Who takes their car to the track?

[RPM Photography]

I am starting to hit up Sebring atleast once a month. Always working towards a higher license/class.

 

[Ottobon]

Whenever i have a car worth taking to a track event i take time to go out and enjoy myself. This year i have only made it out twice or something, not nearly as much, but still enjoyable.

There are tons of people who track near-stock Miatas -- in fact, there's a pretty strong argument that a Miata is the absolute best $/fun ratio you can get at a track.

Although i'm not disagreeing Miatas are good cars,their are tonnes of cars which have higher fun to $ ratio. Its mainly that the Miata is not only reliable, but relatively available, which in some cases keeps the cost down. 2 business like cars that i would usually prefer on a track would be a mki mr2 and a E30 3 Series BMW, but both of those cars, dispite giving more feedback then the miata, are trickier to drive at the limit. So i suppose its only fun to drive such cars if your really dedicated to the art of driving.

Furthermore cheap American cars with v8s may handle relatively crappy, but are strangely very enjoyable at a track, they just somehow feel like they were designed by people with much more anti-social behavior then any of the Japanese or German cars. If your after attitude then i can kind of recommend Italian cars, but to be honest i would usually avoid anything cheap and italian, so maybe that doesn't count?

I am having trouble making up my mind on Alfas, but i can say that i have never been bored with one, its just that the foibles are as real as people make them out to be, and i don't know if thats something that can be easily fixed or something i would really be able to live with. Atleast i can say for sure that their pretty

 

[Austere]

<--- 1969 woobly cruiser.

I would love to take it round a track just to see what it's like but there's only one track near me and I don't believe they have 'track days' that allow anyone to come and race... I think you need a CAMS licence and I don't have one of those. I also think you need a helmet and I don't have one of those either.

 

[Redliner]

Well, I see your point about dragstrips, but I have a little problem: my country doesn't have a track day culture yet. We started drag racing daily drivers only about 3 years ago and the closest track day event is about 1.000 miles away, when it happens (about once a year).
So, with all that being said, I do take my car to the dragstrip ocasionally, but If I could I would also take it to "the track" about 3 or 4 times a year.

 

[BerserkerCatSplat]

well he can't people from voting but he did say no drags

And, since I don't care if he doesn't like drag racing, I voted anyway. I don't like his rules, so I don't play by them. :lol:

 

[Danny Tran]

Funny story:

Last friday night at around 20h, me and a friend were bored so we decided to cruise around downtown Montreal and Jean-Drapeau parc. We happen to arrive on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit which is open to visitors, cyclists and pedestrains and we speed up a little. Even tried to do the infamous hairpin.

http://img526.imageshack.**/img526/6425/nonamezp4.jpg

It was really dark I couldnt see what was around any corner so I decided to parctice the hairpin. En route there 2 security cars blocked the access to restart the circuit so we had to leave. Didnt think they were very pleased.

Whats the point of Montreal hosting the Grand Prix if I can't use the circuit for my own pleasure??

I know, I know.. but still a bummer.

 

[Steve Levin]

You definitely want a helmet! Not so much for "the big one" but to protect the side of your head from smacking the B pillar if you spin the car. (well, it'll help in he Big One, obviously, but that's a lot less common).

If you are buying a helmet, you want to get an SA helmet (automotive) rather than an M (motorcycle) rated helmet. That said, if you have an M helmet, you should be fine for most events.

As far as track cars...well...I suppose we could go on for hours. My biggest point about the Miata is that they ARE a lot of fun at the track (although you'll find that generally for track days you would be required to have a real 4 point roll cage for it), even if they don't have a ton of power. So a Civic, Prelude, Chrysler Sebring, heck, I've seen guys in rented Chevy Aveos having a blast! The important things is...just get on the track. Even if you have to drive a few hours to get there!

Anyone that's in California should feel free to contact me privately for info.

Steve

 

[Uwe]

This year I was only rarely at the track because of lack of time, sadly. Last year I've been to the Nurburgring at least once a month, plus a couple of other tracks.

I truly believe that anyone that finds drag racing uninteresting in their own car, has a very boring car. :lol:

Don't know if you're serious here but this is BS! I find drag racing uninteresting and my Caterham probably is less boring than the majority of cars on the drag strip.

 

[Steve Levin]

One serious point in favoring of my replacing the 300 with a C63 would be to take European delivery and run it at the 'Ring before dropping it off for home

Steve

 

[CraigB]

Don't know if you're serious here but this is BS! I find drag racing uninteresting and my Caterham probably is less boring than the majority of cars on the drag strip.

