Potential New FF Entrant, and I have a few questions!

Greetings everyone! I am a prior kart guy with FSAE and a decent amount of street car track day experience under my belt, now an engineering test pilot for a living itching to get back on track…and it looks like Formula F has the best bang for the buck out there, with a rules set that looks stable, decent-sized fields and a good engine in Honda that has been involved for a hot minute now. So, at the risk of being called out for my willful ignorance, I have a few questions for the FF crowd here....

1. Chassis
   
   1. I am seeing in some race results that some are using chassis as old as the Swift DB-1 from decades back. In all reality, how competitive is an older chassis at any level in the FF community?
   2. Equipment-wise, aside from spares such as suspension wishbones and other miscellaneous hardware that can break at an event, will I be looking at needing to have a ton of different springs, dampers and other performance parts on hand?
   3. Parts availability- who are the reputable & reliable suppliers?
   
   
2. Tires
   
   1. I am tracking what tires to use. This said, how many track outings/race events does a set typically last while remaining competitive? I know answers may vary, but I have been reading 3-6 outings/race events; does this sound right?
   
   
3. Powertrain
   
   1. Looking at the current SCCA Regs, it appears that modifications/blueprinting of the Honda L15A7 is out of the question. Is this a true statement…or is there ‘between the lines’ stuff that makes or breaks a truly competitive powerplant?
   2. Let’s talk gearboxes. I am seeing the Hewland LD-200 and the Mk9. However, I am seeing that both are out of production and are supported by Hewland Classic, but are there any others? Also, can a Formula F run a 5-speed…or is the class restricted to 4-speed? Does anybody run the JL-200, which is in production and considered a replacement for the LD-200?
   
   
4. Licensing
   
   1. I am seeing multiple sites with multiple answers on what training I would need. It is way too early to think Runoffs; at this point, just getting on the track and having some weekend fun at the local/regional level is what I am looking at doing. The last thing I honestly want is either going through a school to find out that I don’t meet prerequisites, or going through a bunch of training that I kind of didn’t need. So, with this said, what do I honestly need…and more importantly, what schools provide it? Can it be done at the club level (it looks like some regions do training events…. what is these good for?)?
   2. Being a pilot, I know that there is no such thing as “too much training”, but in the aviation world, we have different levels of rating. For example, if someone is just wanting to go from point A to B on a sunny day in a Cessna 172, going all the way through Instrument/Commercial is not required; a Private Pilot program is best for that person, whereas if they wanted to shoot for becoming an airline pilot, the path is different, but clearly defined.

I ask that you all forgive me if any of my questions are off-track or outright ignorant, but I want to get the honest takes from the people actually doing this. If there is anything I have learned as a 21-year military veteran that once held a tactical command, and as an industry professional and business partner nowadays tasked with making critical decisions on a daily basis both in and out of the cockpit, is that information is key to managing risk.

To set expectations, I have not yet committed to this. I am merely researching at this phase, and just like doing fact finding on the internet, I am expecting there to be multiple answers to each of my questions. I know there will be other follow-on questions after this. This said, I am in no rush to begin this venture and although my previous motorsport venture (karts) became very successful, I have zero intention of pulling the trigger on anything until I have the data I need to make the best-informed decisions that I possibly can. I hold nothing but the upmost contempt towards "Gotcha's" and "Oh, By the Way's" that could have been otherwise avoided.

Bottom Line- If I am to do this, I want to do it right and have a load of fun while doing it. I have no interest in doing some kind of minimalist effort (it never ends well), nor do I want to be that guy who ends up getting all the stuff I don't need or will ever use. I think we all know of someone who ignorantly threw a platinum card at the Snap-On guy when all he really needed was at Harbor Freight the whole time, right?

On a separate note, my engineering firm specializes in aerospace composite work, vehicle design, aerodynamics (via CFD) and flight test. This said, given that we are currently developing a 4-place kit-built aircraft, we will soon be in the position to assist the local motorsport community with any kind of composite fabrication & repair. If anyone is genuinely interested in learning “The Art of the Layup”, let us know; we will be happy to teach!

