Nor'easter News

Car Care

Membership

Other Cool Stuff

Sponsors & Advertisers

Porsche Club of America
The Northeast Region

By Bill Chadwick & John Ktistes
NOR'EASTER Online - August 2005

PART I: GETTING STARTED

Gee. No prize money, far more costly than DE, and you say it’s less safe? So why do it? 

Maybe it’s for the satisfaction of making it through the weekend unscathed. Maybe it’s the fun of bench-racing with classmates at the racers’ banquet, then next day going door handle-to-door handle with the same people. 

In my own particular case, it’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. For many, PCA Club Racing (CR) is the next logical progression in their track adventure. As with any adventure, however, the process is more complicated than it looks and can be fraught with pitfalls that can prove costly or dilute the experience. Planning ahead decreases the likelihood of complications and increases the fun factor.

Know before You Go: To get the most fun out of racing, plan your application process. Let’s review qualifying and applying for a PCA competition license:

Licensing and Rule Book
First and foremost, avoid temptation to make any modifications to your Porsche at this stage. Drag yourself away from that racing equipment catalog, for this is the last thing you want to read. Proceed immediately instead to http://www.pca.org/pca/clubrace/docs/forms.htm  and download the latest version of the Club Racing Rule Book, which details specifics of applying for a competition license as well as safety and car classification requirements.

Do a Head Check
In reading the PCA CR rules as written, you might assume that a white-run-group driver meets the minimum 12 track-day requirement and qualifies for a competition license racing school.

One of the first requirements in the license-application process—and possibly the most difficult—is obtaining a sign-off (Certification of Experience & Ability) from your region’s Chief Driving Instructor or Chair of DE. In our case, it’s Matt Wallis or Bruce Hauben, respectively. In practicality, these sign-offs of your competency are not give lightly or arbitrarily.

The head check to which I refer is an honest personal assessment of your abilities as a high-performance driver. At the very minimum, you should consistently run in the top-20 percentile of the black run group at most any track with any club. You should feel comfortable driving off-line at speed; have good situational awareness of traffic and track conditions; and be able to apply these skills without endangering yourself and those around you. To gauge your effective driving level, head back to the pca.org/pca/clubrace website and look under Results. These race times, from the fastest in class to slowest, give an effective baseline where you should be.

Part of the basis for my opinion derives from the way PCA arranges cars among the (30+) racing classes at any given race event. Again, referring to the PCA CR Rule Book, pages 14-21, you’ll note a virtual alphabet soup ( B,C, E, GT-1, -2, etc.) of classifications that includes everything from the 70 hp 356 K class to 600+ hp GT-1R race cars.

How, you ask, do they race 70 hp and 600 hp cars all together? Applying good closure-rate skills and situational awareness is never more necessary than the first time you’re overtaken by that white dot in your mirror just before attempting to apex at the end of a half-mile straightaway.

Use Mentoring
Club racers are more than willing to share experiences, offer advice and opinions, and assist those contemplating CR. In my own case, I owe a debt of gratitude to Mark Forrester, my first DE instructor, and Mike Trombly—both very experienced racers—for guiding me in this exciting experience. Also, to get a first-hand picture of what you’re getting into, why not attend a PCA CR event to observe or even volunteer to crew for someone else during an enduro?

New or Used
You should have noted by now that I haven’t written a word about buying a race car because it is one of the last things to consider. A familiar joke in the paddock is “How it is possible to make a small fortune in Club Racing?” The answer: “Start with a large one.”

The very best advice I can offer regarding a vehicle is to locate a sound, used race car, ideally in the class in which you wish to compete. If you shop around, a used car can be purchased for less than 50 cents on the dollar from what the original owner “invested” in the purchase price and subsequent modifications. Somebody is always moving up or out of racing, so opportunities continually arise. Remember to have a competent race shop evaluate the car, especially “leaking down” the motor and checking safety equipment.

The letter (A–K) stock classes are a good place to start your racing “career” by developing skills in less-expensive platforms. Should you have deeper pockets and wish to jump into the financial frying pan, then the GT series are for you.

The absolute last resort is to build or convert a racer from a stock street car. Done properly, the long list of safety, suspension, and other equipment plus labor can run into the tens of thousands for a conversion. Also, you’ll be faced with “sorting-out” the modifications, which can prolong the financial pain and further reduce your enjoyment.

