Track racing

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Griffin

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pskelly
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p skelly
Hi, i'm wondering if anyone can direct me to information about amatur track racing (driving around a road course, not dragging). Im interested in the popularity, and types of modding people do for these types of events. Also, is the modding done for track similar to the modding done for drifting?

On a side note, I have a couple specific questions.
-If you are modding a car for track racing, should you have larger or smaller rims in relation to your car?
- Should you have alot of tire or should they me low to semi-low profile tires?


Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give me.
 
in my area we have the stock4 class. Stock, 4 cylinder engined powered cars with safty mods only. Stock tire size etc.

So what mods you make may very well depend on what class you want to run in.
 
Start with the SCCA. They sanction a wide range of events from a $20 autocross to full on club racing in Formula Atlantics.

You can also contact any number of racing schools for some instruction, like Skip Barber and Panoz. They can be quite expensive, however.

Various companies, such as Speed Ventures have open lapping days at popular tracks around the country. This is an inexpensive way to get some seat time.

Finally, car clubs like BMWCCA and PCA have club driving events throughout the year. Try them as well.


///M-Spec
 
Originally posted by Griffin
On a side note, I have a couple specific questions.
-If you are modding a car for track racing, should you have larger or smaller rims in relation to your car?
- Should you have alot of tire or should they me low to semi-low profile tires?
Click to expand...

The answer to these questions really depends on what kind of car you want to drive at a track event, and what sort behavior you want the car to exhibt.

If you haven't tracked a street car before, you'll probably want to run the car stock for a while, until you get a better idea of what you want to change.

Typically, the only things you'll need are a) good, high temp brake pads and b) brake system flush and high-temp brake fluid. Beyond that, just have a car in good working order.

Eventually, you'll want wider rims, to accomodate wider, stickier track tires. Lower profile is desirable to a point, but there is a trade off with weight and the strength of the rim.


///M-Spec
 
The modifications aren't limited really. It just puts you into higher, typically more advanced classes. Stock is good, and you probably won't see what you need till at least your second course. I'm about to go do my third this weekend, and I know I need beefier tires. But thats aboooutt it.

What sort of car will you be autocrossing?
 
Well I recently got a 2002 Lancer. For those who don't know what it is, its a 2 liter I4 with 120hp and 130ft-lb of torque, front wheel drive.

I was planning on getting 17x7 Kazera KZ-V rims http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/kazera/swap/kazera_kz_v_cg_ci3_l.jpg which are 18.5lbs each or 17x7 O-Z Rally Superleggera rims http://www.tirerack.com/images/wheels/oz/swap/oz_superleggera_bsp_ci3_l.jpg which are 16.3lbs each.
Greddy makes the only exaust system I can find for this car, http://www.racerwheel.com/tp-10136610.html but i'm thinking of finding someone to do a custom job for me, dual straight back.
I will eventually turbo it, but I want to do as much as a possibley can with out turboing it because that will probably put me in a class I would be far from ready for.

P.S. before someone posts "why didn't you get an evo man. Lancer sux0rz" This car was given to me as a graduation gift, so i'm just using what was delt.
 
I would suggest, like ///M-Spec stated, that you look into SCCA- or NASA-sanctioned autocross. It's a great way to really learn about high performance driving. You can get your feet wet with minimal investment and risk, and then develop your car and driving at the pace you are comfortable. The classes are set up so that differences in cars are reduced. Also, the people tend to be fairly welcoming and patient with newbies that have the right attitude. I learned a lot about car control in the few runs that I've had; I only wish for more time to pursue it.

The great thing about autocross is that until you get to the upper regional levels, the majority of the success or failure is in the driver, not in car prep. I've seen an event won by a stock Mercedes turbodiesel station wagon... so it's 90% driver, 10% car at the beginning, which is just what you're looking for. That way most of what you are investing is time.
 
I would recommend running the stock class first. Getting the wheels will put you into a Street Touring class, I believe. Plus, if this is your first autocross event, you won't be able to drive you car to it's limits. I would recommend waiting until the car limits you for modifications (that would bump you up a class), not the other way around.

The only modifications I have planned are the ones that will keep me in my stock class. Right now, all I see on the horizon is tires.
 
Thats a good idea, but I can still start stashing money so i'll have it ready :D . I have a question though. How would I go about finding autocross events in my area? How did you find yours? Would I just type like florida autocross or something?
 
:D

Thats right! Learn your car and racing techniques before you slap on a turbo or anything else. You'll be suprised how much faster you can get just by improving your driving skill.

You can start doing research right now. I imagine one big goal will be to get rid of the wicked understeer most front-wheel drive cars show. Look around for a rear-sway bar, I imagine that will help. Most people with Subaru's praise it, because it eliminates all of the understeer the AWD creates. But just keep in mind what happens when your autocrossing. I imagine your first couple of times, like mine, you'll just be happy to get through the course without them having to reset all the cones. Settle. Relax. Take it at whatever your comfortable or whatever you want to take it at.

By the way, I went and found this at www.scca.org:
http://floridaregionscca.com
 
Originally posted by Griffin
How would I go about finding autocross events in my area?
Click to expand...


Griffin, autocrossing (Solo II in SCCA-speak) is a great way to learn high-performance driving. It is very inexpensive and safe. A day at the autocross is about $20 bucks, where as most track events are about $200.

There is a quite a difference between a "track" event and an autocross, the most obvious being that autocrosses are usually held in paved lots or old concrete airstrips. Bona-fide track events are at tracks. In Solo II, you rarely hit 3rd gear. On the track, you hit whatever you car can manage (provided your instructor okays it).

That being said, I feel Solo II is the best way to learn the basics of car control at the limit, and have some fun --for pocket change. You can spend $$$ later on high-speed track events.

Be sure to drop by Groomba's autocross thread for Solo II discussion.


///M-Spec
 
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