"good luck with that … these are a major PITA to work through"
So Track Days are considered solo events, or at least the cars are all classed based on SCCA Solo Event classifications and require the appropriate equipment, build specs, and limitations?
Not a problem as I was building the car to the Solo E Modified specs anyway. Somehow I thought that the Track Day events were more of a "run what you brung" kind of thing as I know a few guys whose cars are illegal for any SCCA sponsored track events, and yet they run in the Corvette and BMW Club sponsored track days.
Just want to get the straight scoop rather than pay the tariff and find that my car is illegal or built to too high a standard/too costly to really beat around with unnecessarily.
Any more info on the various Track Day classification/requirements?
Thanks—
wbjones
UltimaDork
11/25/14 6:57 p.m.
track days … no … no classing … any safe car is good to go
more info here (http://www.scca.com/clubracing/content.cfm?cid=44465 )
no classing of cars for track days … again the SCCA goes out of their way to make things confusing … Solo is autocross
TT has 4 levels … PDX is TT level 1 … all it has to do is pass basic safety levels … same as for autocross
TT level 2 (more properly known as Club Trials) is, basically autocross cars that have been approved for the track and then will receive time slips or something of that type … (timing is verboten for PDX) … so essentially it is a push to get a-x'ers interested in TT's
TT level 3 is Time Trials … they have very stringent tech inspections they have to pass .. with correctly dated belts, min. of 4 pt roll bar, etc… and they are classed (auto cross and [I think] race classes)
TT level 4 is hill climb … much more involved tech than TT3
ddavidv
PowerDork
11/26/14 4:18 a.m.
Track days should be more about honing your driving skills at higher speeds than worrying about lap times. It takes several years of track days (HPDE's) to become proficient enough to really worry about running in TT classes.
wbjones
UltimaDork
11/26/14 5:41 a.m.
and keep in mind that if the administrators of a track day event see you doing any timing … they will have a talk with you… their ins. says timing is a no-no
TeamEvil wrote:
"good luck with that … these are a major PITA to work through"
So Track Days are considered solo events, or at least the cars are all classed based on SCCA Solo Event classifications and require the appropriate equipment, build specs, and limitations?
Not a problem as I was building the car to the Solo E Modified specs anyway. Somehow I thought that the Track Day events were more of a "run what you brung" kind of thing as I know a few guys whose cars are illegal for any SCCA sponsored track events, and yet they run in the Corvette and BMW Club sponsored track days.
Just want to get the straight scoop rather than pay the tariff and find that my car is illegal or built to too high a standard/too costly to really beat around with unnecessarily.
Any more info on the various Track Day classification/requirements?
Thanks—
They are absolutely "run what you brung - as long as it's safe". You're in the MA/CT area right? Here's a couple of excellent groups to run with:
http://www.scda1.com/
http://www.comscc.org/
Scroll through their websites for tech requirements & call with any questions. Good Luck with the build & you'll have a blast running with either group.
Both will run at Thompson and the new Palmer MA track (that looks great) next season. Limerock's the home track for SCDA but both groups run all the New England area tracks.
Dashpot,
Thanks for those links ! Suddenly I'm looking forward to this rather than dreading the whole SCCA involvement. They do insist on safety first, which is probably the very best way to proceed, but sometimes the really suck the fun right out things.
The MGA will be nice and safe, and built right to the specs for the Modified Autocross classification. Hopefully there won't be any problems with tech. I may even just bring the car to an even and have it teched without running the event, just to be sure of it's acceptance. Maybe one of the clubs has a tech day where potential cars cane be gone through by someone with experience in these things.
After that, I'm hoping to have some fun. When the chassis comes back, I'll maybe begin a thread in the "Builds and Project Cars" forum and solicit additional advice from those of you who have been through this already. I have a TON of parts from other projects/purchased or traded for over the years that I've set aside for the car with an idea of making the car "legal" for several racing venues at once which a few parts changes and suspension adjustments. I'll certainly need help and guidance with this idea.
Anyway, thank you all once again for the solid help/suggestions/information Once I get the chassis hung, I'll be back for more !
TC
^SCCA is a racing organization - not a track day / HPDE organization. They also do autox (aka solo) and, depending on region, other types of race events. You are barking up the wrong tree if you are looking for track days. I have no idea why that page on the SCCA site exists since I've never seen a region doing any of that stuff. Maybe wishful thinking?... Their email address on the page so you can contact them to see what's what...
