New to Apex

[ARescigno]

Hi Everyone,

Looks like a great group of people on here. My name is Anthony and I turned 24 last week. I have a lot to learn about this world but Im sure ill learn fast. I have been karting(rotax, tags, consumer) and watching F1 for close to 10 years now. I have attended BMWs performance driving schools since I am big BMW fan. I drive an N51 E90 if there are any bmw fans on here. Last year I attended Rusty Wallace half day formula ford class and it was a blast. I just finished Bertil Roos F2000 1/2 school this past weekend and I really want to pursue this more often. I just signed up for a local fall karting league to keep me sharp until I have the funds to do Bertil Roos scca licensing class.

im excited to learn a lot from this forum and hopefully compete against some of you guys one day.

best
Anthony

[Steve Demeter]

Welcome new friend

[beachguy12]

Anthony, from first hand experience I can tell you the people on this forum are the most helpful and open you could ever find. There is a ton of searchable info in these forums as well. Welcome.

[DK540]

Really great folks on here, but if you really want to get to know how genuine and helpful and knowledgeable they all are, go to some races and hang out in the paddock. I just returned from my first race ever (as a driver, I mean, in a Club Ford) at VIR and had 6 other racers volunteer their time, assistance, advice, tools, etc. Really super guys who genuinely want more racers to join us. Check the schedules of the various sanctioning bodies (for instance the Formula Fest coming up soon and the VRG race at Watkins Glen coming soon) and get your butt out there and figure out what you want to race!

[ARescigno]

Welcome new friend

Thanks Steve

Anthony, from first hand experience I can tell you the people on this forum are the most helpful and open you could ever find. There is a ton of searchable info in these forums as well. Welcome.

thanks. Just reading some of the threads you all seem like a really helpful bunch. Hopefully get to meet some of the northeast folks soon.

Really great folks on here, but if you really want to get to know how genuine and helpful and knowledgeable they all are, go to some races and hang out in the paddock. I just returned from my first race ever (as a driver, I mean, in a Club Ford) at VIR and had 6 other racers volunteer their time, assistance, advice, tools, etc. Really super guys who genuinely want more racers to join us. Check the schedules of the various sanctioning bodies (for instance the Formula Fest coming up soon and the VRG race at Watkins Glen coming soon) and get your butt out there and figure out what you want to race!

great idea thank you. Ive watched from the paddock for local bmw cca events and it has been somewhat helpful. Formula fest is in Austin? Watkins glen is not far from me so I will make sure to be there. thanks for the heads up.

[dc]

I drive an N51 E90...

Pics, or it doesn't exist.




From,

An E36 ///M3 owner.

[Jtovo]

"until I have the funds to do Bertil Roos scca licensing class."

Skip that school and rent a car from someone on this forum and do an SCCA school. I venture to say you will save a ton of money, get a ton of track time, your license faster AND if you find the right deal, may be able to roll the rental cost into the purchase of a car.

We have some creative and helpful people on this forum who do things more for the fun of the sport rather than to just make a buck.

[TimH]

Skip that school and rent a car from someone on this forum and do an SCCA school. I venture to say you will save a ton of money, get a ton of track time, your license faster AND if you find the right deal, may be able to roll the rental cost into the purchase of a car.

I was going to vehemently disagree with this advice, contending that a good foundation with formal instruction would advance your driving much more efficiently than a lot of seat time repeating mistakes. Then I remembered you've already done karts. I'm less certain now. Do realize, however, that I've seen mature professional racers quite willing to pay Bondurant for a day or three of attention.

[ARescigno]

Pics, or it doesn't exist.

From,

An E36 ///M3 owner.

I knew there had to be some bmw fans on here! I dont have any updated pictures but this was when I was 20. Its now more geared towards handling/performing.
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=423843

"until I have the funds to do Bertil Roos scca licensing class."

Skip that school and rent a car from someone on this forum and do an SCCA school. I venture to say you will save a ton of money, get a ton of track time, your license faster AND if you find the right deal, may be able to roll the rental cost into the purchase of a car.

We have some creative and helpful people on this forum who do things more for the fun of the sport rather than to just make a buck.

I was going to vehemently disagree with this advice, contending that a good foundation with formal instruction would advance your driving much more efficiently than a lot of seat time repeating mistakes. Then I remembered you've already done karts. I'm less certain now. Do realize, however, that I've seen mature professional racers quite willing to pay Bondurant for a day or three of attention.

