Too many options

[billy]

I auto crossed for a few years and enjoyed it, but the relative lack of track time dampened my enthusiasm. I was looking at spec miata, but noriced how cheap the spec rx-7 class is. Any ideas for a newbee looking to go road racing on a pocket change budget?

[Greg G.]

How about Spec Neon? It's cheap, and a lot of fun to drive. Also, you get to start out on the "ground floor" since Spec Neon is a new class for NASA for 2005. Also, it's American . Sorry, Mazda, Honda, Nissan/Mitsu, 944 guys, I'm an economic patriot.

Edited September 14, 2004 by Guest

[tapaule]

Go to the track and watch a race or two, hang out in the pits and see if they are people you want to race against. Also jump in a car and see if you like to drive them.

 

I'm biased for the SE-R Cup

 

The SE-R Cup is fairly cheap in terms of racing. A car built from scratch at the beginning of the season almost took first place this weekend with John Matthew at the wheel. The car was built for about $7500, and that includes the cost of the car itself.

 

This last weekend had great battles for first place that lasted the entire race both Saturday and Sunday. I'm waiting for the lap times to pop up on mylaps.com, but this weekend the lap times were within a couple hundreths, if not thousanths of each other for the first and second place cars in both races laps after lap.

 

John Lindsey blew his motor on saturday, he already has the $275 replacement motor ready to drop in (that's the price delivered in Los Angeles). We had the month off for August, Rob Cadle bled his brakes and gave her a wash during the break. His car took first place on Sunday. On my car I sent my suspension out for it's annual rebuild ($250) and bled the brakes, the car won on Saturday. How's that for low maintenance

 

If you've never driven one, FWD cars are a blast to drive. Good luck in finding a series you like!

[NASA Jim]

I have to agree with Tom, but I'm also a biased SE-R Cup racer.

 

Too bad I didn't see your message earlier- you should definitely come out to the track and check out all the cars and classes first-hand. One thing about racing and picking a race series is for most people it is only partially a rational decision. There's always a part that is just a gut feeling part of it where the car appeals to you on a non-rational level.

 

The next event is at Buttonwillow, a little outside of Bakersfield, on October 9-10th. http://buttonwillowraceway.com/contactus.htm Come out and see the cars!

[BrianZ]

I auto crossed for a few years and enjoyed it, but the relative lack of track time dampened my enthusiasm. I was looking at spec miata, but noriced how cheap the spec rx-7 class is. Any ideas for a newbee looking to go road racing on a pocket change budget?

 

like the others said.. go watch a race or two, hang out with the racers and see if you like it. I picked what I wanted to race by what brand of car I liked (and drove). Of course that would recomend a Honda challange car..

[bsim]

Brad sez - CMC

[924RACR]

Spec Miata - gotta love that cheap RWD action! I'm biased for GTS Challenge - but I wouldn't say it's a good place to start! Rather spendy... Spec Miata (aka Wreck Me Otters) are inexpensive, straightforward, reliable, good driving dynamics, easy to get parts for (Mazda racer's discount), LOTS of people to play with across the country, etc. Perhaps one of the best racing deals outside of go-karting, but a heckuva lot safer... I like having seatbelts!