Thanks again, folks. I look forward to hearing from you all!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lv13eng

Greetings everyone! I am a prior kart guy with FSAE and a decent amount of street car track day experience under my belt, now an engineering test pilot for a living itching to get back on track…and it looks like Formula F has the best bang for the buck out there, with a rules set that looks stable, decent-sized fields and a good engine in Honda that has been involved for a hot minute now. So, at the risk of being called out for my willful ignorance, I have a few questions for the FF crowd here....

1. Chassis
   
   1. I am seeing in some race results that some are using chassis as old as the Swift DB-1 from decades back. In all reality, how competitive is an older chassis at any level in the FF community?
   2. Equipment-wise, aside from spares such as suspension wishbones and other miscellaneous hardware that can break at an event, will I be looking at needing to have a ton of different springs, dampers and other performance parts on hand?
   3. Parts availability- who are the reputable & reliable suppliers?
   
   
2. Tires
   
   1. I am tracking what tires to use. This said, how many track outings/race events does a set typically last while remaining competitive? I know answers may vary, but I have been reading 3-6 outings/race events; does this sound right?
   
   
3. Powertrain
   
   1. Looking at the current SCCA Regs, it appears that modifications/blueprinting of the Honda L15A7 is out of the question. Is this a true statement…or is there ‘between the lines’ stuff that makes or breaks a truly competitive powerplant?
   2. Let’s talk gearboxes. I am seeing the Hewland LD-200 and the Mk9. However, I am seeing that both are out of production and are supported by Hewland Classic, but are there any others? Also, can a Formula F run a 5-speed…or is the class restricted to 4-speed? Does anybody run the JL-200, which is in production and considered a replacement for the LD-200?
   
   
4. Licensing
   
   1. I am seeing multiple sites with multiple answers on what training I would need. It is way too early to think Runoffs; at this point, just getting on the track and having some weekend fun at the local/regional level is what I am looking at doing. The last thing I honestly want is either going through a school to find out that I don’t meet prerequisites, or going through a bunch of training that I kind of didn’t need. So, with this said, what do I honestly need…and more importantly, what schools provide it? Can it be done at the club level (it looks like some regions do training events…. what is these good for?)?
   2. Being a pilot, I know that there is no such thing as “too much training”, but in the aviation world, we have different levels of rating. For example, if someone is just wanting to go from point A to B on a sunny day in a Cessna 172, going all the way through Instrument/Commercial is not required; a Private Pilot program is best for that person, whereas if they wanted to shoot for becoming an airline pilot, the path is different, but clearly defined.

I ask that you all forgive me if any of my questions are off-track or outright ignorant, but I want to get the honest takes from the people actually doing this. If there is anything I have learned as a 21-year military veteran that once held a tactical command, and as an industry professional and business partner nowadays tasked with making critical decisions on a daily basis both in and out of the cockpit, is that information is key to managing risk.

To set expectations, I have not yet committed to this. I am merely researching at this phase, and just like doing fact finding on the internet, I am expecting there to be multiple answers to each of my questions. I know there will be other follow-on questions after this. This said, I am in no rush to begin this venture and although my previous motorsport venture (karts) became very successful, I have zero intention of pulling the trigger on anything until I have the data I need to make the best-informed decisions that I possibly can. I hold nothing but the upmost contempt towards "Gotcha's" and "Oh, By the Way's" that could have been otherwise avoided.

Bottom Line- If I am to do this, I want to do it right and have a load of fun while doing it. I have no interest in doing some kind of minimalist effort (it never ends well), nor do I want to be that guy who ends up getting all the stuff I don't need or will ever use. I think we all know of someone who ignorantly threw a platinum card at the Snap-On guy when all he really needed was at Harbor Freight the whole time, right?

