To club race or not to club race. all opinions and suggestions welcomed!!
03-02-2009, 02:35 PM
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To club race or not to club race. all opinions and suggestions welcomed!!
Ok, here's the situation. I first started doing DE's a few years ago in my 2002 996 C4 and since then I have done between 40 and 50 days and currently drive a 997 GT3 (see avatar). Last year I also did the Bertil Roos 5 day racing school at VIR and am eligible for an SCCA license. I currently do most of my DE's with the metro club and run in the black group.
This year I am seriously considering taking it to the next level and participating in club racing with the Porsche club and or SCCA/NASA. Now here is the dilemma. I LOVE my 997 GT3 and even though I have only had it for about a year and a half it would break my heart to get rid of it. If I were to club race the only economically responsible thing to do would be to sell that and buy a race prepared car.
The second dilemma I am faced with if I chose to go this route is what kind of car to buy. My friend Rick DeMan who currently does all of the work on my GT3 suggests that I should get a race prepared Boxster. He and his staff have actually built quite a few of them and economically they seem to make sense. But the problem here is that what originally drew me to Porsche was the beauty of the 911! Not that there is anything wrong with the Boxster I just love driving a 911. Is it silly to go the route of a 996 cup car and run in the GTC3 group? Or does it make sense to buy an older air cooled 911? I would guess that buying a Boxster my maintenance costs would be the least of all the above mentioned choices. Or of course I could do none of the above and just do DE's for another year.
PLEASE HELP!!
This year I am seriously considering taking it to the next level and participating in club racing with the Porsche club and or SCCA/NASA. Now here is the dilemma. I LOVE my 997 GT3 and even though I have only had it for about a year and a half it would break my heart to get rid of it. If I were to club race the only economically responsible thing to do would be to sell that and buy a race prepared car.
The second dilemma I am faced with if I chose to go this route is what kind of car to buy. My friend Rick DeMan who currently does all of the work on my GT3 suggests that I should get a race prepared Boxster. He and his staff have actually built quite a few of them and economically they seem to make sense. But the problem here is that what originally drew me to Porsche was the beauty of the 911! Not that there is anything wrong with the Boxster I just love driving a 911. Is it silly to go the route of a 996 cup car and run in the GTC3 group? Or does it make sense to buy an older air cooled 911? I would guess that buying a Boxster my maintenance costs would be the least of all the above mentioned choices. Or of course I could do none of the above and just do DE's for another year.
PLEASE HELP!!
03-02-2009, 02:49 PM
#3
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Rick knows how to set up a Boxster very well.
You may want to look into Spec Boxster as well. There are a few cars being built in your area. They should have 10-12 cars up there by the end of this season.
Oh and BTW, make the jump you won't regret it. After your first race, you'll probably be asking yourself why you waited.
Best of luck.
You may want to look into Spec Boxster as well. There are a few cars being built in your area. They should have 10-12 cars up there by the end of this season.
Oh and BTW, make the jump you won't regret it. After your first race, you'll probably be asking yourself why you waited.
Best of luck.
03-02-2009, 02:55 PM
#4
I think most would agree that Rick is one of the best in the business (although I don't know him personally)
You might want to see if he has a Spec Box he could rent you for a weekend and see if you like it.
Properly set up and driven they are amazingly fast and fun...
You might want to see if he has a Spec Box he could rent you for a weekend and see if you like it.
Properly set up and driven they are amazingly fast and fun...
03-02-2009, 03:02 PM
#5
Build a stock class 996. I think this is an up and coming class. Plus, it'll look and feel similar to your current car...as opposed to a change in platform like moving to a 964 or SpecBox.
03-02-2009, 03:02 PM
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[QUOTE=dougdep;6339509] If I were to club race the only economically responsible thing to do would be to sell that and buy a race prepared car.
[QUOTE]
You've said, we've all said it, but not enought people stick to it. Whatever you decide to race, buy someone else's little fortune at a fraction of the price.
