Retired SCCA car vs ProTouring for Track Day

[michics]

Yep, I'm seeing camaro / mustang race cars for everywhere from 8K to 18K. I haven't looked at any yet so not sure what one can get. One thing I think we have to alert to is how wore out is the car. Meaning if the motor or drivetrain needs refreshing then the cost goes up in hurry.

[DBasher]

Great topic! I know of a couple guys here on the west coast that have done what you’re thinking. Take a look over in the race car threads and check out the two mustangs, both Dave and Rob bought used race cars and haven’t looked back.

I’ve gone a different route and purchased a cheap mustang that I can drive and bolt inexpensive parts on to make it handle and stop better. I found a few nice caged and “set up” track cars in the 7-12k range but like mentioned, the running gear is an unknown.

[Vegas69]

If you want to race, get a race car.

[michics]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

If you want to race, get a race car.

Agreed, but track days are not races. They are for the enjoyment of driving the road courses safely at speed. My pursuit of safety is from watching all of the inexperienced people buying new high hp cars and bringing them to the tracks and pushing to the limit. I've been to many track events and seen new high powered cars having off track incidents. Just recently at my local track on the same day during the first sessions in the morning new camaro and a new mustang had off tracks. The camaro jumped the guard rail and went into the trees. Air bags saved the driver and he walked away. Destroyed the car. This was on a little 1.9 mi 14 turn track. Now lets all go to Road America and envision what goes on with the 600 hp plus cars running there with speeds above 150 on the straights with only a factory seat belt. I have seen corvettes due off tracks at R.A. for various reasons with one guy being air lifted out to the hospital. Lets have fun but safely.

[Vegas69]

Track days are races in my opinion. I've been there with a high powered pro-touring car. Looking back, it wasn't very smart. If things went wrong, my car wasn't safe enough and the huge investment was gone due to no insurance on the track.

After building a pro-touring car and driving/racing it a bunch, I'm now of the opinion that I would build a race car OR a street car. You simply can't do both well in the same package. And their are many compromises in drivability and safety on one side or the other.

[DBasher]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

Track days are races in my opinion.

There’s a name for guys like you....lol

[Flash68]

Originally Posted by Vegas69

Track days are races in my opinion. I've been there with a high powered pro-touring car. Looking back, it wasn't very smart. If things went wrong, my car wasn't safe enough and the huge investment was gone due to no insurance on the track.

Funny. Lotta truth to that.

BUT... I have been to track days before AND after becoming a father. I can tell you I am a different and more disciplined (cautious) driver after fathering 2 kids.

I bet you might agree.... get your ass back on to a track sometime soon.

[Vegas69]

Originally Posted by Flash68

Funny. Lotta truth to that.

BUT... I have been to track days before AND after becoming a father. I can tell you I am a different and more disciplined (cautious) driver after fathering 2 kids.

I bet you might agree.... get your ass back on to a track sometime soon.

You are competing against the clock and the times of others. It's almost as dangerous when egos get involved which they almost always do. If your brakes go out at the end of the front stretch, it doesn't matter if you are wheel to wheel or not.

I'm with you these days, safety first. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.

[BMR Sales]

Originally Posted by michics

Yep, I'm seeing camaro / mustang race cars for everywhere from 8K to 18K. I haven't looked at any yet so not sure what one can get. One thing I think we have to alert to is how wore out is the car. Meaning if the motor or drivetrain needs refreshing then the cost goes up in hurry.

Not just the Drivetrain! Chassis can get worn out and have cracks. And that's not including a Shunt or two!

[Panteracer]

A race car is far safer than many of our protouring cars
If you can do both cars that is the way to go.. my problem
is I like to run my cars on the street also... problem again
if you are running a $100k car on the track you sometimes
start thinking about what will happen if something goes wrong
... the other guy, oil or water on the track or something breaks
Chet who bought my barely street legal mustang years back
was a Gm guy with a lot of cool protouring cars... his comment
to me if I wreck it is just a mustang

With a Race Car it does not have to look all that pretty to be
safe and fast.. plus someone else did most of the hard work

Bob