PCA Racing School
Let’s pause here and explain the term “school” as referred to in the Rule Book. During whichever CR event you choose to participate and obtain your rookie license in, you’ll (1) attend a 60-90 minute orientation meeting; (2) have your car checked for safety and rules compliance; (3) be watched on track by CR Committee observers at practice; and (4) demonstrate your ability to complete a minimum of two rolling practice race starts.

The best advice I can offer for successfully obtaining your license is to register for and take your test at a track with which you are intimately familiar. The sensory overload during a race is enough of a distraction without the added stress of learning a new track.

The process begins with completing the license application and medical form and mailing $60 to national. You and your Porsche shop should thoroughly inspect the car for compliance; and your event Registration Form (a separate document from the License Application) and registration check should be sent to the region hosting the race. Most events have limited participant slots, which fill up quickly, so don’t procrastinate. Register early and reserve a motel room well in advance.

Download the Vehicle Compliance and Safety Forms in duplicate, fill them out, and have two nice, color, 3x5 photos of your car (front-facing and rear ¾ on) for your soon-to- be-issued Log Book. 

Your Race Event Schedule. 
The beauty of any PCA race event is that the schedule is always the same. 
From The Glen, to Sebring, to Phoenix International, when your class practices, qualifies, and races, is pretty close to the same time each day. Running in E class, I know by now that at 10:30 on Saturday morning of any given CR weekend, I’d better be ready to run the best qualifying lap of which I’m capable.

Thursday
Orientation. After track registration on Thursday afternoon, your CR adventure begins by attending a mandatory rookie orientation meeting, held in the “host” motel or classroom at the track. One or more officials from PCA national will brief you on steps required to obtain your license and caution you about over-exuberance and repercussions thereof (13/13 rule) should you fail to drive safely.

Tech inspection. Next, proceed to tech inspection with your car, your down-loaded duplicate forms, car photos, fire suit, helmet, etc. Tech inspectors review every aspect of your car’s safety and other equipment to be sure it complies with requirements for your class. Space doesn’t permit enumerating every detail of tech and safety inspection. Needless to say, be sure your car conforms to the letter of the Rule Book. 

Self-tech. In your DE life, you were accustomed to having your car pre-tech’d by an approved individual or shop and to present your stamped tech-inspection form at an event. Not so with PCA CR. Once you pass the initial inspection and obtain a license, you’ll thereafter be trusted to “self-tech;” however, stewards reserve the right to impound your car at any time during an event to reconfirm compliance.

Friday
Practice Session. As with DE events, when your run group is announced proceed to the hot grid to be staged. Friday’s schedule includes two morning warm-up sessions, a couple of afternoon practices with rolling starts, and a short 5–6 lap “fun” race. As mentioned, committee observers watch all rookie candidates to evaluate each new prospective racer. After successfully completing these requirements, during Saturday morning’s mandatory driver’s meeting you receive your rookie license. When you’ve completed four incident-free race events within a two-year period, your rookie status is dropped and you’ve earned a full race license.

Saturday
Race Day Schedule. Race day usually is the second full day of the weekend, with a morning warm-up followed by a qualifying session. During this 20–25 minute qualifying session, your best recorded lap time determines your starting position for the afternoon sprint. I highly recommend playing it conservatively and not doing anything heroic. Your objective for the weekend is to obtain a license and complete your first race. Try to remember your DE days and drive the very best line you are capable of while being safe.
Gridding. After the qualifying session, timing sheets are available in a central location. Your position on the grid for the afternoon sprint is determined by the group’s best-to- worst lap times, and here’s where things get interesting. It’s not uncommon to see better drivers in slower-class cars gridded up front and fast cars (higher class) gridded in the rear. This juxtaposition can have you placed among not only members of your own class but also among others. 

Etiquette. Since you are racing only against members of your own class, there is no strategic advantage in running over your head in an effort to keep pace with cars in a higher class. Furthermore, racing etiquette is such that you give drivers in other classes a “wave-by” and permit them to safely pass if they are faster.

Your First Start. As you slowly exit staging and enter the track, a worker temporarily placed in the middle of the grid will gesture alternately left, then right, to set the field of cars into two columns. Behind the pace car, the pole sitter sets the speed for the double column of racers as you slowly approach the start/finish line. Remember it is impossible to get your tires up to full temperature on the pace lap; you will not have good grip in turn one. Upon the wave of the starter’s green flag, the entire group is free to race. 

