I'll echo the maturity level of single marque racing in general. Young or old, you get to know people because you've got the common experience. You guys elsewhere have PCA. We have PRC. I'll let any POC guys from down south speak for themselves.

I think the 13/13 is kind of a red herring. PRC doesn't use it, and there really aren't any incidents at all.

Remember, it was a short 15 years ago that NONE of this Porsche only racing existed (except maybe up in the Northwest, someone from up there fill us in on your history). When club racing just started, I remember picking Monte Smith's brain....running his shiny new RSA and racing it all over, towing it in a trailer that had an "HIV Mobile Testing Lab" sticker. We've come a long way!

 

The biggest reason I keep coming back is the track time. PCA gives you a ton. Also, the schedule is usually decent, you are not sitting around all day between groups. With NASA, you get less track time and, because of the DE groups, there is alot of down time between runs. I do race with NASA but I prefer PCA.

 

For the quality of the racing, the camraderie, and the friendships I have made over the years.

I agree with a lot of what Charlie says. I come home from these races and I am still flying 3 days later going over the highlights in my head. Its great when you can keep improving and honing your skills as a racer.

As for trophies, sure its great to get them, and I agree with Larry that they are fun to have and they rekindle memeories of past glory, but I can live with them or without them. They are not the reason I race. But it sure is nice to stand up in front of your cheering friends when they call your name!

JL

 

I think what folks are telling you is that Porsches are often uncompetitive in SCCA due to the class structure. SCCA has two levels of club racing - Regional is fairly equivalent to PCA racing intensity. SCCA National racing is a whole different world - it is very competitive, very intense and no one will cut you any slack if you are in the way of a faster car. I think you will find PCA to be a much gentler introduction to racing.

 

Thanks all for your input. Jupeman, thanks again for sharing your perspective.

For all of the things y'all communicate, is exactly why I want/need to start racing. I've been daydreaming about it after reading about the Road Atlanta weekend. I absolutely can't wait.

If I scuff up my own car, whether racing, DE, or street, I can handle that. But, I'm glad to know that it isn't very likely to cost me a front fender for someone to realize their racing legend dreams.

Thanks again all!

 

Ahhh, oops I also edited my post to NASA, I think I put SCCA by accident. Any comments on NASA club racing? I think when the time comes I will start out with a lesser car, it only makes sense.

 

Prize money

I tried NASA and didn't like the contact I received. Guys driving <$10K mustangs didn't seem to like me passing in the corners and made my fenders pay for it. I think the PCA 13 rule is a bit strict, but with the new car I at least am not afraid of driving it hard.

Haven't met a PCA member I didn't like.


I like

 

Wow Charlie, you write so eloquently! I didn't know you had it in you

But you're exactly correct. I agree with all 4 points.

It was great to see you this past weekend, and you ran a hell of a race! Congrats!!! Hard to think back when we all started doing DE's at Pocono and the Glen that we would end up here, huh?

A newly licensed PCA racer friend of mine was with me and he was amazed at how many people I knew at RA this weekend. Most I know through the race program. Seeing so many friends that we've developed over the years with our track experiences makes things like having issues in the enduro almost bearable. (I said almost....)

Anyway.... I feel safe, I have fun, and the racing is competitive. What else could you want?

 

My experience with NASA, which is a combination of some races with them, some friends racing with them and comments here is that it is very inconsistent from region to region. You need to get connected with the local group for the class you would run and see how they are, as a group.

You might try renting an SRF or SM - very competitive racing in both groups - and see how you like that environment. You can probably do the same with some PCA classes as well.

 

Awesome info, I really appreciate it guy's... Sunday can you shoot me a PM on the renting? Thanks so much!

Martin

 

Racing Porsches
Very competitive classes
Well organized events
Safe
Great people from all over the place

 

I don't run PCA right now because I wanted to run an open wheel car. If for no other reason than my tow vehicle doesn't have the ability to pull a full size car. The other reason I chose not to run PCA right now is that there are very few races close by and I didn't want to be towing all over the eastern/central US to get a number of races.

Alll that being said, I really like the equal racing that PCA can run because they have such a small number of cars to worry about classing. I also like the fact that if you run a number of events you get to a number of great tracks. I also like the camraderie of the whole group of PCA, across the classes. You don't see that as much in SCCA in my experience. Also the setup of the race weekends with sprints and enduros is REALLY cool and one of the reasons I will get a Porsche again and it will be a club racer.

