1. The Club Racing Experience: A Day at the Races
What is racing really like? Dave walks you through a typical day of club racing.
Your Day Begins the Night Before
So, How Much Did That Just Cost You?
How can you begin your racing career on a very minimal budget? This section discusses ways to gain racing experience, including using your streetcar safely at autocross events, high performance driving events, and time trials. It also discusses other methods you can use to become involved in racing.
Autocross – Racing with Very Little Investment
Preparation Before the Autocross Event
At the Autocross Event
Time to Drive on a Racetrack: High Performance Driving Events
Preparation Before the High Performance Driving Event
At the HPDE
Things You Do Not Need to Buy
Time Trial Events
3. How Safe is Club Racing?
It seems that one of the first questions spouses and other family members (especially mothers) ask is how safe is club racing? This is a valid question. Learn what steps you and clubs take to make racing safer.
What Types of Things are Done to Address Safety?
What are a Few of the Safety Items on a Racecar?
Personal Safety Equipment
Snell Helmet Ratings Explained
Head and Neck Restraint Systems
How Else Can You Make Racing Safer?
What Exercises Can You do to Further Improve Safety?
4. The Racecar
Learn how to determine which racing class is right for you. The next step is acquiring a racecar – to buy a built racecar or build one? The pros and cons are discussed along with the steps involved for both decisions. This includes how you can build a racecar, what the essential components are, and costs involved.
Race Classes – What’s Available
Acquiring a Racecar
Buying a Built Racecar
Building a Racecar
Locating the Donor Car
Self-Inspection of the Car
Time to Strip
Roll Cages
Suspension
Glass Sunroof Replacement
Racing Seat and Harness
Brake System
Fire System
Transponder
Rear View Mirror
Rims
Tires
Corner Weighting
Alignment
Dealing with Cosmetic Bodywork
Painting the Racecar
Tow Hooks
Air Intake System
Exhaust
Engine
Anti-sway Bar
Other Basic Maintenance
Other Miscellaneous Items
5. Technical Inspections
In this section you will learn what the purpose of technical inspections are, and how to be prepared for them.
6. Going Back to School
This section explains what needs to be done to prepare the car and driver for a club licensing school. It also discusses what you should expect from a licensing school.
What Needs to be Done to Prepare the Car?
What Needs to be Done to Prepare the Driver?
The Competition Licensing School
The Importance of Bringing Crew with You
7. Race and Maintain
You have successfully completed a few races now and overall things are going well, but you want to be faster. Dave discuss the next steps to take at this stage.
What Should You be Doing at This Stage?
Instruct at High Performance Driving Events
The Benefits of In-car Video
8. Repairs & Maintenance
Learn to control the costs of repairing and maintaining your racecar. Determine the basic tools you will need to repair and maintain your racecar, and learn some thrifty tricks in the process.
A Field Trip to the Home Improvement Store
Brake Pads and Fluid
Routine Maintenance Timeline
What are the Basic Tools that You will Need?
Tool to Change Brake Fluid
Basic Alignment Tool
Avoiding Expensive Repairs
9. Transporting the Racecar
You have determined how you will obtain a racecar and a competition license, but now how will you get the racecar to the track? This section includes some of the various methods of getting the racecar to the track and includes discussion about tow vehicles and various trailer options. It also includes approximate amounts to budget for these items.
Trailer Options
Tow Dolly
Open and Enclosed Trailers
Where to Find Used Trailers
10. Moving On
The eternal question in club racing: What does it take to become a front-runner? This section includes some of the mental aspects that drivers need to focus on. It also explains and prioritizes how the racecar should be developed to become faster.
The Mental Aspects of Racing
Having Self-confidence Matters!
Physical Aspects
What Are Other Things You Can Do?
The Cheatn’ Side of Town
Are You Ready to Spend Some Money? Includes: racing tires, engine build, suspensions, data acquisition systems, exhaust, air intake, limited slip differentials, exhaust header, fuel injector, dyno tuning, racing wheels and air dam / splitters.
11. Is Sponsorship Possible?
Here Dave discusses the sponsorship opportunities available in club racing, including the types of businesses you should and shouldn’t target. Learn how to create a successful plan of action for approaching prospective sponsors. What do you do once you have a sponsor?
When Should You Approach Prospective Sponsors?
Sponsorship Proposals
Sample Sponsorship Proposal
What To Do Now That You Have a Sponsor
12. The Costs of Racing
Personal Safety Equipment Costs
Racecar Costs
Tool Costs
Annual Racing Budget
What Topics Are Covered In This Book?
As you’ll quickly see, there’s a TON of information!