Anybody around here race?

Author Topic: Anybody around here race?  (Read 2128 times)

Offline ViperMan

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Anybody around here race?
« on: November 04, 2008 - 06:48:32 PM »
So I've got this, ya know, kinda sporty car.  I live in central PA, and I'm wondering, how do race tracks works?

Pocono Raceway has infield courses, there's a track nearby in Ohio where I work, there's a track in Indiana that isn't too far away...  The "Viper Days" has events at some of these tracks, but you have to pay $700 to participate.  I'm wondering if I can't show up on a weekend when there's nothing scheduled, pay a few hundred bucks to get in, slap on a helmet, gas up the tank and let 'er rip!

Anyone have ANY experience with this stuff?  What kind of hurdles might I have to overcome?

Jeff
2000 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe - 8.0L V10, 6-Speed Tremec
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited - Trail Rated - 4.7L V8, Auto
2010 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye - 3.5L V6, Auto (Wife's!)




Offline bordin34

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2008 - 06:50:06 PM »
You could try autocrossing. One of my teachers does it in his black viper.

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Offline NoMope Greg

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #2 on: November 04, 2008 - 07:00:20 PM »
You could try autocrossing. One of my teachers does it in his black viper.

 :iagree:  That's a very good way to get started.  I haven't done it yet, but San Diego is a bit of a hotbed of autocross, because of the good year-round weather and the lack of a good road course anywhere nearby.  Autocross keeps the speed down and allows you to learn about how your car handles.  If you lose control, all you take out is a few cones instead of the side of your car.  Look at the SCCA's website on how to get started.  Once you get involved in that, you'll meet some people that can assist you in getting on to a full-size track.

I should take my own advice and buy some decent shocks for my Civic and get started.  :burnout: :grinyes:
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Offline thedodgeboys

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #3 on: November 04, 2008 - 08:17:52 PM »
:iagree:  That's a very good way to get started.  I haven't done it yet, but San Diego is a bit of a hotbed of autocross, because of the good year-round weather and the lack of a good road course anywhere nearby.  Autocross keeps the speed down and allows you to learn about how your car handles.  If you lose control, all you take out is a few cones instead of the side of your car.  Look at the SCCA's website on how to get started.  Once you get involved in that, you'll meet some people that can assist you in getting on to a full-size track.

I should take my own advice and buy some decent shocks for my Civic and get started.  :burnout: :grinyes:


 :iagree:
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http://www.scca.com/events.aspx?hub=10

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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #4 on: November 04, 2008 - 09:00:52 PM »
I race !!

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Offline Travis72

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #5 on: November 05, 2008 - 01:27:05 AM »
As the others have mentioned autox is a good way to get your feet wet, however with a Viper you might not find it very satisfying.  The courses are generally very tight (think setup for Honda S2000 and Miata's) and not a good fit for a high hp/torque car without traction control.  However, that being said it is at least a safe way to try and drive hard.

Another option is to consider is a High Performance Driving Event (HPDE).  The NASA organization runs them at Pocono. 

http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html

The first time you go to an event you have an experienced instructor ride with you who helps explain how to get around the track and they have to certify you to drive by yourself.  They typically have 3 or 4, 20 minute sessions where you are out there turning laps.  Check out the videos in the following link from their August event to get an idea (sorry for the Vette link   ;D).

http://www.z06vette.com/forums/f90/pocono-raceway-8-8-08-videos-111913/

Here's the NASA org for PA.

http://www.nasanortheast.org/schedule.htm


Travis
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Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #6 on: November 05, 2008 - 02:00:26 AM »
we had a local club rent the track for a weekend & let us try road course racing at a level we were comfortable with in our own cars for $50 , we had to have a helmet & the car was teched for safety & were offered instruction if we felt we needed it , great value for the $$ .These are the pictures I am sure you have seen of my Charger at the track from August , having studied racing , driving techniques etc & driven for decades I was not intimidated & had the Charger either on the edge or full out drifting arond the course knowing of course that drifting is not the fastest way through a corner but it si fun !!

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Offline wiiildcat

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Offline thedodgeboys

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #8 on: November 05, 2008 - 06:40:04 AM »
.These are the pictures I am sure you have seen of my Charger at the track from August , !!

