VR Racing Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 A bit about myself. I currently have an '02 Z06 which I've tracked a few times, in both open track days and NASA HPDE. I've also taken both levels of the Spring Mountain Drving School, so I've got some professional instruction under my belt. I've tracked enough to know that this is something I want to pursue. In order to save the Vette, I'm interested in getting a dedicated track car that I would not be afraid to experiment with different lines. I've spoken with enough people, both inside NASA and outside, that the Miata is a great car to develop ones skills on. A high horsepower car can hide poor driving fundamentals. My interest may eventually turn to competing in the NASA Spec Miata Series. My plan now is to get a Miata within the year, HPDE for a few seasons to learn the car, and myself, then maybe get a racing license and jump into the Spec Miata Series. - What could I expect to spend to find a car that could be mid-pack? (I will more than llikely be the back-marker for the first few races after I clean out my pants.) - What does it cost to remain competitive in this series for a season? (i.e. what would my yearly budget be? Both during the season and off-season?) - What kind of maintenance issues may I expect through the year? Both during the season and off-season preparing for next year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davearm Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 Entry level/mid pack car anywhere from8-12K. Seasonal costs depend on how many events, and how much work you do yourself. Try posting on specmiata.com. Should get a good cross section of opinons and support. Dave #66 SM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VR Racing Posted May 6, 2009 Author Share Posted May 6, 2009 Thanks Dave. Yea, I was rooting around abit on specmaita.com last night reading some posts to get a feel for technical issues, and checking the classifieds. I also read a few posts here to get a feel for things. I read one horror story of a guy buying a car from a dude who did quite well in the SM series. The guy that bought the car found out that this dude was running an illiegal engine. It was bored and ported. So I suppose I would need to know the rules pretty well before buying, and really knowing what to look for. Do you have any advice on any red flags to watch out for? The issue with the engine would not be found until I got the engine teched. I could assume if the seals were still in place that the engine was legit. Also, I'm not running my Vette this year in HDPE. I'm volunteering in tech to both earn some free track time, and also to learn. The Tech Director told me that even though the SCCA and NASA have similar rules, it appears the SCCA does not enforce them as tightly as we do. So I guess I would have a concern with buying an SCCA car, and then worrying if I would have a problem getting it teched to run NASA. Do you know anything about that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZipZap Posted May 6, 2009 Share Posted May 6, 2009 The Tech Director told me that even though the SCCA and NASA have similar rules, it appears the SCCA does not enforce them as tightly as we do. So I guess I would have a concern with buying an SCCA car, and then worrying if I would have a problem getting it teched to run NASA. Do you know anything about that? Gross generalization. SM Tech is pretty tough everywhere. Don't get regular tech and class tech confused. Other than a few small differences, like right side protection and HANS, SCCA and NASA are pretty consistent to get a car on the track. If you plan on any podium time, prepare to be poked and prodded a fair amount. Also take a look at SSM. Theoretically costs are lower to be competitive. 10k is about right for a well-sorted car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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