samluke

Don't do it! Its like crack cocaine for most people who try. Once you try it there is no going back. DE never looks the same.

As others have said its a slippery slope. It leads to expensive Hoosiers that don't last on expensive wheels and Motons and extra wheels and tires, and whatabout rain , and trailers and and and......

Then you don't want to burn up expensive race rubber in a DE.

I have seen some prefer DE over Racing having tried Racing, but its rare.

I agree with Horus, a cheap way to try it to see if you like wheel to wheel is Chumps or Lemons.

I race both PCA and Chumps. PCA for the intensity and individuality and feeling of self fulfillment and achievement. Chumps for Fun and Team and reduced intensity, but over a longer peiod of time, coupled with strategic decisions, pit tactics, refueling, dealing with problems etc.

ltusler

Being as I completed my first 2 races this year at BIR, I'll give you one word, HUMBLING. I was certain that I was the leader in the northern region DE cup series. WRONG. My overall goal was not to let the Cup cars lap me, in a 30 minute sprint on a 3 mile track. Needless to say that did NOT happen. Frankly I was amazed at the process of becomming a rookie candidate with the PCA and am glad they make the process as involved as it is. It really makes you think about what you are doing and take it seriously. I am totally hooked and look forward to this spring to get the big old X off my bumper. I can't believe I waited (10 years) this long but on the other hand I'm glad I did, this is a serious business and should not be taken lightly, having the skill and the funds to do it should be understood and assured before jumping off the final slippery slope.

chartersb

First, reach out to Club Racers in your region, tell them you're interested in going Club Racing. Buy them a beer and ask for their advice. All racers will tell all for food and drink, we're easy that way. Get them to ride with you for a couple of sessions. They will be invaluable guides for your path and what the car needs and doesn't need. Second, contact Susan Shire, PCA National Club Racing Coordinator. She KNOWS ALL and will explain the specific requirements you need to meet before you can sign up for your first Club Race event. Skippy schools, coaches and similar are all helpful., but start with your region and Susan. Your first race event, practice session will open your eyes and WYP. At your first race green flag start, you will scream in either A) terror, B) Exhilaration, C) All of the above and wonder why you waited so long to go racing. BTW, crack or heroin are both just detox from racing.

FFaust

OP, I am not a racer, but I slept at the HI Express last night.

I did the 2 day race school with the BMW club at Mosport this Spring, and it was a great experience. We practiced driving around the track 3 abreast, dive bombing into every corner, and mock starts.

Check is out, there may be something happening in your area. http://www.bmwccaclubracing.com/Info...ngSchools.aspx

There seem to be 2 schools left for this year, one at Mid-O, and the other at Summit Point http://www.bmwccaclubracing.com/events/events.aspx

dgmark

As long as your comfortable around other cars do it. I also thought I was fast in the De run groups and was getting bored. Did my first club race last year and HOLY **** this is fun. I still am a backmarker but you get better very quickly. There is no greater buzz than going into turn 5 at Road America 3 wide.

xsboost90

just did my first race weekend with NASA this month, yes humbling. Im a pretty quick driver and i push pretty hard at a DE but pushing 100% for a full race is exhausting. A rolling start is something to experience, i say do it and worst thing that can happen is you decide to sell the car and take up knitting.

Astroman

Club racing isn't rocket science. Most people wait too long before finally getting their license. You don't have to be an instructor. You don't have to be super fast. But you should be super safe (and as stated above, very comfortable very close to other cars in traffic).

Just remember to not be "that guy." Lay low and stay out of trouble until you get the "X" off the back of your car.

morsini

This is what I did and it was a good way to transition.

Flying Finn

I haven't been at DEs for a while and even though I still enjoy it, the main reason I haven't done it for a while is because I got bored.

Surely chasing the lap time and/or doing different lines etc. can do it for you but at least for me, after a while, it doesn't and what I find missing is the racing aspect of it.

Some people play tennis without counting the points, or poker without money but without the competition, it can be fun but the excitement is not the same.

FFaust

^ Plus, it's one thing to practice different lines by yourself, but quite another when you don't chose that line and have a car on either side

utkinpol

I do not argue at all with that. it would be silly.

Say, at LRP DE yesterday we had plenty of racers, some even came from CA just to learn this track. it is all i say here - nothing excludes nothing just by a definition of what 'DE' is or assumed to be. it is just a track day, so, to attend or not is a question of time and $ and if it indeed has no value to add more hours on the motor and burn some tires - why to do it?

plus, again, there is a huge disconnect here perception wise. people with hundreds of track days and people like me who did not get to 50 days yet are in different categories skills and experience wise. i am still working on reflexes and some advanced/basic issues to get to the level of built-in reflexes, so, it does not matter much what kind of event it is for me, it is still adding up.

utkinpol

it is not about what line to follow, it is about skill to be able to compute your proper line based on your current position and speed, about skills to predict what car will do, etc. basic stuff. at DE you can slow down, give yourself space and work on your goals. at time trials or race you do compete, it`s not a practice, right? that means that you either do not need much practice anymore (which is awesome, wish i was there now) or may be not exactly honest with yourself, right?

FFaust

Racing is more about interacting with others, about watching who does what and where the passing opportunities are. It's a game of cat and mouse. Skills are the assumed entry condition.

As said above, you don't want to be "that guy", so you must have the skills to be safe and to drive "the line", the predictable line. I do not mean the race line or any other predetermined line, I mean the line that the others will know that you will take in specific conditions.

In a peloton, your trajectory around a corner is set by the 60 of 80 guys around you. Again, it's all about interaction.

FFaust

So, at DEs, you probably won't get bored by the driving itself, but after many laps of driving alone (meaning your own pace), you will start to miss the interaction and playing.

sbelles

Just in student groups or haven't they heard about expanded passing out there?