Two driver regional ITS car?

[Saeo]

Hello forum,

I am new to the road racing world, but I race autocross in the OVR region in Ohio. My brother and I are looking to expand our experience to some road racing. We have done some PDX and want to do some competition racing; so my question is twofold:

Is it possible to do a two driver ITS car but still get same amount of seat time in regional races? I know that they group some IT cars together, so do they accomodate two drivers?

Also, what do we have to do to gain a competetion license to road race?

Thanks again. I posed these questions to my local autocross club forum, but they suggested I ask on this forum.

-Joe

[Simon T.]

Hello forum,

I am new to the road racing world, but I race autocross in the OVR region in Ohio. My brother and I are looking to expand our experience to some road racing. We have done some PDX and want to do some competition racing; so my question is twofold:

Is it possible to do a two driver ITS car but still get same amount of seat time in regional races? I know that they group some IT cars together, so do they accomodate two drivers?

Also, what do we have to do to gain a competetion license to road race?

Thanks again. I posed these questions to my local autocross club forum, but they suggested I ask on this forum.

-Joe

Run enduros, then you all can share the car, I don't see how it would work with sprint races unless you all swapped up race weekends. Maybe one weekend you crew the next he crews?

As for getting a license you need a race car of course (or you can rent one) and you need to go to a racing school. You can do a certified school like Skip Barber or do an SCCA school, the best is to find a double school weekend as that will get you the required permit to run your first few races. Here is some more detailed info: http://www.scca.com/clubracing/content.cfm?cid=44471

You will also need the required driving gear, remember this year you will also need a H&N device like a HANS as well.

[red986s]

Is your car eligible for any other class? If so one of you can run ITS and the other could run a national class (i.e. STU) during the regional race day.

[SPiFF]

Run enduros

+1

Enduros are cool. I started to run my ITS GSR this year with a friend in enduros and it has been great. Does your region have a "pro" IT series like the ProIT or CCPS? We have some weekends down here in there SEDIV which are double SARRC double ProIT, so 4 races for IT cars. Keep the consumable costs in mind. Not sure what kind of ITS car you have, but we did a 4 race weekend like that at Road Atlanta in July and it ate 1 set of tires.

If you get a Miata, you can enter it in at least 10 different classes per weekend. The SCCA is always looking for ways to create a new class for Miatas. There is probably a formula class you can run one it ... LOL. :026:

[preparedcivic]

Another one here who shares a car, in my case an ITB CRX that gets run in the STL/STU group as track time for my son too besides me running it in class.

We have not done an enduro yet but that may be coming sometime this year.

Your biggest challenge might be getting through the Drivers School process with one car. Might take some traveling to another Division's Double School for one of you to get signed off. The GLDiv school this year I think is in early May at Grattan in Michigan. NEDiv has two on successive weekends at the end of March; one at Summit Point and the other at NJMP - Lightning.

[JLawton]

Most regional races have IT and STU in different run groups. You can run STU with no other modifications (except class designation on the side of the car) than what you run in ITS.

If you are looking to do this in the spring, get the paper work going NOW. Most important is to schedule a physical. Sometimes there is a long wait.

Do you have a car ready to go? Are you looking to buy one? Build one?

It actually is fairly easy to run two drivers in one car. Good luck! Don't be afraid to ask questions on this forum. You'll get get excellent advice.

[RacerBill]

Joe: Most of the regional races at Mid-Ohio and Nelson Ledges are double race weekends, meaning that they have two sanction numbers and count as two different races on the same weekend. So one driver could race one day, and the other driver race the second day.

[Saeo]

+1

Enduros are cool. I started to run my ITS GSR this year with a friend in enduros and it has been great. Does your region have a "pro" IT series like the ProIT or CCPS? We have some weekends down here in there SEDIV which are double SARRC double ProIT, so 4 races for IT cars. Keep the consumable costs in mind. Not sure what kind of ITS car you have, but we did a 4 race weekend like that at Road Atlanta in July and it ate 1 set of tires.

