for it, and I will plan on some SB races next year. That will be a great way to see some tracks that otherwise would be a long haul for me.

TD in DC

x2

Starting in a low hp car in a series designed around that car would be a great way to start.

You and I have both been to Skippy, and, while a blast, I don't really consider it to be a "true" racing school.

Enroll in the NASA Comp School at VIR. THAT is a blast. It is like you are taking the first hit on the track pipe, and you will have a hard time backing away.

With racing, unlike driving, I think it is very hard to learn from talking to others. Racing is very much for doers.

I may get in trouble for saying this, but I will . . . if you REALLY want to learn how to race, go in the lowest HP "competitive" class you can. As with DEs, the less HP you have, the harder you have to work to pass people. The harder you have to work, the more you will learn. If you are the fastest class in your race group, you can just pass -- for the most part -- all the other cars provided you are a better driver. If, by contrast, you are in the slowest class in your race group, you will even have to fight to pass slower drivers in faster cars. It is frustrating, but humbling and a great learning experience.

If and when you do allow yourself to graduate to a fastser racing class, you should be able to clean up . . .

Gary R.

BIG difference between an F car and your GT3 Chris. If you want to go fast in a low(er) HP car it's all about keeping momentum. The Miata will give you an idea of what i'm talking about. Take 944Cup's invite and try a 944 too!

Phokaioglaukos

No question about it--Miata/GT3, big difference. I will call on Dave to help me find a 944 rental, and I am finding SRF rentals, too, but I'll start with a Miata rental. One of the questions I really need to answer is whether a low HP can be fun (for me). I see a cup car in my future, but I want to try the low HP cars first!

KRA993tt

If you end up getting into a F car be prepared to take a few steps backwards. There is a huge difference between a GT3 and a 911 of that vintage. No ABS, different suspension, no mistake masking power, transmission etc.....

You might enjoy doing some NASA HPDE 3 events. This is passing anywhere with a point by. Anywhere can mean everywhere you get a pointby. This leads into, should I take the pass being offered? Am I comfortable being passed inside and/or outside of corners? Car control vs the DE line. My .02

Jerseybean

If you get a cup then take you racing budget and multiply by 2. Michelin blues are $1800 a set.