what should i drive?

IMHO the biggest improvement in not feeling beat up is not getting thrown around inside the car on the track. So you invest in a good seat OR six points snugly holding you in place so you are not constantly sliding around or bracing your legs etc against the interior.
GTS Bruce

 

Alfa 4c

 

Just what I was thinkin'.

 

To be honest, I'd take an S2000 over alot of NA cars out there.

 

4c is waaay more refined than an Elise/exige. It's actuslly kinda Ferrarish.

458 is great but what budget we talkin about here?

 

I'm still SCCA clubracing but leaning away from towing my own to having it done for me as I age. That is how I'm now racing other tracks around the country. I see the end of racing in the future so I have thought long and hard about the compromise you are thinking about. I can't accept it yet so I still race. IMO the hot ticket is BMW M3 sedan with DCT. Super reliable as evidenced by all the high mile BMW's out there. Simple upgrades are available if you want a bit more like bigger brakes so you can beat on them all day. If you caged it you got some interior space unlike the halo bar on a Vette or viper. Tires are a huge issue. I hate street tires and you just can't run race tires on the street because they are dangerous and they suck on the street. But with a 4 door M3 you can put tires in the back and drive your street tires to the track. You can be lazy and airjack the M3 and just bring a nitrogen bottle and leave the floor jack at home, so that is a wash on track supplys. I think you can go to the track with race tires in the back, a tire gauge and lug wrench and be good. If you want to add in a hosed brake master cap from motive you can run nitrogen from the bottle at 15psi to the master to one man bleed your brakes.

Don't discount the vette. The aftermarket has that solved for the Z06 and GM is making the gransport or Z06 without supercharger. The issue will be getting race tires to the track. There are not a lot of good ways to do that. You can tow a small tire trailer or hang tires off a hitch. Neither is as clean or easy as the back of the BMW.

 

Have you seen the street legal Radical RXC Turbo? They are fast and comfortable. They even have AC now.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=9XPiraU7XFc

 

There are a lot of other issues to consider, ie spare parts, flat tires, using street tires on the track, potentially changing brake pads during the weekend. It would be a lot easier just getting even an open trailer with a tire rack and a little storage.

 

458 Italia / 458 Speciale

Do your brake flushes , get the right tires for you, and enjoy your drive to/from the track almost as much as the track event itself!

If a 458 Challenge can take years in the series without major engine malfunctions, I am sure you will be ok as well!

my .02 worth

S

 

Kings Ranch Ford F250 , Featherlite enclosed trailer, Elise/Exige track car... AND gas money for a year!

S

 

Could you work with a race shop to do an arrive and drive? They maintain, support and transport the vehicle. You show up and drive.

 

LOL.. 6 hours in a Radical doesn't sounds like fun.... Then I would say a Porsche 911 GT3 or the Turbo. Porsche guys love those new 911 GT3 RS. Porsche Cayman GT4.

Ferrari's.. I would say the 360 CS or a 458. They are just so expensive to run at the track. You will also need a SD2 and VCI at the track to make it through one track day.
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What about the Evora S? I haven't driven one but supposed to be like a grown up and more comfortable Elise.

 

I have thrashed the R8 on track at Sonoma a few times, and have owned/tracked/raced a few 458 platform cars.

1) of the 2, for the track, I'd go 458. The R8 is a superb street car and fun as hell, but a few notches off the 458 in terms of fun driving on the track.

2) if you are going to track your 458, be prepared for tires, brake pads and rotors, plus accelerated maintenance (i.e. I'd err on the side of having it checked over regularly). Remember, this is a street car capable of race car speeds, you will want to do a full nut-and-bolt regularly, let alone brake bleeds. As Steve sort of suggests, reserve enough money that you could alternatively get a full track car setup.

3) the ride to/from NYC to the Glen in a 458 is a lot of fun. In a Speciale, FWIW, the concrete roads and lack of sound insulation will make it feel like a Lotus, trust me. (even with bumpy road turned on). Italia is more comfortable. R8 on the road is cushy!

4) make sure you have plenty of brake pad life. Even with "everything turned off", the stability control will still use the brakes. Also, it's sketchy to drive home with corded front tires...

5) FWIW, the 458's that were driven hard at the FDE program turned out to be super reliable, though they were maintained to perfection and checked over. Street tires won't last long....especially at the Glen which is all about taking the car to the limits of understeer.

6)editorial comment, the idea of "driving to/from the track" and DE events is fun. However, just acknowledge that you will be hitting 150mph+ on the approach to the bus stop at the Glen....there is no such thing as a "minor shunt" in a road car going above 80mph. Airbags and 3 point are no substitute for a cage, (real)seat with HALO, a HANS device and 6 point harness. You may be driving at 7/10ths and totally in control, but the guy ahead of you in the 944 Turbo who dumps a gallon of antifreeze in the brake zone doesn't care, nor does the tire barrier.....(been around too long, so am now a safety zealot). Go fast, have fun, just be prepared....

7) have your driven a 458 or R8 on track? If not, there are plenty of ways to do that and see for yourself.

 

Drove both cars, as this program is Audi sponsored. V10 R8 has more power, but is tangibly heftier than the previous V8.

Have actually not driven a Huracan on the street, sorry, I did drive a Super Trofeo car on track and there is NO connection between those cars for comparisons, however I think it's pretty obvious the RWD version would be better in all but rain.

BTW I would not gauge this as "advice". Some of the advice you're getting is "get a dedicated car, trailer and tow rig", or "get a local race team to support you" (eg. DeMan Motorsports, Speed Sport, Universal). All depends on how fast and hard you plan on driving, how mechanically comfortable you are, and what you want to get out of it.

If you want to have a 458 to be a real DE car, that's great. They are super. They obviously are expensive to buy/own/operate/maintain and repair, so be ready. Be aggressive with inspections and maintenance items. Figure out how to have access at the track to stuff you might need (wheel gun, torque wrench, pads, brake fluid) that you may not want to carry in the boot. The car will make anyone look like a hero on track, but all the same, keep it on the black part. FCA runs good, laid back events. Get insurance....for DE, the best I've seen is the Lockton program (which has max coverage of $100K), others may be out there. AIG offers full DE coverage (agreed value) but only if you have a full portfolio with them, and obviously its more expensive.

 

R8 has proven to be a great daily driver exotic car IMO. Overall track performance at much over entry level driving would be lacking. Especially with the experience you seem to have.
Now, can you build the R8 into a track fighter, yes, but then, are you going to spend the same money you would buying an Italia?

458 is a turn key package as is. You can set the suspension to soft for your to/from drive then, switch it over to RACE or greater to have a blast at the track!

Money not being an issue, 458 all day long.

On a budget, R8, and build it in steps..

S