Tony G.

hey whats up im more of a drag racer but I wanna get into this road racing. Im thinking of using a 86 vette. its got a few mods. i would like to know where to find rules and regulations. also is being a automatic going to hurt me. and is nitrious aloud also what is the best way to get into it. is there open track days like drag racing. thanks for the help.

Loren

Before you start worrying about what class you want to compete in, you should just get lots of practice and learn the skills you need. Nitrous usually isn't allowed for safety reasons, but there are few places on most tracks where you could make good use of it, anyway. (Sebring being a notable exception)

I'd recommend doing a few autocrosses first. They're cheap and safe and give you an opportunity to hone your driving skills and feel your car out a bit before heading out to a track where mistakes can be very costly. Check the sticky posts here for more info and a schedule of events.

After that, prep your car (needs to be able to run reliably under almost constant acceleration and braking for 20-30 minutes without overheating or other problems, needs good tires, needs good suspension, needs really good brakes with pads and fluid that can handle high temperatures) and sign up for a track event with any of the area track clubs. Most of those clubs will provide you with good instruction to keep you out of trouble on the track. (like Chin Motorsports, PBOC and NASA) SAFE Motorsports doesn't have instructors, but all you have to do is find a member of that club who's willing to "sponsor" you and act as your mentor for a day and you can get out on track with them.

After you've got many days of track experience, you'll have a better idea of how you want to proceed. Some of us are happy just to go drive fast around the track when we can. Others have that competition bug and want to go racing. Once you start gaining the skills, and talking to people at the track, you'll be better able to make an informed decision about what class to race in should you decide to go racing.

Hit us up with any more specific questions you might have after you read the stickies and check out some of the club websites.

Tony G.

well i noticed on one of the days at sebring it said you had to be 21 to sign up. is that at all tracks. another words do i have to keep doing autocross until im 21 thanks.

Loren

That's a very good question. Being a stone's throw from 40, I never gave it much thought.

You'll have to check each club, they all have different requirements. I know I've seen a (very experienced) 17 year old INSTRUCTOR with Chin Motorsports at Sebring, so I guess Chin allows under 21 drivers. I think he was an exception at 17.

Tony G.

ok thank you for answering my questions but will the vette being an automatic hurt me any. in another words should i look for a different car and make the vette for drag.???

Loren

Most drivers prefer a manaul transmission for the track just for the more direct control that it offers. (an unplanned downshift mid-turn in a car with lots of torque could be ugly!) If you're just looking to have some fun, you can surely do that with an auto Vette. (you just have to force your downshifts so that they occur when YOU want them to) If you're going to get into serious competition, you'll probably want a different car, or convert that one to manual. As I'm sure you know, much in the world of motorsports depends on your budget!

Chuck 98 RT/10

Do yourself a big favor and get some professional instruction first. Something like a two day course at skipbarber.com It might sound pricey but it really is worth it.

Drag racers turned road racers never know how to take care of their equipment. They bang the shit outta the gears, they redline every shift, they lay on the brakes forever and they have no idea how important warm up and cool down laps are. It isn't impossible to make the transition, just keep those points in mind when you start tracking and you'll do fine.

Oh, and leave the ego at home.

Chuck 98 RT/10

I would take a 20hp shifter kart over an automatic anything. But don't let that discourage you, if an automatic is all you got then do it, just do it.

Swifster

Autocross is a good way to get your feet wet. And you'll suck at it. We all did when starting out. Open track days and age requirements will vary by the track. If you got to the point of running in a competitive type of event like SCCA, the age requirement is 16. But these are structured classes and only manual transmissions are allowed. My home club track, Waterford Hills, actually made a couple of exceptions based on the racing experience of two 15 year olds who had about 7 years of karting experience (they had their racing license before their driver's license ).

Check out the SCCA website for the club rules for autocross and road racing. As for the road racing, the cheap way to go is Improved Touring (IT). It's an entry level class, but their are no Corvettes. Check it out.

chi town brat

There is a nice Corvete Club here in Tampa as well. They also run autocrosses at Brooksville.