Newbie looking to race on West Coast

[jmwright]

Hi all,

After the company I was working for was acquired, I suddenly have found myself in a financial position to consider starting racing and I'd love to get some input.

I know the "how much does it cost?" question has been done to death, and I've read a quite a bit already - it definitely seems like Formula Vee, Ford or similar would be something I could swing. The spouse/CFO has signed off on the costs.

How often do these races actually take place? I've been poking through various websites (CalClub, SCCA, VARA) and am having a hell of a time figuring out when I might actually get to run a FF/FM/FV. I have just moved to NorCal and am living in San Jose.

I suppose my next question would be, any pointers on how to actually get into it? I am planning on going to Skip Barber or similar in late February or March. Beyond that, just buy an early nineties VD FF and show up? It seems like renting is quite steep relative to the cost of the car. Any suggestions on how to evaluate whether a car is actually sound before buying it?

Sorry for the mountain of questions - I've been reading all I can and figure I might as well just ask.

[jmwright]

Also, if it's relevant I am quite tall - 6'3".

[BeerBudgetRacing]

First step is to go to the SCCA website and join / apply for a Novice Permit:

https://www.scca.com/pages/i-want-to-road-race

Since you are in San Jose you are in the San Francisco region.
Their website is: http://www.sfrscca.org/

Just a few lines down is the 2017 Schedule:
February 24-26 Drivers School @ Thunderhill
March 11-12 Regional 1 & 2 @ Thunderhill
May 6-7 Regional 3 & 4 @ Thunderhill
June 1-4 Test Day & Regional 5 & 6 Spec Racer Festival @ Laguna Seca
June 30-July 2 Regional 7 & 8 Spec Miata Festival @ Sonoma
July 28-30 Regional 9 & 10 @ Laguna Seca
September 1-3 Regional 11 & 12 @ Laguna Seca
October 27-29 Regional 13 & 14 & ??? Season Finale @ Thunderhill

All these events include all the car classes...

Part of the licensing process includes School (Feb 24-26)...
Which may be satisfied by the Skippy class depending on the level you choose:
https://www.scca.com/pages/driver-s-school-w-table

You can get the permit 'validated' for racing at the school or at Skip Barber. Your choice. It's all trading time and cost.

Once you have the novice permit and school signoffl you can start racing...regionally...
3 weekends (2 races per) and you can apply for a full license.....

As for what class car to drive that's personal choice. Go to:
http://www.sfrscca.org/racing/results/
and download the 2016 results. That will give you an idea of how many cars are running in each class and what tracks they show up....

Pick a class and then find a car that fits.....

[Rick Kirchner]

Before all that, rent a Scion from Danny McKeever at Willow Springs and go to the University of Vara at Buttonwillow in early January.

It's a great, inexpensive way to get a bunch of track time and individual instruction before you drop big bucks on any of the pro schools or drop into the high-pressure SCCA driving school world.

[marshall9]

I don't know if it is still the case, but when I did Skippy in 1996, then a few race weekends in their series, I was granted an SCCA National license. Then just had to do a couple of races with SCCA per year to keep it.

[FrankRizzo]

You said FM earlier, if that's an option you're looking at, you might consider Bondurant's school in Phoenix where you can do the school in an actual FM.

[socaljeff3798]

Welcome to the insanity that is racing! All the guy have great suggestions.
And I agree with coming down to the University of VARA in Jan at buttonwillow and also renting a car from Danny Mc Kever.
This is by far the cheapest way to test it out. also because of your size 6'3" your going to need to see how you fit in a car. Most Fomula Vees would be out of the question. I am 5'11" and 200# and there are very few I fit in. The formula Mazda may work as it is built like a "school car" big to accommodate most people. Thats another thing about the university there will be a lot of different cars there and everyone is always very helpful.

I am happy to talk with you if you ever want to give me a call.
My number is 951-317-9307

Jeff

[MotorCade]

I'm no longer in SoCal, but I would echo the suggestions here. I wanted to comment to add that you should also consider FC. As you're big ('m 6'2, 215lbs) you want to stay away from the 97 Van Diemen chassis... way too small. (I speak from experience!) Most other FCs are manageable. You should definitely test fit any car you're interested in, with your helmet and gear on.

Basically, if you're looking to run without wings, FF is the best place to play. (unless you were out here in the midwest, where we have lots of F500s) If you're running wings, you'll be happiest in FM or FC. FM is sized like a truck, and drives like one too. FC is nimble but down a little on power on long straights to the FM. Our lap times are faster.

Cheers!

[Lynn]

Before doing anything else, go to some races. Meet some of the drivers, sit in some cars. Volunteer to crew for someone. Then make some decisions as to which class, which organization and which car.

[EVT]

As a relatively new racer myself, welcome. I started in 2013 with SVRA and was licenced thru Jim Malone of Raptor Motor sports. It was nearly one on one instruction at his track in Arizona (Inde). Additional time at Fontana and Thunder Hill and my license was granted. The cost was significantly lower than other schools and I think I recived more personal instruction and more track time than what other drivers have reported. I am 6' 1" and fit will in a Titan mk 6 vff with only mild modification. Vintage racing has loads of options for schaeduled racing and is a more "friendly" envirenment than SCCA from the reports I hear. Hope to see you on the track soon. EVT

[FrankRizzo]

The formula Mazda may work as it is built like a "school car" big to accommodate most people.

*Raises hand*
6'3, 250, fits in an FM.

[Rick Kirchner]

search the FM forum here - there are a bunch of bay area guys that you could probably get a test fit in one of their cars. You'll undoubtedly fit, but it will give you a way to gauge comfort with other cars.

