Thread: Racing With Your Own Car

If someone asks you to race with your own car in a race track with other similar cars as yours, are you willing to go for it?

I will say yes because I'm comfortable enough about my car's ability as well as its limits. I will only race if and only if the model of cars are the same as mine and without alterations.

Not too sure on that one, I have a "family car" and even though it is quite "sporty" and I know it can handle most things (front wheel drive and all that fun jazz) I am not sure if I would want my "baby" doing that kind of stuff.

And what is up with my quoting so much? I think its the cold.

I can't see racing my own car, unless I owned an old beater stock car or something like that. I'd be too concerned that a driving mistake would cost me a major repair to my everyday transportation, whether it was made by me or someone else.

I would have raced my last car; it was pretty well taken care of and I think I would have done well in the safety of a track. I have friends who actually do race their street-legal cars in tournaments and it sounds like quite a rush!

Originally Posted by Civic

If someone asks you to race with your own car in a race track with other similar cars as yours, are you willing to go for it?

I will say yes because I'm comfortable enough about my car's ability as well as its limits. I will only race if and only if the model of cars are the same as mine and without alterations.

If your talking about racing a street legal car, there have been a number of series in the past and still currently there is a Volkswagen Jetta TDI cup, I believe there is still a Mazda Miata series and in the past there have been various Honda, Porsche, BMW and other series.

Now if your talking about your own personal daily transporter, that's another thing, by the time you add all the safety requirements alone, roll cage, 6 point harness and who knows what else, depending where you race and it what class, it might make the car somewhat impractical for daily use, then you have to make sure that your particular car will be competitive in your class, otherwise you might just be another tail end charlie.
You might be better off finding a used one somewhere and bring it up to specs and tow it to the races. In the end it probably would cost about the same and you would not have to worry about commuting the day after the race, its not just crumpled fenders that you have to worry about, engines, transmissions and suspensions take a beating as well and if you race worrying about your car, you won't be performing at your best.

Similar with Creg, I would rather not use my own car to race. I don't like the idea of forcing it to work at or beyond its full capacity. I don't want something goes wrong with it.

Originally Posted by oldcanuck

If your talking about racing a street legal car, there have been a number of series in the past and still currently there is a Volkswagen Jetta TDI cup, I believe there is still a Mazda Miata series and in the past there have been various Honda, Porsche, BMW and other series.

I know about this kind of races but this is not the one I'm referring to.

Originally Posted by oldcanuck

Now if your talking about your own personal daily transporter, that's another thing, by the time you add all the safety requirements alone, roll cage, 6 point harness and who knows what else, depending where you race and it what class, it might make the car somewhat impractical for daily use, then you have to make sure that your particular car will be competitive in your class, otherwise you might just be another tail end charlie.

I'm not also referring to this kind of racing because you will alter the build of the car.

If you will look again at my first post, I'm referring to your normal car without alterations. I know seat-belt is not enough for protection but this is just for the sake of conversation.

I have made this thread because I'm seeing a lot of cars speeding on highways. I'm thinking why don't they just do it on a race track where they won't be hurting others if accidents happen.

Nope, I wouldn't race my car anywhere. I take great care of my car and I wouldn't want to get on a track and race with other people- just because I wouldn't want to risk my own car.
Now if you say, here drive this car (and it's just like mine) then I'm all for it.

Originally Posted by Civic

I'm thinking why don't they just do it on a race track where they won't be hurting others if accidents happen.

Because going to a race track would take time and effort when they could enjoy the thrill of speeding on their way to work...immature and dangerous, yes, but unfortunately we have immature and dangerous people in this world.

Originally Posted by ToyotaGrl

Because going to a race track would take time and effort when they could enjoy the thrill of speeding on their way to work...immature and dangerous, yes, but unfortunately we have immature and dangerous people in this world.

No race track would sanction a race with cars that don't meet the minimum safety requirements, its an issue of liability.
As a result there are costs associated with bringing a road to car to these standards, not to mention the entry fees at the races, to cover the costs to the race track (insurance alone could be a fairly big chunk).
Adrenaline junkies will for the most not be bothered and will find other ways, ie: illegal street racing.
I'm talking about road courses or ovals, I know nothing about drag racing.