Race Tracks - Australia

George

CURRENTLY BANNED
Hi

Where do you Australian people take your GT40 to race other than Eastern Creek (sydney) and Bathurst Mt Panorama?

What kind of 'races' do you get your GT40 in, real ones under rules/prizes to win, or just open track days for fun on the weekend?
 

flatchat(Chris)

Supporter
Most tracks in Aussie are covered --full race to super sprints to regularity and drags -- real and replica, a plastic trophy if you win.
Budget on a $1000.00 a weekend to start with -- entry fee, travel, accommodation, fuel, tyres, pit crew, license, etc etc carnage etc etc
a sample eg:-
NATSOFT Race Result
 

George

CURRENTLY BANNED
Are you saying all that (crew etc) is included in that 1000?

In the States my friend can charge out 100-200 bucks for the track, open day event, the hell is it so expensive here for?

And can you elaborate on the rest of what you said?
 

Ron Earp

Admin
George, racing is expensive. You can certainly attend a track day or driver's education event (not racing) for $200. But there are other costs on top of that - prep time, travel costs, etc.

I'm an SCCA racer and my entry fees for say three races might be $500 for the weekend. But that is only the tip of the iceberg. I'd estimate an average two race weekend at VIR, my closest track, would run me:

$400 entry
$200 in tire wear
$150 in brake pads
$200 in food/lodging/beer
$100 in tow gas
$70 in gas for racing (I use pump gas but race cars are thirsty)

And then there are all the unforeseen things than can occur that really drive the price up - damage, cut tires, offs, breakages, trailer wear and tear, etc. And that is if you're doing everything yourself - you are taking care of your car, arranging everything, etc. and there is no crew involved unless you can get a buddy to help you.

If you're paying a company or team to take care of your car, well, forgot those prices. In the states for a company to say store your car, move it to the track, and perform a very low level of support for you then you're starting at around $2000 per weekend, not including food, lodging, gas, etc.
 

flatchat(Chris)

Supporter
Ron , you must bring your own home brew, sandwiches and camp tent for "food, lodgings and beer". :laugh: Otherwise you're pretty close to the mark for here in Aus.
Then you could do the arrive and drive -like Porsche cup or muscle car masters NEWS | Muscle Car Masters for around $20000.00 aud per weekend
PS watch the video --this is a very popular event
 

George

CURRENTLY BANNED
Is there anything in return for all that? I cant imagine people just working to save up money to spend it like that if there is nothing to be gained by it.

That seems like you work a whole year just to save up some money to burn it off in 1 day and then go home and well... work another whole year to have a blast 1 day the next year.

Perhaps I should ask...

I get my GT40, its not a race car (so to speak) that is not on the road, Its a street car that I cruise down to the racetrack with, I want to have some fun with it with other cars at the race track in a controlled environment compare to the street, enjoy some laps for the day, and cruise off home.

What would something like that set me back $ wise? Would that be a plain 'driving' course where you can after it have some fun laps, or are there open day events where I can bring any car I want (muscle, hotrod, exotic etc) and just have a blast for some laps and go home after it (no rules, no prizes, just a fun day at the track with other cars doing the exact same thing), or what?

And thanks Ron for the 'more' in it such as 'wear on your own tires, fuel etc'
 
Is there anything in return for all that? I cant imagine people just working to save up money to spend it like that if there is nothing to be gained by it.

That seems like you work a whole year just to save up some money to burn it off in 1 day and then go home and well... work another whole year to have a blast 1 day the next year.

What an utterly ridiculous question to pose to a performance car forum. Do you know where you are typing and why we are gathered here? You can't be that naive, or expect a serious response.

"Gman", you are a tool of the highest order and I think that you are here on this forum on borrowed time. You would border on entertaining if it weren't for the ridiculous child-like logic that seems to permeate every question you ask that lowers the IQ of this fine place of experience and knowledge. You offer nothing to this forum except for stretching the goodwill and patience of the members and draining the collective wisdom with your callous folly.

