All we need is big, stiff springs and big, thick rollbars to go racing, right? Only if our tracks were as flat as a pool table. Every bump or irregularity in the track upsets our cornering race car to some degree, so we need to have suspension compliancy as well as stiffness. And there is [...]
Continuing on our rollcage discussion, how many points of attachment is enough? More is better is the usual train of thought, but more bars in the cage means more weight. And since acceleration is determined by horsepower per pound of car, the more you weigh, the less you accelerate. So the right balance of enough [...]
If you have been out of the sport for a while, and are feeling the old desire pulling you back in, be prepared for sticker shock! The old days of driving your MG to the track, unhooking the muffler, and letting your scarf fly are unfortunately gone. $350 entry fees, $8/gal race fuel, $800/set racing [...]
One of the best ways to Race On The Cheap is sharing expenses with your buddies. If you don’t have any friends in this sport when you start, you will have some shortly. For the most part, racers are a pretty great group of folks, especially in the vintage race clubs. Lots of comraderie in [...]
Since most new racers come from the street car scene, engine modifications are usually the first area of interest in a race car. New racers want to spend all their time and money getting the most horsepower out of their engine. This is a natural desire, put its quite misguided. Max power output of your race [...]
This is my current race car, it’s a 1971 Datsun 240Z. I race with two different clubs, VARA and NASA. VARA is a vintage race club, and I run in the CP class. NASA is a late model club, and I run in PTB. The car is based on the 240Z race cars of the [...]
Can you participate in the sport of autoracing without owning a dedicated race car? You bet! And legally too! I don’t want to even recognize street racing. Those fools give racing a bad name, endanger themselves and innocent bystanders, and drive up your and my auto insurance rates. I’m talking about legal, sanctioned events. There [...]
“How am I gonna pay for all this?” If you’re not independently wealthy, it’s tough. You are going to have to give up a lot of other things to pay for this new, expensive habit. I do it with the help of a lot of good friends, some sponsorship, and the understanding of a loving family. [...]