Possible ways to get back into racing.

[jatoth]

Well, now that I have a sporty car, I have gotten the bug to race again. Here's the problem. With all of my other hobbies, I just can't justify the money it would take to make the G35 truly competitive (extra wheels/tires as well as HP and suspensions mods.) Due to my job and family, I can't commit to making every event during a season either.

What are my possible solutions? As I see it I have only two.

Race the G35 as is, whenever I have time, on my street tires, get my butt kicked, but have some fun.

Race someone elses car.

For the second option, I am willing to make an offer. I always see people talking about the trouble they are having getting hotels for the out of town events. I just happen to have a brand new fifth wheel R/V that I would be willing to tow to/from the event and provide lodging in return for a co-drive.

Is this something that anyone would be interested in?

Obviously I can't offer to be a season long co-driver/tire warmer, but for individual events, I would like to try to work something out.

I just wanted to get a feel for the group's opinion on this, and guage interest. For those of you who don't know, this is a 33' trailer with 3 slide outs that can supposedly sleep 7. Realistically 5 adults would be the max, and that would be a little cramped.

[Dean!]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

Do what Sean does... just race what you got. He did most of last year on his regular street tires.

I'd choose the BMWCCA and Porsche PCA events since you get double the runs for the same amount of money on a 1.5 mile course and it is sooooo much fun, with half the cars as SCCA and ER events.

It satisfies "an" autocross-need and gets you some practice and you're on a pretty open course, instead of a 20-35 second course at Pennington with 3-4 runs total.

If you want to have fun, do those events when you can....

This very weekend is a time trial event at Mineral Wells with the PCA - I got 12 runs last time !

[jatoth]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

I have been wanting to make one of the TMS Bus Lot events. If Mineral Wells is as hard on tires as Fair claims, I'm not sure I want to run my street tires there. In addition, It is easier to talk the wife into it if I don't tack four hours of drive time in addition to the event. She doesn't like it when I'm away from home for too long.

[Redwood]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

I ran on street tires all last year and did okay. Just look at it as an excuse to get better tires than the ones that came on the car (Turanzas, right?). I'm with you on not wanting to go out to Mineral Wells.

[Dean!]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

I have been wanting to make one of the TMS Bus Lot events. If Mineral Wells is as hard on tires as Fair claims, I'm not sure I want to run my street tires there. In addition, It is easier to talk the wife into it if I don't tack four hours of drive time in addition to the event. She doesn't like it when I'm away from home for too long.

Remember, Fair is running on street tires that cost MORE than r-compounds and wear faster than R-compounds, and have the same grip as r-compounds! (Like used GSC-S and Toyos)

Case in point, Jeremy and I documented every single run we made while I co-drove his car last year in a detailed spreadsheet.

We get 121 runs out of a set of Toyo Proxes RA-1 R-compound 255/40/17 tires on the 1.5 mile courses at Mineral Wells. They cost us $158.00 on www.bmwwheels.com coincidentally.

We made approximately 240 runs last year and we used the second set and still had plenty of tread after the test and tune that Vorshlag setup earlier this year, too.

121 runs means you'd have to attend 30 SCCA type events....that's every other weekend for an entire year....

[Redwood]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

Remember, Fair is running on street tires that cost MORE than r-compounds and wear faster than R-compounds, and have the same grip as r-compounds! (Like used GSC-S and Toyos)

You're misconstruing the facts. The Falken RT-615s that they run are $137/ea. They would be more expensive if they went with the Yokohamas or Bridgestones.

[Dean!]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

You're misconstruing the facts. The Falken RT-615s that they run are $137/ea. They would be more expensive if they went with the Yokohamas or Bridgestones.

