I know, i know, i should post this in the racing section of the forum, but how many people actually look at that. anyways, does anyone know how hard it is to get started in SCCA club racing or even NASA se-r cup. i am really interested in racing, but i dont know where to start. also, if you have a copy of the rules, can you please email them to me. i tried to download the rules, but my comp doesnt download pdf's. also, if their is anyone who has started racing, can you tell me how hard it was?
I know, i know, i should post this in the racing section of the forum, but how many people actually look at that. anyways, does anyone know how hard it is to get started in SCCA club racing or even NASA se-r cup. i am really interested in racing, but i dont know where to start. also, if you have a copy of the rules, can you please email them to me. i tried to download the rules, but my comp doesnt download pdf's. also, if their is anyone who has started racing, can you tell me how hard it was?
I know, i know, i should post this in the racing section of the forum, but how many people actually look at that. anyways, does anyone know how hard it is to get started in SCCA club racing or even NASA se-r cup. i am really interested in racing, but i dont know where to start. also, if you have a copy of the rules, can you please email them to me. i tried to download the rules, but my comp doesnt download pdf's. also, if their is anyone who has started racing, can you tell me how hard it was?
Its easy to get started. Come on out and work a corner at a race, look at the cars, enjoy.. racing your car requires at minimum roll cage and some other safety items. Plus you need to be SCCA licensed. There is also auto-cross. No wheel-to-wheel, but a great way to start.
they have a pretty easy way to get involved in racing, i found them to be a lot more beginner friendly than SCCA - though dont get me wrong scca is a great bunch too.
im actually doing the "project racer" column in NPM which I'll be writing on how to become an SE-R Cup racer (shameless self promotion).
but yeah.. NASA's step by step HPDE events will get you in SE-R Cup. It took me about a year on a poor college student's budget to get through HPDE and my licence.
asam, can you give me a ballpark on the costs involved?
I'd like to get my license for NASA to play as well, but I'm just not sure of what the costs will involve.
running DEs is one thing- I do lots of them here for free since I trade days cornerworking for the track, but paying for schools and etc is something else.
NASA's step by step HPDE events will get you in SE-R Cup. It took me about a year on a poor college student's budget to get through HPDE and my licence.
What did you think of the HPDE events? What were they like? Do you think they would be useful for short track oval racing as much as road/Xcross courses? Did you go for 1 day, 2 day or 3 day events?
As a rookie/learning stocker, I could use all the training/help I can get! LOL!
I know, i know, i should post this in the racing section of the forum, but how many people actually look at that. anyways, does anyone know how hard it is to get started in SCCA club racing or even NASA se-r cup. i am really interested in racing, but i dont know where to start. also, if you have a copy of the rules, can you please email them to me. i tried to download the rules, but my comp doesnt download pdf's. also, if their is anyone who has started racing, can you tell me how hard it was?
There is a whole series on NPM on this thats ongoing.
Also, last month SCCA announced they've refreshed their Solo1 program and are now calling it Time Trials. 3 performance levels leading into Club Racing.
“Performance Driving Experience” (PDE) - The PDE is the first level of the program and provides an instructional environment for drivers who want to improve driving skills and increase their enjoyment of driving their street vehicle. PDE is SCCA’s unique version of “track” or “lapping” days.
“Club Trials” – Club Trials is the second level of the Time Trials program. This level combines elements of PDE instruction with the excitement of running against the clock to determine individual class winners. Cars range from street cars to fully prepared race cars.
“Track Trials” – Track Trials, the third level of the program, offers closed-course track time, and winners are determined by fastest time around the course. Cars prepared for both Solo and Road Racing competition are eligible for Track Trials.
asam, can you give me a ballpark on the costs involved?
I'd like to get my license for NASA to play as well, but I'm just not sure of what the costs will involve.
Lets see for SE-R Cup the costs involved would be as follows:
HPDE... each weekend (2 day event) costs $270 or $195 per day. (Really not bad since you get on average of an hour and a half of track time each day). This is where its tentative... HPDE has 4 levels 1 being beginner and 4 being the highest. Instructors will ride with you in HPDE1, and from there, you determine how quickly you can move up the line until HPDE4 (the head instructor of your run group gives the ok if they feel you're ready for the next highest run group) ... sometimes you can jump from HPDE1 to HPDE3 in one day, depending on your experience. So depending on how long you linger at HPDE levels will determine that cost. It took me about 7 track events over the course of the year to feel ready for racing.
