New kid on the block......

[tb1999]

I just wanted to share my joy with the forum.

I have just passed my SCCA Race School over this weekend, and I am the proud owner of an SCCA Club Racing novice permit.

Here's a video of my 5 lap sprint at the end of the class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ejwHlxrd4g

I owe all of this to my friend Dave, he got me started into modding the Focus 2 years ago. First just autocrossing etc, then a few track days, now I'm going racing.

It was his idea to get me through race school in his car early in the year.

Now I can relax and sort out the Focus and get my first 2 races under my belt during the year so I can get a proper regional license.

"Poorhouse, here I come!"

-thanks Dave!

[Sponsor]

[Executionerhk]

NICE i wish i can go to racing school as well!!

[SteedaFL]

Great move...you're gonna love every minute of it. I caught the bug a few years back, and race my M3 every chance I get, it's definitely addicting! Only advice...start saving as much money as you can...you're gonna need it! Seroiusly, enjoy it and be safe.

[tb1999]

Originally Posted by SteedaFL

Great move...you're gonna love every minute of it. I caught the bug a few years back, and race my M3 every chance I get, it's definitely addicting! Only advice...start saving as much money as you can...you're gonna need it! Seroiusly, enjoy it and be safe.

Thanks for the good wishes.....

I know about the $$$ thing.

My retirement plans include acquiring a taste for dog food.

[klemenz]

Nice! I wish I had the time and money to get started...

[tb1999]

Originally Posted by klemenz

Nice! I wish I had the time and money to get started...

Just start off with auto X events and a few HPDE/track days.

Go get the SCCA book "Go Ahead Take The Wheel" which is like every low budget racer's bible.


My friend's RX7 I drove in this video, is a very modest race car.

It has some trick suspension parts but he built them himself, or traded favors.

Taking a perfectly good car and turning it into a racer like I have, IS NOT a smart way to go, it just worked out that way for me.

You can find crashed cars with minor damage, just light front or rear hits with no major suspension/frame damage to build a race car from, it's gonna get dented if you are trying to win races, it make no sense to use a pristine car.

The only thing you can't really avoid cost wise, are tires. Essesntially it's just a matter of "how fast to you want to go" vs "how much $$ you want to spend"

When startging out, you can get some used tires from guys that have the $$ for new stuff more often, and they sell off their worn but 80% functional tires.

[jetrinka]

Dude, MAKE MORE VIDEOS!!! lol. I love watching your racing vids. So darn fun.

[slo1]

Which organization will you be running with? NASA/EMRA?

[tb1999]

Originally Posted by slo1

Which organization will you be running with? NASA/EMRA?

I will be running events with multiple clubs this year doing HPDEs, TT and races, but my long term plans are probabably going to be centered on the SCCA. So the decisions I make regarding car prep etc will be optomized for SCCA rules. I have to complete 2 SCCA races "safely" to have the novice permit converted to a full regional license, so that takes all priority for this year.

I do have great fun with EMRA and NASA, as they do put on excellent events also, but since I'm a homeowner, the importance of the liability insurance provided through the SCCA is very important to me.

If NASA was running spec focus events in the NE region, I might have committed to that series, but that option is not currently on the table.

If all goes well, I'll probably be looking to sell my focus in the spring of 2011, and move on to a RWD platform, possibly an RX7, or BMW E36, or something else along those lines without breaking the bank.

Before I turn 50 I want to be running an open wheel car or one of those sports racers with a 'busa powertrain, so I've got about 5 1/2 years to figure out how to get there.