By the way, please stay off the track. Your alarming lack of sense makes you out to be the human that I DO NOT want to see anywhere near a high performance driving event. Based on your stupid question above, how could you take driving fast seriously if you don't know why you are there? How are we to take you seriously if you can't comprehend the simple concept of what motivates people to perform?
 
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Is there anything in return for all that? I cant imagine people just working to save up money to spend it like that if there is nothing to be gained by it.

That seems like you work a whole year just to save up some money to burn it off in 1 day and then go home and etc'

Its for the same reason people build these cars, when it would just be easier to go buy a Porsche, Lamborghini etc.

Cheers
Paul
 

George

CURRENTLY BANNED
I get the whole wanting to build your own, I also get the Lamborghinis etc will cost more, what I didnt get was the post before that mentioned $20,000 spent to race. $20,000 doesnt grow on trees and to just throw away 20,000 for 1 day of fun... thats why I wondered how or what, how people fuel to do that sort of stuff constantly. I thought there might be something gained by it (for those that win perhaps).

Joe, if you dont like what someone asked, because you apparantely were born with all this know-how (which you werent so get over yourself), piss off somewhere else and dont post to my questions with your trash.

I simply want to get a GT40 and I want to know where can I have fun with this car in a controlled environment and what $ would I be looking at to do this. Plain and Simple.
 
George

There are a lot of people out there for which 20.000 USD is not a lot of money. THey can afford to buy a Cup Porsche destroy it in the practice, call home and have the next car trailered to the track withing 3 hours ( of course it was the last years modell which survived the previous year.

What do they and everyone else gain. Go racing and you will find out. Not just trailing around a track, some real wheel to wheel competition. I do it with motorcycles but a weekend event will set me back by 1200 Euros easiliy, but is one of the best ways i can think to spend my money and time.

One other thing. If you personaly would have to work one year to save up 20.000 USD i recommand to rework your Supercar GT40 plans. I think a standard built GT40 will give enough thrill and is much more affordable

TOM
 
Is there anything in return for all that? I cant imagine people just working to save up money to spend it like that if there is nothing to be gained by it.

That seems like you work a whole year just to save up some money to burn it off in 1 day and then go home and well... work another whole year to have a blast 1 day the next year.


That's the funniest thing iv'e read in years! I often wonder why i go racing ..... now i know.... it's pointless!

If you can't afford to blow the $ away, racing (at ANY level) then don't do it. You won't get anything back but the pleasure of driving your car fast, hanging out with some great people and fulfilling that urge to "race".

Much cheaper to go to the local trophy shop and buy yourself a nice cup...

A typical NSW State Level race weekend for us (two cars) will be:
Tyres: $4000 (2 sets Dunlop slicks)
Fuel : $1000 (200 litres @ $5)
Entries: $350 per car
Logistics: say $500.

Is it "worth it" ??

To my business, as sponsorship: NO
Will i stop? NO
 

George

CURRENTLY BANNED
So I assume I need to expect about $2,000-$3,000 for the weekend for myself to have some 'fun' with my street car in a controlled/no rules situation? Meaning Open Track Day to the public.

Thanks Tom. To me, $20,000 is not change. I have thought about what you said, and I figured I could just get the GT40 'plain' but at least with the Carbon Fiber body/chasis that Tornado offer. At least I would love the car more for being made of 'exotic' material. Car being 750kg, I honestly dont think more than 500hp will be needed. Thats still going to be a 10sec 1/4 mile car in a sense due to its phenominal power-weight ratio (top speed may not be as high due to not having the HP there, but, I doubt very much so after seeing F1s etc, that I care to go that high end, 1 mistake and its all over, and Im not willing to take that risk).

Considering I wont have the track time neccessary to gain the experience needed because I will not have the funds to finance such a thing on a regular basis, then any car will offer more performance than Skill/money will allow. Whether it be an F355 Ferrari, whether it be a Diablo, a GT or a GT40, all will be 'more' than I can use.