I think a boxster would be a great car to begin to race. Buy a prepped car, don't build one, and see how you like the club race scene. It is very different than DE, you need a trailer, a tow vehicle, several sets of tires, spares and there is much more travel and preparation involved. If you like the club race scene you can always sell the race car knowing you haven't invested a small fortune building it.
As for other cars, look to see what has the largest fields in your area. Boxster spec is large in some areas and non-existent in others, for now.
Almost forgot, by all means, do race.
[QUOTE]
You've said, we've all said it, but not enought people stick to it. Whatever you decide to race, buy someone else's little fortune at a fraction of the price.
I think a boxster would be a great car to begin to race. Buy a prepped car, don't build one, and see how you like the club race scene. It is very different than DE, you need a trailer, a tow vehicle, several sets of tires, spares and there is much more travel and preparation involved. If you like the club race scene you can always sell the race car knowing you haven't invested a small fortune building it.
As for other cars, look to see what has the largest fields in your area. Boxster spec is large in some areas and non-existent in others, for now.
Almost forgot, by all means, do race.
03-02-2009, 03:09 PM
#7
Rick knows how to set up a Boxster very well.
You may want to look into Spec Boxster as well. There are a few cars being built in your area. They should have 10-12 cars up there by the end of this season.
Oh and BTW, make the jump you won't regret it. After your first race, you'll probably be asking yourself why you waited.
Best of luck.
You may want to look into Spec Boxster as well. There are a few cars being built in your area. They should have 10-12 cars up there by the end of this season.
Oh and BTW, make the jump you won't regret it. After your first race, you'll probably be asking yourself why you waited.
Best of luck.
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03-02-2009, 03:18 PM
#8
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Ok, here's the situation. I first started doing DE's a few years ago in my 2002 996 C4 and since then I have done between 40 and 50 days and currently drive a 997 GT3 (see avatar). Last year I also did the Bertil Roos 5 day racing school at VIR and am eligible for an SCCA license. I currently do most of my DE's with the metro club and run in the black group.
This year I am seriously considering taking it to the next level and participating in club racing with the Porsche club and or SCCA/NASA. Now here is the dilemma. I LOVE my 997 GT3 and even though I have only had it for about a year and a half it would break my heart to get rid of it. If I were to club race the only economically responsible thing to do would be to sell that and buy a race prepared car.
The second dilemma I am faced with if I chose to go this route is what kind of car to buy. My friend Rick DeMan who currently does all of the work on my GT3 suggests that I should get a race prepared Boxster. He and his staff have actually built quite a few of them and economically they seem to make sense. But the problem here is that what originally drew me to Porsche was the beauty of the 911! Not that there is anything wrong with the Boxster I just love driving a 911. Is it silly to go the route of a 996 cup car and run in the GTC3 group? Or does it make sense to buy an older air cooled 911? I would guess that buying a Boxster my maintenance costs would be the least of all the above mentioned choices. Or of course I could do none of the above and just do DE's for another year.
PLEASE HELP!!
This year I am seriously considering taking it to the next level and participating in club racing with the Porsche club and or SCCA/NASA. Now here is the dilemma. I LOVE my 997 GT3 and even though I have only had it for about a year and a half it would break my heart to get rid of it. If I were to club race the only economically responsible thing to do would be to sell that and buy a race prepared car.
The second dilemma I am faced with if I chose to go this route is what kind of car to buy. My friend Rick DeMan who currently does all of the work on my GT3 suggests that I should get a race prepared Boxster. He and his staff have actually built quite a few of them and economically they seem to make sense. But the problem here is that what originally drew me to Porsche was the beauty of the 911! Not that there is anything wrong with the Boxster I just love driving a 911. Is it silly to go the route of a 996 cup car and run in the GTC3 group? Or does it make sense to buy an older air cooled 911? I would guess that buying a Boxster my maintenance costs would be the least of all the above mentioned choices. Or of course I could do none of the above and just do DE's for another year.
