mrbill_fl

Well then, get a diesel pusher, and 28' enclosed.
-you could even bring the dogs...


Jack didn't show how his 4 track wheels fit on his roof. (and the rest of his track load)

he really has the ultimate DD/sports car. but he is the exception to the rule.


I'd still suggest you do at least 1 event before sinking big bucks into this sport.


*on the race tires, the bigger the event, the more likely tack side service will be available.
At the 48 hr race I'd bet at least 2 tire vendors will show up. (but most of the inventory will be reserved ahead of time)

Deadeye

Sorry to hijack but Jack Olsen, I just tried to send you a PM regarding your removeable wing and was not able to. How can I contact you about this?

And to Karen, if you have the tow vehicle already, by all means get a trailer. Yes a little more complication in your life, but the track experience will be much better. If you have another daily driver, you can take the track car "off the road" and save the tag fee, excise tax and useless insurance coverage as well.

911Königin

My thoughts exactly Hope wife is doing alright today.
My Baby isn't doing too well - just had her 13th Birthday Thanksgiving weekend. My son has been on the computer looking for dogs. Don't know how many times I can handle having my heart broken.

mclaudio

I used to drive my past race/track cars to the track. I don't do so anymore for reasons many have already stated in this thread. I have considered buying a truck/trailer in several occasions, but in the end I always chose to do arrive/drive.

Time is precious and I prefer to focus on what I really enjoy doing. In the case of racing/tracking, I'd rather concentrate on my track driving instead of towing, getting to the track early, maintaining two extra vehicles, etc. I've been there, done that in my days working with pro race teams.

For additional context, over the last few years, I've also enjoyed pairing down what I physically own. It's been quite liberating in a lot of ways.

Horus2000

When just doing DE's I used to drive to the track. I enjoyed it just because of the attention if nothing else. That stopped once I hit a pot hole (literally going 3 mph pulling out of a gas station where a corner of the driveway had washed out leaving a 1ft hole that i couldn't see in my lowered car). That was a $6k mistake as about half way home a high pressure oil line ruptured ending up in an engine rebuild +.

From that point forward I started using a U-Haul trailer. That was most convenient as I didn't have the space to park a trailer at my home. Pick it up Friday night, drop it off Sunday night, about $120 and didn't have to worry about breaking down at the track.

Now, of course, it's a 20ft enclosed, etc. etc. I do miss the simplicity and ease of towing with a simple open trailer though.

SiberianDVM

I did 2 DEs driving my relatively new and comfortable Acura and BMW to the track. During a Georgia summer, good AC on any trip is a must.

Once I got the 911 track prepped, I bought a Sweet River Farms open trailer (only 38 more track days and it's paid for itself!), talked the GF into swapping her 6 cyl Tundra for a 8 cyl GMC Sierra with a tow package, and now DEs are even more fun. She gets to drive her truck into town and get her nails done or look for antiques while I turn tires into marbles.

The hardest part for me was re-learning how to back a trailer, and getting comfortable with pulling a trailer through town. The open road is usually no problem, but you know those idiots who like to pull out in front of you and who expect you to stop? They do the same thing when you're in a truck pulling a loaded trailer. Make sure you have good trailer brakes and that they are properly connected.

Hope to see you around the track some time.

PorscheDoc

Like most have said before, it is nice to have a trailer to tow the car to and from for ease of comfort and in case something breaks on the car. I have a buddy who has driven 4-10 hours to track events in his fully prepped race car packed with all his stuff and tires on a roof rack for the last 12 years or so and this was the first year he was ever stranded at an event. We were 4 hours from my shop, with his AAA he had a $400 tow bill home which easily offset any trailer ownership costs.

I have a 22' open featherlite and a big truck that I normally tow with. I like towing to the track, but it makes the weekend a heck of a lot more expensive too if you are going more than a few hours, but you can haul all your stuff easily! I can haul the wife and dog in comfort. Last year I campaigned an M3 that I skipped trailering and drove to most of the tracks. The $60 fuel bill to/from the tracks was a nice change over a few hundred with the tow rig.