On a separate note, my engineering firm specializes in aerospace composite work, vehicle design, aerodynamics (via CFD) and flight test. This said, given that we are currently developing a 4-place kit-built aircraft, we will soon be in the position to assist the local motorsport community with any kind of composite fabrication & repair. If anyone is genuinely interested in learning “The Art of the Layup”, let us know; we will be happy to teach!

Thanks again, folks. I look forward to hearing from you all!

---

There is an easy way to get most, if not all, of the information you are asking for AND get a feel for the FF crowd - attend a few events! Darn near every FF guy I know will be glad to share a ton of information with you. Approach a guy running a Swift, a VD, a Mygale and ask questions and watch. And don't rule out the Kent engine in either newer or older chassis. Heck, you might even conclude that CF or VFF is where you want to start!

My point is simply that, in my view, this is knowledge best gained with boots on the ground.

cheers,
bt

1. You will not be able to win against the best with a DB1 or any old car. The best "old car" that is popular and has a wide parts supply is a late model Van-Diemen, year 2000 an above. The VD is the best bang for the buck in my opinion. You have a chance of hanging on the lead pack with this package, under the right circumstances...

To win against the best you really need a 60k car and reputable team behind you. However, with a older car and a good effort you will be able to run times 1 second to 1.5 second off the very best in the country (if everything else goes right).

2. The Honda engines are supposed to be built to a very tight spec and supposed to have very close HP within each other, that's how it started over a decade ago. However there are people with noticeably more power than others, and these engines often are built for a lot of money. There is nothing that you can do legally to make more power than 115-116hp!

3. You will need 1 set of tires per weekend to compete against the very best, however the tires can last you 3-4 weekends at a regional level or for practice. The LD200 is a popular gearbox and parts are still available.

4. You need to complete 2 schools to obtain a SCCA license in order to run regional races. You should spend your first years running regional races to learn the car and how to drive before thinking about higher competition.

You should look at https://lucasraceschool.com/scca-ful...ition-license/



- You will not be able to compete against the best without proper financing. However, you will be able to run yourself at regional events, and you can do about 8 weekends a year for somewhere around 30k.

Unfortunately that is just the way it is. Karting on the cheap end is minimum 30k a year, and goes up to 350k. Your budget and how often you run will determine the type of program that you are able to run.

FF is the best bang for the buck, it's a real race car with real racing (something that most classes do not offer).



Racing is a dynamic process, go with the flow, do not plan anything that is set in stone.

DB-1?..........if you know how to really drive..........it would be all you'd need. Obviously there are other choices.....and some of 'em are older than you'd think

A couple of different spring sets would be adequate....but stuff accumulates too. You might find you need a selection of different gear ratios and a spare dog ring or two. .....shameless plug for Scott Young Enterprises.

Suppliers? ......several - nationally spread out - think prep shops or shops for just certain type components.......and you also find some parts here at ApexSpeed.

Tires......at least with the SCCA, FF would be a spec tire. You can run 'em down to virtually cord but guys at the pointy end of the field might be putting on a new set every weekend.

Tranny - I prefer LD200 over Hewland - don't know about JL200 in FF but I know it's OK in FC - maybe check the SCCA GCR. Maybe Scott Young knows the answer about JL200 in FF.

Some Regions put on Driver's Schools and you get your Novice Permit signed off.....but if you were to get a SCCA Novice Permit and talk to the Chief Steward beforehand of there being a Regional race weekend, perhaps the Chief Steward will let you in the field with a big "X" on your car. The Chief Steward keeps an extra eye on you all weekend and if you do well on track (think > you didn't crash), you get your Novice Permit signed off than and there. A lot of the Driver School weekend is showing that you understand and obey flags (and didn't crash).....oh and.....that you can be fully belted in on grid and seemingly ready to go but at the last second the Grid Workers yell > FIRE.....and you've got 30 seconds to show 'em that you can get out of the car in 30 or less seconds

Remember this expression and live it accordingly > Speed will come.

Welcome!

