What is a good class for a novice track enthusiast...
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
What is a good class for a novice track enthusiast...
What class is good for a novice running a C-5 ZO-6 with a 6-point cage and basically stock engine?
What safety equipment is required, etc...
It soulds like T1 cars are for advanced drivers...is HDPE a better choice for a weekend trackers???
Thanks!
What safety equipment is required, etc...
It soulds like T1 cars are for advanced drivers...is HDPE a better choice for a weekend trackers???
Thanks!
#2
Burning Brakes
By "class", I'm assuming that you're looking for some type of competition -- shy of running in SCCA's T1 / IT classes on a nat/regional level or NASA's ST classes for wheel-to-wheel racing . . . you're looking at time-trialing.
Assuming you just want to get out on the track every once and a while w/o any type of timed competition, then we're looking at DE's
. . . so . . . . I guess that's the big question -- Competition, or not? When you say "novice", how much track experience are we talking, really?
Assuming you just want to get out on the track every once and a while w/o any type of timed competition, then we're looking at DE's
. . . so . . . . I guess that's the big question -- Competition, or not? When you say "novice", how much track experience are we talking, really?
#3
Melting Slicks
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If you are asking this question, regardless of the various ways one from Laguna might interpret it, the only safe answer can be Group One, novice
Take yourself to to a Thunderhill event as a beginner
Take yourself to to a Thunderhill event as a beginner
#5
Take a run down to Laguna this weekend, Friday thru Sunday, and talk to the racers, tech guys, etc.
This is the final race of the year for the San Francisco Region. I'd suggest going Friday or Saturday since they're running an enduro on Sunday.
There's no cost to get in the paddock and you'll learn a lot.
This is the final race of the year for the San Francisco Region. I'd suggest going Friday or Saturday since they're running an enduro on Sunday.
There's no cost to get in the paddock and you'll learn a lot.
#6
Drifting
Thread Starter
Looking to drive in sanctioned track events that are not too competitive nor restrictive on the vehicle.
What I mean is that I would like to take a modified C5 ZO-6 and run it at a track "once in a while" in some sort of racing class.
Is there such a class that allows modified street cars; cars with stroker motors or turbo chargers and some suspension work....but the car has basically a stock interior except for a roll-bar, seat & harness and is still street legal when the slicks are taken off?
Thanks!
What I mean is that I would like to take a modified C5 ZO-6 and run it at a track "once in a while" in some sort of racing class.
Is there such a class that allows modified street cars; cars with stroker motors or turbo chargers and some suspension work....but the car has basically a stock interior except for a roll-bar, seat & harness and is still street legal when the slicks are taken off?
Thanks!
#7
Melting Slicks
Looking to drive in sanctioned track events that are not too competitive nor restrictive on the vehicle.
What I mean is that I would like to take a modified C5 ZO-6 and run it at a track "once in a while" in some sort of racing class.
Is there such a class that allows modified street cars; cars with stroker motors or turbo chargers and some suspension work....but the car has basically a stock interior except for a roll-bar, seat & harness and is still street legal when the slicks are taken off?
Thanks!
What I mean is that I would like to take a modified C5 ZO-6 and run it at a track "once in a while" in some sort of racing class.
Is there such a class that allows modified street cars; cars with stroker motors or turbo chargers and some suspension work....but the car has basically a stock interior except for a roll-bar, seat & harness and is still street legal when the slicks are taken off?
Thanks!
you can certainly do time trials, where youre competing for the fastest single lap time.
either way you definitely need to start with HPDE's and lots of them to get the kind of experience you need.
#8
Drifting
Thread Starter
OK, but say I get a modified street racer ZO-6...can I bolt-in a roll bar or roll cage, change some suspension components and race in some sort of modified class...for fun?
Or, are the rules so strict in all SCCA classes that they stipulate that NO engine modifications are allowed in stock class and the unlimited class is a pure racecar that is not even street legal.
(basically, I want to purchase a modified ZO-6, and be able to add a few components; like a roll bar or cage, racing seat, stiffer suspension and leave the interior alone and be able to race in some sort of modified street class...is this possible).
Thanks again!!!