Now just to get something straight... since the potential of all those mentioned cars are 'more' than I could use, does that in a way mean they will all (due to lack of skill of driver) get me from start-end at the same time? Making any one of them identical in terms of performance due to driver limiting the vehicle or not exactly as some car may need more skill to push it as hard as another? I know this is very broad. I just want to know what Car will give me the most fun. I dont want something like a Porsche that feels 'doscile' per say even though its extremely quick and I totaly assume the smaller the car, the more 'go-kart wild' its going to feel which makes me assume the GT40 is probbably going to be the most 'thrill' in terms of what I feel as the driver, and thus be the fastest 'feeling' car even if the stopwatch says different.

I think I found something. $120-$150 per day. All I need to do is take myself and my car there, have a blast and drive off home.

Now THATS what I was talking about!
 
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George

750 kg and 500 HP will be a rocket. It will be very difficult to built a GT40 with that low weight. Said that, i define a GT4 as car with a V8 ( of course you could reach that power level with a turbocharged inline four or six cylinder at a lower weight).

Please use the search function, Just recently there was a tread with weight comparissons of an RCR, GTD and DRB GT40. In which the RCR was the lightest car by far. GTD and TORNADO is very similar in construction concept (tubular steel frame with aluminium panelling). So you can build an RCR with about 2300 # , if you go to a full aluminium engine , a lightweight gearbox ( such a 930) and lightweight racing wheels ( no center lock adapter), race interiour ( no AC, no carpet, no insulation, aluminium of CF dash panel, CF raceseats) you could probably manage something from 950 to 1000 kg. But thats it.

Much more important is than the stiffness of the chassis, the good working characteristics of suspension and brakes and the overall reliablity. Lightweight and reliablity are somehow correlated. Of course you could make lightweight as reliable, but that cost a heap of money.

ALso take a look into other forums. Good quality CF body panels are a rare find.
If you once arrive at a situation for the need to sell your car. The value will be higher with a nice finish on bodywork. This to achieve with a CF body and have it lasting is again prone to a lot of money invested upfront.

Tom
 
George, the lest expensive way to have some track time in your car is to join a local CAMS affiliated car club, you can than for a very small outlay you can enter supersprints where you lap a circiut as fast as you wish with another car.Pairs of cars are usually sent out at suitable intervals not to catch the pair in front.
Great fun if you are racing someone with a car of simmilar performance.

PS My DRB with LS1/G50 registed, air con and fully trimed weighs 1160kg

Darrell
 
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I think I found something. $120-$150 per day. All I need to do is take myself and my car there, have a blast and drive off home.

Now THATS what I was talking about!

Its not going to be $120-$150 though.

I've not done any car trackdays (although quite a few 'experiences' etc) but I've done a *lot* of bike ones and an example the last one I went to was a two day event for £170 (~260AUD). What a bargain!

Except for that trackday I spent money on the following (rough figures)
New brake pads £60 (admittedly not needed every trackday but I did on this occasion)
Oil change £40 (one every two trackdays).
Petrol getting to/from the circuit £40
Petrol used on track £52
Knee sliders £30
Camping £10
Food £50
Drink £20
Tyre *wear* £80 (average about £40/day)

That was a *cheap* trackday and I still spent about £500 (~760AUD). This doesn't include the amount I spent prepping the bike[1], the extras wanted for a trackday (WoW's, tyrewarmers, generator, tent/gazebo, paddock stands etc), the new lid and leathers my wife bought or repairing the damage after someone took me out. In total for that one trackday between us we spent about £2k (~3000AUD)

I normally estimate all in it costs us on average 1k/trackday (me and my wife go together). I anticipate the GT40 will be *slightly* cheaper to track for us but only because while certain costs will be higher we'll only be using one vehicle and sharing it rather than two.

Probably will cost (assuming no 'incidents') about £750/day (1100AUD).

