That's it...I'm just going to have to go dirt track racing again...

http://www.heartlandmotorsportsforum.com/phpbb3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1233

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85 dodge daytona Pro hornet motor is a 2.5 Tranny is a five speed manual. minus seat and belts. with a professionaly buit roll cage. Extra motor two doors hood and fenders and misc box of engine parts. Also includes extra tires. Body is good shape. Passenger side cvc axle need to be replaced. I am Asking $500 feel free to call me or email.

When I was racing mini, nothing could touch the 2.2, and 2.5 Dodge motors on the straights. I was just glad those guys couldn't drive.

I agree with the other guys..it'd be better than sitting at home watching on TV.

Any karting where you are? That might help you get your twisty fix every once in awhile..

I had a chance to do dirt track, when I was younger. I still kick myself for not giving it a try. The skills would apply to rally or hillclimb. Any Legends class racers in your area?

The only karting around here is dirt circle track karting (which doesn't appeal to me at all, though I'm not sure why)...and I have a sneaking suspicion that running a hobby stock car for a season would probably be more cost effective than running a kart. They do race the karts in the winter, indoors, though.

No Legends or the like nearby either.

I, too, wish every track around here didn't have the "Murrican" rule. I think it's silly, but the rednecks must think it makes a difference or something...I don't know. This whole mentality of the local dirt trackers is a MAJOR turn-off to me...and that's one of the biggest hurtles keeping me from getting back into it (and frankly one of the reasons I quit long ago...or never got properly started).

On the subject of FWD cars: I'm just not at all interested in owning or working on front drive cars, so a racecar will be no exception...no FWD "hornets" for me.

I'd look into "mini stock" or "Pony stock" (Rear Drive)...but would just as soon have something with a good old V8 between the framerails (and the visceral delight that results).

They do run Midgets at a little track about an hour from here...I suppose that could be fun...but it screams $$$ to me.

I don't know...this is all a long ways off, anyway.

Clem

it is what it is.

My thought- start with the 4 cyl cars to remind you how the whole thing works.

Pay attention to the various other classes that seem quite reasonable for a small team like yourself to be able to do (and even possibly do well at). And then be paitent for the right opportunity to come along and go for the V8.

But it also gives you an "out" if the taste isn't what you expected. I think you may be hunting the paddock for people who think like you, but look for them none the less. If you can deal with the odd biases, and find the right people to hang out, it does seem the most effective way to scratch that itch you have.

I'm not sure what you mean by "hunting the paddock for people who think like" me. I'm pretty self confident in automotive settings. I can hang out with just about anybody (I even get along with jerks...sometimes). however, my primary purpose in wanting to race is not about the social scene (though I do realize and appreciate that that is often another fun part of racing).

I won't shy away from a 4 cylinder rear drive car...but a V8 car is just going to be easier and have more potential...I think. It'll just be a matter of what situation comes along and works out right.

Mostly my itch is to have and maintain and develop a machine and use it to actually compete door-to-door in some manner. And I want to do it as cost effectively as possible.

I'm not too concerned about the stigmas of dirt track racing...like mentioned, it is what it is. Folks who appreciate going out and realizing their own aspirations...that's good stuff!

Clem

For what it's worth...I could totally see myself getting a car and only racing 3 or 4 times a season until my daughters are old enough to NOT want to hang around me on a weekend evening ;).

So being competetive isn't really as much an issue for me as being in the competition. It is almost as much fun to be racing for 8th place as it is to be racing for the lead...in my experience.

Thanks for the discussion folks!

Clem

It's usually pretty tough to compete dollar-for-dollar, but sometimes you can offset that somewhat (and make it more satisfying) by being different and adding more time than money. I kind of took that to an extreme, but the experience from racing Dirt Late Models for 12 years was key to launching my career building V8/RX-7 conversion parts. Here's a link that includes a few of my unusual DLM's.. http://grannys.tripod.com/4rotor.html , didn't even have a welder when I started, just a small drill press and a cutting torch, borrowed a welder, and bought a chassis from another racer's junk pile. The experience I got from doing all that myself was priceless.