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Although that is tempting so I can save money I would love to have at least a full day for feedback from a professional who truly knows what they are doing. Dennis Macchio from Bertil said I looked very good out there for 1/2 day but that by no means Im ready for wheel to wheel racing.

I would though love to rent a car to get some seat time. My karting league is during the week so do you know anyone in the northeast that rents F2000 cars per hour/day?

Already love this forum

[Bob Wright]

Listen to Dennis...he's a long time FF and F2000 driver as well as an instructor. His school produces some very good drivers being fed into our Series.

Phil Picard (Momentum Racing) has a couple of F2000's he might be willing to set up for a test day in the NE.

[Bud Pug]

Anthony, Buying a F/C (F/2000) as a first racecar is a BIG step from a Kart. karts do not have suspension and it takes some time to understand how to set-up a racecar. mechanical grip or hiding a poor set-up with more wing than is needed. I suggest you start with an affordable Club Ford, you do not need one with all the "bells & trick stuff" just a straight and reliable one that you can learn how to get the most out of the suspension, then you can sell it for about what you paid and head off to another class that you can afford to compete in properly!

[ARescigno]

Listen to Dennis...he's a long time FF and F2000 driver as well as an instructor. His school produces some very good drivers being fed into our Series.

Phil Picard (Momentum Racing) has a couple of F2000's he might be willing to set up for a test day in the NE.

great thank you, ill give them a call.

Anthony, Buying a F/C (F/2000) as a first racecar is a BIG step from a Kart. karts do not have suspension and it takes some time to understand how to set-up a racecar. mechanical grip or hiding a poor set-up with more wing than is needed. I suggest you start with an affordable Club Ford, you do not need one with all the "bells & trick stuff" just a straight and reliable one that you can learn how to get the most out of the suspension, then you can sell it for about what you paid and head off to another class that you can afford to compete in properly!

I agree 100%. I have had less than 2 hours in the seat of a FF, F2000 car so it will be a couple years before I even think about buying a car. John Merriman was kind enough to send me his link www.thekentlives.com for any information i may need about club ford and anything FF. The track I ran the F2000 car did not have fast enough corners to take advantage of the added downforce of the wings compared to the FF I drove so I knew it all came down to suspension settings. I do all the work on my street car myself including suspension so I think i have an okay start on how to setup a car, although this is a whole new world. Thanks for the help guys

[ARescigno]

Hey Guys,

Looking at everything from F600 to F3 but I dont see many people still running a manual transmission. I would love to pick up/race a F2000 still with the hewland 4 speed.

What series would you recommend where everyone is still going at it the old fashion way. I prefer it that way.

[glenn cooper]

Welcome aboard, Ant

[Clyde]

Andy Graham is the FRCCA chief instructor he is at 201-665-8682, I believe he has a F/C to rent or he knows of another F/F (C/F). My thought is to rent a C/F before getting into anything else. School cars are made to be reliable not "as fast as possible".

[TimH]

What series would you recommend where everyone is still going at it the old fashion way. I prefer it that way.

I agree completely - sequential boxes take away one of the great driving pleasures and opportunities to screw up. In your area, FRCCA still runs a lot of Hewland transmissions in Formula Fords.

[glenn cooper]

I agree completely - sequential boxes take away one of the great driving pleasures and opportunities to screw up. In your area, FRCCA still runs a lot of Hewland transmissions in Formula Fords.

Lots of SCCA stuff: FV, CF, CFC, FF, FFX, FC, FM, many FA's...

[ARescigno]

Welcome aboard, Ant

thanks

Andy Graham is the FRCCA chief instructor he is at 201-665-8682, I believe he has a F/C to rent or he knows of another F/F (C/F). My thought is to rent a C/F before getting into anything else. School cars are made to be reliable not "as fast as possible".

Great thank you. Ill give him a call and see if there is still anything available before the cold sets in.

I agree completely - sequential boxes take away one of the great driving pleasures and opportunities to screw up. In your area, FRCCA still runs a lot of Hewland transmissions in Formula Fords.

it was just better then. Senna's turbo mp44 is something I have always dreamed of driving. I even refuse to buy an auto dd even in NY with our traffic.

Lots of SCCA stuff: FV, CF, CFC, FF, FFX, FC, FM, many FA's...

Thanks, still getting up to speed on all the abbreviations