i want to do some racing. not just so i can get mazda parts cheaper either

but what should i look into? i dont have all that much money, and i've heard that most kinds of so-called "road racing" requires one to buy a 2000$ nomex suit.

to boot, my car would still have to get me to work and schoool every day.

ideas?

 

Find a new hobby.....Collect stamps

 

www.scca.org Look into SOLO II. Cheap to do and you can use your daily driver, realtively safe. There should be an equivalent in Canada. BTW, its highly addictive so be forewarned. Ten years from now You may find out that Sorrows advice would have saved you a fortune.

 

I would of said go for it ,BUT I saw him say

*my car would still have to get me to work and schoool every day*

Cuase once you break something on the track,You have alot of problems ahead,

Does all SCCA classes require roll cages?

 

Not for autox. Plenty of people use their daily drivers. Its a skill based event, not a speed event. But its still fun and addictive and you really learn how crappy a driver you really are. Its humbling till you get decent at it. When you nail a lap the first time your knees will be knocking from the adrenaline. And 40mph feels like 80.

 

Ok im up for it...

Let me use on of your track cars

Dont hold out,I know you got a fleet of them..

 

Solo? Come on.. grow a set.. LOL Road racing is where it's at... sure, the intial cost is a bit higher and most (not all) don't find the idea of a completely bare interior cool for the street, but the thrill of real wheel to wheel racing is indescribable. Though, you have to have a roll cage, which I think is dangerous for a street car. If you really want to get into it, look for a class like IT7 or Spec-RX7.. those two are about the cheapest classes you'll find and it's an entire class of nothing but FB's. As far as the cost of gear, search for Racer Wholesale. My buddy picked up everything he needed (suit, underwear, shoes, socks, gloves and helmet) in one of their packages for just under $1000 American. Hope this helps..

--Danny

 

Sorry Sorrow, only got the battlewagon.

So White84SE where do you race? WHat are you running? How big is YOUR set? : ITA/IT7 is NOT cheap anymore, unless you want to be a backmarker your whole life. And jumping right into w2w raod racing is foolish. You'll wreck/ruin your stuff from the steep learning curve, and pushing worn tired equiptment too hard. A wise/famous road racing champion once said "Good autox'ers make good road racers, but no the other way around". Cut your teeth doing SOLO and move on from there. You and your car will be well prepared for it then. It takes more than a car to go w2w racing. Tow vehicle, trailer, tools, equiptment, etc.... Yes White you can get the driver saftey gear at reasonable prices, that I do agree with. Helmet $200-$800, suit, $100-$1000, gloves $50, underwear $150, socks $20.

 

It doesnt sound like thorin is ready to strip out his interior, and install a cage. He JUST bought his car. So SOLO2 is the way to go. Besides, youve got to learn how to drive your car well, before you get out on the track with everyone else. That just sounds foolish.

What's up with the $150 underware?

 

still stupid. race car is unequal to road car. you can get track time in a road car. for a street car autox is the best and cheapest. all you need is a snell 95 or newer helmet and most chapters will have loaner helmets on the line in case you don't have one. if you want wheel to wheel, get a daily driver then go racing.

 

Glad to see some common sense prevailing. That doesnt always happen here. Too easy to talk ****.

Oh sorry $80 underwear. I was thinking $80 each piece cause I have 2 sets so I dont have to wear stinky stuff on the second day.

 

Is it burn-proof or something? It doesn't have asbestos in it, does it?

 

maquire, you sure are hung up on undies. is this a fetish?

 

Hahah He PMed me thinking I was Carl askin for pics..

j/k

 

Maybe he thought you had pics of me in my underwear?

Maguire, they are nomex for fire protection.

http://www.racerwholesale.com/Mercha...Code=Underwear

 

If you are looking for more of a hooby then SoloII is a blast, I could see how open track racing could turn into more of a job than a hobby relly quick.
SoloII is a blast, it really doesn't matter what class you are in, it ends up being just fun with friends. And the cars there will range from rusted out old chevettes to full on open wheel racers.
My last outing was the first outing for my POS rx7, I didn't even know how old the tires where, clutch was just about dead, and I was in a crazy street mod class due to the engine swap, but I still had a blast.
http://members.sigecom.net/randyh/rx4ti/rx7autox.wmv

Later
Randy

 

White84SE, Well there is a pretty damn inflamatory comment.

I too say go Solo. Its good practice, it costs less, its still very exciting and challenging, and you can use your street car and get it built up slowly. I do it, I have raced a couple cars now for a year and a half and I bought my FB sepcifically as I thought it would be a good autocross car.

Ben

 

Wow a double post..and late?

 

hehe... you know me

 

wow, we've gone from racing to undies to bdsm w/ monkeys.

i know you two guys are together in florida but lets keep the undie pics of each other in that state.

 

Jeezus.. sorry to step on everyone's toes.. it was a joke.. As far as the cost though, I still maintain that you can road race cheaply... I didn't say you'd win, but you can do it cheaply and still have fun. Case in point, we've got an ITS 280Z... it's not blazing fast, but it's a reliable ol' tank. Oh, we paid $1800 for it, and still have less than $2500 in it... and on top of that, right now, I could have my pick of any one of a number of front-runner capable Spec-RX7's for right around $3k.. you just gotta look around...

--Danny

 

The best road racers are usually from the ranks of Solo. The reason is simple. In Solo you try to find the perfect line and best way to drive the car/track/conditions, within only 3 runs! Paying attention to the precision and being use to a steep learning curve gives a driver an advantage where others have "grown up" being able to get by with some sloppiness,, because,, you get lap after lap to try again.
With out a doubt, wheel to wheel is a whole 'nother animal and not all Solo drivers can transfer thier ability to the track because they are intimidated or just not agressive enough. But they would have been that way had they had no previous Solo experience anyway.
Go Solo II for a couple of years BUT , WITH the goal and effort of tranferring to road race. Get as much seat time as you can, and when you start tuning in VERY consistant runs, find a "track day" done by the BMW or Porche etc. club. (( lapping the race course at speed but with no passing and usually no extra safety gear))
And go sign up and work corners at the SCCA events. You can learn alot from the side of the road. Corner Workers are probably the second biggest influx of new drivers,,,,,behind Solo drivers.
In wheel to wheel racing you don't neccessarily have to drive well,,,just better than the guy in 2nd. The excitement of having cars next to and all around is a great time for many. However your goal in Solo can be to have a "perfect run",,, because you have no interference from other cars,,,,,just you and the course. "Perfect runs" are very elusive (if you are honest) and will provide an equally great time.

 

Hell, let's just compromise... find someone doing a Solo 1 event.. there, you've got all three kinds of racing.. solo, wheel to wheel and drag...

--Danny

 

well said racermike thanks. Listen to him. I did SOLO II for 4 years, then moved into some SOLO I, and now on to Club racing. If it wasnt for my SOLO experience I'd be ovewhelmed. ALso my wife and I have done some cornerworking and pit marshalling. You learn alot about how reaces are run, all the procedures etc. Thats a great help too since your not walking around like a dumbass while everyone else is at the drivers meeting.

 

Solo II (AutoXing) costs about $20 to get into. You can use your daily driver. All you need to do is show up and pay the aforementioned ~$20. Loaner helmet, no cage, no nomex, just you and your current ride (whatever it is - I've seen stationwagons, pick-ups, and a Dodge Caravan out racing). The only way your car gets damaged is if you run into something, smoke your clutch, etc. Go and have a blast. If you don't have fun, racing isn't for you and you're only out ~$20. With any luck you'll get a T-shirt out of the deal - you would here in NY.