Glad to see you are interested! I am located down the road in Beaumont and have been racing my FF "locally" for the past 3 years. I have owned the car for 9 years, the first 6 were all autocross. I included my thoughts in red below which reflect that experience.

If you are up for a trip the NOLA Super Tour is at the end of the month. There wont be many FF cars for various reasons but I plan to be there to volunteer.

Matt Boian

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lv13eng

Greetings everyone! I am a prior kart guy with FSAE and a decent amount of street car track day experience under my belt, now an engineering test pilot for a living itching to get back on track…and it looks like Formula F has the best bang for the buck out there, with a rules set that looks stable, decent-sized fields and a good engine in Honda that has been involved for a hot minute now. So, at the risk of being called out for my willful ignorance, I have a few questions for the FF crowd here....

1. Chassis
   
   1. I am seeing in some race results that some are using chassis as old as the Swift DB-1 from decades back. In all reality, how competitive is an older chassis at any level in the FF community? You will get lots of comments here, especially with "competitive" not well defined. I consider my early Piper ('96 DF2) to be "older" and do not feel it limits me as much as I limit me. I have raced and beat newer Pipers (DF5, DL7) and late model VDs. I have also gotten my ass kicked by a VD older than my car.
   2. Equipment-wise, aside from spares such as suspension wishbones and other miscellaneous hardware that can break at an event, will I be looking at needing to have a ton of different springs, dampers and other performance parts on hand? I have a fair amount of springs and dont do much changing from my baseline. I use other tuning devices not the least of which is the driver :) I carry easy parts for the engine like sensors, coils ect but havent had to use them yet. Hardware for me includes select fasteners, rodends/sphericals, bodywork items (Dzus/camlok), rivits, plumbing stuff ect. A lot of that is used items that came off the car and I didnt throw away.
   3. Parts availability- who are the reputable & reliable suppliers? I get General parts from Pegasus and Summit and aircraft spruce. Car specific parts depend on the car. Scott Young Enterprises, Primus, Fast forward, Averill racing stuff I have bought stuff from. Poke around and you will see names. A lot are small shops/business so websites vary from good to not so good. Picking up the phone goes a long way. No one intentionally makes parts for my Piper anymore so I do a lot of it on my own.
   
   
2. Tires
   
   1. I am tracking what tires to use. This said, how many track outings/race events does a set typically last while remaining competitive? I know answers may vary, but I have been reading 3-6 outings/race events; does this sound right?. Average for me is 2 race weekends as qualifying and race tires (8 heat cycles) then they become test day tires (10+ more cycles?). Sometimes I am amazed on what I was driving on, other times I fall into the "I need stickers for this race" and dont go any faster. I like the FF tire.
   
   
3. Powertrain
   
   1. Looking at the current SCCA Regs, it appears that modifications/blueprinting of the Honda L15A7 is out of the question. Is this a true statement…or is there ‘between the lines’ stuff that makes or breaks a truly competitive powerplant? Dont know, I just sent my motor for its first ever rebuild. I will tell you if it is any faster at the end of the year :) I felt slow at the runoffs on the long straights which is the reason for the rebuild. But also see the above about the cars I have raced and beat in that time. I previously felt that there was more to be gained by driving better for free.
   2. Let’s talk gearboxes. I am seeing the Hewland LD-200 and the Mk9. However, I am seeing that both are out of production and are supported by Hewland Classic, but are there any others? Also, can a Formula F run a 5-speed…or is the class restricted to 4-speed? Does anybody run the JL-200, which is in production and considered a replacement for the LD-200? I doubt many (if any) want to take the weight penalty that comes with a sequential. Rules limit to 4 gears. My car has a Staffs which uses MK9 change gears. I recommend a Hewland for parts availability but you will get whatever the car was designed around.
   
