Hi, I was looking at taking my lancer to an HPDE event at pocono raceway this summer in NASA. I have a few questions though if someone could answer.

What would i need besides a helmet and my car?
Is there an age minimum?
Who makes a good racing helmet that i could buy?

I could probably think of many more questions but these are the basics. thanks a bunch guys.

 

some basic upgrades would do you good, some better than stock pads, a fluid flush, and an oil change are all good things to do before the event.

You'll need a helmet, depending on the local region, i think NASA still lets you use M rated helmets, but for the price nowadays (if you're gonna do more than a few events), i'd just get an SA rated helmet.

Solo-racer, or saferacer.com are two good places to look. I got one of these in black, works good for me.
http://saferacer.com/profo1sahe.html

Have to be 18. Some places might let parents sign a waiver for 16, but basically 18 and up.

 

Thanks for the info!

Any other pointers from others?
Anyone on the forms here going to pocono race way in july for this?

 

What about like race suits?
other safety stuff like roll cages and harnesses?

 

Here's an idea about NASA HPDE. It stinks like ****. You will get FOUR 20-minute run sessions. That's your whole day. You will spend most of your day in the paddock wishing you were on track. You will be subjected to endless download session after every run. You will have to carry a little book around with you for instructors to write comments and sign, and if you lose it, well, you don't exist.

Meanwhile, the other 150 cars there (oy vey) will be cycling the track every 20 minutes.

If you want to get a lot of track time, and equally good instruction, with no hassles and no BS, try one of your local HPDE groups, which rent the track and sell spots. Typically there are 60 cars, 20 in each of 3 run groups, and you will get twice as much seat time as you do with NASA. End of Rant.

 

agree 100%.

But i believe this is where i saw a video, of a crash, because they grid next to a hot track (stupid). I'll see if i can locate it. (wasn't nasa hosting it, but some other group)

No, you don't need a race suit to run in hpde. Check your local regional for more info. ( http://www.nasanortheast.org/ ).

This link might also be helpful. http://www.nasanortheast.org/faq.htm

 

-if you think 4 20mins sessions is bad, try autocrossing: baking under the sun in a parking lot for an entire day waiting for 8 (if you are lucky) 40 second runs. and then theres drag racing....

 

Then why do you do it? Last Sunday I ran Streets of Willow racetrack with SpeedVentures and got 7 (count 'em 7) 25-minute run sessions. That's about 3 hours of seat time. I have been to private track days where I get 4 1/2 hours + of track time. That's why I couldn't deal with a NASA event now.

Drag racing -- I just don't get it. You sit there all night waiting for a race that lasts 11 or 12 seconds.

 

-i don't, except for test n' tune days were you get about 20 runs...the only group i know of in the NE which offers that much tracktime is trackmasters (www.trackmasters.com). they only run at the glen, and once you are singed off, the track is open to everyone for 4.5hrs.

 

Anyone else who knows of groups besides trackmasters and nasa who run in NE?

 

www.trackschedule.com

Pick a track and a date and go have fun!

 

agreed about speedventures being the best bang for buck as far as track time.
on the other hand NASA does tend to hold the most events (at least in the norcal region) especially on the weekends when most people can go. Plus NASA also offers HPDE-only days where there is a similar amount of track time to other clubs.

Try NASA your first time, if you don't like it there are always options, the above comment should not dissuade you from going your first time.

Other non-safety items to bring:
water, lots of it
sun screen
depending on weather an umbrella
painters tape for making numbers and taping headlights
extra quart of oil
tire pressure gauge/compressor (although the track usually provides compressed air)
something to write with (take notes on the track/track map/let your instructor borrow when he forgets)

have fun and stay safe.

-heeltoer

 

Too many to list. The BMW CCA, PCA, Trackmasters, ACNA NEQ, and COMSCC jump to mind. To the guys complaining about too little track time at some driving schools, keep in mind that there's a HUGE difference between schools that offer top quality classroom instruction and guaranteed 1-on-1 in car instruction the whole weekend vs. "schools" that are basically glorified lapping days with a small handful of instructors jumping from car to car.

While seat time is certainly important, the quality (and quanitity) of instruction is FAR more important...particularly at the novice level. Four sessions per day of intense, personalized instruction in your own car plus high quality classroom theory sessions can be far more valuable to a novice than 6-8 sessions per day where you're on your own.

Emre

 

In defense of NASA, if you are on a competition path, it's a good way to go. I do NASA events to compete in NASA time trials, which is now a national championship event. I do other events, NCRC, Trackmasters, etc, when I need lots of testing and seat time. There are some benefits to NASA beyond the possibility of seat time.

 

for a noob NASA is a great place to start. Lots of instruction etc.

start there, then once you feel more confident step up to private events with more track time.

n