93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 Yea so if it is a thursday im not gonna be able to make it but. I am a senoir so at the end of this year i will be out and ready to race full time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Setting goals is a good thing. Hopefully you will get a few HPDEs under your belt and be closer towards comp school once you have more time. There are only 7 (maybe 8 for 2008 ) Mid-Atlantic weekends per season. Not too many, so it makes it easier to fit them all in. You have pics of your car so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 No but i will wen i start to build my cage. But my car has already been gutted because we got it as a shell so i need to start to put it together i have pretty much all my parts. But of course i dont have every thing. But can u put a body kit or your car or is it stock body only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Rule number one. Only spend as much money on this car as you would be willing to set on fire. There are limitations as to body add ons. Check the rules. But honestly, why waste the money? You have to be willing to push this car off a cliff once you put it into competition. I wouldnt bother with a body kit. Thats money for tires and brakes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 OO iight good thanks for the info man. I was jus wondering to see about down force n stuff like areodynamics but i understand about the whole gettin the car hit n beat up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Its not getting hit or beat up that is the main issue. If you look at pictures of all the CMC cars in the country, you will notice one thing. They all look fairly stock. There are very few body mods allowed. Those mods keep the car still looking relatively stock. Example. I wanted better brake cooling and was looking for a front spoiler. I could have purchased something for 400-800$ that would have looked cool but not really fit my needs perfectly. Instead, I spent less than 30$ for some duct adaptors, screws, and a piece of sheet metal to make a spoiler. If it gets destroyed going off the track for some reason, its not a great loss. Keep in mind that entry fees are 300-450$ per weekend You will need 15-25 gallons of fuel per weekend. (45-75$) If you tow the car you'll need 100-300$ in fuel for the tow vehicle. Thats 445-825$ per weekend and doesnt include food/ hotel or camping/ paddock electricity. So 7 events at 800$ is $5600 worst case scenario. Something to think about. You still need tires at 800$/set. (in HPDE you can use street tires that will last 1-2 seasons until you get to comp school). You'll need track pads 180-450$ for all four corners. (Not including new rotors) These reoccurring expenses are what you need to save for if you are going to run all year. Also keep in mind that VIR is a 3 day event. Friday will cost you more money as the basic entry fee is for sat-sun. You also have to travel thursday to be there 0730 friday am. This means another day from work or school. Note: If you make it for HPDE1 at the first two VIR events you would have to be there 0730 saturday morning....but keep in mind super-comp school is on Friday. If you attend EVERY NASA event in 2008, you MIGHT make it for Super Comp school in Feb or March of 2009...Maybe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 ok well wat are the cost of the driving school and all the HPDE thing that u need to take Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 OO yea one more thing is it possible to bring your own car to the HPDE's and comp school or do u have to use a car that they provide because i can have my car built by the 2008 beginig or at the latest mid season. Because i would like to get as much time in the car as possible before i take it to a real race. And do u use a hahns device or a neck support system Because i will have to get one if u do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimgood Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 Kyle, You really need a reality check. Something you need to understand is that racing is serious business. You don't get to go racing just because you put a car together. The sactioning body (e.g. NASA or SCCA) needs to be confident that you can race safely and you aren't going to go out there and bash up other peoples cars or worse, kill someone. As a result, you need to develop the skills to drive a car at speed safely. None of us care how good or safe you think you are. You have to prove it by going through the High Performance Driver Education (HPDE) program. The HPDE program is well structured, especially in the Mid-Atlantic region. You will pay approx. $350 per weekend and you can bring any street car, so you don't have to have a race ready car to get started. During an HPDE event, you'll receive classroom instruction and 3 - 4 instructed track sessions per day. Your car has to have a passenger seat for the instructor. Your instructor will teach you how to drive the track and asses how well you're demonstrating the skills that are expected at a given HPDE level. HPDE is safer than racing because the passing rules are more strict. It limits the potential for someone to get into trouble making late passes. Your progress through the program depends on YOU; on your ability to demonstrate the required skills and attitude. Each NASA region does HPDE slightly differently and will have slightly different requirements for getting a Provisional Competition License. You'll have to check with the region with which you run on the exact requirements. Once you're cleared to try for your Provisional License, you will need a car that conforms to the CCR and Class Rules, in your case CMC. It has to conform to these rules to ensure it is safe on the track and it doesn't have any modifications that could make it competitively unfair. So, to summarize: 1. Find or build a car that conforms to at least the HPDE requirements (conforming to race requirements is optional). Again, read the HPDE section of the CCR. Basically, the car has to be roadworthy. 2. Attend as many HPDE weekends as it takes to for you and NASA to feel comfortable with your skills in HPDE 1 -> HPDE 2 -> HPDE 3. It can, and probably will, take more than one weekend at each level. 3. Apply for your NASA Provisional License. Make sure your car is race ready (conforms to all applicable rules). In order to do this, you actually have to read the rules and read them very carefully. 4. Attend a Comp School weekend and get evaluated for your Provisional License. If you pass the eval, you'll be racing that weekend. You may now race at any event in your region as a rookie driver. 