   
4. Licensing
   
   1. I am seeing multiple sites with multiple answers on what training I would need. It is way too early to think Runoffs; at this point, just getting on the track and having some weekend fun at the local/regional level is what I am looking at doing. The last thing I honestly want is either going through a school to find out that I don’t meet prerequisites, or going through a bunch of training that I kind of didn’t need. So, with this said, what do I honestly need…and more importantly, what schools provide it? Can it be done at the club level (it looks like some regions do training events…. what is these good for?)? With your location I would recommend the MSR Houston competition school, very good value. I left with a full national license for ~$2k since I had my own car. Rentals are available as well. There is a lot of time on track in the form of both drills and open lapping. The last day is a bunch of mock races (requirement for the license. FYI a issue with using your own car is that is has to run. If you choose to go that route let me know and I will come crew for you.
   2. Being a pilot, I know that there is no such thing as “too much training”, but in the aviation world, we have different levels of rating. For example, if someone is just wanting to go from point A to B on a sunny day in a Cessna 172, going all the way through Instrument/Commercial is not required; a Private Pilot program is best for that person, whereas if they wanted to shoot for becoming an airline pilot, the path is different, but clearly defined. With the above recommendation I will say that I was still nervous when I got on the track with everyone else. I didnt have much time around "like" cars at the school. Mostly I just didnt want to be "that guy". Knowing your limits is the most important part regardless of training.

I ask that you all forgive me if any of my questions are off-track or outright ignorant, but I want to get the honest takes from the people actually doing this. If there is anything I have learned as a 21-year military veteran that once held a tactical command, and as an industry professional and business partner nowadays tasked with making critical decisions on a daily basis both in and out of the cockpit, is that information is key to managing risk.

To set expectations, I have not yet committed to this. I am merely researching at this phase, and just like doing fact finding on the internet, I am expecting there to be multiple answers to each of my questions. I know there will be other follow-on questions after this. This said, I am in no rush to begin this venture and although my previous motorsport venture (karts) became very successful, I have zero intention of pulling the trigger on anything until I have the data I need to make the best-informed decisions that I possibly can. I hold nothing but the upmost contempt towards "Gotcha's" and "Oh, By the Way's" that could have been otherwise avoided.

Bottom Line- If I am to do this, I want to do it right and have a load of fun while doing it. I have no interest in doing some kind of minimalist effort (it never ends well), nor do I want to be that guy who ends up getting all the stuff I don't need or will ever use. I think we all know of someone who ignorantly threw a platinum card at the Snap-On guy when all he really needed was at Harbor Freight the whole time, right?

On a separate note, my engineering firm specializes in aerospace composite work, vehicle design, aerodynamics (via CFD) and flight test. This said, given that we are currently developing a 4-place kit-built aircraft, we will soon be in the position to assist the local motorsport community with any kind of composite fabrication & repair. If anyone is genuinely interested in learning “The Art of the Layup”, let us know; we will be happy to teach!

Thanks again, folks. I look forward to hearing from you all!

---

Welcome!

I will not disagree with Jonathon's comments, but point out that when he talks about "being able to win" his context is the big well-attended events such as the 7 FRP events, Runoffs, June Sprints, Sebring and Road Atlanta SuperTour events, and perhaps a half-dozen more spread across the USA. There are still dozens of other events where you can have a blast and be competitive with a lesser program. Even with the fastest and best equipment, it will take several years of dedicated racing at the 2nd level, to get your driving and preparation to the level required to win at the elite events. And that is if you have the natural talent to do so. Very few club racers get to that level. That is not a bad thing however. Racing against the best may not build the plastic trophy collection but it is special!

Brian, you're coming at this with a more mature attitude than the usual newbie. Your questions are good ones, and I won't disagree with any of the answers, but will emphasize Bill's comment that CF or even Vintage FF may suit you. Various local (and national vintage) organizations have fields at least as large as SCCA, and some of the drivers you'd encounter will give you more than enough competition unless you decide to spend $$ on driver development and car tuning (renting a track for testing just ain't cheap). If you ever get good enough to be at the very pointy end of FF it's more practical to rent a ride from some of the very experienced teams that already know what setup to use at each track, etc.

