Could you PM me more specific information about this event? (Or post it here, whichever)Originally Posted by H.L.Tallman
Could you PM me more specific information about this event? (Or post it here, whichever)
Can you put a $ amount (range?) on what you think is 'budget friendly'. Say car & safety gear and then per event cost.
Brian
The Vee guys are the ones to ask that question. Some have very old cars, camp at the track, runthere tires to the cord, never get motors or trans rebuilt. Others have fairly new cars ( no such thing as a new FV) 1990s, early 2000s, new motors, motel rooms , enclosed trailers, everything rebuilt. New tires. The cost to race can be very different. That being said you can pretty much taylor your racing costs to how you want to do it.
HT
I know how much it costs.
The question was for RyanGreener to answer. For him to assign a $ amount to his term 'budget friendly'.
Brian
It's funny, I'm willing to spend as much as it takes to be competitive but I've reviewed the costs of a "worse case scenario" and FV seems budget friendly to me. (Basically, I reviewed an arrive and drive program and the costs are fine to me per weekend)
It doesn't get much more budget friendly.
Very good equipment isn't expensive. It's the amount of seat time and race experience one needs to accumulate to have success that gets expensive. Thing is, you don't need 10,000 hours to master it, like many other sports. You just need as much, or more than those you are racing against. Most SCCA club racers are lucky to get 24 hours of seat time a year.
Yup, I agree. I plan on trying to accelerate my learning curve as much as possible via sim racing, karting, as well as being open to endurance racing etc.
NER Meeting
The New England Region meeting will be at Thompson Raceway in CT. on Nov. 17th at 11:00 am. Be there.
HT
By the way, so I understand the terminology, what exactly is the "New England Region" related to? SCCA? Different car club? NEFV?
SCCA . NEFV is part of SCCA. Your not a member are you?
HT
SCCA local clubs are called regions. For instance, I belong to the NEOhio Region of SCCA.
Dave Weitzenhof
Ah ok. I was under the impression this was a different club. I am not familiar with the SCCA ecosystem yet. I can’t go if I am not a member right?
They're almost always very inclusive and looking for new members. Just show up. They'll welcome you with open arms and help you become a member.
Dave Weitzenhof
Some SCCA races are non-spectator, some are spectator. Easiest way to go is to have a driver put you on their Crew List. When you go to Registration, say you are on that driver's crew. You would have access to the paddock area, all the drivers, all the cars. I am sure that one of the NEDIV people on this thread can hook you up. Weekend memberships are available and can save you money on a full membership.
NEFV Contacts
https://www.facebook.com/groups/nefv.org/
http://www.nefv.org
Dave and his rental cars are becoming a fixture at our events.
ChrisZ
When I posted this, I was thinking about going to one of the regions' meetings. Farrout48 is correct that it's usually required to be on a crew or a guest to get into a track - related to insurance issues, etc.
Dave Weitzenhof
Ryan
Should be a big group of Vees , maybe Dave Scaler will be there .
try on a few cars for fit and offer to help out.
Some members of the Challenge Cup should be there running on Slicks.
Wish I could make it , Track looks great!!
Nov. 17th is just a meeting, no raceing. Our season is over. Anyone can come, everyone is welcome. It is at the restaurant outside of the track parking lot at Thompson
HT
Ryan
As Dave mentioned, SCCA is split into local clubs called regions - (think state / counties). There are two regions in New Jersey - Northern New Jersey and South Jersey roughly splitting the state north / south of Trenton. I can provide contacts for either.
A very good FV contact in NJ is Dave Scaler. He is very experienced and has a good program for getting new drivers involved in racing and FV.
If you are interested, shoot me a PM
See ya at the races
Terry
NeFv meeting
Our NeFv meeting is Nov. 17th 11Am -3 pm
Location is The Putnam Elks lodge
64 Edmond st
Putnam Ct.
Anyone interested is welcome and I recommend anyone interest in getting into Vee racing should come and meet with us as more than likely we have a member near you.
Hope to see you there
Thanks Jeff Adams
I'm going to become a full SCCA member regardless any way. My plan is to eventually run at a Runoffs no matter what class I'm in.
Yes, I've been in contact with him quite a bit already.
Thanks for that!
I am working two jobs right now so I will definitely try to make the meeting if I have off.
Last edited by RyanGreener; 11.05.18 at 8:29 AM.
Get Involved Some How
Ryan, if you're not ready to jump into driver's school and go racing right away; I would suggest connecting with someone in your region and crewing for them next season. You'll learn about everything from racing "stuff" to how the SCCA works.