D

[1] I do all my own servicing but there is no point having a car/bike that will play up so you want your car to be freshly serviced.
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
George

Please take this the correct way and either
1) Buy a racing Kart and do some Kart racing - no not those ones you can hire for £50 for a half hour and get a bunch of mates to do the same but a proper racing kart. Sure it will dent your pride to be "only karting" but trust me it will hone your skills very quickly and get your reaction times up. The cost will be so much less than racing a "supercar" and you will have a blast. These things are quick and you need to learn how to get them set up and do what you want them to do. Somple things like toe in, caster and camber adjustments for different tracks - you will learn so much that will stand you in good stead for the "supercar"

Or
2) Get a Mazda MX5 / Miata or watever they are called in your neck of the woods. They are bulletproof in terms of reliability, you will race against similar machinery and the racing will be really close and exciting. Again learn about setting it up and how to get it to do what you want - understeer / oversteer and getting consistent lap times.

Once you have done either of the above you may still want to get the "supercar" on track or perhaps not - Perhaps only use it for the odd "demo run" or quarter mile blast.

This is from my experience
I raced a Vormula V for a year and rolled it due to breaking suspension and also raced 100cc international Karts. The Formula V was great fun and balancing it sideways on the skinny tyres an incredible buzz but it probably cost best part of ZWD1000 per race meeting in tyres, fuel and maintenance - this was back in 1985.
The Kart was cheaper to run - had better acceleration (30 - 90 mph in about 2.5 secs no clutch so no 0 - 60 times) ran on slicks that got so sticky my sides hurt and bruised with the cornering forces and was a blast. 780m purpose built track in 24.6secs through 7 tight bends. Cost was probably ZWD500 per race meeting (Zimbabwe dollar about 2 - 1 to Sterling back then)

I have had my GT40 on track for a track day this year - no racing - no timing and managed to spin it. It cost £150 for the day at an extremely reduced rate, £70 for the fuel I used, scuffed about 5000 miles off my tyres compared to road use - again fun but I wanted to drive the car home again - something that on either of my other 2 machines was not important!

And PLEASE make sure you are insured on the track whatever you drive.
Not just the car but also to cover any spectators you may hit - or hit with parts flying from your car, and millions of medical cover for yourself. A good friend rolled his car on the same corner that I rolled the formula V on and ended up in an Iron Lung after he broke his neck. His parents sold their house and were bankrupted by the costs before he died about 18 months later. Racing and speed is dangerous.

Ian
 

George

CURRENTLY BANNED
Sound advice. Thank you Ian.

Me and my friends used to go blasting around 'back' streets but,

1: Im not comfortable with that given Police
2: Im not comfortable that someone could just come out of there driveway that you cant see due to the parked car next to there driveway
3: Roads to me are just not for that and I quit doing it

I dont want to be responsible for any 'accident' that may happen due to a THICK HEAD.

This is why I wondered where I could go to just have some fun in a 'safe' so to speak environment. Not where I gotta drive 200+, but where Im free to just cruise around the track and as confidence builds up, increase the speed, no cops to worry about, no pedestrians, no cars coming out of driveways. Just me, my street car, the track and enjoy.

I mean, I am going to have an F355 Ferrari before the GT40. I went for a ride in one not long ago, and it was fun. Problem was, those tires were SO old due to car never being used that they almost felt like plastic. The driver went around bend, didnt really even give it any gas and the back end came swinging around the front. The thing is, this car was absolutely fun to drive, but on the street you are limited to speed limits, rules and well, Comon sense above those 2 (as those other 2 to me are money making schemes). So I wanted to know, where can I go and ENJOY the car for what it really is, where I dont have to look over my shoulder if a cop is chasing me and a place where its safe as its designed for that. Race Track. But 1000+ on entry, is a bit, to me, a bummer. Im not counting the fuel etc, that to me is a given, tire wear, fuel, oil etc, obviously runing a car hard is going to go through that stuff, but it would on the street aswell if it was LEGAL to do so on the street, so I do not look at that as a cost as its something Id do had it been safe/alowed on the road. And I wouldnt count the fuel to and from the track because either way I would go out in this car on the weekend to drive around. So Im really only looking at the cost of 'safe environment', being race track, At $200 for the day or something, would be cool. I just simply dont want to do stupid stuff on the road (like driving fast), but rather enjoy the car where Its designed for that.

