650S vs Ginetta

Random ideas more like the track only Ginetta then the 650s.

Rush SR small, light, 1000cc sequential.  Should have low operating costs.  $40k

Fields Auto Works Cardinal Coupe.  Looks like $75kish

NASA NPO1-EVO.  Prototype experience with fairly low running costs.  $85k

Radical Sr3.  Huge support, sequential transmission.  $50-85k

Praga R1.  New entry to US market.  Full on prototype.  ~$160k est. 

nocones said:

Random ideas more like the track only Ginetta then the 650s.

Rush SR small, light, 1000cc sequential.  Should have low operating costs.  $40k

Fields Auto Works Cardinal Coupe.  Looks like $75kish

NASA NPO1-EVO.  Prototype experience with fairly low running costs.  $85k

Radical Sr3.  Huge support, sequential transmission.  $50-85k

Praga R1.  New entry to US market.  Full on prototype.  ~$160k est. 

There are a lot of these cars at the track that I frequent, enough that I have some direct experience with each.  The OP didn't say how experienced he was on the track, but any of these would be a handful for a novice.  Of course, so would the Ginetta or McClaren he mentioned.  But everything on that list is a downforce car with lots of aero and it takes a lot of skill to drive them well.  BIG jump from a street car.

Rush SR- seems like they're still working out the bugs with these.  The guys I talked to that drove them said they were very edgy and unforgiving, which may improve with setup?  They are TINY.  I wouldn't want to run one at a track day in proximity to normal sized street cars.

Fields Cardinal- would actually be a good solution for the OP's described needs.  Runs a common drivetrain and components so in theory it wouldn't be bad to keep them running.  The biggest thing I don't like about them is that if he eventually decides he wants to race, it's a dead end.  They don't really class well anywhere.

NASA NPO1- I've only seen one.  Good cars, seem pretty safe/reliable/cheap to run.  Better as a track day car or time trial car because it seems like the NASA race series for them is basically DOA.  They just can't get a field of them out there.

Radical- I think the SR1 is the better car for most people over the SR3.  The difference in lap times isn't that great due to weight.  Everyone that drives them seems to like them.  I do see them broken in the pit lane from time to time.  When they break you're often waiting for parts to arrive from England.  These seem to be the favorite in this category.

Praga R1- pretty exotic, scary fast.  They can put down laps comparable to a Formula Atlantic.  Reliability is undetermined yet, I have seen them break down.  Carbon fiber monocoque and European running gear makes you very sad if you put one into a wall.  There's four of them at my track now and they mop the floor with the Radicals.

Another car in this category that could be considered is a KTM Crossbow.  The one guy I know that had one just sold it for a Radical, so...

Drove a Radical SR3 once, it handles more like an F1 car than an ordinary production car, definitely not noob-friendly, and waiting for parts from England is the norm. We had someone on here who ran one and would fabricate replacement parts rather than buying new any time something broke. The Cardinal could be a cheaper substitute for the Ginetta if there are no intentions of finding a racing class for it later, being less downforce-dependent it should be easier to drive and it's very lightweight which should bring the running costs into the production midrange sports car ballpark.

I'd get the NP01 and enter the 25 Hours of Thunderhill with it :) 

OP did give an experience level , read the post ;)

OK I re-read the OP. I think any of those cars would be scary as hell for a driver with less than one year of track days. 

I agree with the lot of you that this is way way to much car for someone with a single year of experience unless they have been running track days 5 times a week. But just for fun here is a set of GT3 650's for sale all prepped and ready to go if you have the scratch.