Circuit Motorsports

One thing to be wary of is that some DE clubs do not allow convertibles. Even with a cage.

Ernie J

944 all the way, easy to fix and easy to learn how to drive, my daughter started in one at 18. 21 now and has her SCCA license. She will be racing a 944 Cup or 944 Super car this year. The basic car is tough chassis wise, eg safe. Cant wait to see her mix it up!

Gary R.

Mike - you already know what PCA DE's are like and (I think) know that your family would do best in that atmosphere, so given the parameters you stated a 944 is the car for you. The Miata is great, but be sure that all the PCA regions will allow it to be run, as I know several that either simply won't let anything but a P-Car or only allow instructors to drive other marques. Under $10K, lot's of them available, and they are fun to drive.

mhm993

Mike, about your Q re: "Ladies Days" -- Maybe, but probably not. The one time that I did a ladies day it was a "take your grandma to the track" day. The instructors were told to curb speeds, no promotions/sign-offs, no advanced discussions, etc. Maybe there is a region near you that does a good job.

What I would recommend is that your daughters come as regular novices. Speak to the CI for the region and ask them to select instructors specifically to address what ever you feel each of your daughters would react best to. I think that you are in the Niagara Region? They run fabulous driving schools and in my opinion Rich DeAsis is one of the finest CI's in the NE. We've been attending and instructing with them for years. He will surely be able to help.

About Miatae and passing -- come the the FCA events at WGI and NJMP and see some real Miata fun! Seriously, the speed differential and capabilities of cars in most PCA instructor run groups are rarely at issue. The more experienced and better drivers either know what I am going to do or learn very quickly.

The question was whether or not you want to put your novice daughters in a very small and slow car amongst the P-cars or whether a 944/BMW/Boxster's somewhat higher hp and larger track presence would be easier for them. The lower groups are where you find a much higher proliferation of 400+hp cars but I would consider the size differential potentially more intimidating. Eventually its all what you make it but at the beginning you want to supply a certain amount of comfort.

-- Mindy

Auto_Werks 3.6

Hands down for a cheap easy to drive track car: 1989-1991 Honda Civic SI hatch. I never would have believed it myself, until I tried one out.

Charles A. Toupin

Nice driving!!!

c.

jaje

Were you running one of the HPT Touring Lap days - reason why turns 1-3 is cut out? I have a b16a2 powered EF Civic hatch I run out there occasionally (not often this year). You are giving up a lot of speed in about every corner (I've run about 200 laps over the years just in my Civic) - these cars are so tossable and easy to turn (very short wheelbase) as you can literally just throw them in and slide it out and carry a ton of speed (with an ITA spec car you should not be braking into turn 10 except a light brush to load the front tires to make it turn hard and control the rear sliding out some). Another big area is turn 6 and 14 where you can carry a lot more speed into the corner and use the entire run off area especially in 14 where you need to go all the way to the wall to make that corner straight as an ITA powered car doesn't have a lot of forward momentum. Try a swapped car with the DOHC VTEC motors and the 30-80 hp bump in power up to the 9k rpm redlines and you'll sing another tune.

Auto_Werks 3.6

Thanks Charles!

Jaje, I appreciate the feedback.. It was a touring club event. It was actually only my third time on HPT, and my first time ever tracking a front wheel drive. The Civic belongs to a VP at my company, so I was really shooting for a comfortable 8 to 9 tenths... The major goal was to bring the car back in one piece, which I accomplished. There is a TON of time through the kink, but I didn't have the gumption to push it.. Not in a great position to replace someone's car right now. Could if I had to, but it wouldn't be fun.

Is your civic dark red? I saw one out there last year beating up on Boxsters at a PCA DE, someone told me that one had a K20 swap, so it may not have been you.

Mike S.

Good question and tip off...thanks Gary. Last week I sent out some E-mails to all the PCA regions running the Glen this years. Here's what I was told...usually by the Safety Chair:

Potomac-Greg

I had no idea that you could go to PCA DEs without being a PCA member. Cool.

Gary R.

Me neither! Looks like good ol CVR is the most strict out there! I like that....

jaje

Been there done that with many students cars - keep it in control but have some fun. Hondas usually get dogged here pretty well b/c they don't have the pedigree or associated price tag - but if you really set up the car well and give it the engine they put in the EDM / JDM markets - these cars are very fast and very forgiving...let alone cheap as well.

Yes - that likely was my Civic as I often instruct at the PCA DE but it has a stock b16a ~ 130 whp (wish it was K20a2 with ~ 200whp!) with open differential a very mild suspension setup (street) and Integra brakes. I've gotten it around in less than 2 minutes full course.

The 8/9 complex you can fly through there as well and carry big speed into 10. You'd love turn 3 (carousel) with a car that light as you can drive into it without braking and wait for the (depending on how you set the car for oversteer) rear end to come around with a light touch of the brakes to turn the front - then back to the gas and you can dive in on everyone who goes high and wide.

jaje

It all depends on how large the region is and the ability they have to fill up events with the make of the car club - I used to live in the Potomac region and most of the events were off limits to non Porsche owners. Here in KC we allow all makes and often have groups from the other Euro car clubs come to our events as we go to theirs. Nice supporting each others events.

M758

I agree and have been around racing long enough to respect what a good driver in a well prepared Honda can do. I personally just don't like front wheel drive cars and if I have the choice would race rear drive.

M758

This seems to be the case from what I have see on the west coast. Some regions can easily fill their DE slots and will have very strick limits on who can attend and what cars they can bring. Others always are looking to cover costs and will take pretty much anyone that can play by the rules on track.