CSOB wants to practice AX, TT, with stockish 1.7, help me figure out the costs Options

[Chris Pincetich]

I'm trying not to start sliding down the slippery slope of racing my car into debt, but can't resist the urge to push my 914 to it's limits and satisfy my competitive urges. My biggest hurdle to even show up with my car as is the entry costs. I was super psyched on shooting for Willows in Sept for "914 day" , but $250-300 per event through Trackmasters will buy me the new seat I want.....hard to justify spending that much on entry fee costs with so much to improve ont he car.

I live in the SF Bay area and want to get started with AX or whatever my stockish 1.7 won't cause a traffic jam or be hazardous. I'm hoping you guys can shed some light on my situation!

Right now I think AX at Alameda is the cheapest (PCA reg $60 + $30 per event I think). Is there any time/place to race around a closed course for next to free?? I want to get some practice and work the bugs out of my suspension before paying several hundred dollars to race.
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[jhadler]

Hardly anywhere will let you race for free. Not legally anyway. You could take a spirited drive up and down skyline, but that's about it.

As for autox? yeah, membership and $30 or so entry fees will get you on your way. Go to as many events as you can. You can also run at SCCA events for more seat time and competition. SF Region SCCA requires membership.

Stick with the autox events for at least a year or so. You'll get a lot of much needed experience that way, and it's relatively cheap. If you're looking to be COMPETITIVE, that's another ball of wax. All motorsports cost money in one form or another. If all you want to do is have fun, and improve your driving skills, it doesn't have to cost much. But if you want that trophy, it'll cost ya. In some classes, that cost isn't very high, a set of shocks some good tires, a muffler and an alignment. In other classes, you might want to take out a second mortgage. Keep your car as-is for now and focus on the driving skills. Measure yourself against other consistently good drivers, and try to narrow the gap every time.

Go out there, have fun!

After a time, you'll find if you really do have the bug to take it to the track or if you're perfectly comfortable dodging cones. Don't take this a bad way. I love track events, but they _do_ cost more. And I _am_ perfectly happy dodging cones in a parking lot!

-Josh2