Which direction to go [racing content]

I've been racing in American Iron this season. I plan to finish that out in my old car then decide what to do for next racing season. The old car was cheap (for a race car) and is fairly ragged out. Not really worth continuing to invest in it.

Now is the time to start planning for next season, which will start in Feb, I think.

I have two thoughts, both based on the racing scene in Texas.

1. Build or buy another American Iron or Spec Iron car. Pros: love the series and the guys are great. Also 'murican V8 goodness. Con: expensive to go down this path and run a competitive car, both for the car and the consumables.

2. Transition to TT and build something like a Factory Five 818 or other kit car, or maybe run something like an S2K (assuming I can fit, which is dubious). Pros: probably somewhat less expensive to build a competitive car. Lighter weight car/easier on consumables. Con: TT, not wheel-to-wheel racing, really.

Can anyone give any thoughts here? I know it's a pretty user-specific question. Thoughts on the relative running cost of the two options?

WWGRMD?

TT is a tough swallow once you go W2W for a while in my mind. I hate driving solo stuff. I use it for test and tune but I get bored chasing myself pretty quickly.

If costs are a big issue but you love the crowd, pick a different NASA series that runs the same weekend. How is the field size for SE30, Spec3, 944... etc? Are the consumables really high for spec iron? Can your ragged out race car make another season with minimal investment?

I have no idea, but I've also never considered TT cars to be for the budget minded.

So, you want wheel to wheel with less expense?

Spec Meotter/E30/944 too slow?

edit - GPS beat me to it.

You need to figure out what gets you excited. Is it close racing? Winning? Going fast? Just being able to pilot awesome machinery? Would you be happy if you were mid pack or worse? Would you be happy driving in a slower class if it meant you were closer to the front? Would you be having fun if you were the only guy there lapping all by yourself?
It's awfully hard to be at the pointy end of anything without money or talent or usually both. I watch guys show up to autocross their first time and have the best day of their lives. After another couple of events they start spending money. After another few events they realize that winning is either going to be very expensive or a lot of work or both, and they walk away. The most amazing guys in racing aren't the winners, but the guys who show up for decades and run mid pack with big smiles on their faces.

Last time I looked the nasa spec series were pretty lightly attended in texas (except miata)

AI/CMC gets 20+ car fields in TX. Only about 6-8 are typically AI, though.

What makes the experience fun for you? That is really what should influence the decision ignoring the cost of it first.

There is no drug better than W2W racing.

What exactly is 'ragged out'?

Ragged out means engine needs rebuild. That alone is not a problem, but even after a rebuild I'm not sure I can get enough power out of the 4.6L 2V to hit a competitive power/weight ratio. The car is 3300 lbs w driver, which is pretty heavy for an AI car. I'd need 367 HP to hit the 9.0:1 power to weight ratio. Car currently makes 305.

So I'd have to invest in the powertrain or add a lot of lightness, both of which are $$$.

To answer some other questions:

SM is not necessarily too slow, but I'm 6'4" and those cars are claustrophobic as hell.

Spec 944 could be an option. Small fields in TX though.

There's no Spec E30 in TX that I've seen.

As for what I like about racing, it's mostly about seeing continual improvement. In fairness I'm not really at the racecraft stage yet. That's a whole 'nother thing I want to learn however I'm not fast enough (my fault more than the car's) to be in contention. I do like the idea of sticking with a series, removing obstacles to performance, and getting into contention.

Money can fix the machinery. Only time and focus can make me a better driver.

Teggsan wrote: Ragged out means engine needs rebuild. That alone is not a problem, but even after a rebuild I'm not sure I can get enough power out of the 4.6L 2V to hit a competitive power/weight ratio. The car is 3300 lbs w driver, which is pretty heavy for an AI car. I'd need 367 HP to hit the 9.0:1 power to weight ratio. Car currently makes 305. So I'd have to invest in the powertrain or add a lot of lightness, both of which are $$$.

Given your powerplant of choice, you need to spend A LOT of cash to be at 367hp. When cams are $600 for the pair of them, a decent piston is $600/set, same with rods, add in some port work, and intake..... It can be done, but not cheaply. If you wanted cheap, I can easily make 360hp out of a JY 5.0 for less then just a rebuild on a 2V and still pick up more OE shortblocks to swap out when they fail.

If I put more power in this car I'd probably just get a coyote for $4K or a little more. That should make the power unmodded, or close.

Stock Honda (S2/S4) shifter karts are cheap.

$10,000 for the whole season at Gulf Coast Kartway and Hill Country Kart Club.

They feature an extremely high pilot workload.

First you have a class you like and enjoy why change??

Think about what top F1/ teams do, where are you losing out to competitors. Is it down the straights , coming of of corners, mid corner, turn in etc??

You mentioned the driver may need a tune up. As I don't know you're racing experience, I'll ask has all of you track time been in V8 cars? If so spend some of that 4K coyote motor money on a track day in a gutless car. It's been my experience that folks who start out in cars with decent power tend to lose out on folks who started out in peddle cars. You'd be amazed how a minor input scrubs off speed, a car with decent power will mask that. Back in March I had a student who sold his 911 Turbo and bought a Subaru BRZ, he was surprised at how winding on a tiny bit more steering scrubbed 100 RPM's

As for the car: are the dampers set up as well as they could be. I ask this because not only will this help the lap times but it will also be easier on the tires and wallet.

again right down everywhere you lose time and analyze what can be done to fix it. I say freshen up the motor and fine tune the other bits. If you can run lap times all within in a tenth or two that will do a lot for your competitiveness (unless you're there now). People tend to get erratic at the end of races.

Keep running the class you love, if you have to skip an event or two to give the budget a break then so be it.

My .02 , Tom