[Shotimes] OT: Ebay discount coupons ...now SOLO

[Donald Mallinson]

I do about 4-5 track events per summer (midwest means the season is 5-6 
months long, so one per month is not outrageous.).

A typical track event can run $100 to $200 for a one-day event.  There 
are some tracks like Gingerman where they have open track nights where 
you get 2-3 hours for $75 or so.

SVTOA has events for Ford owners that run about $300 or so for SVTOA 
members (just pay the $35 or so per year, it is well worth it) for a TWO 
day event that is well run.

I was a regional autocross champion, multiple local champion and even 
won the national AMGBA gymkhana (sp?) with my 74 MGB one year.  But I 
really didn't like the time spent just standing around or working the 
course.  Pay $30-$40 to get maybe 5 minutes of track time.  The dollar 
per value is even less with drag racing.

I prefer to pay the higher fee and get a couple HOURS of track time.  
per day, at most events

Only real track dogs need to spend more than $1000-1500 per year for 
several track events if you look around at all.  We work hard to keep 
the SHO Convention events really affordable.  The coming event in 
Memphis is just $120!   (factor in the reg fee if you want, but it is 
part of a vacation.).

YOu can do several events on one set of tires if  you don't overdrive 
the car or have a really bad alignment.  Most street tires are just 
fine, but some soft racing tires will only last one or two events.  To 
have fun though you don't have to have racing tires.  All season tires 
will work, and a set of cheap but decent summer tires like the Yokohama 
ES100 AVS will last you 2-3 YEARS of daily driving and track use for 
about $100 each and be very entertaining.

Solo events and drag racing are fun and can be cheap fun.  But the 
dollar per mile raced is better in track events.  But it is nice that 
there are some choices.  For many years, it was hard to find open track 
days to go to, you had to have an in with one of the established 
clubs.   Today it is much easier.

Don Mallinson

Leigh Smith wrote:

>Ron;
>I agree with Mark on Solo I events,
>I have done both Solo 1 & 2 & Pro Solo events for 18+ years. They are all a
>hoot but in different ways.
>I leaned toward Solo II, because of the expense. I never spent over $1500 a
>year and some years I hit 27 events. I was very competitive locally,
>regionally and even against several national champions. I could have been
>close nationally, but never wanted to up the $ commitment (on the car). Yet
>every high-speed event I ran cost me $400-500 a weekend, (vs $50 for Solo
>II). That was a  blast also, but since I stayed on such a tight budget, I
>didn't feel it was worth the extra $money.   3 weekends chewed up a years
>worth of solo money!  Several guys I know who "tracked" regularly, spent $5k
>a year or up. Many spent $10k or more. Even with a 100hp 2002ti. And for
>only 8-10 events.
>Just pick the addiction that fits your wallet....
>In either case, with any car, It could easily take 3-5 years worth of
>regular driving skill practice before it gets really hard to make the car go
>any faster.
>Good drivers will always recommend you spend the money on you before you
>spend money on the car. (given a somewhat respectable car) I tracked my
>times versus the fastest available driver, or the PAX index, and practice
>made my times drop, almost every event, for years and years, with almost the
>same car...Weekly practice was the best...Took 2-3-4 weekly events to brush
>off the winter cobwebs and get my times back down...
>Knowing Solo, the SHO is not going to be the fastest car in the class, given
>equal preparation and equal driving skill. There are too many other very
>good cars in G stock, and street prepared as well. But it would be a very
>good car to improve ones driving skills in, in either venue, for many years,
>and be respectable. A good driver could whip 90% of G-stock cars in a decent
>SHO, mostly due to driving ability, maybe more. I have seen that done with
>cars that had much less capability than a SHO, (remember the LeCar?or the
>Yugo? I've seen them kick butt!) A SHO is an above average car for that sort
>of thing, but not the best. It's issues are mostly due to length, weight,
>nose wt. bias, and tire limitations. I ran an equal weight car, with tires
>twice as wide as a SHO, and ran well, but still got my butt kicked by the
>ocassional well driven Porsche, cause they had 1000lbs less weight on the
>exact same size tire..... You can only fight Physics for so long....Weight
>eventually becomes much more of a limitation than power.....And money is the
>other limitation...Sorry for the rambling...I just love SOLO...and
>driving...anything that's fun...like a SHO
>Lee