Would it be better to start out

[Nightshade]

I was just wondering since this is my first foray into this type of racing if it would be better to start out in Auto X and then graduate up into ITR?

This has been suggested to me by several people.

My only concern is that I could get into it but it seems that in the NW there aren't a lot of AutoX races at all.

Anyone got any info on races in the NW (I am in Portland, OR) and is it the best and most cost effective way to get into this type of racing?

Pardon my ignorance but then if I knew it all I wouldn't learn anything.

[Knestis]

I moved out of Seattle a year ago but there did seem to be a pretty reasonable number of autocross events available. Take a peek at http://home.pacifier.com/~msoar/solo2.html for Oregon Region events and links to NW Region and others...

If you don't get your fill doing SCCA sanctioned Solo II events, ask the competitors at them for other options. LOTS of marque and non-SCCA clubs have similar events.

To answer the question that you posed--YES. Either start by running an appropriate street car in "stock" classes or build a affordable, dedicated race car that is potentially competitive in IT (check results). Build it up gradually, remembering not to make any IT-illegal modifications along the way and you will be in fine shape for that first road racing driver school in a couple of years.

Best wishes with your plans,

Kirk

[il8apex]

Nightshade-

Knestis is a pro, take his advice. I would also add that it's important to understand the concept of a race weekend and what is involved (vs. standing in a parking lot for an afternoon). Get hooked up with a local team, or better yet just go to a race weekend and offer your help. It seems to me that most people will welcome the extra help, even if it's only changing tires and taking temperatures after a session.

If you get hooked up with a team for the season, you can understand a little better what kind of prep they do over the winter, during the week, and on race weekends. Heck, you may even earn yourself a co-driver's position or at least an inside track to a car for schools, etc. while your own is being prepped!

-T


[This message has been edited by il8apex (edited October 02, 2001).]

[Knestis]

Thanks for the vote of confidence 'apex but, if I have anything useful to offer, it is ONLY because I have managed to screw up the "going racing" process in almost every way possible, to the tune of thousands of $$ and a severely delayed career path!

Best,

Kirk

[il8apex]

Kirk-

You know we're all grateful for that, right?

-Tom

[Nightshade]

Thanks for the info and the link.

As you can probably tell I am really new at this but not new to driving. I have an Accord that i am going to be working with and daily driving as well since I don't have enough scratch to buy a dedicated car right now.

Is this a bad thing?

I have done road racing but on a track only once and love bending the twisties at high speeds.
Anyways thanks for the info you are providing me with since I came into it thinking I could do it on a minimal biudget I amn starting to get an idea of reality....and it doesn't scare me much at all (except the accidents that will happen) but it lets me know I am alive

[Knestis]

Go to http://toyota.shults.com/cgi-bin/scca/scca.cgi and check to see if your year/displacement Accord is listed in IT. If it is, then you are good to go...

Get a set of the road racing GCR (the road racing rulebook, through www.scca.org), so you don't do something that will be impossible or expensive to fix when you make the transition to IT. Build the Accord to run whatever Street Prepared class it fits, being smart about building safe first, then fast later. (Tires are your biggest performance/$ improvement, BTW, so don't skimp there.) I have been told, but don't know it as gospel, that a legal IT car is actually OK in the SP Solo I rules--you might check on that.

If you find that your particular Honda is NOT IT eligible, double-check with the GCR. You COULD try to get it classfied if it still isn't, but that is a deep swamp. If you can't road race the Accord, the first part of the plan doesn't necessarily need to change--it just won't be as smooth of a trasition.

Again, best wishes and keep us posted, okay?

Kirk