Or, are the rules so strict in all SCCA classes that they stipulate that NO engine modifications are allowed in stock class and the unlimited class is a pure racecar that is not even street legal.
(basically, I want to purchase a modified ZO-6, and be able to add a few components; like a roll bar or cage, racing seat, stiffer suspension and leave the interior alone and be able to race in some sort of modified street class...is this possible).
Thanks again!!!
#9
Burning Brakes
^^^ Good advise above, and not seeing an answer to "How much track experience do you have", I'd echo -- Start with DE's, work through time trials, THEN get into w2w.
Ditto, if you're not serious about caging the car, then it's not time to think serious about w2w. Granted, it's about the best fun you can have with extra clothes on . . . but we're also talking about piloting a 3200 lb missle on the ragged edge of control most of the time. Not something I'd recommend w/o a whole heaping lot of track days under your belt already.
My .02
Ditto, if you're not serious about caging the car, then it's not time to think serious about w2w. Granted, it's about the best fun you can have with extra clothes on . . . but we're also talking about piloting a 3200 lb missle on the ragged edge of control most of the time. Not something I'd recommend w/o a whole heaping lot of track days under your belt already.
My .02
#10
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Sep 2001
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You need to learn how to drive and that will start in a novice class.
Of course you think you're the man and ready to race a modified streetcar in wheel to wheel competition, but you are not the man, and while the mods you want to make are possible, it's not very realistic, which brings us back to you being a novice driver.
You would need to check the SCCA GCR (online) or the NASA club rules and regs to see exactly what is race legal, Then consider what is competitive, Then consider whjat class you actually can fit into.
The short answer to your question is you may be able to fit the car into SCCA ITE or NASA SU IF a bolt in cage was race legal in a vette, but they aren't, (for a variety of reasons including, there is nothing to bolt a vette cage to, gotta weld plates to the frame.
Even if you could have a street/racecar, it wouldn't be safe the way you are thinking.
What you want to do, could actually be done in a Camaro Firebird or Mustang, in CMC or American Iron classes but probably not super competitive. there are alot of facets of this question you don't understand and I don't want to type about.
Given you live in VACA, go to Thunder Hill street school, or NASA group one. at T hill.
It will all become much clearer then.
Theoretically you could show up with a rented (Larry OKA) race car at SCCA driver's school in March, have never turned one lap prior to that, and 3 days later have an SCCA provisional competition license
But you will need a dedicated racecar to be competitive in any class, no big power full interior ZO6 is gonna win races, you don't just show up and have that happen, big horse power doesn't win races, (it does help though) you have guys with full race vipers and vettes and lots of years of race experience and big trailers with teams of mechanics, drop into your class from national run off classes, just looking for a place to get an extra group and they will lap your *** in your imaginary bently azure interiored corvette street/racecar.
Sorry, it takes alot of race experience to win races in the San Fran region of the SCCA or NASA. Horse power alone won't get you there
Ya gotta learn how to drive.
In time you may be a champion, every step of the way is way more fun then your current bong fantasy but you will start in a novice class.
Here is a tip no one ever takes but it is such a good one.
Start racing in a Datsun 510 or Miata racecar. You will be smokin fast when you get to a vette racecar in a few years. It will be a much better learning curve.
Who was that kid who jumped from a miata into a vette world cup car, had the looks and the VJ spot on cable and everything?
Of course you think you're the man and ready to race a modified streetcar in wheel to wheel competition, but you are not the man, and while the mods you want to make are possible, it's not very realistic, which brings us back to you being a novice driver.
You would need to check the SCCA GCR (online) or the NASA club rules and regs to see exactly what is race legal, Then consider what is competitive, Then consider whjat class you actually can fit into.
The short answer to your question is you may be able to fit the car into SCCA ITE or NASA SU IF a bolt in cage was race legal in a vette, but they aren't, (for a variety of reasons including, there is nothing to bolt a vette cage to, gotta weld plates to the frame.
Even if you could have a street/racecar, it wouldn't be safe the way you are thinking.
What you want to do, could actually be done in a Camaro Firebird or Mustang, in CMC or American Iron classes but probably not super competitive. there are alot of facets of this question you don't understand and I don't want to type about.