As a rookie racer in 1999, the memory of that first start remains imprinted in my mind. The roar and fumes of dozens of race cars, running door handle-to-door handle, three-wide, into Turn One is a sight and sound I will never forget. The adrenaline rush is something you cannot really experience until you race.

Once you’re on the track, co-existence with another driver through a corner is a key concept to understand. Back in your DE days, other drivers patiently waited for your hand signal before passing you in an approved zone. In racing, passing is pretty much an open field sport. Be prepared to be passed on the straights, inside and outside on corners, while running three abreast or two wheels off, and in places where you never believed a pass could be executed. Again, I’ll remind you of maintaining situational awareness.

The best I can advise for your first start is to stay in line and try not to make any abrupt changes in your track position. Just go with the flow. Once you’ve made it through T1 you’re pretty much home free as the field starts to separate. Drive accurately, maintain situational awareness, be patient and concentrate on completing the sprint race. 

 Sunday
Endurance Racing. Enduros normally last 90 minutes and offer an opportunity to test your stamina and concentration. Some racers split an enduro with another driver; others go solo. An advantage of having a co-driver is that it’s less strenuous because you reduce your drive time. A disadvantage is the possibility of your co-driver damaging the race car. This is a topic on which the owner needs to do much soul-searching before making any commitments.

Endurance races are broken up by a mandatory five-minute pit stop, which must be completed within specified “pit window” times. The Enduro Protocol can be found under “Appendix E” in the CR Rule Book: memorize it and be sure to keep yourself thoroughly hydrated during the race. 

In closing, Club Racing without doubt takes your driving skills to the next level, provides a thrill factor and adrenalin rush that can never be achieved within DE, and exposes you to a like-minded group of enthusiasts.  I’ll share with you a skill that in the past five years consistently improved my standings in every race in which I competed: Patience.

John Ktistes

PART II: COSTS AND LOGISTICS

Now that John’s done the heavy lifting, it’s my job to give you more of an idea of what you’re getting into from the point of view of financial and logistical planning. 

There is a place in Club Racing for virtually everyone. To find your place, you need to make some important decisions based on (1) what you can afford and (2) what level of competitiveness you find satisfying. As John mentioned, begin by focusing on long-term investment decisions. Are going to stay with your current car, buy a used car already prepped for racing, or build or buy a “new” race car? 

The range is breathtaking, from I-stock naturally aspirated 944s, to factory-built prototype 962s in GTP-1. The car you choose determines how fast your seasonal operating budget will dive. Careful consideration of the rules and mentors’ advice is highly recommended.

As with car choice, your annual operating budget is adjusted by many factors. At the lower end, you drive your race car to the track on performance street tires for the wet, with a set of dry-weather tires and rims in the back seat, then camp out at the track. At the higher end, you just show up at the track by purchasing an “arrive and drive” situation. This is when you pay a professional operation to handle all transport and maintenance duties for your car—or they’ll rent you one! 

1. Plan Your Racing Budget. Naturally, as with any financial projection, we start with assumptions. First, we assume you’ll have a five-weekend, eight-event season with two events offering only sprint races and the other three offering sprints with enduros. Second, we assume you have a pretty competitive nature and run a minimum of 3-5 sets of Hoosier tires per season. Third, we assume you’ll stay in hotels. 
   You can considerably trim these costs by stretching tire use and economizing on food and lodging. The following estimates include (a) entry fees, (b) travel, (c) lodging, (d) in-season maintenance, (e) off-season maintenance, and (f) engine/transmission rebuilds:

* F, G, H, I, J stock - $8,500 to $15,000+
* GTC1-2, E, C, B stock - $12,000 to $30,000

And now it gets really hard: 

* Lower-end GT efforts - $20,000 to 40,000
* Higher-end GT efforts - $35,000 to $65,000
* At the very top of the scale are services provided by an outfit like FarnbacherLoles (Connecticut), where you rent a 2005 GTC-3 Cup Car, with insurance and full track support and amenities, at an estimated cost of $15,000 to $20,000 per weekend.

2. Bill Chadwick’s Big Bang Theory. The theory goes:  bad things sometimes happen to the nicest people. As you consider where you’d like to get started, remember: This is racing. Accidents do happen; motors and transmissions do fail—sometimes catastrophically. 
    A good rule of thumb is that you may have to spend at least up to the lower end of your annual budget level unexpectedly to make a major repair—your other choice being to sit out a whole year. Please give this some thought as you decide what level of expense you’d be comfortable with. Also you might want to consider track insurance. It is not cheap, but I can tell you I used mine once and was happy I made the investment.

