I hate to be one of those posters, but I am curious about what y'all would do. I really enjoy track nights and want to hit a few other tracks this year, so the SCCA Time Trial program seems like the ticket. My first event is in May and I am thinking about car prep. I run a 245 RE71r all around, a rear bar, better brake fluid, and DS2500s up front on stock rotors. I have not had issues with fade, and the car is pretty quick in stock form. I can go as-is and have fun and that's all that really matters to me. I am not going to be the fastest in Sport 3, and I don't care. I see two options.
1: Beat my PB: This could mean adding power, an intake and a tune is legal in the class. Or upgrading to full race brakes to dive a little deeper. Or stuffing more rubber in there, 265s might fit with some camber bolts. Nothing to void the warranty, just focus on small gains.
2: Do more events. I'd love to try some other locals tracks, maybe even travel to VIR. So maybe I invest in a set of Ventus R-S4 and stock up on OEM pads and rotors and add oil and brake coolers. Do all the events I can afford in a mostly stock car.
No right or wrong answer, what would peak your interest if you were me?
Drive different tracks.
I'm not sure you're butt or even a stopwatch will notice slightly wider tires (unless you are undertired, which I doubt), an intake, or bigger brakes.
Save your money for more track days.
VIR is awesome. So is Nelson Ledges. So is Mid Ohio. They are all within driving distance.
seat time is king...
if you have the time, spend it at the track. while SCCA's time trials events are competitions they are also fun for everybody with great coaching and lots of fast people to get tips and tricks from.
Unless you're fixing some reliability problem, money is almost always better spent on more track time. Though a seat and harness makes driving a lot more pleasant for me.
Tom1200
PowerDork
2/28/25 3:00 p.m.
So as someone who's raced and tracked the same slow car for the past 35 years I will say this:
On our Datsun 1200 we stated with in H-stock at autocross, quickly moved to SCCA Club racing and now vintage. At my local track the car is now 12 seconds a lap faster than it was. I've installed bigger brakes, better suspension and the motor is making 60% more power (it's still gutless). The car would actually be streetable is not for everything being replaced with rod ends or non rubber bushings.
The only limits set were keeping the cost low, staying in the run group I like and the car being reliable.
For you car drive it as is for a while; once you are driving every inch of every lap at 100% than start slow with mods. Pick the thing that might bother you the most.
I always add horsepower last. I typically start with better brakes unless the suspension is really awful. Do one mod at a time as that makes it fun and gives you a chance to see exactly what each mod adds.
I'm in the same boat as you with my Foxbody Mustang. I want a car that I won't hate on the street but is still fun on the track. I first fixed the things on the suspension that weren't right, I then did the brakes and I have some cylinder heads that will be going on possible this summer. The car has picked up a couple of seconds time wise but more importantly it's much nicer to drive. I don't care if it's not competitive.
So, I think posts are either being deleted or disappearing from this thread. Pretty sure I had the 2nd post, it disappeared, then someone else posted and suggested #2 seemed like the best idea, and now THAT post is gone.
In reply to wvumtnbkr :
The thread was double posted, the other thread may have been deleted.
Pete. (l33t FS) said:
In reply to wvumtnbkr :
The thread was double posted, the other thread may have been deleted.
Still there: https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/sage-track-day-advice-sought/276896/page1/