Hope that gives some perspective on what I thought.

Btw- the Reaction time... to do with what exactly? I remember watching an F1 with an onboard camera, and seriously, how they see a corner at THAT speed, is beyond me. Id see the corner after I went through the wall which is PAST the corner at that speed. Do these people know the track so well that they just start turning before they even see it like in a computer game cause u got that feeling 'corners coming up' or what the hell? Once I saw that onboard I said SCREW 300kmh

About the Karts, you are refering to Go-Karts, but the ones that can actualy go faster than 20kmh (which are the 50 dollars for half hour ones)?

I dont mind that, I been Go-karting twice in the 'slow' 25 bucks or whatever it was for half hour ones, and it was great fun. Was trying to Drift around the bends, going full speed around certain corners cause they said you cant roll it... when it all finished, an experienced guy asked me 'how long you been racing these?' I said 'First time ever, why?' He replied "your one CRaaaaaaazy driver" lol. Will look into it, perhaps that will be all the fun I need and just enjoy my Gt40 for cruising in, going to certain functions, have a blast off the light when someone wants to have a run, go visit friends etc and done. My normal daily cruiser so to speak with a pack of performance in it. Pretty much how I used my 68 Charger (2-3 times per week) just now a GT40 instead.
 
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Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
Btw- the Reaction time... to do with what exactly? I remember watching an F1 with an onboard camera, and seriously, how they see a corner at THAT speed, is beyond me. Id see the corner after I went through the wall which is PAST the corner at that speed. Do these people know the track so well that they just start turning before they even see it like in a computer game cause u got that feeling 'corners coming up' or what the hell? Once I saw that onboard I said SCREW 300kmh

.

Reaction time. At first you will drive like on the road - think accelerate, clutch in,change gear, clutch out power, turn in, balance power, steer through the corner etc.

Eventually you will be turning the car in and reacting to the turn- removing or adding throttle, adding more steering or catching a slide etc. Eventually it becomes second nature and there "driving by the seat of your pant" comes from. Basically how it "feels" is what you react to if you have to wait for your eyes, tyre squeal or whatever you are not going to get close to controlling a car at the limit an a consistent basis. It is almost as if you are putting in the required adjustments before the car / kart tells you to do so

Ian
 

Ian Anderson

Lifetime Supporter
Oh yes the 50buck karts are great fun.
go back and ask if they have any faster ones - best to prove to them you can handle the basic ones first! They also do twin engine ones so basically double the power.

Normal fun kart is a Honda 8 hp unit so double to 16hp and that will amaze you as to how much quicker you have to think / react to get around the same track.

The 100cc international 2 stroke engines we were running back then revved to about 18000rpm and gave about 30 - 32 hp so around 4 times what the $50 ones give out (it they are working to their declared specification)

Ian
 
George, if you are looking at the club level racing(street cars), you have the following National events that have GT40 replicas racing:

First weekend in October you will see GT40 replicas racing at Wakefield Park(NSW) for the Cobra Nationals. We will be at the Cobra Nationals.

You also have GT40 replicas at Shelby Fest at Winton Raceway(VIC), it's early in the year.

I would expect most local tracks will have some form of racing where you can see GT40's. Locally here in QLD you can see them regularly at Queensland Raceway & Morgan Park.

George, certainly get it out to the track when you have finished it, there are days at most tracks where you can take your street car for some quick laps with only basic safety gear.

Cost wise, around a couple of hundred dollars & up is where it starts. As Flatchat said, the more serious you are, the more expensive it gets.
 
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