If you get a Miata, you can enter it in at least 10 different classes per weekend. The SCCA is always looking for ways to create a new class for Miatas. There is probably a formula class you can run one it ... LOL. :026:

Endurance races you mean? I pit crewed for a team at nelson ledges when they did their chump car race. Is that kind of the same scenario?

The guy I talked to in my autox club, and he suggested that one of us run in ITE which is like an anything class?

We have a car, but it is a car set up for AutoX Street Touring. Before we do anything drastic we wanted to get information before we start ripping the car apart.

Thanks for the help folks!

[SPiFF]

Endurance races you mean? I pit crewed for a team at nelson ledges when they did their chump car race. Is that kind of the same scenario?

Yes. The ones down here we have been running are 1.5hr races, so not much longer then 2 sprints. It does take a little bit more logistics since you have a pit stop and will need to fuel the car.

Good thing is you have plenty of options for 2 drivers.

ITS/STU on a double weekend
4 race weekend
short enduro

[quadzjr]

My father and myself did this exact thing. We bought a car that was "close". Finished it and raced it together. We often shared the car on double weekends. So the saturday one person drove and sunday the other. Also some weekends have multiple races and enduros.. so you can each run a sprint race and share the car in an enduro. It was easy peezy.

I would before hand have an agreement on whom covers what in the case of a bad situation. Something will inevitably happen. When that does, you want to have it al laid out. We did everyting 50/50.. So when he blew the tranny or when the oil pump let go when I was driving it.. we split 50/50. You will have to find what works for you.

[Matt93SE]

Definitely check the scheduling in your region. In SW Div, ITA,B,C run with STU and STL cars. ITS and ITE run with big bore GT cars and STO.

Thus, you would have to enter the car in STU and ITS to be able to run two drivers in the same day. And yes, it's quite common for IT cars to double-enter in STU. Just keep in mind that a full-tilt ITS car will only run with sorta-prepped STU cars. STU is (will be) a pretty fast class, when enough cars actually get built to the fullest. Right now the class is fairly new and there are not a lot of full-tilt STU cars. Thus, My car that would be sorta competitive in ITS is still sorta competitive in STU.

anyway, legality-wise, you can run the car in ITS and STU no problem. Just make sure they're not in the same run group in your area.

As for the enduros, enduros are a GREAT place to run IT cars too, as they're stock enough that they don't want to blow up after 2 or 3 races and need a full rebuild. However, our division only holds one 6 hr enduro each year. others have more races though.
The format is very similar to Chump, but with more rules and more structure. Tons of fun, and has some strategy involved too.

[JLawton]

I do have a couple of words of caution entering an enduro. If you go to some of the bigger ones, there will be some SERIOUS hardware. The speed differentials are huge! And you have to run in the dark. Both situations can lead to a not so fun experience for rookies.

[JohnW8]

If you get a Miata, you can enter it in at least 10 different classes per weekend. The SCCA is always looking for ways to create a new class for Miatas. There is probably a formula class you can run one it ... LOL. :026:


Ouch.

To the original poster,
Do double SARRC weekends. One of you race Saturday the other on Sunday.

[StephenB]

In our region if you run a double with 2 different drivers you BOTH pay. I assume this is the same everywhere?? I am guessing some weekends have a somewhat reduced price but I bet it isn't 1/2. With that being said I would just run in 2 seperate run groups that are seperated by at least 1 session.

Enduros are a blast as well... as long as the second driver gets to drive :)

Stephen

[Greg Amy]

I think they just made the Miata legal for Formula Ford...maybe it was Spec Racer Ford, I forget...

Sharing a car is easy. You never told us what car it is (unless I missed it) but my partner and I shared an ITS Integra. He'd run ITS and I'd run STU, or vice versa. The car's now been converted to STL, so we could run STL/STU, or STU/EP, or STU or EP and SPO, or something like that.

Point is, there's PUHLENTY of classes out there that one can share a car over the weekend.