 :picture: :clueless:
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Offline HP2

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #9 on: November 05, 2008 - 07:13:21 AM »

Another option is to consider is a High Performance Driving Event (HPDE).  The NASA organization runs them at Pocono. 

http://www.nasaproracing.com/hpde/index.html




Second vote for nasa here. You've got a lot of car and it is a highly capable of hurting you if you have never spent extensive amounts of time on the track before. The HPDE program will not only get you on the track for extended periods of time, but also teach you the subtulties of car control you will miss if you just go to a course and drop the hammer.

Offline Rare_T_A

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #10 on: November 05, 2008 - 07:32:57 AM »
I guess before I'd jump off this bridge I'd check with my Insurance co to see what happens if you dammage that sweet car. I'll bet they will have a clause about racing.  I know this will not be popular for some folks but my personal .02 is if you cannot afford to repair it stay home. You just got it so why the hurry to smash it? I guess I'm getting old as I would have never thought this way 30 years ago! :smilielol:
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Offline ViperMan

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #11 on: November 05, 2008 - 11:19:40 AM »
I guess I'm getting old as I would have never thought this way 30 years ago! :smilielol


Yeah - i'm young, so shush.  :)

No really, I think if I had a place that I could drive the car legally in a racing environment, it would A) better prepare me to handle adverse driving situations in real-world events, and B) it'll alleviate the desire to drive "stupid" in day-to-day commuting.  Plus, lastly, it'll actually help the car perform better because otherwise it's never going to see high-rpm usage, and lead to carbon build-up, poor performance, frequent service problems, etc.

I definitely want to start slow - I'm not going to go out on a track and assume I know what I'm doing!
2000 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe - 8.0L V10, 6-Speed Tremec
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited - Trail Rated - 4.7L V8, Auto
2010 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye - 3.5L V6, Auto (Wife's!)

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #12 on: November 05, 2008 - 12:35:04 PM »
Definatly start slow & get some training , simple basics like braking Berfore a corner while in a straight line not in the corner will help keep you & the car on track , driving smoothly is key , violent braking & steering will throw the cart off balance , wide into corners cutting in at the apex & drifting wide out of the corners is the fast way around

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Offline ViperMan

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #13 on: November 05, 2008 - 01:14:38 PM »
Yeup - and see the basics like that I generally already understand, but it's actually being able to FOLLOW those same guidelines when you're actually on the track.  It's one thing to KNOW it - it's another to DO it!  THAT'S the way I want to learn - through practice.

Jeff

**EDIT**

You know, on that topic I'll share a funny story.  You won't believe this, but it's how I think video games can actually HELP you...

I downloaded a program years ago called "Nitto 1320" - it was a free game built using Shockwave Flash that was nothing but drag racing.  Very basic graphics, very limited interface, but you'd be put on a track, you'd use the mouse to slide a throttle lever (allowing you to feather or roll your throttle, instead of just on/off) and would use the arrow keys to shift and use nitrous injection, if purchased.

I played that thing for HOURS and hours and hours.  I had a LOT of cars, a lot of cash, even won a few online races, one for pink-slips on an R34 Skyline.

More than 2 years later I'm sitting on a REAL drag strip in my 2001 Stratus, pulling up to the staging lane at a strip East of Pittsburgh.  I knew exactly what to do - how to watch the lights, how to TIME off the lights...  and on my VERY FIRST LAUNCH on a REAL DRAG STRIP ran a .508 reaction time.

It was one of those rare instances where everything just clicked and I knew exactly what to do.  I think my lowest reaction that night was .503, but I can't recall.  My best time was a 15.1 at 98.9 or something like that.
« Last Edit: November 05, 2008 - 01:24:24 PM by ViperMan »
2000 Dodge Viper GTS Coupe - 8.0L V10, 6-Speed Tremec
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited - Trail Rated - 4.7L V8, Auto
2010 Dodge Challenger SE Rallye - 3.5L V6, Auto (Wife's!)

Offline Chryco Psycho

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Re: Anybody around here race?
« Reply #14 on: November 05, 2008 - 02:11:53 PM »
learning is learning so knowing the basics helps wether on a video game or in reality helps even though the reality is different in reality & car to car is totally different  :2thumbs:

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