If you just want to have fun and test yourself there's plenty of that available in the mid-pack. The only hazard there is that whatever you achieve will never be enough. A very serious addiction.

P.S. Bill is also right that your first step should be to attend an event or three. You'll learn a lot, you'll be able to see what chassis fits you, but most importantly you'll get a chance to choose your tribe. Each series and group has a definite personality.

I'm in Houston, my shop is near Hwy 290 and W 34th street and I'm currently working on a vintage Ford.
You're welcome to come by and look and ask questions. The owner of the Ford is always at the shop on Saturdays and willing to talk to new drivers.
I've had my shop there since the early 80s and have worked on everything from F440 to GT1.
Just send me a message thru the PM system and I'll send you my phone number and address.
I could also be looking for someone to do composite work.
Best of luck
George

I'm not sure what the grids down in the Texas area are like for FC cars. But depending on those you may consider the FC as the best bang for the buck. If you look in classifieds, you can get a FC Zetec for mid to upper 30's to low 40's. 20k cheaper than a FF and really around the same age of car. With more power and in my opinion extremely fun to drive.



Brian

If you were in FSAE before the military, you may have been near the end of Carroll Smith's guidance of that program. Carroll was a mentor of mine and had strongly suggested that if I wanted to learn to drive, I'd get an FF. I kept trying to go for a cheap FC because it would be faster but Carroll was adamant about FF.

There's also the choice of SCCA FF and Vintage FF. Both are, in my mind, very fun with different advantages. Vintage event entry fees are generally more but there are certainly Vintage events that are cheaper than SCCA Super Tour events. A couple of Vintage organizations are VERY reasonably priced.

SCCA used a spec radial tire, which have a longer useful life than the previous softer bias ply tires. I have many sets of wheels so I may use the new set for two races, then demote them to 3-4 quallys, then run them for 4-6 practice sessions, maybe more, depending on how strong the field looks. More money usually means more speed! OTOH, Vintage treads are good for a dozen or more cycles. IDK, I didn't wear mine out.

FF is supposed to be lower cost so not much to be gained in gearbox technology, even after 50 years! The 52 year old Mk9 will perform as well as anything, especially if recently rebuilt by a pro. My Staffs got the PRO treatment back in 2006 and hasn't missed a beat in all the years since.

An SCCA school will earn you a license. I've never done one of the open wheel schools but I have hired coaches, including Jonathon Lee's dad James Lee. I can't imagine a school could teach as much as James Lee!

The most important thing is just to remember that we are there to have fun, and not just for victories and adulation. We typically help each other because I would much rather beat you on the track than beat you because you're already loaded and driving home with a broken/impaired car.

Sounds like you have some people to go visit during the next couple of weekends there in Houston. Take advantage and don't be shy about asking more questions!

SCCA club racing schools are mostly done early in the calendar year. So, you may want to jump soon, or you could loose a year.

Search on https://www.motorsportreg.com/


Good luck.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by lv13eng

Greetings everyone! I am a prior kart guy with FSAE and a decent amount of street car track day experience under my belt, now an engineering test pilot for a living itching to get back on track…and it looks like Formula F has the best bang for the buck out there, with a rules set that looks stable, decent-sized fields and a good engine in Honda that has been involved for a hot minute now. So, at the risk of being called out for my willful ignorance, I have a few questions for the FF crowd here....

1. Licensing
2. 
   
   1. I am seeing multiple sites with multiple answers on what training I would need. It is way too early to think Runoffs; at this point, just getting on the track and having some weekend fun at the local/regional level is what I am looking at doing. The last thing I honestly want is either going through a school to find out that I don’t meet prerequisites, or going through a bunch of training that I kind of didn’t need. So, with this said, what do I honestly need…and more importantly, what schools provide it? Can it be done at the club level (it looks like some regions do training events…. what is these good for?)?
   2. Being a pilot, I know that there is no such thing as “too much training”, but in the aviation world, we have different levels of rating. For example, if someone is just wanting to go from point A to B on a sunny day in a Cessna 172, going all the way through Instrument/Commercial is not required; a Private Pilot program is best for that person, whereas if they wanted to shoot for becoming an airline pilot, the path is different, but clearly defined.

