Old challenge cars don't retire!

I'd be willing to commit in advance to a series, if it looked right for me.

What helps to get me to come out? Ideally, and not in order:

- Great, "first tier" track - ex Sebring, Road Atlanta, Road America, Laguna Seca and the like; Laguna is ideal because it combines a top track with a great place to visit

- Good field of interesting cars; a one make series would be especially appealing

- Decent drivers

- Rules that don't require me to modify my car

- Good lead time on race dates so I can plan around it - I also race in SCCA

- For the Ferrari, 13/13 type rules - hard dicing is fine with me, but one reason I've avoided the Challenge series (aside from the price) is that there seems to be a lot of contact

- Some comfort that the folks doing the licensing and running the races know what they're doing - not eager to run with people who think they're great drivers, been doing this too long, and I know that they're almost certainly not

- Decent amount of track time - to me, that means at least ex a Friday test day with four 20 minute sessions, two 25 min sessions Sat

- Gets even easier if a few guys from my area are going and we can get a group transport


Prize money makes little difference to me. It's nice, but I'd almost rather see raffles of tires or other goodies, randomly awarded to reward those who show up.

 

"Let me see how many guys will come to do CHRA in September and if there are some I will talk to them and to the organizer of CHRA and maybe we can splinter off a Porsche and Ferrari series that we can take to places in Florida and Texas and in between (Barber etc)."

I could be very interested in this - is there a link for CHRA? Would be willing to commit if it works for me, and if a 360C is allowed to run. Thanks, Will

 

Rob -

Instead of just a Ferrari series, what about a Ferrari/Porsche series? I'm thinking classes based on hp/weight ratios and fewer restrictions than what the PCA does (which is very outdated thinking). I think the whole Ferrari vs. Porsche rivalry would be fun and in the TX area and I think you'd get a lot of folks from the PCA jump to this series or play in both. I think a field of 911s mixing it up with 348/355/360 would be a blast.

 

360 will not be eligible since it is technically still a production car. CHRA is a Classis series so no-longer produced cars, or vintage cars. Go to their website www.chra.cc for more info. You can rent a ride from me though or buy a 355Ch, of course also from me since I have 4 for sale (gosh I feel like a sleezy used car salesman)

 

Martin - thanks for the info - four for sale, wow.

Rob -

"That's what HSR tried and that other vintage series wants to try next year. Hardly any Ferraris showed up."

Did they try it for more than one season? By the time I heard about it and contacted the series administrator, they were giving up. It takes some time to get people to adjust their track schedule, buy cars, etc to get into a series. It's always surprised me that there seems to be no interest in F club racing, like PCA's program.

 

http://www.gorace.com/targa66/photo.html

Maybe something like the Targa 66 would be fun, I know, it's not racing and you want to race. Why not follow the Ferrari Challenge and have a "vintage race for the previous cars at these events or allow us to drive our cars at the Vintage Challenge series? I know these are NOT 250's, TR's. etc.

TARGA 66 PHOTOS: It's funny, but isn't the first car a 250 short wheel base and not a 275? Also, there is a picture of a 360 Challenge passing or being passed by a Bettle. I understand Targa 66 is comming to Roebling road October 21-23. A new friend we met at the FCA meet in Indy has committed to participage in the Ferrari Challenge next year and will be testing his newly aquired 360 Challenge at the Targa 66 event. The following weekend, we will have an FCA Track day at Roebling. Please join us at the FCA event.

 

Truer words have not been spoken! I have raced my car for two years and never seen a Ferrari in my race group. I have tracked my car for 5 years and had a Ferrari in my group maybe 3 times. There are lots of cars in So Cal but most are Wax and shine variety. You will get everyone who says they will show up but no one will come.

Rob, I race in so Cal alot too so storage in TX is a no. I'd be looking for transport on an as needed basis. Also, I'll say up front I'm a wimp and hate the heat. I'll race in the rain before the heat so my self imposed race season is October to june then the car is offline for endinge out service during the summer. Obviously I have never been part of a series. I only club race in mixed venues for fun like flyfishing and being o.k. with not catching the biggest fish.

I would say no to a Porshe Ferrari mix. The Ferraris always get killed. The Porshes have much more developed chassis and the F's do not stand a chance. In fact even if I suck as a drive I bet you I can can put my 74 911s fender right up to someone's 360ch fender and make that guy move. It has nothing to do with my ability but more of the fact that the whole 911s cost 20k max and the 360ch "fender" cost 20k!

 

OK, forget wheel to wheel racing for a moment - I wonder whether a competitive "time trial" event might attract some cars. Those 1 foot high cheesy trophies have a powerful effect on a man's soul ....

 

"but similar to AX's that you are there all day for 4-6 runs only"

Too much down time, never could get excitd about ax because of that.