I’ve got a cheap E-street autocross prepped NA Miata that I could make challenge budget friendly with a few part swaps and come join the specticipants. I’m on the fence about it partly because I feel like bone stock Miatas at the challenge are kind of lame and partly because I want to focus efforts and free time on getting the real entry sorted.
In reply to Tom Suddard :
If it was for the $2019 Challenge...
In reply to JmfnB :
You have a lot on your plate JB, another year is another chance.
In 2 words, Drag Races.
I understand the issue was not caused by GRM but my car is a drag car so....
Yup....gotta have the Drag Race.
In reply to aussiesmg :
Every day is another opportunity to get a little bit off the pile. some days I feel like I get a little done others I feel like the pile grows but I know that it will not go away if I stop.
Another idea/aspect to consider would be, if possible, rescheduling the event to early in the year, possibly February or March. Winter is prime wrenching time in most of the country and also provides almost no motorsports opportunity for those not fortunate enough to live in a part of the world where ice racing is possible. If held in late winter, though towing would be more difficult for some, the event would provide a warm escape and opportunity to take part in motorsport during a time of the year when they're otherwise unable to.
Also it's tax return season so funds to make the trip will be more readily available. As opposed to the holidays are coming, better tighten up the spending season.
In reply to captdownshift :
Counter to that is those of us in the frigid north wouldn’t really even be able to drive around the block to test anything before having to load to go. With the event as it is, if i’m done building in time i can actually try and break before i go 1000 miles south
Winter also prevents outdoor builds in a lot of the country, and let's be honest, a lot of the cars over the years have been built laying on your back in the dirt.
In reply to rdcyclist :
Is this just so WRONG to do to you....
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/201x-classifieds/fl-93-infiniti-g20t-trackcarautox-or-last-minute-c/143166/page1/#post2586463
Enabling weakened minds since 1987!!!
In reply to 93gsxturbo :
Your first point pretty much sums it up for me. Once a Challenge car has been built, I would have no real use for it. That’s a lot of time, energy, and money to put into a car that will do one autocross run and one 1/4 mile drag pull before going to the scrapyard (and it would go to the scrapyard, because I have no place to store it ... and I’m sure no one would buy it LOL).
My racecar budget and (especially) time are severely restricted. Building a car just for (a) one-shot event (b) literally 1001 miles away where (c) I’m sure to place 86th is just not a responsible use of resources for me.
2GRX7 said:In reply to rdcyclist :
Is this just so WRONG to do to you....
https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/201x-classifieds/fl-93-infiniti-g20t-trackcarautox-or-last-minute-c/143166/page1/#post2586463
Enabling weakened minds since 1987!!!
And you, kind sir, are a dog... 
In reply to LanEvo :
The event isn’t for you then. That’s Ok. It’s not for most people. It gets hard to work all year toward a single event, but at this point in my life with my kids being little, i’m having more fun playing dad than spending every weekend at the track, so one event that we can concentrate on as a family helps keep me going.
I tried to build challenge cars for 10 years before I actually made it by building something I wanted to own after the event and just making myself work within the budget constraints. My endgame is a magazine cover and feature article for one of my cars at this point. But I’m still only building things that I think are cool that I want to drive or race after the challenge. It’s not a good use of my time to pour a year of my life into only to dispose of it after a single event.
The first year i had a car and intended to go was 2005. I get a little upset that I didn’t meet some of these guys 10 years earlier
3 reasons
#1 lack of money
#2 lack of money
#3 lack of money
If I had a spare few thou I would but just getting money together to finish my 'bird is hard enough.
Hi all, just wanted to chime in and say that we're reading everything and taking detailed notes. To those who have registered since I started this thread: Thank you. To those who haven't: I understand.
We're looking forward to an awesome time in Gainesville next month!
Probably nothing will get me there in the foreseeable future, short of my relocating somewhere closer (which I don't want to do) or winning the lottery. I have too much on my plate all the time, and can't make it a priority. At one point in my life I had the drive and the time, but not the money or the skill. Now I don't have the time or the drive. Nothing you guys can do about that, unfortunately.
The only alternative that I see is if I have a business trip close to that weekend in Jacksonville, Orlando, or St. Pete. All of which are very much a possibility--I was supposed to be in St. Pete from Oct 10-11 this year, but opted out of the trip due to proximity to my wife's due date.