ClemSparks wrote: For what it's worth...I could totally see myself getting a car and only racing 3 or 4 times a season until my daughters are old enough to NOT want to hang around me on a weekend evening ;). So being competetive isn't really as much an issue for me as being in the competition. It is almost as much fun to be racing for 8th place as it is to be racing for the lead...in my experience. Thanks for the discussion folks! Clem

I hear ya. Heck, I live in Atlanta where there's plenty of autocrosses & stuff. But even though autoX is fun, it just doesn't do for me what racing did. I'm thinking about maybe building some kind of HPDE toy. Yeah, not wheel-to-wheel..but at least I could "kick it out" a little more on a racetrack. And on the karting thing, I hear ya. If the local karting is the same (dirt, and round) as the local racing, you might as well put the effort into a car.

I guess with that "all American" rule, the supply of 4cyl Fox chassis Mustangs for Ministock has already dried up (from all the other RWD guys who got there first..)?

Fox bodies are still around to some extent. I'm really trying to resist the urge to build a car though. It just makes way more sense to buy a roller from someone and put an engine in. I would do that with a ministock. I would do that with a V8 Hobby stock. I could get a "reliable" (not necessarily powerful) used/junkyard engine and just go learn.

As much as I'd LOVE to build a car...I know from past experience that spending the money required to get one track ready is never the priority. So if I find one that's got a few races under its belt (and someone's moving up a class and getting rid of it) it just makes more sense dollar and time wise.

You can do fine with a reliable, mildly built motor. I never noticed a difference (in position) between running the 2.73 gears, and the 2.41's, but I sure noticed it on the tach, and that will cost you over a season of racing. Do yourself a favor, and start stocking up on rads, axles, control arms, and rims now

Do you still have the Corolla? Rear drive, 4cyl, a little extra weight from the long roof but probably not much. If you go with the G body find out if they allow fabricated upper arms. They don't bend as much and you should be able to use 2nd gen Camaro lower arms to make the car about 1 3/4 wider.

ClemSparks wrote: I'm not sure what you mean by "hunting the paddock for people who think like" me. I'm pretty self confident in automotive settings. I can hang out with just about anybody (I even get along with jerks...sometimes). however, my primary purpose in wanting to race is not about the social scene (though I do realize and appreciate that that is often another fun part of racing). Clem

It was more about the local mentality that you mentioned a few posts ago... That's all.

I'm kinda burned out on National level autox. After Nats this year, my car officially is up for sale and I'm doing something different. What? I don't know. Maybe just local autox. Maybe Circle Track. Maybe just Lemons / GRM type stuff.

Wally wrote: Do you still have the Corolla? Rear drive, 4cyl, a little extra weight from the long roof but probably not much. If you go with the G body find out if they allow fabricated upper arms. They don't bend as much and you should be able to use 2nd gen Camaro lower arms to make the car about 1 3/4 wider.

I DO have the corolla...but nobody in the immediate area allows "furrin'" cars. Good to know regarding the camaro arms on a g-body...and at least one of the two closest tracks DOES allow aftermarket uppers...so, cool! Thanks!.

One of my racing buddies has run rally cross somewhere in the northeast but I can't remember where. He has a car built mainly for oval track, but he uses it ice racing, auto-cross, track days, and rally cross.etc. Rally cross looks like it's cool as hell, group of 4 or 5 cars, combo dirt/asphalt road course, small jumps. I don't think it was a scca thing, but i could be wrong.

I am actually selling my ITB Suzuki Swift GTi because of our new baby and I just cant see shelling out a mortgage payment every time I want to race. After reading this thread, I realize we have both paved and dirt ovals nearby and started thinking about keeping the swift and running ovals.

Or, will this kind of racing destroy the car in a very short time?

I also run a welded diff...wonder how that would do on an oval...

ClemSparks wrote: Fox bodies are still around to some extent. I'm really trying to resist the urge to build a car though. It just makes way more sense to buy a roller from someone and put an engine in. I would do that with a ministock. I would do that with a V8 Hobby stock. I could get a "reliable" (not necessarily powerful) used/junkyard engine and just go learn. As much as I'd LOVE to build a car...I know from past experience that spending the money required to get one track ready is never the priority. So if I find one that's got a few races under its belt (and someone's moving up a class and getting rid of it) it just makes more sense dollar and time wise.

