Open track for 914s

[johnvan8]

Hi all,
I have a stock 914 1.7. I'd like to drive it at "open track" events. From what I understand, open track events are open to any car (which must meet certain minimum safety requirements) so owners can drive the hell out of them without worrying about a ticket. (a friend once told me he saw a guy bring out a Volvo station wagon and having a blast with it!)I enjoy my car stock and have no interest (at this time) in racing it or autocrossing. I live in the Orange County/LA area. Which is (are) the best club(s) to join to do this? I would really appreciate any input you folks may have.

[Rouser]

I don't know ... ever since that stupid rice movie "The Fast And The Furious" came out, it would seem the "open track events" are occuring right out at the parking lot exits!

The federali, anticipating mass wanna-be's, posted unmarkeds up and down the main drag near a theater. The wife & I thought it was Christmas, what with all the lights every few miles! A great revenue generator, that movie.

[tomrichardson]

No, no. You've got it all wrong. The movie was called "The Rice and the Ridiculous"



[This message has been edited by tomrichardson (edited 06-25-2001).]

[campbellcj]

If you are serious about hitting the track in your 914, your best bets in So Cal are probably POC (Porsche Owners Club) www.porscheclub.com and TCRA (Touring Car Club) http://www.touringcarclub.com Tracquest www.tracquest.net is another organization, but they are a privately-run
Driver's Ed company as opposed to the other two which are clubs that hold competitive timed (and full club racing) events.

They all run events at the local tracks: Willow Springs (big track and Streets of Willow short track), Buttonwillow, and others in the region such as Thunderhill, Las Vegas, Laguna Seca, Phoenix, etc.

PCA in So Cal has very few real track events: more heavily focused on parking lot autocross and social events.

I have just started running my 73 2.0 with the POC group, and am having a blast. I am in CI class, which are basically stock 914 2.0's with very limited mods - suspension/tires and safety only. Right now I am doing their "Short Track Series", which are essentially low(er) speed time trials run on smaller tracks like SOW and Buttonwillow. You run 15 minute continuous lapping sessions with a group of cars and drivers of roughly similar speed and capability to yours. Passing is permitted but is heavily restricted in the slower run groups. Automated lap times are recorded and posted for every lap throughout the weekend; then, the formal timed-laps are done at the end of the event for championship points.

With POC, you can progress from these "slow" (usually <100mph) short-track events, up to full fast time trials at the bigger tracks, where you will hit 130-140 if your car is capable of doing so. Beyond that, if you choose to, you can get your full club race license and do wheel-to-wheel racing.

I was quite surprised when I found that I could keep up with about 1/2 the other guys out there (i.e. I can run about in the middle of the pack of 50-100 cars time-wise), almost all of whom are driving cars that cost 3-10+ times as much as mine, and have 2-3 times the HP. The 914 is a GREAT, inexpensive little track car, especially for learning, since it handles very neutrally and doesn't have gobs of power to get you into too much trouble.

You also can run in the true open track "test days" at these tracks, but it is around the same cost as the organized club events, and you get no formal instruction, and the safety, tech inspection and licensing regulations are not as stringent, which is not a plus IMHO. Also, you will be driving almost exclusively with VERY fast and experienced guys in full race cars that arrive on trailers. If you are a "novice" these open sessions might not be the greatest way to start. That is, unless you like being passed repeatedly by guys doing 50-100mph faster then you, while giving you the universal "you're number one" signal.

Hope to see you out there sometime,

Chris C.
73 914 2.0
70 911E Targa
campbell.chris@gte.net



[This message has been edited by campbellcj (edited 06-25-2001).]

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Another option: http://209.155.203.77/typ_html_nav.asp?ObjectID=6098

NASA (only part of it is "Pro Racing", don't let the name of the website fool you) puts on Driver's Ed type events as well as wheel-to-wheel.

Check all of the above. And there are probably more options than that available. And don't count autocrossing; from the sound of it some of the AutoX events are more like big-track time trials...

--DD

------------------
Pelican Parts 914 Tech Support

A few pics of my car: http://www.pelicanparts.com/gallery/Dave_Darling

[SteveStromberg]

See: http://www.open-track.com/
Steve

[whitemike_04]

dont hate on THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS!!! That movie is the ISH!!! even though it has no 914's in it, its bout racing no matter what, you should be ashamed of yourselves!!

[This message has been edited by whitemike_04 (edited 06-25-2001).]

[SteveStromberg]

Monday June 25 12:13 AM ET
Two Die in NY Car Drag Race

OCEANSIDE, N.Y. (AP) - Drivers of two sports cars were drag racing when one car spun out of control and rammed another vehicle head-on Sunday, police said. Two people were killed.

Witnesses told police the cars - a Lamborghini and Corvette - were weaving in and out of traffic at high speed before the crash.

Authorities said the Lamborghini collided with a third car in an intersection, killing both drivers - Michael Vasapolli, 30, in the sports car, and Glenn Jacofsky, 43.

The Corvette, with a vanity plate ``LOV2XLR8'' (Love to Accelerate), skidded into a parked school bus, police said.

Its driver, Kevin Heart, 27, was treated for minor injuries, police said.