5. After some number of races with no incidents, you'll be able to apply for a Competition License. When you get the comp license you'll be able to race in events in any NASA region. SCCA does things differently and it's theoretically possible to get a license in as few as 2 weekends. But once you have an SCCA license, NASA will give you a license. You can read their procedures here: http://www.scca.org/contentpage.aspx?content=43 However, there's no guarantee that you'll complete their requirements in two weekends. And I doubt very seriously that you'll be as safe and skilled a driver as someone that goes through the NASA program. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 Hey i know what it takes to be safe on a race track i have raced before. And i know that i need alot of skill to drive as a competitor. And i understand that because i am young people dont really care what i have to say and that is what i am here to prove that i can be a good racer and competitor. I am willing to do what ever it takes to drive in this class. So when the time comes to prove that i have what it takes i will be ready to show that i am understanding enough to race as a real competitor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 Because i have bein in serious crash in the other form of racing that i was in. That was the fault of another person where i was put in the hospital for 4 days. And i am very willing to take every thing that i will learn very seriously in this new form of racing that i want to join so for the reality check remark i do understand there friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 28, 2007 Share Posted October 28, 2007 You really need a reality check. Jim has a point here. Your questions show that you are not reading the information we have shared with you above. Everything is layed out clearly. ...And i am very willing to take every thing that i will learn very seriously .... This is good. So start by reading about HPDE. Read the CCRs. and then ask questions from there. Have you joined NASA yet? That is the first step. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 28, 2007 Author Share Posted October 28, 2007 Im trying to learn so i can understand what i need to do. And i have read both rule books already and i am going to read them again. I just wanted some info from the people who know what to do in this class. And i going to join NASA with in the week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 excellent. From here you decide where and when you want to start in HPDE. Register for that event the day registration opens. These events fill up in 5 days or less once registration is live. Now that you have registered for an event, you have a target date. Make sure you have a car that works reliably. It only needs to be a safe street car. Nothing else is needed. You can rent a car from avis or whoever and use that if needed. Anything will do. Bring a helmet, long pants, closed toe shoes, long sleeve shirt and an open mind. You have to attend the driver's meeting approx 0730-0745. Your first bit on the schedule will be classroom, then once on track before lunch then classroom, on track, and on track again at the end of the day. It is imperative that you attend classroom. Often, there are track passes given out in class. No pass, no track time. simple. You must be up to grid 10-15 minutes before your session starts, if you are lucky your instructor is early too and spends that time discussing what you will be working on and possibly reflecting on the previous session or classroom info. That is the long and short of what you need to know. join NASA register for an event. Bring a reliable street car and a helmet. Thats it. ...I just wanted some info from the people who know what to do in this class. .... once you are at the track for HPDE, you will be able to meet the racers and check out the CMC cars and take pictures and notes. It will take a year at minimum to get through HPDE toward comp school if you attend every event. have you read this new thread? http://www.nasaforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=18505 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 29, 2007 Author Share Posted October 29, 2007 Ok thaks for the run down on the HPDE's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 No worries dude. I am subsidized by the government to sit here and wait for your questions ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimgood Posted October 29, 2007 Share Posted October 29, 2007 Im trying to learn so i can understand what i need to do. And i have read both rule books already and i am going to read them again. I just wanted some info from the people who know what to do in this class. And i going to join NASA with in the week. I suggest you narrow your focus to the HPDE section of the CCR. Digest that and you should have all your basic questions answered. Beyond that, search the HPDE forum for threads that have first in the title. There should be plenty of advice for first timers about car prep and what to expect. You've only scratched the surface. The more you dig the more there is to learn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 30, 2007 Author Share Posted October 30, 2007 Ok thanks for all the info guys I hope to see all of yous at the track in the near future and does any one here also race the scca american sedan class or no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Renntag Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 scca ? never heard of it. Is that a govt agency? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimgood Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 scca ? never heard of it. Is that a govt agency? I've heard of it. It's the place to go if you're in a hurry to become a race car driver! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 30, 2007 Author Share Posted October 30, 2007 Nah it has the same basic requirment you have to meet you can jus start racing earlier then NASA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyingDog Posted October 30, 2007 Share Posted October 30, 2007 Nah it has the same basic requirment you have to meet you can jus start racing earlier then NASAYou can go to Skippy then race in either one.... but that is expensive and not recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
93stang CMC Posted October 31, 2007 Author Share Posted October 31, 2007 OOOi wasnt goin to skipsbarbers that is way to expensive for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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