My fault, dude..if anyone should have remembered that it's better to buy than to build when you're getting back in, it shoulda been me. Can't recall if I've ever posted up why I had to quit, but long story short, I got in a buddy's "homebuilt", and rolled it into a wad when a balljoint snapped on the infield at the "roval" at Charlotte NC. Got divorced soon after, rented a couple of cars afterwards, but had to stop so I could pay child support.

My whole 4cyl Fox chassis comment was really about whether or not you could find one "locally" anymore, and not about building a new one. I was just hoping that there might be a couple of `em left, since all of your local tracks have that insipid "domestics only" rule.

Here in Georgia, a lot of the local short ovals don't have that kind of rule, and the fields are full of VWs and Hondas. There used to be a bunch of Dodge Neons 4-5 years ago, but for some reason I've missed, they don't seem to be out there anymore.

I guess I should admit, the last couple of short ovals I've been to, one's paved, and one's dirt.
http://www.lanierspeedway.com/

Paved 3/8mi. It's across the road from Road Atlanta, and there's a hill where we can see about half of the track. Those of us who don't have to go to bed early sit on that hill and watch the races for free...

http://dixiespeedway.com/
Dirt, 3/8mi. as well, IIRC. Seems to be one of the last of the great old dirt ovals that used to populate Atlanta Metro like mosquitos. I guess Riverside CA and Bridgehampton NY ain't the only great places that have been replaced by shopping malls and foreclosed McMansions these days.

Eh, sorry to be such a berkeleying loudmouth. I guess I'm just saying "GO DO IT!!"

I had fun watching the races at Lanier one night several years back while I lived there shortly during a stint with an ALMS team.

I figure this fall, if I can manage to trade or cheaply get a roller of some sort, it might just work out...We'll see ;).

Clem

friedgreencorrado wrote: I guess I should admit, the last couple of short ovals I've been to, one's paved, and one's dirt. http://www.lanierspeedway.com/ http://dixiespeedway.com/

I live a few minutes from Dixie. I've had fun spectating at races there, and would be really interested in running a pony-class. I have absolutely no idea where to begin though - have any advice?

nderwater wrote:

friedgreencorrado wrote: I guess I should admit, the last couple of short ovals I've been to, one's paved, and one's dirt. http://www.lanierspeedway.com/ http://dixiespeedway.com/

I live a few minutes from Dixie. I've had fun spectating at races there, and would be really interested in running a pony-class. I have absolutely no idea where to begin though - have any advice?

I don't know anybody that's got one, but I did find the rules online.

http://www.dixiespeedway.com/Uploads/DixiePony.pdf

When I lived closer to Woodstock, there were a few guys with race cars in their yards (or at their shops), but I think they were all V8s. I've run into a couple of those guys at gas stations, etc. on their race weekends. If they're anything like us, you should be able to just walk right up and ask them about it.

I've raced circle track for the last 8 years. Granted it is paved, not dirt. But the best thing I love about racing mini stock class is pretty much everyone helps each other out. Race you hard on the track, but help you with the car in the pits. There are exceptions, but mostly at that level, the guys are in it for fun. When I started I didn't have a clue what I was doing. But with help from others, and lots of seat time, (our track has open practice on Thursdays) I was competetive. When I started I didn't care if I was racing for second last, as long as I was racing someone. Go to the races, hang out in the pits. Talk to the guys that are running the same type of car you want to run. They will be glad to talk about their car, and maybe help you out. My brother got involved too. He talked to some guys, and they happened to be selling a car they used last year. He was racing withing 2 weeks.

You bastards!

Now I'm looking at race cars for sale

It is paved, but I've always wanted to race with these guys.

http://www.f4modified.com/

Their track is about 30 minutes away. Most of them have been racing together for years, and are super friendly.

It begins.

I purchased an S10 manual steering box off CL for $10 today. That's right, I don't have the car, but I'm collecting deal-priced parts. I figure this will help spread out the cost of putting one together (even if it's putting a roller back together).

I also spied a well-used-looking hobby stock roller on CL about 4 hours away for $400. If the cage is in good shape, that's going to be hard to pass up (especially after the price comes down a bit).

Clem

mattbatson wrote: I also run a welded diff...wonder how that would do on an oval...

Push like a dumptruck. At least on paved ovals