Going to a Road Racing Class

http://www.dentsport.com/events/university/

I got picked to attend Dent Sport Garage's DSG Road Race University. I didn't get to go to class 101, but they say they'll go over some of it before tomorrow's class. I've heard nothing but good things about DSG's work, so this gives me an excuse to check the place out. Hopefully, I will learn some suspension setups I can apply to my FC once autocross season begins. I'd also like to attend a track day with it this year. I'll let you know all know how it goes!

cant wait to hear about it. their 240sx time attack car is awesome and i believe it was built low budget, grassroots style.

The DSG University was packed with 60+ people in their shop (a drafty old mill building- it was cold!), most of whom didn't go to the first class. Most attendees were around my age (18-late 20's), but there were some older guys there as well. They had an instructor from COM Sports Car Club and two guys from the New England Hillclimb Association go over track days, COM-style time trials, and hillclimbing.

With COM, they have a two-day track day which is different from other HPDEs like BMWCCA and NASA: first day is classrooms and instructor ride-alongs, second day you're alone and doing time trial laps. The instructor suggested doing traditional HPDEs first before doing COM track days, in order to get some experience under your belt.

The hillclimb guys were older than most of the attendees, but they were very funny and had some good stories to tell. They like to rough it on race weekends, since most of their events occur at state parks.

There was lots of good advice on making yourself a better driver and making your car reliable vs. modding for absolute powarrr!!! DSG says they're all about putting reliability fist, since that means more time on track and less time fighting with your car in the paddocks.

As for DSG's cars- wow: -Mitsu Evo II Rally/Hillclimb car with the widest vented brake discs I've ever seen in my life
-Subaru STi street/track car- complete with a neoprene drinking bottle catch can (GameboyRMH, time to ditch the Gatorade bottle- neoprene holds up better to heat)
-The 240RS Maxi was there. The fab work for the rear-mounted radiator was crazy, as were the Stance coilovers with remote-mounted resevoirs
-BMW 2002 with SR20DET swap
-BMW E30 with Nissan V6 (VQ35?) swap
-Twin-turbo Infiniti G35
-Galant VR-4 hillclimb car
-1JZGTE-powered Dodge Raider (Mitsu Montero short wheelbase) meant to look like a Dakar rally truck
-Rotary-powered Viking Lotus 7 clone

I also met a couple of guys from the RX7Club with Turbo II FCs, wich is great since I haven't met anyone else with an FC since I got mine. So, all in all, I had a great time, I became awesome, and now I've resolved to do one hillclimb and one track day this year along with autocrossing!