I would have technically been ready to go W2W this season, but I've got a few life events that are taking priority first.
I've actually been around the NASA ecosystem for a bit (they do an HPDE ladder that allows you to be eligible for a comp license), as well as already having a few SCCA contacts. I have a good general idea of how racing goes as I've been around/crewed for NASA racers. My main issue is just understanding the SCCA ecosystem (and also new to the open wheel ecosystem too) because something about the website is mostly vague but thanks to this thread I've figured most of it out.
Either way, I wouldn't mind contacting someone from Formula Vee/Ford to see if I could crew/hang out.
Well, looks like things have changed and I might be seeing you guys in the paddock(s) this season. Hoping for some good times
FV is cheap to buy, but it's not the cheapest to operate (tires, engine, gearbox, fuel, brake pads, etc.). FF(Honda) and FST are cheaper to operate. See spreadsheet. Repair costs are another story.
Greg
I did not start out in open wheel, i started in sedans and wanted to get to Trans Am. The a buddy of mine who had a Vee asked me if i wanted to drive his car. Sure i said, does it have 4 wheels?
Well 1/2 hour later i got out of his Lynx FV laughing and grinning so hard it was crazy. I have never been in a non open wheel race car since that day.
Believe me, you will be sold! DO NOT WAIT!
Thanks ... Jay Novak
313-445-4047
On my 54th year as an SCCA member
with a special thanks to every SCCA worker (NONE OF US WOULD RACE WITHOUT THE WORKERS)
Absolutely. I started by time trialing my 1964 Triumph TR4. In 1968, I bought a Vee. I've been hooked on open-wheel cars ever since!
Dave Weitzenhof
I'm already committed to this, so maybe I'll be seeing you guys next year. I'll be racing with the SCCA NEDiv
NE Div
The NE Div. guys are great, you'll have a blast!
Greg,
Starting in 2019 we have a spec tire - the estimate is 20 + heat cycles - but that is of course to be proven.
The initial cost of a FF is a problem - just the difference in price will field a FV for 5 years or more.
FST is an alternative in the MW but right now is basically a regional class.
With FV allowing disc brakes, the upfront cost is large (maybe) but the maintenance savings could be a lot. Right now I think your per race cost of FV on brakes is low, but it is hard to forecast. I have gone 5 years without putting a dime into brakes and then lost 2 drums in 1 year...
Chris
Spec Tire and Disc Brakes now? Big changes from what I've read in the past....I wonder how much that will factor into my own costs as I am renting.
The disc brakes are optional - not expecting this to have an impact on renting.
The spec tire will even out the field and allow the renters to give you a more consistent tire. Again, I would not expect that to change the cost of renting either way.
Since most of the cost of renting is car prep and living expenses (for the crew) I do not see much of a change in 2019.
If gas prices stay low - tow costs could have more of an effect!
ChrisZ
Do many people race in the NJ RRS or do they prefer to race elsewhere or the Majors? I wonder how big the field will be.
I haven't heard of the NJRRS, but then again I'm new and I'm not from NJ.
As far as other options, the SCCA or the Challenge Cup are where the Vees race on this side of the country. The SCCA puts on Regional Races and the Majors, which used to be called Nationals. You have to have a full license to run Majors, so it's not a place you can start. The North East Region of the SCCA is where I run and we have a very solid Vee group with 20+ drivers at most races. The Challenge Cup also has a very solid group, so you'll have to decide which is for you. In Jersey their are two SCCA regions, the Southern Region and the Northern Region. They both host races and you can look at past results to see run numbers.
1993 Citation FV
NEFV - 2022 Champion
NERRC - 2022 Champion
basically if you want to race against people in our part of the US, you either run with NEFV or Challenge Cup.
NEFV does a great job with getting folks licensed, and Johan Wasserman from Challenge Cup / Canadian F1200 has a licensing program thru test days in Canada that many new drivers have taken advantage of, and he does it way cheaper than any other way I have seen so far.
~Matt Clark| RTJ-02 FV #92 | My YouTube Onboard Videos (helmet cam)
Still getting the hang of SCCA talk, but i think NJRRS is a part of the NEDiv Regional series? I think I'll be seeing you next season then.
NJRRS is the New Jersey Road Racing Series. It is conducted primarily at New Jersey Motorsports Park; in 2019 there will be two additional races at Summit Point. NERRC is the New England Road Racing Championship. It is conducted at the four tracks in New England (Lime Rock, Thompson, Palmer and New Hampshire); it has more FV competition because of the participation by the NEFV group.
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