3. Plan for Getting There. An early start on the logistics is the key to arriving at the track well rested and in a proper frame of mind. As the vast majority of club racers tow their cars to the track, let’s build from there.

The least expensive option is a heavy ½-ton or light ¾-ton SUV or pickup with a lightweight open trailer. The tow vehicle makes for a nice daily driver and gives you plenty of room for necessary “junk”: coolers, jacks, tools, tires, and wheels, etc. I highly recommend you beef up your tow-vehicle suspension with an adjustable airbag setup (http://www.truckspring.com/ is a good source.) Between tongue weight of the car trailer and junk in the back, it will make for a better-riding and -handling rig.

The next step up is a 24’-26’ enclosed trailer with a ¾-ton tow rig. Now all the junk goes into the trailer and stays packed all the time, and you have shelter that won’t blow over when that nasty summer thunderstorm comes through. Weight-transfer bars are highly recommended and, on all towing rigs, make sure you have the proper tongue weight. It’s a scary feeling to have the tail wag the dog, coming down some hill in Vermont at 75 mph. Rigs like this really are quite easy to drive as long as proper attention is paid to weight distribution, trailer brakes, and their controllers.

4. Your Pre-season Plan. So it’s August and you’ve made the decision that next year is the year. You have eight months to get your credentials, race car, and transport arranged.  This is a great time to do your final planning and prep work. Make an inventory of everything you’ll need and a check list of all to-do’s and go for it!

During a race weekend, I keep a yellow legal pad on the dash of my truck. All kinds of things crop up during the course of a day that we take note of. With the busy schedule and excitement of a race weekend, I find this pad a great help. From a cracked 19mm socket, to the shopping list for tomorrow’s lunch, it all gets written down. This also is where, during the ride home, you plan for preventative maintenance, setup changes, and repairs. 

The following is a quick list of items you might like to have, depending on the type of racing operation you choose:

* Bicycle or scooter to get to drivers’ meetings—a great time and energy saver
* Tool kit, brake-bleeding equipment, and spare parts commensurate with your mechanical ability 
* “Wear” parts such as brake pads, fluid, tail-light bulbs, etc. Tape, sheet-metal screws, and assorted nuts and bolts always are handy.
* Food and drink coolers. Plan on 5 quarts of water or Gatorade per person per day minimum.
* Jack, re-chargeable impact wrench, and torque wrench
* High-pressure nitrogen tank on your trailer. These can be rented inexpensively from welding-supply houses and are cheap to re-fill. Great dry air for tires and can be used to power hand tools
* Small generator set. Electrical hookup can be hard to come by in many paddocks.
* Two fuel jugs and funnel 
* And, of course, the required safety clothing

 We also take a propane grill. We find it makes for a more relaxing weekend to be able to cook a nice meal for lunch or dinner whenever it suits us. Especially after a long day, we recharge at dinner time: we can eat with no running around and then putter with the car and make sure all is right for the next day. Then we still have plenty of time to socialize or stop for an ice cream on the way to the hotel. 

5. Plan for Mechanical Support. No matter what your race class, you’re spending discretionary time and money, which is something we all place great value on. For preventative maintenance or repairs, insist on timely work. You should consider your needs well ahead of time and make pre-season arrangements with your mechanic.  Time-frames and job budgets, in relationship to your race schedule, should be discussed, agreed to, and adhered to by both parties. Naturally, any sign of sloppy work on a race car means you should take your business elsewhere.

PCA Club racing is a great sport; we sincerely hope prospective racers will find all of the above information helpful.

Bill Chadwick
 

About the Authors

Bill Chadwick
Bill began his performance driving career in 1997. In the fall of 1999 after two years in the PCA driver’s education program and more than 35 track days, he completed the Skip Barber race school and earned his competition license. Bill’s first PCA rookie race was at LCMT in 1999, and he currently runs his 935K3 replica in GT-1R class.
 

John Ktistes
John’s first performance-driving event was an NER DE at NHIS in May 1997. By the end of 1998, he had completed more than 57 track days. He received his PCA rookie license at LRP in May 1999 and currently races his 1993 C2 in E stock class.