Why did you decide to do Time Trials/Hillclimbing?

I am doing some research on what I want to do next year 2025. I have 25 years of racing expierence cars and kart. This year I am set to race a Birel W/Cr125 shifter kart on car tracks but there is only 3 events locally (Mid-O, Nelson Ledges, and Pittrace) that I can make and available practice only Nelson ledges is available twice a year and on Tuesdays which isn't ideal. The price to race on those tracks are similar to what NASA/SCCA..ect.. however the consumambles such as fuel, tires, and towing is significantly cheaper vs. a car. Fuel is about $20-$30, set new tires are $200-$250. I could switch classes to Lo206 (been there done that not going back to it) or Ka100 ( $3,000 just for a engine) basically there is a race almost every weekend with those classes and there is 3-4 different spots in 125 mile radius, that I can race or practice. Still considering KA100 hoping that the engines cool down in price, because the rebuild intervals are 10 hours, so it's not cheap.

I am not interested in club racing, crap can, or Solo, so I thought maybe Time Trials/ Hillclimbing. Looking at the SCCA site Sports class seems as though you can bring a daily driver and run it, and still be able to pass the pesky emissions that Ohio requires. My question for those are doing it, does it scratch your racing/speed itch? Is it something you see yourself continuing? Is it relatively cost efficient compared to w2w and crapcan? Do you tow or DD your car to the track? Do you get a decent amount of track time? 

Hill climbs are hands down the absolute best

I would do it over all else.

I wish I'd known about it earlier 

I just wanted to follow up on your questions:

Do I see myself continuing? Yes, we are looking for a car to cage for the events.  We currently drive our rally cross car to the events.  I am planning on driving the caged car as well.  As for cost, we are dropping way more on a caged car than I'd like.  I would say the events are $700.00 or thereabouts.  I also choose to stay in hotels and airbnb's.  Track time depends on offs and accidents.  Also glitches with timing.  I would always want more time, but I am tired for sure at the end of the day.   I get enjoyment with the fam runs and the runs down the mountains as a group.

I would sign up for an event and see how you feel about it, I cannot imagine you wouldn't like it.  The big drawback is ruining your car and of course getting injured.  I bought a car for rally cross, knowing how much it would be beat on.  If I wrecked the car I would be upset, but it wouldn't be the end of the world.

SCCA time trials will vary based the region that runs them.  In the chicago region we run our time trials as a group in our normal HPDE events.  so you get the same amount of track time as every other HPDE driver.  

For our time trials during a race weekend we get 3 sessions scattered throughout the day with the same passing rules as an HPDE events.  

So while I can't answer the "does it scratch the itch" question, I can say that with 60 minutes of track time during one day of a race weekend, i do believe I get enough time.  

While I don't DD my "track car" it is still by all external appearances a street car and I routinely use it for every day errands.  I also drive it and from the track.  I don't however travel outside of the limit of my AAA/Hagerty towing will enable it to get home.  

Hillclimbs are just autocross seat time with racetrack risk. I have done a few, and they were fun, but there isn't enough seat time for me. After racing mostly lemons for the last 15 years or so, I am doing a full season of SCCA TT this year. Been loving it so far. I have just been driving my car to the track, without any issues so far. TT is enough for me.

Just dipped my toe into SCCA time trails last summer, but it won't be my last time.  Yes, you can comfortably run your street car in the Sport class.  I ran my street based E82, and drove it home directly afterwards.  It was a stepping stone from autocross for me, and it felt like the right direction.  I have no desire to go wheel to wheel either, mostly because my wallet and calendar won't allow that.  A winter rental kart league solves that problem for me anyways.  Best way I can describe it was a track day with purpose.  Its not turning laps for the sake of it, it requires a bit of strategy and forethought, and keeps you engaged the whole day.  Plus some of the nicest people I've raced with.

Costs were what you made of it.  $5k Miatas were pitted next to C8 Corvettes, like any good track day.

I am looking to expand my involvement this summer.

P.s., PittRace has a national SCCA event on the last weekend of August.  

https://timetrials.scca.com/events/2004590-2024-tire-rack-scca-time-trials-national-tour-at-pittrace-powered-by-hagerty

The hill climbs I've done are not just a bring-your-street-car thing. You need a roll bar and harnesses at a minimum, plus I think head to toe fire gear. Hill climbs are more like a rally stage you run over and over. Lots of trees and other solid objects to hit. 

Cost per seat time minute is questionable value. I enjoyed it, but like autocross there's a lot of sitting around between runs. Once I discovered HPDE I never went back. 

I pretty much am medically retired from actual motorsports, but hillclimbs are the one thing that keeps calling me back... trying to fit a few more in.

Personally, I find it to be exciting. I'm kinda terrible at it, but find a lot of things too safe and simple to avoid interesting stuff just for lack of skill.

Seat time is typically good enough, barrier to entry tends to be reasonable and the communities are welcoming. It isn't enough for me to build a lifestyle around, but it did get a city guy camping a few times, too! 

That being said, my current "hillclimb" build will have to be multipurpose. Also, it is dangerous so I bought something disposable. I advise you try it.

Hillclimbing is likely out for me, because there really isn't much going on regionally and regularly. TT seems to have Nasa, SCCA, and others organizations to get track time/TT. Is it accurate to say that 2 hours of track time a day sums up TT? 5 laps or so that are clean fast times? rest of the time spent strategizing, testing, and getting decent gaps to push?