PLEASE HELP!!
The only way for me to go racing now is to do an arrive and drive, write a check and forget about it. Anything else and it adds up to crazy numbers. I have great memories, pictures and trophies but I would probably prefer to have my house paid off than have all that... At this stage of my life anyway
JM
03-02-2009, 03:19 PM
#9
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I did the exact thing. Really, really, really, wanted to race my GT3 but in the end decided to sell it to get a race prepped track car. I decided on a class FIRST and then the car. I went with G and then selected a '93 RSA. Absolutely love it and don't regret it one bit. I do miss my GT3 terribly but the trade-off was worth it in the end. It's a fantastic track car and the consumables are much cheaper 
03-02-2009, 03:37 PM
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I did the exact thing. Really, really, really, wanted to race my GT3 but in the end decided to sell it to get a race prepped track car. I decided on a class FIRST and then the car. I went with G and then selected a '93 RSA. Absolutely love it and don't regret it one bit. I do miss my GT3 terribly but the trade-off was worth it in the end. It's a fantastic track car and the consumables are much cheaper
how did you go about deciding on what class to race in?
i would also like to add that i have very little mechanical skills and i live in a high rise in new york city, hence no garage to keep the car in and tinker with things. most likely i would keep the car at Rick DeMan's.
03-02-2009, 03:38 PM
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I would say sell the GT3 and get a race car. I hear you on being drawn to the 911..... I built a GT4S car and would never go into one of the stock classes...especially since they made the GT classes modified weight/hp. VERY fair now.
DON'T BUILD A CAR! I know, I know, you want it the way you want it, etc. but.... DON'T BUILD A CAR! I've got well over $100k in a car that would be VERY LUCKY to get half that amount in a sale.
Happy to talk about this off line if you'd like.
DON'T BUILD A CAR! I know, I know, you want it the way you want it, etc. but.... DON'T BUILD A CAR! I've got well over $100k in a car that would be VERY LUCKY to get half that amount in a sale.
Happy to talk about this off line if you'd like.
Last edited by PedroNole; 03-02-2009 at 04:42 PM.
03-02-2009, 03:43 PM
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Well, I went down your path about 7 years ago... Unless you have the means to go racing without having to think of the budget at all, I think that starting to race now is not a smart thing to do. Racing and DEs are completely different animals. Budgets are orders of magnitude different.
The only way for me to go racing now is to do an arrive and drive, write a check and forget about it. Anything else and it adds up to crazy numbers. I have great memories, pictures and trophies but I would probably prefer to have my house paid off than have all that... At this stage of my life anyway
JM
The only way for me to go racing now is to do an arrive and drive, write a check and forget about it. Anything else and it adds up to crazy numbers. I have great memories, pictures and trophies but I would probably prefer to have my house paid off than have all that... At this stage of my life anyway
JM
That's what I did. You can't be a wrench and driver at the same time. Also take what ever you have budgeted for DE and double that. Double it again and you have racing, double it again and you have arrive and drive.
03-02-2009, 03:45 PM
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how did you go about deciding on what class to race in?
i would also like to add that i have very little mechanical skills and i live in a high rise in new york city, hence no garage to keep the car in and tinker with things. most likely i would keep the car at Rick DeMan's.
i would also like to add that i have very little mechanical skills and i live in a high rise in new york city, hence no garage to keep the car in and tinker with things. most likely i would keep the car at Rick DeMan's.
Arrive and drive is your only choice.
03-02-2009, 03:57 PM
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i am fortunate enough that to get to Rick's is only about 30 minutes at most from my apartment. I keep an SUV in NYC next to my apartment. I also keep a trailer and my GT3 up at DeMan's. Last year i trailered to almost every event that i did so the tow vehicle and trailer are already factored into my equation.
Last edited by dougdep; 03-02-2009 at 04:16 PM. Reason: spelling