I'm planning on moving from HPDE/Track Days to dipping my feet into wheel-to-wheel. I'm not figuring I'll be a front-runner, so I'm not going to worry about an expensive car. I'm just looking for an inexpensive and reliable fully prepped car, that has good handling dynamics, and will offer me the opportunity for tight racing once I get a license. I'd like a 2 seater with a title so that I have the option of driving it to/from local HPDEs.

I've heard that a good Spec Miata or E30 runs around $8k-$12k. I'm also considering Honda challenge, but I prefer RWD. I've heard the 944 Spec are cheaper than the Miatas.


One of the biggest factors is going to be the community of drivers. I want to be running with friendly people who I'll enjoy hanging out with. I've heard good things about clean racing in the 944 world. I'd rather not be spending my time pulling/replacing body panels.

I'd love more details on this upcoming meet-and-greet. That sounds like a great opportunity! I think it's cool that you'll be putting together a guest/loaner car. I know I would love an opportunity to test drive a car before deciding that's the chassis for me. I had been leaning towards SM, just because I have a Miata and know that car.

Salanis42, if you want a community of guys to have fun with, take up golf or knitting. We race hard and don't have a second thought about wrecking someone to take even one more position. Heck, we race Porsches so we all mush be so rich we don't even notice dameage, just drop it off after every weekend and pick it up all repaired on the way to the next event.

At least, that is the way I do it.

Now for reality.

I also wanted to have a great group of people to spend my weekends with. I tried out several different classes before settleing on 944-Spec. Let me say that compared to the Miata world, there is NO comparison. I have races from Arizona to Portland and everywhere I race in the 944 world, I have had great people to race with and people that will do whatever they need to do to help someone that needs help to get back on the track. I have seem a group of guys work for hours to help someone that was going to go out and beat them if they got fixed. In our world, that is not important to our group. We want everyone out there racing and having fun. And we do.

I always find a way to get to Nor. Cal several times a year just to race with the guys there. You will truley fine a great group of people to race with and they will all help you more than you can imagine to learn the ropes and to help you with your car as you learn it. Our cars seem to run with few problems after they are sorted out. Our cars are balanced 50/50 and drive like race cars, handle like race cars and are fun and predictabe to drive. They are easy on tires and brakes and are strong and safe (with a great seat, harness and head and neck system).

In my opinion, there is no comparison with Miata and 944 so your choice is easy.

Good luck and I look forward to meeting you on my next trip up north.

Big Dog

Big Dog wrote:
I also wanted to have a great group of people to spend my weekends with. I tried out several different classes before settleing on 944-Spec. Let me say that compared to the Miata world, there is NO comparison. I have races from Arizona to Portland and everywhere I race in the 944 world, I have had great people to race with and people that will do whatever they need to do to help someone that needs help to get back on the track. I have seem a group of guys work for hours to help someone that was going to go out and beat them if they got fixed. In our world, that is not important to our group. We want everyone out there racing and having fun. And we do.[/quote]


That sounds great. Yeah, I'm somewhat competitive, I wouldn't want to go wheel-to-wheel if I weren't. But we're talking about amateur spec racing here, and there's a lot more to be lost than gained by being overly aggressive. I want to have fun. Dicing it up with a buddy is fun. Pulling body panels is not.

Now, the only thing I want to do first, is get a chance to test drive a 944 to be sure I enjoy the chassis. I suspect I will. Probably doesn't handle quite like a Miata, but Porsche knows a thing or two about how to design a chassis, and the 944 doesn't have a bunch of weigh hanging off the rear bumper. The extra sheet metal will probably be nice for security too.

I need to do some research on the 944 and how the suspension is set up.

Hey Cameron,


I'm the guy who chased you around Thunderhill and came up to talk to after. I thought your driving was pretty good and just wanted to let you know.

Like you, I started with HPDE's and wanted to move up so I started looking into which class I wanted to run with. My first thought was spec miata. They have big fields with lots of close racing and a huge aftermarket support but the cost to have a competitive car with any realistic chance of running up front was way out of my budget. A good engine costs $10,000 minimum and the car overall is at the very least $20,000. I then looked at either spec E30 or spec 944. I have nothing bad to say about the E30 and I'm sure the drivers are all cool but I chose the 944 for a couple of reasons first being the guys I race with. We are all first and foremost friends and I know I can count on everyone to race hard AND safe, plus I can count on them to help each other out with anything we need. Our series director, Ken Huey has done an incredible job for us running the group. He makes sure we have a voice with NASA as well as all the small things like finding cash sponsors occasionally as well as getting good prizes for our 944 banquet(I still get brownie points with the wife for choosing the GPS for her over the strut brace!). We do have one british guy who's a little odd but we do our best to humor him and stay out of his way while we wait for INS to do it's job! He always seems to be stuck to either one of my bumpers though! Second, a Porsche is a proper sports car with great handling and it looks fast while standing still!

The car itself is rock solid. I have about $12,000 into mine but that's not necessarily typical. Most cars have the original motors with 1--,000 mile motors and still run reliably up front. Here in Norcal we have one of the fastest, if not THE fastest 944 driver in the country and his car is still street legal as are most of the cars. Last year we had a 944 gathering at Miller Park in Salt Lake City and I believe Norm hitched a trailer to his 944, drove up from Arizona, won on Sunday and drove home without any problems whatsoever. We all use the same mechanic, Art at Autopoint Motors in Point Richmond who has become a 944 expert. His prices are VERY good and his work is top notch!

Anyway, we'd love to have you race with us and if I see you at another track day event, you are more than welcom to take my car out for a few sessions, or if you sign up for a NASA HPDE and I'm there and the schedule permits you can drive it there.

Ron

Ron,

Thanks a load! The more I hear about 944s and the community, the better it sounds.

I know this will also be a big thing to help make my girlfriend happy. I'm getting her into motorsports, and she enjoys it when she has the chance, although she's not as crazy about it as I am. After small Hondas (her first interest in cars), she really likes Porsches. She got excited when I suggested I might go with the 944. She clearly liked that idea more than a Spec Miata or E30.

I think a big part of that is the Porsche community. She's had really good experiences auto-x'ing with the PCA, and has enjoyed seeing what people can make older Porsches do. I think the community was the biggest deal for her though, since she got a lot of support her first ever driving event, and a ton of good will and encouragement when she went out and set STD by 12seconds.

Hopefully I'll see you at another track day soon. Otherwise, I'll look you up at the next NASA day I hit. I already signed up for two events this month (NCRC and Thunderdrift), so I probably won't have funds for another event registration in August.


-Cameron

which NCRC event are you doing? I'm planning to do a couple more of their events this year. If you are at the same one, I have no problem swapping cars with you for a session so you can get the feel of a 944. It's not a fully prepped Spec car, but it's stripped and prepped safety wise, and has a passenger seat. A few more little things and it will be Spec legal.

I bought a 944 for a track car before I met the 944Spec guys. It was a bonus they invited me to join them, they're all great folks. I just wanted an inexpensive, good handling car to get my teens into track racing instead of street racing. I looked into CMC cars, Hondas, Miatas, E30 and decided on the 944 for the best bang for the buck, and the lowest operating cost. I've yet to do any major suspension upgrades, just Koni's, swaybars and spec tires, but I've only got around $3500 invested because I do all the work myself and shop on the used classified and e-bay. I've even found some good things at wrecking yards. So don't let people scare you by saying the Porsches are too expensive to fix and maintain. I figure to have around 5K in it to be a competetive car.