One important thing to keep in mind is that everyone’s goals will be different and while one person may want to only go out for three or four Regionals a year, others will not be satisfied until they go to a dozen or more races with several test days thrown in for good measure. The fact is, racing can take up all the spare time you have available if you let it! In addition, amateur racing can be done on a variety of levels. The New England Region motto is "FOR THE FUN OF IT" and that's what Club racing is all about. It's a very enjoyable hobby-sport. Club Racing is not Formula One even though some of its participants undertake it as if it is.
But what about off season prep time and complete frame up rebuilds?
A complete frame-up rebuild can take months and hundreds of man-hours and is often done when a used race car is first purchased or after four or five seasons of hard use. (see “frame-up Rebuilds” in the CHASSIS page) At the end of the season, it is a good idea to fully check the entire car – chassis, suspension, electrical and plumbing systems, transmission, etc. In many cases, the only way to do this properly is to disassemble the parts, check for wear or cracks and repair or replace the parts. Suspension components involve ball and roller bearings as well as rod ends and spherical bearings. All must be carefully looked over for wear or any sort of failure. Typically, the engine is pulled and rebuilt. (refer to the Engine Rebuilding page)
How much in the way of equipment and tools are needed?
There is a standard list of equipment that is needed if you want to be able to do the things you need to do to the car between races and at race events. (see list at the end of this section) The list includes essential items that you can't do without and non-essentials which, although they can make the job easier, are not absolutely required to go racing. Today, more so than previously, everyone seems to want to have every single tool and machine known to man at their disposal but it is not mandatory to do so!
How competitive do I need to be to succeed in the sport?
The answer to this question hinges on your definition of “success”. Again, everyone wants to get something different out of their hobby or leisure-time activity. Success for some means nothing less than going to the National Championship RUNOFFS every year. Others will be happy as hell to get over to their closest road course for two or three good Regional race weekends – even if they’re running mid-pack or tail-end Charlie! The key here is for you to sauce out what the sport really means to you once you get your feet wet in it. Give it a year. Only then will you be in a position to determine what kind of success you can realistically achieve, what the “cost” is in terms of money, time and commitment and whether you want to just have fun or go all out.
What is the best way to learn to drive a race car?
There are several options out there and some will be better for you than others. First, you can buy your own race car or rent one and sign up for a couple of SCCA school weekends. There are probably thirty or forty such school weekends at various road courses each year across the country. The instructors are SCCA members and drivers who have proven themselves on track and have obtained their National licenses. You will have on-track instruction as well as a considerable amount of classroom instruction. The school entry fee will be between $300 and $500 each. After two such schools and about six hours of on-track time, you will be signed off for a Novice Permit and you can enter Regional races. After you complete two Regionals satisfactorily – you will be observed by the Stewards and flaggers – you will receive your Regional license. This system has worked quite well for thousands of drivers over the years but there are several alternatives. One is to go to a professional driver’s school such as Skip Barber or Jim Russell. You can find a list of approved driver’s schools in SCCA publications and on the SCCA website – scca.com. These schools will cost between $1,500 and $3,500 and that includes the use of a school car and all the driver’s equipment you’ll need. After only one three-day school of this type, you will receive you Regional license. For further information, see the respective schools’ website and/or request their literature.
How dangerous is road racing?
Although drivers do occasionally get seriously injured – and sometimes worse – amateur road racing is probably less dangerous, on a statistical basis, than driving on the public roadways. If a car is well prepared and if the driver takes a wise and thoughtful approach to his driving, the odds of getting hurt are very small. Proper driver’s equipment – suit, helmet, gloves, shoes and neck support or HANS device coupled with proper car preparation and equipment such as seat, seatbelts, roll bar construction, etc., will go a long way toward preventing injury in the case of a incident happening. Most road courses are very safe with extensive runoff areas and well designed tire barriers. Thus, although one will occasionally see a bent car being towed into the paddock, the truth is that the ambulance rarely gets used. Some people have the impression that open wheel racing is more dangerous than closed wheel cars but there are no statistics to bear that out.
What are the sub-classes of Formula Ford?
Last year the SCCA changed the formal name of the class to Formula F when another engine was allowed into the class. (The name of the other engine starts with an "H" !) Strictly speaking Formula Ford (FF1600) has three "sub-classes' of cars, Formula Ford, Club Ford and Spec Ford with the first two being the most prevalent while Spec Ford is a west coast class which includes chassis from about 1975 up through 1982. For the rules as they apply in any given Region, consult the respective Race Chairman. Club Ford was born in about 1982 and was based on the British "Pre-78" class which was a way to allow cars which had been ecliped by the burst of technology at that time to be competitive in the new class.
When Club Ford was created, hundreds of older, outclassed cars that were no longer competitive against the newer, faster, more aerodynamic cars, could compete for their own silverware and as a result, cars which had been collecting dust in garages were brought out and raced again. They also became more valuable. The Club Ford rules, although they can vary by Region, typically call for cars with outboard suspension on at least one end of the car and in many cases, a "spec" tire is also required - a tire made with a harder compound and a longer life. The Spec Ford class is a "between" class that allows cars from about 1979 through 1982. In 1983, the Swift came along and, basically, obsoleted every other car out there. So Spec Ford is a way to allow for fully inboard suspension cars to compete and win - without having to beat the Swifts and other cars like them. Club Ford is a popular class and although prices rose as the class became more viable, cars can still be found at reasonable prices. Tire bills are lower - or, at least thay are supposed to be. So it's a very attrative class to race in. The engine rules and all other preparation & safety rules are the same for all three classes. The best way to get an idea of what might appeal to you is to get to a race weekend and see what the makeup of each class is in your Region, talk with the racers themselves and go from there.