Given you live in VACA, go to Thunder Hill street school, or NASA group one. at T hill.
It will all become much clearer then.
Theoretically you could show up with a rented (Larry OKA) race car at SCCA driver's school in March, have never turned one lap prior to that, and 3 days later have an SCCA provisional competition license
But you will need a dedicated racecar to be competitive in any class, no big power full interior ZO6 is gonna win races, you don't just show up and have that happen, big horse power doesn't win races, (it does help though) you have guys with full race vipers and vettes and lots of years of race experience and big trailers with teams of mechanics, drop into your class from national run off classes, just looking for a place to get an extra group and they will lap your *** in your imaginary bently azure interiored corvette street/racecar.
Sorry, it takes alot of race experience to win races in the San Fran region of the SCCA or NASA. Horse power alone won't get you there
Ya gotta learn how to drive.
In time you may be a champion, every step of the way is way more fun then your current bong fantasy but you will start in a novice class.
Here is a tip no one ever takes but it is such a good one.
Start racing in a Datsun 510 or Miata racecar. You will be smokin fast when you get to a vette racecar in a few years. It will be a much better learning curve.
Who was that kid who jumped from a miata into a vette world cup car, had the looks and the VJ spot on cable and everything?
OK, but say I get a modified street racer ZO-6...can I bolt-in a roll bar or roll cage, change some suspension components and race in some sort of modified class...for fun?
Or, are the rules so strict in all SCCA classes that they stipulate that NO engine modifications are allowed in stock class and the unlimited class is a pure racecar that is not even street legal.
(basically, I want to purchase a modified ZO-6, and be able to add a few components; like a roll bar or cage, racing seat, stiffer suspension and leave the interior alone and be able to race in some sort of modified street class...is this possible).
Thanks again!!!
Or, are the rules so strict in all SCCA classes that they stipulate that NO engine modifications are allowed in stock class and the unlimited class is a pure racecar that is not even street legal.
(basically, I want to purchase a modified ZO-6, and be able to add a few components; like a roll bar or cage, racing seat, stiffer suspension and leave the interior alone and be able to race in some sort of modified street class...is this possible).
Thanks again!!!
Last edited by DREGSZ; 10-25-2007 at 02:55 AM.
#11
Melting Slicks
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OK, but say I get a modified street racer ZO-6...can I bolt-in a roll bar or roll cage, change some suspension components and race in some sort of modified class...for fun?
Or, are the rules so strict in all SCCA classes that they stipulate that NO engine modifications are allowed in stock class and the unlimited class is a pure racecar that is not even street legal.
(basically, I want to purchase a modified ZO-6, and be able to add a few components; like a roll bar or cage, racing seat, stiffer suspension and leave the interior alone and be able to race in some sort of modified street class...is this possible).
Thanks again!!!
Or, are the rules so strict in all SCCA classes that they stipulate that NO engine modifications are allowed in stock class and the unlimited class is a pure racecar that is not even street legal.
(basically, I want to purchase a modified ZO-6, and be able to add a few components; like a roll bar or cage, racing seat, stiffer suspension and leave the interior alone and be able to race in some sort of modified street class...is this possible).
Thanks again!!!
Cages don't bolt into vettes, they are made of fiberglass, there is nothing to bolt to.
If you needed a bolt in out cage, you could weld plates to the frame and bolt the cage to those, but they probably won't pass any kind of Race tech for true wheel to wheel racing, you can start out turning hot laps though.
But I think what you may be askng is that SCCA ITE is a class that vettes fit into with basic safety equipment, a six point cage and any crazy motor mods you want, (except nitrous)
Full race Vettes vipers Porches Bimmers and even twin turbo evos fit there as well and you don't stand any chance of winning in ITE without a very dedicated racecar, and a decent amount of skill.
There is no group that races wheel to wheel in fake racecars or streetcars with minimal safety equipment. people die racing, they are very serious about safety and building thier cars to win
the racing organizations are serious about safety, we don't want you to die out there or kill anyone else.
You need to spend an hour at race tech and it will start to make sense.
good luck