GA

[JohnW8]

In our region if you run a double with 2 different drivers you BOTH pay. I assume this is the same everywhere?? I am guessing some weekends have a somewhat reduced price but I bet it isn't 1/2. With that being said I would just run in 2 seperate run groups that are seperated by at least 1 session.

Enduros are a blast as well... as long as the second driver gets to drive :)

Stephen


Both drivers will pay an entry fee regardless. The drivers could each enter a SARRC race and pair up for an enduro to get both drivers a ton of seat time. (Remember to bring extra tires.)
I would imagine that race administration would offer a great discount for this kind of entry. I would.

[R2 Racing]

Run enduros, then you all can share the car

+1

Enduros are cool.
He's racing in Ohio, and the Great Lakes Division, where there really aren't any enduros. Certainly nothing like the ECR series of the Southeast Division, like you guys are use to. Around here, that's not really an option.


Joe: Most of the regional races at Mid-Ohio and Nelson Ledges are double race weekends, meaning that they have two sanction numbers and count as two different races on the same weekend. So one driver could race one day, and the other driver race the second day.
That is a possibility, but to me, not a very good one. Figure the entry fee for a double regional is ~$300. Entry fee for just one race of that double regional is going to cost you ~$230. So if you and a buddy/family member do what you're saying, where one does Saturday and the other does Sunday, you'll be out ~$460 in entry fees and each only get to drive one day. That kinda sucks, and why I'd chose this option.....


Sharing a car is easy. You never told us what car it is (unless I missed it) but my partner and I shared an ITS Integra. He'd run ITS and I'd run STU, or vice versa. The car's now been converted to STL, so we could run STL/STU, or STU/EP, or STU or EP and SPO, or something like that.

Point is, there's PUHLENTY of classes out there that one can share a car over the weekend.

GA
Yup, share the car across two different classes. Continuing on my last point, you'd then each be getting twice the track time in an event (each doing both days of a double, versus just one), for just an extra ~$140. Build the car specifically for one class, and then "double-dip" it into a second class with the other driver. Yes, it probably won't be quite as competitive in the second class, but that's your trade off of doing this. You can even swap who gets to drive in what class, from one weekend to the next.


Joe - I'm actually on the Board of Directors for the Ohio Valley Region (was the 2011 Regional Executive too). I'm glad to do whatever I can to help you and your brother get out and into Club Racing.

[SPiFF]

I do have a couple of words of caution entering an enduro. If you go to some of the bigger ones, there will be some SERIOUS hardware. The speed differentials are huge! And you have to run in the dark. Both situations can lead to a not so fun experience for rookies.


I don't think we are advocating go out and run a 24 hour race or anything. :D


He's racing in Ohio, and the Great Lakes Division, where there really aren't any enduros. Certainly nothing like the ECR series of the Southeast Division, like you guys are use to. Around here, that's not really an option.


Ah bummer. The ECR is a really good series for this type of thing at 1.5-3hr races. The hard core enduro guys will say that is not a real enduro but a long sprint. Which is true. It is a long sprint with a driver change, which is great for this type of activity. I had a good time running the Goblins with Trever. Will do more this year.

[Saeo]

Wow, have I received a plethora of information or what! And I had a bunch of people PM me with even more information. Guess it was a good idea to come in IT forums. Thanks to everyone who posed and PM'd me.

I think you guys have given me more information that I hoped to receive and I appreciate it. Honestly I can say we have everything we need to move forward!

Hope to see you out on the track some time :D.

-Joe

[RacerBill]

Let us know if we can be any help, Joe.

[marka]

Howdy,



Your biggest challenge might be getting through the Drivers School process with one car. Might take some traveling to another Division's Double School for one of you to get signed off. The GLDiv school this year I think is in early May at Grattan in Michigan. NEDiv has two on successive weekends at the end of March; one at Summit Point and the other at NJMP - Lightning.

The Steel Cities board just voted to host a double driver's school at BeaveRun on 4/21-4/22. Might give you easier access to a second driver's school weekend so that you can do what Rob is suggesting above.

Mark