It's a half ass joke.

What I'm trying to say is that a lot of people look down at drag racing, but it's a bunch of fun. If you don't try it at least once, you are missing out.

I'll add that if you don't think it would be fun, you need to try it one of these (turn down the volume, it's very loud):

Outlaw Fuel Altereds

(BTW, that's yours truly on the mic.)

 

[cdbob]

Where I live there are no tracks worth taking my car to, and even then its a volvo.

 

[Elmo187]

Don't know if you're serious here but this is BS! I find drag racing uninteresting and my Caterham probably is less boring than the majority of cars on the drag strip.

Caterham's arent made for the strip. they r made for road racing and thats all. so its kinda pointless to compare something that is made for road racing against cars that r made for the drag strip.

 

[Uwe]

Caterham's arent made for the strip. they r made for road racing and thats all. so its kinda pointless to compare something that is made for road racing against cars that r made for the drag strip.

How many of those who posted here they go drag racing have a purposely built dragster in the garage? My guess is: very few. So why shouldn't I compare the "bore factor" of my car to yours?

What I'm trying to say is that a lot of people look down at drag racing, but it's a bunch of fun. If you don't try it at least once, you are missing out.

I'll add that if you don't think it would be fun, you need to try it one of these (turn down the volume, it's very loud):

Outlaw Fuel Altereds

I don't look down on drag racing, its just not my thing.

I would watch a nitromethane fueled monster like those in your clip if it is not too far away. But taking my own car there and competing against Joe Boyracer? No, even if the Caterham - with 0-60 in 4.8s - wouldn't do too badly against him (and destroying him completely on a road circuit).

 

[CraigB]

How many of those who posted here they go drag racing have a purposely built dragster in the garage? My guess is: very few. So why shouldn't I compare the "bore factor" of my car to yours?


I don't look down on drag racing, its just not my thing.

I would watch a nitromethane fueled monster like those in your clip if it is not too far away. But taking my own car there and competing against Joe Boyracer? No, even if the Caterham - with 0-60 in 4.8s - wouldn't do too badly against him (and destroying him completely on a road circuit).

I gotta ask, have you ever taken the Caterham to a dragstrip? If not, you'd be surprised that you might actually like it. You quoted a 0-60 time for your car, now if I'm not mistaken, that's in a straight line. Also, at a road course what's more fun, the slow technical corner or that long straight where you really get to wring it out and you get the big speed?

 

[Uwe]

I gotta ask, have you ever taken the Caterham to a dragstrip? If not, you'd be surprised that you might actually like it. You quoted a 0-60 time for your car, now if I'm not mistaken, that's in a straight line. Also, at a road course what's more fun, the slow technical corner or that long straight where you really get to wring it out and you get the big speed?

No, I've never been to drag racing. But I would take a road circuit over the drag strip any day. Yes, I like slow corners more than long straights which probably has to do with the fact I have an unrestricted Autobahn only a few miles away.

Of course I prefer the fast corner to slow corners. Going nearly or fully flat out through Eau Rouge, Blanchimont in Spa or Angstkurve at the Ring is certainly the best thrill you can have in a car.

 

[Elmo187]

then take ur car to a dragstrip and then tell us that its uninteresting. u dont have n e word in saying that drag racing is uninteresting until u actually do it urself.

 

[Uwe]

then take ur car to a dragstrip and then tell us that its uninteresting. u dont have n e word in saying that drag racing is uninteresting until u actually do it urself.

Ok, please tell me then what is so tempting about drag racing?

Acceleration? Just showing you have the bigger engine - bleh. Top speed? I can have that any day. Reaction time? Ok but as the sole challenge a bit thin.

 

[Elmo187]

-knowing how to control your car to get that better time (it aint that easy)
-knowing your shift points
-there is no top speed in drag racing. there's trap speed, but not top speed. 2 totally different things.

its not what you think it is. which is just hit the gas and go. there's ALOT more involved into drag racing than just that.

you keep saying its uninteresting, but u've never done it. so what input do you have into saying its uninteresting if you have never done it before?

 

[Uwe]

you keep saying its uninteresting, but u've never done it. so what input do you have into saying its uninteresting if you have never done it before?

Whenever I start in a club race this is some sort of drag racing to the first corner - with the difference that I have to choose the right line in the pack of cars, I have to get the braking point right and I have to get the corner itself right. Having only the acceleration part as the whole fun of the weekend doesn't seem very attractive to me.

Just my personal opinion.

 

[Elmo187]

that didnt answer my question.

what input do you have into saying its uninteresting if you have never done it before?