Season Pros: Need Your Advice

[Subw00er]

If it were me, I'd strip a Honda s2000. Its very reliable, rear-wheel drive, parts/tires are inexpensive, its light and nimble, 9000rpm is fun, and its pretty inexpensive to buy - could probably get a banged up one in mid teens. You'd only need a rollbar to be legal. You do have to be 6' tall or less to be comfortable in it with the roll bar in.

I own a s2000 now and may flip it into a track car some day, but for now its a daily driver. My family has owned four of them. Its a great car, and relatively unknown. Some of you miata guys should take a look at it for a (huge) step up. All it takes is one test drive to know.. hit VTEC and take it to 9000 rpm and enjoy! The '03+ cars are 8K max RPM btw and geared differently, different suspension. After owning both, the earlier cars are definitely much more fun.

I'm not sure if the s2000 is you type of car (I'm guessing not) but thought I'd mention it anyway.

[enjoythemusic]

If it were me, I'd strip a Honda s2000. Its very reliable, rear-wheel drive, parts/tires are inexpensive, its light and nimble, 9000rpm is fun, and its pretty inexpensive to buy...

Oh yeah, understand about VTEC as owned a Del Sol VTEC for years (traded it in for my current Ford Ranger support truck). Perhaps i am getting jaded about saloon cars plus the more i see lap times the more my desires are for something that will allow one to develop their driving and engineering ability. Saloon cars are fun and all, though an open wheel car with the inherent variety of setup/tuning/engineering options is in a totally different league.

Am not looking to do pro series or as a way to step up to a major race league/seat. My desire is to continue learning and enjoying the track experience. Sure SCCA may indeed be in my future, though at this point do not plan to be a hard core competitor. Lets face it, i am old and aint getting ANY younger! So 2007 will be a nice learning year and perhaps 2008 could fold into something more serious.

Can truly appreciate the S2000, Miata, WRx, and M3 guys. Those are amazing cars and do impressive things on the track when prepped well with a pair of Hot Shoes at the helm, yet they are not very lightweight open wheel racers with aero package.

Hope that makes sense my friend.

[jlwhorf]

Steven

Take a look at this. If I were looking for an open wheel track day car, I would consider this a look.

http://www.race-cars.com/carsales/other ... 0214ss.htm

Jonathan
900 Monte Carlo PA

[chaos4NH]

Don't let Raj see that tent! That's a kewl tent!! He'll move right in! Hee hee!!

[deimos]

Come to the dark side. Once you go open wheel you'll never go back?

In all seriousness, having driven various cars over the past 5 years, nothing was as fun as the formula vee. It was a great introduction to open wheeled racing for me. If I had to do it again, I'd have listened to Bruce and started with formula ford and moved up to continental. There is no comparison between an open wheel and sedan on track.

There are a few places that will rent you a FF for the day, such as a test day at NHIS. This lets you test out the class and get a feel for things. Remember, things happen very quick in an open wheel car, spins, stops, and laps.

[enjoythemusic]

Come to the dark side. Once you go open wheel you'll never go back?

That what many others have said to me. Besides, it is about time i take off the training wheels and get something more appropriate. The 308 is fun and all, and doing the mods allowed me to tune her and feel the results... but she is so underpowered and heavy Still, the 308 is a great learning car with better than average ability IMO. Perhaps one day will sell it to the next guy who wants to begin track events as she is very tuneable, reliable, etc.

In all seriousness, having driven various cars over the past 5 years, nothing was as fun as the formula vee. It was a great introduction to open wheeled racing for me. If I had to do it again, I'd have listened to Bruce and started with formula ford and moved up to continental...

Well, the deal is done and guess i kinda leapfrogged your wish. Am now the proud owner of a Formula Continental. Here are the details:

RF99 ex-Richard Morgan USF2000 pro car with one of the best Elite Pro motors in the country (6 races since rebuild, we did leakdown/compression and it was very good). The car took pole for the one and only race it did this year (VIR pro races, it came in second place for that race). According to the SCCA timing/scoring and other data, the car does 1:54 at WGI, 1:28 at Mosport (long), and 1:05 at NHIS (not sure which config, i am guessing South oval). No data for LRP as the owner did not seem to run there.

For years the car was always serviced/stored at GTP Motorsports, who is the US importer of the VD. Car came with Penske 8700 triple adjustable shocks with ICP hydraulic perches (serviced by Stimola in 2005 and has dyno sheets. 8700 bodies with 8760 innards) and upgraded motor mounts. Various Pennon aero bits, both normal and high downforce aero packages included. Pi System 2 data acquisition with all major sensors, beacon, beacon battery and a Dell laptop with PI Windows software and data logs. The car is wired for a radio (IMSA connector).

Am now trying to sell my Featherlite open car transport and will get an enclosed unit.