ninjabones

Since you're question asks "why I don't race" and not specifically why you don't race a Porsche, I think there are a lot of options that won't necessarily break the bank, and that will allow you to answer your own question very easily.

I also don't fit the criteria for your proposed respondents (I'm not an instructor), but I'll answer anyway. I participated in my first DE in the Fall of 2007. I've done 40 track days since that time.

This Spring, I finally felt ready to throw my hat in the ring, but learned from this forum and others about the steep learning curve when making the transition from DE to racing. So I asked for advice and planned carefully for what I felt would be a reasonable entry into the racing world, without necessarily risking my beloved 993.

I signed up for the Skip Barber three-day racing school in formula cars at Moroso (very pricey) in February, and then I participated in the SCCA two-day race school at Summit Point in a Miata (excellent value).

I ran my first race this weekend at Summit Point with NASA in an SSM Miata. You can rent a Miata for an entire race weekend for $1100 with full track support plus another $275 registration fee for the race. Half the guys out there had less track time than I do. The race atmosphere seams to really accelerate the learning process (sink or swim). I've been to Summit Point maybe 15 days in the past; but, I dropped more than 2 seconds off my best times during this race weekend. By Sunday, I was turning very consistent mid-pack times. It probably would have taken me an entire season of DEs to make that kind of progress.

I'm planning to run this entire season in a miata (three or four races). Once I feel more comfortable, I may decide to throw my 993 into the ring, either in PCA G or NASA GTS challenge. However, I'm having so much fun in the Miata, that I may just buy a prepped SSM car next year (fully prepped cars can be had for $6000-$7000).

Potomac-Greg

This is a very realistic story, and hopefully in my future.

Not to scare anyone but what happens if you have car damage to the rented Miata during the race? My understanding is that you pay for repairs. When dealing with spec Miata (Pinata) it seems like a real risk.

ninjabones

Yes, you are liable for repairs. But keep in mind, Miata parts are dirt cheap compared to your porsche (e.g. $300 quarter panel on a miata costs $1200 on my 993... brand new engine is $3000).

RickBetterley

Damn, you are good. Unlike some of the other possible racers, I actually have a car that just needs me to say 'lets go racing' (except for those short gears, which can be fixed, or I move to a different class).
The real issue for me is time and future additional costs.
The answer for me, if I wanted to race, would be to go the Miata-type route.

fstockcarrera

Completely disagree!!
I Don't need a new set of $1700 slicks, to run Big Saucers and Little Saucers. I do @ The Clash. I push my car much harder @ a Race weekend than @ DE so there are consumables that are expended at a much faster rate like the Engine, trans Brakes Bearings half shafts..... You get the point. when I was runing an 88 Carrera a season of DE = $5k-7K. a season of racing is easily 20K if nothing big breaks

Gary R.

Not to mention expendable fire equipment!

I watched your whole ordeal unfold Bob, great move running back and putting it out yourself, the "Safety" people were moving in slow motion. Good to see the damage wasn't too bad.

DrJupeman

Even if racing is more expensive, I'd rather do fewer race weekends than more DE weekends. The enjoyment of racing is that much better. I have also found the camaraderie to be better in the racing community than the DE community (and I think most DEers will agree that camaraderie in DE is pretty good!).

I started racing in 2005. My DE to Race days since 2005:

'05: 16:10
'06: 7:14
'07: 5:18
'08: 3:16

Get the picture?

Porsche917K

Which I am most definitely not at this point in my life.

I am seriously considering racing karts next year. Hopefully this will give me my wheel to wheel fix and improve my skills overall.

DrJupeman

It should improve the skills and will be cheaper than DE or car racing. My wife (Food Angel here on Rennlist) has taken up karting this year rather than return to DEs to save money and re-learn her skills more quickly (she used to do a lot of DEs but largely stopped when the kids came along).

Weston

If you turn your own wrenches and shop around a bit for parts, 944's can be pretty cheap to race... a competitive 944-Spec is definitely cheaper than a competitive Spec Miata. We have a good sized class with plenty of front-runners who only have $6000 - 7000 invested. You can pick up non-turbo 944 street cars for under $2000 all day long, then spend the rest on safety gear, freshing the engine up, tires, and some suspension parts. Sure, some people spend lots of money having some shop build them a good engine, but they still get passed by guys who did it themselves on a budget. And that's not to say that they aren't good drivers too... It's just that restrictive rules really help keep the playing field even, so that it doesn't have to be too expensive. A 944-Spec is no 911, but it is definitely a cheap way to pilot that same gold crest around a race track. It's roughly half the power:weight ratio of my previous track car, but it's still far more exciting to race a "slow" car than to DE or Time Trial a fast one. Approaching a corner at 100-110 MPH while fighting other cars for position is a hell of a lot more fun than approaching that same corner at 130-140 MPH all by yourself.


The majority of the damage I've seen has still been from single car incidents, which could happen in a DE as well. Cars do definitely get into each other from time to time, but it's usually minor, and I'm not even racing under a 13/13 rule (I could easily switch to a class that is 13/13 if I wanted, but I'm willing to take the risk in favor of closer racing). We don't get into the "rubbin' is racin' " mentality, but we are a group that accepts the fact that some incidental contact can happen in our close spec racing. PCA is far more strict and would theoretically have less car-to-car contact.

aeshultz

I need another poll option;

-Tried it, Loved it, Can't afford it any longer.

va122

I wholeheartedly agree! Every time i raced I break something and I can't wrench so i needed a crew. Not only that my class was so close (entire class within .5 s) that everybody had 2 sets of hooters for the weekend (2 races per weekend) and new brake pads. The mod class used new slicks per race. that half sec per lap new tires and brakes is certainly priceless.

At DE's i'll run RA-1s with like 40 HC's because who cares if you're 2 sec slower then race pace. Except those jackasses that think it's a race. I even saw someone pass me under checker pump his fist and make the #1 sign when he crossed the finish line.

va122

I sympathize. I'm there too.

I nearly got divorced when she found out how much i was spending.

aeshultz

Well, it was fun while it lasted....

fstockcarrera

Thanks Dan I need a much bigger fire bottle. Well I least I can say that Charlie and I were both on fire during the race, Except my best lap was a 1:24

Someone once told me that if you can't take a $100 bill and burn it for fun then racing is not for you.