[negron]

Hi Jeff, I am an ex FV, FM and a current FC competitor. I have designed and built FV's and ran a pro FM team for a time. I am just south of you in Morgan Hill. Any time you want to come by my shop and talk racing and or test fit my 99 Van Diemen you are welcome.

bob negron 408 722 6946 bnegron8@gmail.com

[jmwright]

Thank you guys for all the responses! So much helpful stuff in here.

[jmwright]

Hi Jeff, I am an ex FV, FM and a current FC competitor. I have designed and built FV's and ran a pro FM team for a time. I am just south of you in Morgan Hill. Any time you want to come by my shop and talk racing and or test fit my 99 Van Diemen you are welcome.

bob negron 408 722 6946 bnegron8@gmail.com

My wife's horse is stabled in Morgan Hill, I am out there all the time! I'll definitely take you up on your kind offer.

Thanks Bob!

[jmwright]

F
As for what class car to drive that's personal choice. Go to:
http://www.sfrscca.org/racing/results/
and download the 2016 results. That will give you an idea of how many cars are running in each class and what tracks they show up....

This was EXACTLY what I was looking for, thank you!

I'll look into the licensing stuff you mentioned too.

Appreciate the response!

[jmwright]

Before all that, rent a Scion from Danny McKeever at Willow Springs and go to the University of Vara at Buttonwillow in early January.

It's a great, inexpensive way to get a bunch of track time and individual instruction before you drop big bucks on any of the pro schools or drop into the high-pressure SCCA driving school world.

This looks fantastic. My coworker has expressed interest too, the two of us might come on down.

[jmwright]

You said FM earlier, if that's an option you're looking at, you might consider Bondurant's school in Phoenix where you can do the school in an actual FM.

Bondurant was on my radar as well - sounds like it might be a better fit. Good to know!

[jmwright]

I am happy to talk with you if you ever want to give me a call.
My number is 951-317-9307

Thanks for the offer Jeff, I'll be sure to take you up on it.

[jmwright]

Basically, if you're looking to run without wings, FF is the best place to play. (unless you were out here in the midwest, where we have lots of F500s) If you're running wings, you'll be happiest in FM or FC. FM is sized like a truck, and drives like one too. FC is nimble but down a little on power on long straights to the FM. Our lap times are faster.

I actually was kind of fascinated by the FCs but my concern was whether a novice driver would be able to handle such a car. Do you think going FC right out of the gate would be sensible or would I likely get myself into trouble?

[jmwright]

Before doing anything else, go to some races. Meet some of the drivers, sit in some cars. Volunteer to crew for someone. Then make some decisions as to which class, which organization and which car.

Sounds like a good idea. I'll check the schedule next year and come "help" (get in the way).

Any suggestions on how to get hooked up with a team that needs some grunt work done? I am not what you call knowledgeable but I'm happy to move large objects from A to B.

[cbruce644]

Bondurant might be a good option or if you do the SCCA school in N. Calif., probably renting a car is the better option. I went to the SCCA school using a rented CF. The school keeps you really busy between track time, classroom & it's "bang for the buck". There's no time in between sessions to fuel & check your own car, along with learning its temperments. My first & current car is the FM. Also, check the class sizes on where you plan to run.. I'm assuming its in N. CA. The majority of the FM's run in the Formula Car Challenge under NASA with 1-2 races a year being SCCA. Both are good organizations with each having their advantages. Good luck & PM if you have any questions about the class.

http://www.formulacarchallenge.com/

FM 92

[holmberg]

Before all that, rent a Scion from Danny McKeever at Willow Springs and go to the University of Vara at Buttonwillow in early January.

It's a great, inexpensive way to get a bunch of track time and individual instruction before you drop big bucks on any of the pro schools or drop into the high-pressure SCCA driving school world.

I don't know how things are in NC, but I've taken the February three-day school with the San Francisco region at Thunderhill, and it's definitely not high pressure. Their main concern is that you know the rules and are a safe driver. There's some talk about lines, but they don't actually teach you how to drive fast. At the end of the last day, there are some practice race starts.

Just keep in mind that it'll probably be raining at Thunderhill in February. I did it in a formula car, and it did rain. I would have been happier and dryer in a tin top. You don't have to use the class of car for the school that you will race in--the license is not class-specific. You can take the school in a spec miata, and then race in a formula mazda. If you look at http://www.sfrscca.org/racing/race-school/ you'll see a link to places that will rent you cars for the school.

Assuming things go well over those three days, and you get your novice license (most people do), then you can immediately start racing with the SCCA. You just have to put a but "N" on your car, marking you as a novice, but you race the same as everyone else. After three races with no incidents, you can take the N off.

It's a pretty painless way to start racing.

NASA is also pretty easy to get a license with, and very active in norcal. They used to run a fomula group, but I don't see it on their website at the moment. However, they do have a class for sports racers, which is where a lot of the norcal Radical guys race, since those cars aren't competitive in the SCCA.

With NASA, you work your way up the four levels of track-day groups, and then get signed off when they feel you're a safe driver. You get an instructor in the first level, and then you're in the car alone in the next three levels. Again, the focus is on safety and rules--getting fast is up to you.

No matter which organization you use to get a license, I recommend just doing some track days first. There a lot of clubs doing tracks days in norcal--SCCA, NASA, PCA, Hooked on Driving, and so on.

[sccadsr31]

JMWright,
I live in San Jose and have been involved in SCCA racing for many years and the San Francisco Region driver school as well. If you would like to meet for coffee I'd be happy to give you a perspective and all the free advice you can handle.

David

[jmwright]

JMWright,
I live in San Jose and have been involved in SCCA racing for many years and the San Francisco Region driver school as well. If you would like to meet for coffee I'd be happy to give you a perspective and all the free advice you can handle.

David

Sure, that'd be great!