IT Newbie - some questions

[wrankin]

Good morning all,

After a few years of doing track days only, I am finally contemplating making the move to club racing, probably an ITA RX-7. Right now I am in the "gather up info and figure out how much is gonna have to be in the budget" phase of considerations. :-)

Is there some sort of Newbies Guide to IT available? I have several friends who race in Spec-7 and ITA/7 and I plan on picking their brains, but I figured that a little reading up on the side first would be helpful.

Also, while a trailer and tow vehicle is in the future plans, it will not be immediately available. Does anyone actually drive their cars to/from the track (trailer for tires and tools)? What are the inspection issues with the cars (I live in NC in a county with no emissions testing currently).

Any thoughs or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-bill

[joeg]

Originally posted by wrankin:
Good morning all,

After a few years of doing track days only, I am finally contemplating making the move to club racing, probably an ITA RX-7. Right now I am in the "gather up info and figure out how much is gonna have to be in the budget" phase of considerations. :-)

Is there some sort of Newbies Guide to IT available? I have several friends who race in Spec-7 and ITA/7 and I plan on picking their brains, but I figured that a little reading up on the side first would be helpful.

Also, while a trailer and tow vehicle is in the future plans, it will not be immediately available. Does anyone actually drive their cars to/from the track (trailer for tires and tools)? What are the inspection issues with the cars (I live in NC in a county with no emissions testing currently).

Any thoughs or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

-bill

[joeg]

Bill--There are no books, per se, on IT, but there are a bunch in the stores about going racing and driver tips. Check out the local Barnes and Noble, etc.

This site is a great resource as may be Grassroots Motorsports Magazine. I think we still have the recommended reading section on it.

You must join SCCA and get your GCR. The subscription to Sportscar is helpful. You should crew for your freinds because you will need a crew when you do your schools.

As for driving to and from the track--yes it is done, but after you suffer a mechanical or racing incident you are going to be wishing you had a tow vehicle and trailer. Street legal IT cars are in a grey are of the law. The GCR allows you to remove all emissions gear, but if your IT is registered, you can only use pump gas.

By all means join the club and get involved at the tracks. Everyone at a club race will talk with you and answer your questions.

Cheers.

[Mike Spencer]

Originally posted by wrankin:
...I have several friends who race in Spec-7 and ITA/7...

Bill -

You now have one more. I live just down the road (Raleigh) and purchased my very first racecar just a few weeks ago (see signature below).

I don't have a lot of experience to draw from (yet), but I would be happy to share things I've learned, things I WISH I had known, etc.

By all means, join the club if you're not already a member and come out to the track. You'll have a chance to talk to a lot of different people and look at lots of different kinds of cars.

There is a 13-hour enduro coming up at VIR in October. If your (other) friends are going, get on their crew list. If not, post a message here. There will undoubtedly be teams looking for help. You may not get to go over the wall and fuel the car, but you'll be right in the middle of the action! Hopefully, I'll see you there.

And by the way.... Welcome!

------------------
Mike Spencer
NC Region
ITA/7 RX-7 #60
1990 RX-7 Convertible (street car)

[Ron Earp]

Bill,
I look forward to learning with you. I am in NC, in Wake county, and I'm just starting to build a car for ITS, a Jensen Healey.

After attending a race this year and going to some in the past, I have to say that I don't think driving it to and from the track in the car is a good option. Some of the tracks will be 10 hours away and driving that in a car with a race seat, harness, no AC, 5" ride height, nasty sounding exhaust, harsh ride, 8-10 gallons of gas meaing gas stops every 100 or miles, will be tiring at best. Not to mention if you break something, how to get home.

Where do you live? If you want to come over and check out my projects you are more than welcome.

Ron




------------------
Ron
http://www.gt40s.com
Lotus Turbo Esprit
BMW E36 M3
RF GT40 Replica
Jensen-Healey: IT prep progressing!

[Anubis]

Something else to consider while you are getting your budget straight is volunteering to work races. New flaggers are always welcommed and you will trained, fed and beered at the end of the day. Working a few weekends on corners will allow to learn flags and hand signals, knowledge you will use as a driver. You can also work pits and grid to give you an idea of the do's and don'ts of those areas.

------------------
Lance Snyder
Atlanta Region F&C

No more the small one, the weak one, the frightened one.
Running from beatings, deflating.
I'm becoming more than a man. More than you ever were.
Driven and burning to rise beyond Jesus.

[wrankin]

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions!

1) I am an SCCA member w/a crew license.
2) I am planning on being up for the Endura @ VIR, hopefully crewing
3) I have been flagging (occasionally) for the last couple years. Hopefully I'll up at the Grand Am at VIR.

Thanks again!

-bill

[dickita15]

wow bill, you are on the right track. you are now qualified to advise others(g).
oh you bought the gcr right.
dick

[Eagle7]

Originally posted by wrankin:
Is there some sort of Newbies Guide to IT available?
Yes, and you already found it. You can read old messages here for hours (and hours) and get an incredible amount of info and perspective.

------------------
Marty Doane
ITS RX-7 #13
CenDiv WMR

[ddewhurst]

***I have several friends who race in Spec-7 and ITA/7***

bill, I believe the Spec-7 you refere to in NC is actually IT7 which is ITA legal car in the South East Division. I may be wrong but then that's part of the SCCA. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif Anyway included is a source for the Spec-7 rules per the SoPac Division. http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/smile.gif I did the Spec-7 deal for 4 years & it's a ball. Three guys did drive their cars to a couple tracks but it was only 1 1/2 hour each way.

www.scca-milwaukee.org/RoadRacing/2002/02sopac_rx7_rules.pdf (http://www.scca-milwaukee.org/RoadRacing/2002/02sopac_rx7_rules.pdf)

Have Fun http://Forum.ImprovedTouring.com/it/wink.gif
David

[Knestis]

I pay a penalty in outright speed for maintaining the street legality (in NC also) of my ITB GTI. When people get all amazed at my driving it to races, I explain that I could have stayed Sunday night in a motel and had someone haul its busted carcass back from Kershaw, SC to Greensboro for what it would cost me to make one payment on a tow vehicle...

Maybe we need to do an NC IT get-together of some kind. If nothing else, everyone needs to come say hello at the 13 hours.

EDIT - you also have a great cage builder in Hillsborough - http://www.competitioncages.com

K

[This message has been edited by Knestis (edited August 16, 2004).]

[wrankin]

Originally posted by Knestis:

EDIT - you also have a great cage builder in Hillsborough - http://www.competitioncages.com


I've seen Chris's work - it's very good. He did a custom roll bar for a friends 93 RX-7. If I were going to continue to play Track Boy with my '94 RX-7, I would have had Chris do the bar.

-bill


[This message has been edited by wrankin (edited August 16, 2004).]

[wrankin]

Originally posted by Mike Spencer:
Bill -

You now have one more. I live just down the road (Raleigh) and purchased my very first racecar just a few weeks ago (see signature below).



Hey Mike,

I got a couple questions I wanted to ask you off line - if you read this, drop me an email at wrankin-at-duke-dot-edu.

Thanks,

-bill