Pros:
Comfortable ride home, it is easy to unwind without worrying about much.
if something breaks you aren't stranded (if the tow vehicle breaks, well you can drive the car on the trailer to get help, lol)
easy to haul extra tires, tools, jacks, etc...or in my case extra tires/tools/fuel for customers.....

Cons are mostly the costs related to towing, IMHO.
Cost of trailer + insurance (usually only 5-10 bucks a month) (i've already had one trailer walk away without my permission and not come back)
cost of truck (if you don't have a tow vehicle) + insurance
Cost of maintenance on the trailer (replacing tires every 2-3 years), packing bearings a couple times a year
Cost of storage if you don't have space (figure $50 a month bare minimum)
Significant cost of fuel for transport difference.

For my view point, I now have 3 tracks within 2.5 hours. Everything else we attend is 4-10 hours away

docwyte

I agree with PorscheDoc. The main reason I don't trailer my car to the track is I don't want to have to drive a truck as my daily driver and I don't have anywhere to store a trailer.

Since most of my tracks are well within AAA+ tow range, I just drive my car there. On the longer journeys I try to get my car into a friends trailer.

Karen, most of the tracks I go to will let me leave the car there overnight if it's broken, but that doesn't really help me, as I still need to get myself home somehow. Also, if the car breaks on Sunday, leaving it at the track is an issue as I have to go to work the next day.

The one time I needed a tow from the track last year AAA picked me up and took me and my car home. A friend brought home my tire trailer from the track later that night and I picked that up from her house.

911Königin

[quote=mclaudio;10063908]
For additional context, over the last few years, I've also enjoyed pairing down what I physically own. It's been quite liberating in a lot of ways.[quote]

+997

[QUOTE=SiberianDVM;10063966]

The hardest part for me was re-learning how to back a trailer, [QUOTE]

Used to be able to do it in a heartbeat, now it takes me three tries 'Practice makes perfect'

[QUOTE=docwyte;10064765] I don't have anywhere to store a trailer.

[QUOTE]

Yep, another added expense

racer

Jack's pictures certainly describe my thoughts better than my words allowed me to. I have loved and remember many of my early morning rides to the track. I remember ALL the long trips (8 hours to VIR, Mt Tremblant, Mid Ohio for instance) because I was in my Porsche. Just being out on either busy highways or lightly traveled byways makes the trips fun. Isolated in an SUV or pick up truck hauling a 5000lb payload (trailer, car, "stuff") ugh. No thanks.

Give me my sports car, a small set of hand tools, a smartphone and a good AAA card if needed. Let the trip to/from be part of the adventure.

911Königin

Racer, what part of VA are you from? Have a terrific friend that lives near VIR.

Coochas

I actually ENJOY towing to the track. It's as close as I get to driving a big rig!

wildcat077

I discovered that a trailer is most convenient after my clutch exploded two seasons ago and i had to get my car trailered home from a three hour away track.Thankfully my friend put my car on his trailer and i drove his 996 home.
Last Spring i bought a Trailex open trailer and my fuel pump failed in May at my first event and at my last event in September i had a wheel hub fail on me ... thank you Lord for my Trailex ... lol

Just sayin ...

Cheers !
Phil

paver

Karen, how many track events have you done?

74goldtarga

I have a Yakima rack for the top of the car and strap an extra set of wheels and tires up there (make sure the tires don't touch the roof) and can fit everything else inside the car easily but the hatchback helps a lot with that. I trailered the car once and it took some of the fun out for me, too much time dorking around with the trailer and ratcheting the wheels down and so on. Plus I hate owning trailers (I own 2 others already - tires, brake lights going out, fuses in the truck blowing, etc.) Obviously there are good reasons to have a trailer, I say drive to and from the track and then convince yourself you need it or want it first.