Only after you've completed HPDE4 will you be allowed to take the racing school - $500 for driving concepts (On the west coast), which is required in order to get your provisional license. $50 annual racing fee, $40 annual NASA membership. Thats once you start racing.
I admit its not cheap... this isnt including maintenance required on a track car - or the car itself! it requires a lot of top ramen dinners, and dedication to be able to pull something like this off... but in the end its worth it. Personally I think the 500 bucks for the race school is killer, considering the fact that other racing schools vary between 1k-5k. i'd like to go to skip barber and all, but on this budget, what NASA uses worked fine for me.
i hope that helped.
Quote:
Originally Posted by MShorten
What did you think of the HPDE events? What were they like? Do you think they would be useful for short track oval racing as much as road/Xcross courses? Did you go for 1 day, 2 day or 3 day events?
As a rookie/learning stocker, I could use all the training/help I can get! LOL!
I went to 2 day events - which i HIGHLYrecommend over going for just one day. not only is it cheaper for track time, but i think theres something about being able to finish one track day, take the evening to recap and figure out your mistakes (which yes, you see the track in your sleep ), and then immediately going out the next day to correct those mistakes.
and the track experience with hpde benefitted me with all sorts of track events.. its even applicable to regular commuter driving (like apexing the freeway onramp for higher exit speed... its safer for merging you know lol ) . Driving with HPDE was useful to me because the more comfortable I got driving, the more i paid attention to my surroundings, and being behind the wheel became second nature. Its kinda like snowboarding. you spend your first couple of times concentrating on keeping your balance, when you get better, you're not even thinking about balance because you're working on the jumps, tracks will always change. you know what i mean?
and autox courses? honestly after being on a actual roadcourse, i dont think i could feel satisfied autoxing anymore lol. but i admit i have gotten better at auto X'n bc of all the track experience.
my column in March's NPM issue has some road racing tips also, from my first few road racing experiences. March 05 Project Racer
I went to 2 day events - which i HIGHLYrecommend over going for just one day. not only is it cheaper for track time, but i think theres something about being able to finish one track day, take the evening to recap and figure out your mistakes (which yes, you see the track in your sleep ), and then immediately going out the next day to correct those mistakes.
Heh. I've been seeing the short track I race at in my dreams for months now. Chicago is having some really tough/cold weather in March and I so badly want to get into the garage and on the track.
Thanks for the advice on the 2 days - I had been leaning towards that only to get some consistent "movement forward" in a stretch like that, plus there are only 2 dates nearby - the first one is in April and I can't make that, and the last is in June.
Having ran around the tracks, I feel like I'll probably move into 2 or 3 through the weekend, but my real goal is to learn how to drive a lot better, even if I stay in 1 the entire weekend - I want to see progress.
I'd like to add that I've spoken with the local regional director for Midwest NASA and these guys seem really together! Very helpful and I can't wait to take my Nissan to track day. With all of the mods I've done to the car to make it into a "street stock" type of short track racer, I'll need a bit of extra help (no passenger seat, so the instructor will have to lead/follow) but NASA seems very adaptable.
Quote:
Originally Posted by asam
and autox courses? honestly after being on a actual roadcourse, i dont think i could feel satisfied autoxing anymore lol. but i admit i have gotten better at auto X'n bc of all the track experience.
Hah! I totally agree - there is nothing like wheel to wheel racing. I can't tell you how much adrenaline and excitement I had my first race last year. Once you get the short track bug...
Quote:
Originally Posted by asam
my column in March's NPM issue has some road racing tips also, from my first few road racing experiences. March 05 Project Racer
I had seen the older HPDE article, but your latest one about the newbie mistakes, I found myself nodding along and agreeing, I make those mistakes! Gonna have to go back and reread - thanks for sharing your knowledge and experiences with us.
Hmm okay... doesn't sound too bad.. probably won't take long to go through the NASA ranks at TWS since I've been driving out there for a year or so already.. not that my last name is Fittipaldi, but I've got quite a bit of seat time already..
guess I'll stop driving for free and working the track and actually paying for some instruction.
Questions about HPDE
), and then immediately going out the next day to correct those mistakes. 
) . Driving with HPDE was useful to me because the more comfortable I got driving, the more i paid attention to my surroundings, and being behind the wheel became second nature. Its kinda like snowboarding. you spend your first couple of times concentrating on keeping your balance, when you get better, you're not even thinking about balance because you're working on the jumps, tracks will always change. you know what i mean?
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