Gang, I have been contemplating a dilemma lately. I'm a longtime F-car guy but as I got more into tracking and racing my F-cars in the mid-'90s, I found the community sorely lacking in organizing track events -time trials, etc. I switched over to the dark side (Porsche) because I found the P-car community much more active. Basically, if one is so inclined, one could track a P-car almost every weekend at SOME track on the west coast. Not so with the F-car bunch. Probably has a lot to do with the fact that there are so many more P-cars in existence than F-cars, but there it is.... I know there are a good many "rally" events in the F-car community among the many regional clubs -- i.e. drive through wine country with other F-cars, etc -- but what I am looking for is more competitive on-track stuff, not driving country roads in a convoy of F-cars, having a big lunch with other F-car guys, and driving home. Fun, sure, but not enough for me. So, I'd like to hear from any west coast F-chatters who participate in track events to determine whether there is enough going on to warrant my switching back to the F-car community for my racing fix. Right now I am in a strange dichotomous limbo - I track P-cars but drive F-cars. I'd ideally like to drive AND track F-cars and have an exclusive F-car garage. It's also a lot better in terms of knowledge transfer when you just have to learn one make of vehicle. Tearing down my 911 engine doesn't help me much on a 550, etc. Anyhow, I am ready to sell my race car 911s and pick up a 348 Challenge or 355 Challenge to complement the 550 but want to feel there would be enough venues and opportunities to use them as they were intended. All input welcome. ketel
I completely agree. PCA does DEs and/or races every weekend. Can't come close with FCA track events. You will probably have to take your F car to PCA events.
It's true. Not enough F-car track events. It's unfortunate but we are in the minority of Ferrari owners. The demographics of today's buyer are older and less likely to drive their cars at track events. The other issue is cost. These cars are worth so much more money now; people who have these cars don't want to tear them up at the track. Ferrari is also producing more cars. The newer cars are easier to drive so fewer buyers are hardcore car guys like you and I. Just look at these boards. A lot of new Ferrari owners here.
This is turning into an interesting thread beyond just racing F-cars. My data is, of course, anecdotal but I would say that, if anything, the demo of F-owners on the west coast is skewing a bit younger. This has a lot to do with tech money in the community -- i.e. the Google effect -- and other things that have happened in the past decade to put $$ into younger hands. The result? A lot of 20- and 30-something folks in 360s, 430s and the like. So, my original question remains...Why, then, if the demo is skewing younger in key F-car markets (California, Florida, Tri-state NY/NJ/CT) are there not more F-car owners out driving the piss out of their new rides at weekend track events? I understand (a little) about the more vintage cars not making as many appearances because of the skyrocketing values. So, maybe I am less surprised there are not more 365GTB/4 Daytona coupes and 275GTB/4-cams out at Laguna Seca, but with all the 360s and 430s that Ferrari s.p.a. is cranking out like CDs, why are there not more owners driving these things like they were intended? C'mon guys. Live a little. This is enough to want to make me re-join FCA NorCal, run for a membership position of the regional club, and plant my foot firmly in its ass to get this club back to where it ought to be in terms of giving owners more opportunity to take these amazing cars out on closed tracks. C'mon, Ferrari. Wake up. The Porsche and Shelby and other clubs are kicking your butt... Rant over now....thanks for listening.
I know at the DE events us Porsche guys love to play with you Ferrari guys. As long as you give us a point by when we are faster through the corners but might not be able to hang on in the drag race to the next corner but then end up right on top of you before you exit the corner. LOL! While I am mostly kidding it does happen. We do get the guy on track that is giving off the feeling that I am in a Ferrari and I don't have to let anybody by even though I am slower than Christmas through the corners but more than able to plant my right foot on the straight and unleash my 400HP+... That is frustrating. We get that with the Porsche guys too. There are folks kicking butt in Miata's that just get no respect on the more open tracks where they can't hang on the long front, but are right back on top of the P-car by the end of the first corner. If you are talking about actual racing you are out of luck, you do have to have a Porsche to race w/ the PCA. I think you guys have NASA out there on the west coast doing some good stuff. You also have POC along w/ PCA for the Porsche guys, so you really could race a P-car every month I bet! F-cars would be MUCH harder to get on track for actual racing! Good luck! Glad you are having fun w/ the P-cars though! James Austin, TX
The FCA national membership is down big time. Ferrari T-shirts,hats,shoes,socks sells are up.No but seriously. Let's look at Ferrari's organizations in america. You have Ferrari North America, Ferrari SPA, FCA, Dealers and local Ferrari clubs throughout the USA. The only Ferrari events you have are the Ferrari challenge, National FCA and local FCA meetings. The FCA is really the problem. They have the insurance to sponsor these track days. Honestly, the FCA has never really been with it. So, join your local FCA club and try to change things. Good luck!
I have been tracking F Cars for over 20 years and what strikes me today are the small numbers of street cars on the track at FCA events. In the north east, he faster groups, Red and blue are essentially 100% challenge cars. I usually am the only one out there with a license plate running street tires. White is starting to look the same. In Florida, Sport is like red and blue up north and GT is also heavy on challenge cars. I would think for a novice with his new or 1st Fcar, it would be a bit intiminating. Most of the street cars I see are younger gung-ho types with very few older drivers (like me).
Remember also that it is a numbers driven game as well. Here in Seattle, I would bet there are over 2000 P club members, where there are maybe 150 F car members. We just are not going to generate the numbers to hold more than one or two track events per year.
In the NE you have a great group of guys who have older challenge cars. There about 6 or 7 cars all together. They were down at the Sebring last month and they were all running in the novice group. I don't know why? They all looked comfortable on the track.
