If it's listed on their website, I missed it, but I'm curious what the "ideal" number of drivers is for a Chump Car event. I really want to participate in an event but am unsure how many co-conspirators I need to round up. 
If it's listed on their website, I missed it, but I'm curious what the "ideal" number of drivers is for a Chump Car event. I really want to participate in an event but am unsure how many co-conspirators I need to round up.
How many hours do you feel like driving ?
I'm thinking about the September race at Sebring, which is 14 hours. I'm thinking 5-6 drivers would be a good number.
it seems like an hour per stint is pretty exhausting for people who dont race do wheel to wheel racing a lot. if you can add in some down time between drives with pit crew help then i'd say 5 would be enough. if you have just enough to be either crewing or driving all the time then 7 is probably a minimum.
itsarebuild wrote: it seems like an hour per stint is pretty exhausting for people who dont race do wheel to wheel racing a lot. if you can add in some down time between drives with pit crew help then i'd say 5 would be enough. if you have just enough to be either crewing or driving all the time then 7 is probably a minimum.
Great. That's helpful info. I will start asking around!
Another question. In looking through their rules, it looks like the assign arbitrary values to cars rather than receipts for purchase price (or sell off). Do I have that right?
For instance, they show an NA Miata as a "$500 as is" car. So does that mean that any NA Miata is fine, regardless of how much I actually paid for it? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but I'm struggling to decipher it from their rules PDF online.
You need to read about "AIV" on the Chump Car forum, basically you have to prove the value of you car with ads of comparable cars. A Miata is usually considered right at the edge of the $500.00 range. What gets most people at tech is not having the AIV documentation, if you don't have it the tech inspector will assign your car a value, and you may not like it.
We bring six drivers to a Double Seven race, so everyone gets to drive a little over an hour each day. We always have several other people come along and help. For fueling we have the driver that's getting out of the car put the fuel in since they are in their race suit already.
dyintorace wrote: Another question. In looking through their rules, it looks like the assign arbitrary values to cars rather than receipts for purchase price (or sell off). Do I have that right? For instance, they show an NA Miata as a "$500 as is" car. So does that mean that any NA Miata is fine, regardless of how much I actually paid for it? Sorry if I'm missing something obvious, but I'm struggling to decipher it from their rules PDF online.
In addition to finding the car and showing what you paid for it (if you don't already have it), you'll need to search around and build a case that your car in your condition is in fact a $500 car. So, you may have a hard time getting them to believe a NA w/1.8, a 4.1 VLSD and no rust is a $500 car.
The easiest thing to do is just buy a car that is a $500 car, show proof of what you paid for it (they don't let you deduct goods sold off it from the price like lemons and GRM does), and show that you can find similar deals around if you look. Make sure they are similarly equiped (again, 1.8 with a LSD, or a Sentra SE-R as opposed to just a SE) and print off/save those ads. And, for any modification you do to it, document it to show that you're not exceding the budget (although they do assign values to different components, as you saw in the rules I'm sure).
Thanks for the input. I didn't think to see if there is a Chump Car forum. I'll check that out.
I believe it is in their rules, but last time I ran it was 2 hours max for a single driver stint with a 30 minute rest before the driver can go back in. Plan accordingly as they do watch this at the track (that and safety at fuel stops)
With the smaller gas tanks being used now, figure that 1.5-2 hours is about right for a fuel stop anyway for many cars.
i've notice that there have been a lot of rules lawyers over on the Chumpcar forum that just don't get the whole point of this and are trying to find every loophole they can find..
i really wouldn't worry about the actual value of the car unless you think you are actually going to be in a position to actually win the race. build a car that will hold together and fits the rules and do it as cheaply as you can and go race the damn thing.
Basically, start with a stripped out car you can buy for $500 and add racing safety parts.
If you can place the stripped out rolling shell in your yard and get more than $500, than you're gonna get penalized.
If you can buy a Miata for $500, great. Do it. Understand that if you have mods on it, they'll penalize you with laps.
If you have a question about value, ask them and they'll tell you what they think its worth. Print that out and bring it with you to tech.
Either way, its about cheap, butt-in-the-seat time, don't over think it. Focus on being organized, driving clean and fast and minimize time spent in the pits.
I'm trying not to overthink it...just don't want to be "that guy" at my first crap can event.
What's odd is that the CC rules seem to allow for purchasing "built" crap can racers. That's kinds funny, since the buy in would certainly be over $500.
At the end of the day, my goal is simply seat time in a wheel to wheel environment. I have no designs or cares about winning, just want to get out on track. I'll start keeping an eye on CL for $500 cars!
Just a quick look in the Boston CL found this bunch.. . . . . Yes I am trying to enable. 
http://boston.craigslist.org/nos/cto/2290565594.html
http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/cto/2290469064.html
http://boston.craigslist.org/nwb/cto/2286872940.html
dyintorace wrote: I'm trying not to overthink it...just don't want to be "that guy" at my first crap can event. What's odd is that the CC rules seem to allow for purchasing "built" crap can racers. That's kinds funny, since the buy in would certainly be over $500. At the end of the day, my goal is simply seat time in a wheel to wheel environment. I have no designs or cares about winning, just want to get out on track. I'll start keeping an eye on CL for $500 cars!
it doesn't matter how much you pay to buy and build the car- it only matters what a stock street legal daily driver version of the car is worth without the safety stuff. most teams claim to spend about $2500 building the car- roll cages, racing seats, harnesses, and fire extinguishers aren't free but they don't count towards the value of the car but things like headers and aftermarket coil over suspension setups do. they are also starting to be a little more lenient towards engines that look like they have been rebuilt to stok specs with stock parts- it sucks for everyone when a motor blows up and spreads 5 quarts of oil right on the apex of a fast corner. but show up with a 4 cylinder Chrysler K car that seems to be making 400hp and you can expect some penalty laps..
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