Some fellow track goers are trying to scare me into a truck/trailer, but the funds are not in place right now for even a small loan.

I tried telling them that it helps not tracking a complete POS. I would like to trailer my car, but it also adds two more pieces of equipment to fail. I like to think that with a strict pre-track day prep and good maintenance, that my car can do both reliably.


So, I was curious to see how many people drive their car to the track and back?






So far I have been tracking for 5 years and I have always made it home. My last event at VIR, I had my left rear wheel come off when all my studs snapped. Luckily it was at low speed (exiting Oak Tree) and the damage was VERY minimal.

I had spare studs and borrowed some lugs, got the wheel re-balanced and I was out with my next session. It scared me and made me question everything. I have replaced all the studs with ARP's, so hopefully it will not happen again. So if you have Nismo studs, be careful!

 

You had the long nismo studs and they snapped?

 

Yep. Two more of them snapped while I was changing wheels to go home. One each front wheel.

 

I drive mine to events, and it's my daily driver. If I had the funds I'd have a truck and trailer.

 

Me. Me.

HPDE or autocross or the dragstrip. I drive it just the way I brought it.

 

I drive to the track, but i'm thinking about trading up for a bigger truck to tow. It would just make it easier for supplies and if my car or one of my friends cars takes a crap.

 

I drive mine to the track too but don't change wheels there. My car leaves my home in the same state it'll be used at the track.
I'm still running the stock studs but have the nismo ones waiting to be installed. I've just been lazy.

 

I drive mine to the track (well, auto-x since it's all we got). It might be different if it's a dedicated track car though than your daily driver.

 

I drive to the track. That's one of the reasons I run the Proxes R888. I would run a Hoosier R6, but it's not practical or safe to drive that on the street.

I don't own a pickup truck and I don't want to. I don't want the added maintenance and cost and parking problem of an enclosed car hauler either.

davids isn't a good sponsor!

 

+1
Haven't had a single problem with the car, on the road or on the track, and I have nearly 61k on the clock.

 

i USED to drive mine to the track...did that for 2 years. Finally at the last HPDE i went to, I had both front brake hoses fail on my over the weekend. It was then I realized that double duty for a car is not for me. I came home that night and put it all up forsale...well not the car but all the racing stuff. But I was one to trailer in my tires, tools, etc. It quickly becomes A LOT to do just to get on the track, not to mention of something else breaks.

 

I feel your pain as far as driving your car to the track. I've driven mine to autocross events & HPDEs (on street & r-compound tires). The major disadvantage is the small amount of equipment you can haul. I have also driven to the track and towed a tire trailer. The major disadvantage is the amount of time spent changing tires at the venue. And if you encounter any issues at the track, now you have the car & the tire trailer to worry about.

Eventually, I realized it was just much more convenient to have an open car hauler. I already have a pickup truck and I found a great deal on a used car hauler (with metal deck & dove tail). You can essentially setup your car the night before and have it already loaded on the trailer. You just show up at the track and it's ready to roll. If you have any problems at the track, bringing the car back is easier with a car hauler. In addition, I can carry an extra set of track tires, tent, ice chest, etc.

I realized this setup is not for everyone with the additional cost involved (tow vehicle & car hauler) but so far, it's working out for me. BTW, an added benefit hauling your car is you're not wearing out your tires and you're not adding any mileage to your car.

 

Yeah, I pull a small tire trailer.

As of the last 6 months I am supporting my wife and 2 dogs on my salary alone, so I have no room for a extra vehicle right now. I have seen them dirt cheap so it kills me some time. Our income literally got cut in half.

I never thought it was a big deal driving to the track, but some people called me "crazy" for doing so. So it got me curious.

One of my good friends recently purchased a Chevy to use as a tow vehicle, so at least I can use it if I break at the track.

 

One thing to keep in the back of your mind - never take a car on any race track that you're not willing to walk away from. No matter how good a driver you are, there's always someone better... and worse.

At an open track event I attended last year, two drivers came back after lunch drunk. They ran part of one session before being black flagged, thrown out, and then having the cops called with the appropriate license plate numbers when they left the facility.

Those two bozos were on track at speed with 15 other drivers for 5 minutes.

 

I drive to all of my events.

I have some new tires I have yet to use but
I'm afraid of driving with them in the street.

If I was to use those tires I would have a friend
bring it for me with tools and a few back up parts
in my truck.

 

Wow, that's crazy!

My car luckily is not my daily driver, and my employer gives me transportation.

I would be really pissed if I did ball it up, but it is paid off, so I would move on.


I still feel far safer driving it on the track, than on the way to it.

 

I'm not sure I get what you mean....

 

What he means is if something bad happens, you'll be able to walk away without any obligations i.e. car payment, etc. I suppose insurance will cover it but then again, will they cover it if the accident happens at the track.

 

I drive my car to the track. I wish I could afford to trailer it, as I've had to pretty bad experiences (stupid, stupid, stupid...):

1. Ran Sebring w/ Hawk HPS+ pads (yes, I know this a no-no, now you tell me =)). Pads disintegrated, drove home from track w/ barely any pad material left....in the rain.


2. Ran Homestead w/ Porterfield R4s, rear pads died, brake fluid everywhere, caliper death. A fellow Z driver drove home to bring me his extra set of rear calipers, we swapped em out at the track and all was good...he really saved my butt that day.


3. After a long hot freakin day at an Autocross I somehow stripped 2 (yes TWO!) studs in rear, couldn't take the race tires off the car (275/40/17 V710s), had to drive home w/ race tires on in the rear (Ft. Myers to Ft. Lauderdale!). I'm glad it didnt rain that day.


I upgraded my front brakes to 13" StopTechs w/ ST-43 pads and have run w/o issues. I guess I had to learn the hard way. I'm working on adding more safety equipment cause as some have already pointed out...anything can happen!

Also, when I read this sort of thing, it really puts it all into perspective:

Sometimes I wish I was into tennis, baseball, or something not so damn expensive.

 

John, I respect you and your experience, and your opinions... and I even agree with you on this for the most part... but there comes a point when this post simply doesn't apply. If everyone adhered to that mantra all the time, we would never have anyone new join the wonderful sport of tracking your car and while racing may keep going, the avenue for the everyday joe (and we were all there once right?!) to take their sports car that they paid good money for to the track would dry up pretty quickly.

Not only that, the example you showed, while of course unfortunate, would be in fact criminally negligent and no waiver anyone signs at the track would protect them from being sued and losing if they were drunk at the track. Be thankful there were corner workers and officials on top of things enough to catch it and prevent any incidents. The chances of that happening on the street are MUCH MUCH MUCH greater than it happening on the track so we might as well not drive on the street if we can't afford to walk away from our cars right?

I simply think the post is not germane to this thread. Being able to walk away from a balled up car and being able to limp a car home vs driving one on the trailer are two very very different things.

I've driven my car to and from events for almost 9 years now... when I've had the opportunity, or felt the need (8+ hour trip) AND had the opportunity, I've towed with rental vehicles, or friends who were nice enough, and when I have the opportunity again, I will tow again. Just not having to pack and unpack the car when I get to the track, going to the hotel, and then going back home is enough for me.