Along with the above mentioned orgs, check out EMRA, BMW CCA, Hooked on Driving and any others that run events at the tracks close to you. You can go to the track's website and look at their calendars to see who has rented the track and then contact those organizations.
wbjones
UltimaDork
11/26/14 2:20 p.m.
some regions are starting to push their PDX programs … at least a little…
Central Carolina Region, Atlanta Region, North Carolina Region … don't know about there in Cali.
they're finding it tough to compete with things like NASA for the DE stuff
they're finding it harder and harder to bring new folk into the club racing programs, because of the ease of entry for things like LeMons and Chump … without a "feeder" system (similar to NASA's HPDE)
but you are correct when you point him towards other track day organizations … the SCCA has a long way to go when it comes to overcoming the attitude of "that's not how we've always do things" … which seems to be the standard response to trying to draw people into the track day environment
all my earlier posts pointing him towards the club were because he seemed to be trying to build to a particular class
wbjones
UltimaDork
11/26/14 2:24 p.m.
TeamEvil wrote:
Dashpot,
Thanks for those links ! Suddenly I'm looking forward to this rather than dreading the whole SCCA involvement. They do insist on safety first, which is probably the very best way to proceed, but sometimes the really suck the fun right out things.
The MGA will be nice and safe, and built right to the specs for the Modified Autocross classification. Hopefully there won't be any problems with tech. I may even just bring the car to an even and have it teched without running the event, just to be sure of it's acceptance. Maybe one of the clubs has a tech day where potential cars cane be gone through by someone with experience in these things.
you would be looking for a logbook type of tech day … i.e. getting a racing logbook issued for the car …
if there is a NASA region in your area, I might start there … lots more emphasis placed on welcoming you to their track day programs
"you would be looking for a logbook type of tech day … i.e. getting a racing logbook issued for the car …"
That WOULD be neat, but the car has an engine transplant which removes it from any SCCA classes where a log book would be offered. It IS going to be fully legal for the SCCA specs for E Modified autocross however. Totally different car, I know, but since autocrossing was the first choice, I thought that I might was well adhere to those guidelines/specs.
I don't think that autocross cars are ever issued log books, but I would still like to have the car thoroughly looked over and such. Again, this can wait until the car is fully assembled. Right now, it's an unfinished chassis, a restored body shell, and a whole cellar full of the parts to put the car back together.
Over the Winter and through the woods . . . I ought to have something to show by the Spring, THEN I'll need even more help.
Thanks, as always !
TC
In reply to wbjones:
gotcha. nothing in cali as far as i know. if there is, it has been poorly publicized - which is ironic considering the email I just received from SCCA about their re-org and all the people with marketing and PR skillz...
JohnyHachi6 wrote:
It's typical for track day events to also require the same safety check as auto-x (throttle return spring, battery tie-down, etc). That said, I don't remember ever actually seeing someone check those things. But yeah, anything that's not a convertible or truck/suv, and is in good factory condition should be allowable under most/all rules.
Im a certified inspection shop for bmwcca, pca, corvette club, tarheel, palmetto, and mustang club. I check all those things and much, much more. Sometimes multiple times in a month on the same car. Any car going on track needs an experienced set of eyes prior to hitting the front gate. I do random inspections for some of the instructors as well, as when we know our own cars so well we sometimes miss things. A fresh set of eyes is good every so often.
I'll now finish reading the thread. Maybe have another post.
My last post was premature. Y'all covered it really good without my help.
wbjones
UltimaDork
11/26/14 7:15 p.m.
TeamEvil wrote:
I don't think that autocross cars are ever issued log books, but I would still like to have the car thoroughly looked over and such. Again, this can wait until the car is fully assembled. Right now, it's an unfinished chassis, a restored body shell, and a whole cellar full of the parts to put the car back together.
Over the Winter and through the woods . . . I ought to have something to show by the Spring, THEN I'll need even more help.
Thanks, as always !
TC
you are correct … a-x cars don't get a logbook … is there a NASA region where you live ?
they usually can find a class for anything … and they also have tech inspections that are much MUCH more stringent than for an a-x
and even if you're not going to be racing it (where you'd need a logbook) you can still go to a NASA tech inspector and have them go over the car and offer any suggestions they might see as needed
wbjones
UltimaDork
11/26/14 7:16 p.m.
amg_rx7 wrote:
In reply to wbjones:
gotcha. nothing in cali as far as i know. if there is, it has been poorly publicized - which is ironic considering the email I just received from SCCA about their re-org and all the people with marketing and PR skillz...
yeah … the club is doing it's best to shoot itself in the foot .. and has been doing so for a while … I'm a member, have been for many yrs. but really don't see a whole bunch of change coming