As for the racing that I've been in and witnessed I totally agree with SundayDriver. National SCCA is a whole different ball of wax where 'it means something' to the drivers and the racing is hard. Regional is pretty laid back and some of the local clubs like Midwest Council are even more relaxed and really good places to start.

As for contact those who think that PCA has less/more than other groups are wrong. Every group has incidents. I know that I've said at one point for every group, "They let that guy race???!!!???" No group is immune to morons.

 

Here is the flip side. (Also remember I have the unique ablity to run in the exact same class in both PCA and NASA)

I got my first comp license in PCA in 2002.

I now race NASA and let my PCA club race license expire a couple years ago.

Here are my reasons

1) Events... PCA has only a few races in a 1000 miles from my home. With NASA I can run 30+ races with in 8hr tow and have good strong class competition. I can easly get a 12 -14 races season without towing more than 1 hour each way. In fact I dropped my PCA licnese because it made more sense to directly my limited $$ and time to a full NASA season vs a PCA club race here and there.

2) Full season with NASA vs scatter events in PCA. In NASA I can run for season points and tend to run with the same group of guys all the time. This is nice because we can have good time both on and off the track. The nice thing about racing with the same guys is that you get to know who you can run close with and who you need to give more space too.

3) Around here NASA is focused on making the events and at a reasonable cost. They understand that not everyone has large bank roll to race. In PCA while my local region is real filled with nice people National does not seem to share the same focus on low bucks as does NASA. Interstingly the many of the people that race in PCA or do PCA DE's also spend time at NASA events.

4) Toyo bucks. In NASA the top 5 cars in 944 spec get tire rebates that lower the cost of buying tires. IN 2006 I won the regional championship and earned what came to two free sets of tires. Throughout 2007 despite not winning the championship I earned enough for 6 more free tires. Since two sets of tires lasts me a full season my tire bill is very manageable.

If PCA had stronger schedule in my area I might consider doing some PCA races, but even then I only have the time and money for a few events each year I made the choice a couple years back to direct all that $$$ and time to scoring points in just one region. I have been quite happy with those plans for the past few years.

 

My experience with NASA is limited to running a couple of 944Cup races. Mark is spot on that the quality varies from region to region. For example, NASA Mid-Atlantic is well developed, but NASA NE is less so. BTW, I hope to do a few races with both PCA and NASA this year.

As far as people go, there are people in either NASA or PCA I'd rather not be at the same venue with, so I don't pay any attention to those. BTW, at the races I have attended, I have not met a racer that tries to punt another car intentionally. However, human animal being what it is, stupidity and bone head driving happens regardless of the rules. So, selecting a group based on potential of contact should not be the main consideration.

I highly recommend either NASA (in an established region) or SCCA racing school. PCA has nothing on these organizations in this regard.

 

I first got my liscence w/ PCA at the '06 Summit Point Club Race in my old 944. I ran Sebring, Mid-Ohio, Road Atlanta, Watkins Glen, and Summit Point PCA Club Races in 2007. I also joined the Mid Atlantic NASA region last year and raced 7 races at Summit and VIR. You do get more track time w/ PCA, but you also get what you pay for as NASA is approx 50% of the cost for registration fees for the weekend. Knock on wood, I have not had an incidence w/ NASA even w/ twice the traffic and a lot of slower pace cars in different classes. The nice thing w/ NASA is that you don't have to travel all over the country to particiapate in races. They offer regional point standings and contingency awards in 2 to 3 tracks local to the region you live in. For example, last weekend at VIR, I won $200 in CDOC contingency money and 2 Hoosier tires and a 1st place trophy. I could have doubled these awards if I would have raced on Sunday, but decided against it because of the rain. None of this stuff is worth potentially balling your car up. John H had said there was not much competition for his NASA region, but there is plenty in mine in GTS4 here in the Mid Atlantic. I am also always trying to run down the faster GTS5 cars as well to give them a run for their money. I think both PCA and NASA are both great for fun and competitive racing and one should participate in one or all based on budget and seat time. Remember, PCA is Non-profit and NASA is for Profit, so unfortunatley they have to play by different rules. Have fun, go racing as much as you can, and just be fortunate that we have a number of different organizations available offering "value" in each.