Todd,
I'm close to the same level as you - this was my first full year at with the POC and I won the NI class in the STS and I am already TT licensed.
I have a friend who is a pro racer (won the GA GT class this past weekend) and he has been urging me to go on to racing - he suggested rent a spec Miata at BW and do the SCCA school. From there NASA or others but also stay with the POC/PCA as the level there is quite competitive.
My problem is that I'm using a expensive street car that I don't want to turn into a race car (2004 GT-3) so my goal is to do what John Gordon has just done and get a used Cup car. The GT-3 is so awesome and I have done rather well with it (to toot my own horn) so I don't want to step backward into an older car. After all I'm doing this for fun so I want a car that is well develop and doesn't require a lot of maintience (for a race car) and the Cup fits that bill.
I would suggest that you do what Jack and others here suggest but also plan to do the POC Racer Clinics in June and December next year - the extra teaching and experience can't hurt and should benefit - that's how I look at it anyway.
I'll be out at Willow on Dec 3rd/4th - come by and say hi. I have a white GT-3, car number 796 and I have a 20 ft enclosed trailer with Mechanix Wear stickers in the side (I work for MW).
What a great weekend this past STS was huh? My wife ran in orange (we share the car for STS) and had a great time even though she really should be in blue. I ran in the Red group with all the race cars which was fun. New track records for me (breaking my own) with a 1:11.78 on Saturday and a 1:25.56 on Sunday. Spent most of the day on Sunday trying to keep the Cup cars in sight!
I've gone about as far as I can in the GT-3 in a stock set up (except for RS wing). So now, while I wait for my dream race car I'm going to put a bit into the car with suspension, exhaust and a few Cup car pieces. On to NP class next year no doubt.
Gawd, this stuff is fun isn't it?
-Kevin Reynolds