Well, all I ever hear are Paul's (Magyar) prices I thought Azenis were more pricier than that ? Like $170 a piece in the correct sizes? Are you looking at H-rated or Z-rated? 275/40's are $172 and 255/40 are $152

Here's the link: http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/fin...lton&tc=FALHZA

Size Price

205/40R-16 83W XL B $109.00
205/40R-17 84W XL B $122.00
205/50R-15 89W XL B $102.00
215/40R-17 87W XL B $129.00
215/45R-17 87W OWL $147.00
225/40R-18 92W XL B $157.00
225/45R-17 94W XL B $147.00
225/45R-18 91W BLK $186.00
225/50R-16 92W XL OW $133.00
235/40R-18 95W XL B $165.00
245/40R-18 97W XL B $178.00
245/45R-17 99W XL B $140.00
255/40R-17 94W BLK $152.00
255/40R-18 95W BLK $182.00
255/45R-18 99W XL OW $245.00
275/35R-18 95W BLK $241.00
275/40R-17 98W BLK $172.00
315/30R-18 98W XL OW $337.00

POINT BEING: 121 runs on a set of R-compounds is not bad on tires......

[Redwood]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

$137 http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...55&ar=40&rd=17

Paul is running Yokohamas, and his are up there. The Yokohamas are around $170/ea in my size even (225/40-17).

[Dean!]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

You're misconstruing the facts. The Falken RT-615s that they run are $137/ea. They would be more expensive if they went with the Yokohamas or Bridgestones.

Jason just to clarify, I'm showing that r-compounds/azenis/yokohamas, whatever.... If you can get 121 runs out of a set of soft tires, then in theory, you should get a lot of runs out of a set of regular street tires. (I don't think we did a single event at Pennington last year)

So a daily driver plus a few autocrosses here and there - come on out and join us.

P.S. Ignore SeanT's price manipulation since he forgot about, "You may not pay shipping, but now you pay sales tax" factor.....but you don't have to worry about those tires anyway...they are made to be super soft... Just come on out and have fun on whatever tires you have!

[C3]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

FWIW, I did 30 runs on a 25 sec course at MW on my streets and they were just fine. The outer shoulders are a bit ragged, but I didn't change my tire pressures at all for the event, plus Hanchey drove my car so I just blame it on him . Thats not even counting prolly 20 runs around the increasing/decreasing oval and prolly 20 runs through the ~8 cone slalom they had set up. Point is, don't worry about your street tires at MW, its just not that bad.

There is a quick, easy, sure-fire way to get back into autox - just show up at events. Run on your streets (the local SCCA street tire stock classes are relatively well subscribed), and you can beat 90% of the R-comp shod, modded PCA/BMW club boys with a stock car on lowly street tires if you watch what you're doing. Plus streets (esp on the Bus Lot) force you to be smooth.

Just $0.02 from a NDA on temporary hiatus...

[jatoth]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

Well, all I ever hear are Paul's (Magyar) prices I thought Azenis were more pricier than that ? Like $170 a piece in the correct sizes? Are you looking at H-rated or Z-rated? 275/40's are $172 and 255/40 are $152




POINT BEING: 121 runs on a set of R-compounds is not bad on tires......

My car currently has Bridgestone Tuanzas in 235/45-18. I have already had to replace one of these (road hazzard) and they run $298.00. I obviously won't be buying any more.

I just checked discount direct, and there were only two tires available in my stock size. The cheapest was the Goodyear Eagle RSA (what we run on our squad cars by the way) for $199.00. Still too expensive.

If I go to 245/45-18 I get more choices. the Falken Azenis are $141.00 That's better, but I still remember running through a set of tires per year when I was running at TAMSCC using my daily tires. I don't know how that will sit with the Spousal ATM (tm).

I am still toying with the idea. I still don't have a helmet or a membership with SCCA or any of the local clubs, numbers, etc. plus I either have to find a Saturday event or take a day off of work. Just alot of hurdles to get over, and I am trying to figure out the most efficient way to put my toes in the water again.

I also notice you didn't have any arguments about adding four hours of drive time. Other than decreasing time by increasing speed of course.

[Redwood]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

There are quite a few events on Saturdays, at least with the BMW club. SCCA and ER tends to be Sundays, though.

[Redwood]

Re: Possible ways to get back into racing.

Tirerack.com has the RS-As for $169, but there are Continental ContiSportContact 2 tires for $179. Those are max performance summer tires and come on the new Z4 M Roadster. They aren't the BEST in the category, but they have been rated pretty well (I think 2nd in a Car & Driver tire comparo), and they're certainly better than all-season tires or the RS-As.