I ask that you all forgive me if any of my questions are off-track or outright ignorant, but I want to get the honest takes from the people actually doing this. If there is anything I have learned as a 21-year military veteran that once held a tactical command, and as an industry professional and business partner nowadays tasked with making critical decisions on a daily basis both in and out of the cockpit, is that information is key to managing risk.

To set expectations, I have not yet committed to this. I am merely researching at this phase, and just like doing fact finding on the internet, I am expecting there to be multiple answers to each of my questions. I know there will be other follow-on questions after this. This said, I am in no rush to begin this venture and although my previous motorsport venture (karts) became very successful, I have zero intention of pulling the trigger on anything until I have the data I need to make the best-informed decisions that I possibly can. I hold nothing but the upmost contempt towards "Gotcha's" and "Oh, By the Way's" that could have been otherwise avoided.

Bottom Line- If I am to do this, I want to do it right and have a load of fun while doing it. I have no interest in doing some kind of minimalist effort (it never ends well), nor do I want to be that guy who ends up getting all the stuff I don't need or will ever use. I think we all know of someone who ignorantly threw a platinum card at the Snap-On guy when all he really needed was at Harbor Freight the whole time, right?

On a separate note, my engineering firm specializes in aerospace composite work, vehicle design, aerodynamics (via CFD) and flight test. This said, given that we are currently developing a 4-place kit-built aircraft, we will soon be in the position to assist the local motorsport community with any kind of composite fabrication & repair. If anyone is genuinely interested in learning “The Art of the Layup”, let us know; we will be happy to teach!

Thanks again, folks. I look forward to hearing from you all!

---

Living in Houston you have two choices, CVAR is vintage and SCCA. It could be best to start with a tweener car, CVAR allows up to 1994 in their FF3 class and there are models from that time that can still be competitive in SCCA. It would have to be Ford powered for CVAR, but with the low grid numbers that FF has in SCCA locally you could still be near the front.
This would maximize your possible track time and given that the FF field at CVAR is larger than SCCA, give you more cars to run with
From what my drivers tell me, it might be easier to get your license thru CVAR and then apply for an SCCA one.
If after starting you decide you want to be competitive at the Runoffs, you would have a sellable car should you want to move up in FF or some other class.

Another alternative: Club Level Racing with ProAutoSports in Arizona

I club race with ProAutoSports https://proautosports.com/ in the Euro Formula Ford class grouped in the Open Wheel session. The Euro Formula Ford use the Toyo R888 tires, which will be good-enough-to-win for at least 3 weekend and maybe 4 and cost about $900 mounted. So the tire bill is really low. There is also, for lack of a better word, a SCCA style FF class, which run slicks and Honda or Ford motors. Although, the session is not exclusively Formula Fords, as there can be some sports racer(s) entered and several wing formula cars, just to keep your attention up. Here is the link to the qualifying session at last weekends race at the Podium Club https://racehero.io/events/proautosp...lts/1073747420 and you can see the variety. Also see the qualifying pre-grid pix below.

What I do is essentially arrive and drive but I supply my car. I have a shop store, maintain, provide transportation and assistance at the track. I think this year, the shop is considering racing at Laguna Seca, Sears Point, Mid-Ohio but this is fluid. One more thing, I would love to maintain my own car but I don't have the time. Also, be forewarned there a bunch old geezers that run FF and I'm of that ilk.

For the AZ races, I think you could fly in from Houston to Tuscon or Phoenix, rent a car, drive out to race track and jump in your FF and go racing. Also, the racing is relatively low key, so it's a good learning environment. https://www.apexspeed.com/forums/att...d=110217&stc=1

I bet Jay Messenger could help you get your feet wet too, what with his rapidly evolving fleet of sorted, quick and reliable Van Diemens. He’s on here. . . .