I still aim to get there one day, but life gets in the way. 1000 miles is just too much.
my first try at this resulted in a car I drove the heck out of for 6 or 7 years after being built as a D D. unfourtunetly I tried to REGESTER too late that year, there were no Openings,
the car I HAVE FOR THIS YEAR will become some sort of Racer (COMING FOR YOU GRM) IF a Couple things fall right. I bought an older racer to rehab, guy's that IS a good choice, there are some VERY talented people in this Group and like every sport you need to take advantage of rules.
Most of us can't build a car that's Safe enough to run 9's, or enter a 12 Hr. enduro. I think most of our cars are a bit overboard for anything but a 1 shot deal UNLESS you improve it each year to keep coming back with it.
My one and only abortive attempt was in 2007 with two friends, Josh and Chris. Chris had an 86 RX7 and we had some money, Josh had welding skills and a welder, we knew of a cheap SBC and lots of time. The reason we didn't make it then was because we'd been up for three days straight finishing it off only to find out the trailer didn't have great tires and the plates were expired. We were just too exhausted to make the drive from KS to FL. I kinda regret it but man, I slept for a day straight after that.
Speaking of which, I probably have an old login floating around from back in '07.
The reason I'm not doing it now is because I have a young family, Josh does too, and we have no time. It's not like the money is really a big difference between then and now AND we fabbed everything for the car out of strut so the two of us figured that we could make another RX7 swap happen in a dedicated weekend... but yeah, no time for all the prep work either. Hopefully in 5 years so the kids can take part. But by then I'd have to learn how to LS swap to be competitive, so maybe my then-8 year old will figure out that part for me :)
GTXVette said:I think most of our cars are a bit overboard for anything but a 1 shot deal UNLESS you improve it each year to keep coming back with it.
I think this is a really good point. If I were rational or logical about my challenge entries (or if I was giving advice to someone looking to start), I would pick an event (autox or drag), and build a car that was able to race locally year round in that event but keep it within budget (pick a class you like, etc, etc). I would then keep the car for a few years, racing, tweaking, refining, etc. It would double as my race car that I used throughout the year, so the 'one-time-use' aspect would be much less of an issue. I would also keep an interior in it, so it could be a backup daily or date night car in a pinch.
Then, after you've developed something that is pretty darn good at your chosen discipline and you are ready to go all out, bring the pain.
LanEvo said:In reply to 93gsxturbo :
Your first point pretty much sums it up for me. Once a Challenge car has been built, I would have no real use for it. That’s a lot of time, energy, and money to put into a car that will do one autocross run and one 1/4 mile drag pull before going to the scrapyard (and it would go to the scrapyard, because I have no place to store it ... and I’m sure no one would buy it LOL).
My racecar budget and (especially) time are severely restricted. Building a car just for (a) one-shot event (b) literally 1001 miles away where (c) I’m sure to place 86th is just not a responsible use of resources for me.
IMHO, that's a personal choice. There are plenty of ways to build a Challenge car that is really good for what you built it for.
For me, if I would do it again, I have considered making an SP, Prepared, or Modified autocross car and make sure it's totally legal in whatever class I chose- then I would have a $200X autocross car. You can do the same thing for the drag race. And I'm pretty sure by doing the best you can building that way, you can be in the top of the top of either event. Which means you just have to do pretty well in the other events to be one of the top cars.
Sure, you SEE all of the crazy builds that are challenge specific, but that's not how you HAVE to do it.
For me, it's the geographical challenge. Not enough vacation days from the new job, so I don't have the time to travel that far.
Kids, wife, money, and time, and also I only have a completely noncompetitive car.
Tallent!
Excellent counterpoints to the late winter idea. To those who don't want to devote funds to the effort due to commitments to other racing endeavors, I'll ask if your other endeavors have existing sponsors (and start a new thread, likely Wednesday due to time constraints, regarding why you SHOULD take part in the challenge if your other efforts have some level of sponsorship, even if a small amount).
In reply to captdownshift :
One other thing to add- the way back in the dark ages, the Challenge was in March (IIRC), and it's a LOT better in the fall, as you have time to sort the car out. I remember driving an open car with no heater on a very cold Michigan Feb Saturday night. brrr...
A lot of builders don't plan time to sort and develop a car, but for those who do, having the summer season to do it is pretty important.
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