How to Get into Road Racing...?

[Zero Bar]

Well, I was brushing up on some of the threads, and realized that a lot of basic info seem scattered to me. As I've said before I'm all in for a DSM class in NASA but don't know what exactly we need to do to get there.
What do we need to do to get our competition license? HPDE, then TT, then what?
What safety equipment is a must have?
Some of you guys have provided some links and very good info already, but I thought we should condense the basic stuff in here so anyone that's interested can get the idea of what they need to do. If some of you that have road racing experience could help out it would be great!!

 

[Greg Collier]

http://www.nasamidwest.com/ Here's the NASA site for your region. Check the schedule and what event (track) you can attend and when. Start by signing up and becoming a member, then when there's an event that you can attend sign up for HPDE 1. Show up at the event, have your car tech-ed, do your 7:30 AM meeting, then meet with the main instructor for your group and take instruction for your run group. Then it's off to do your track time with an instructor in your car if you wish (I think it's a good idea to start). Once you've done your first track experience you're totally jazzed and can't wait for your next run group, which will probably be within an hour and a half of your first one.

If your car is in descent shape (not leaking oil all over the place), and you have your OEM seatbelts and a SAF 2000 helmet you're good to go. From there you watch and ask questions. All the necessary information regarding Time Trials and Competition racing will be at your disposal. People of NASA are good with very little ego. They're there to assist you in what ever you need and with how far you wish to go in the racing community.

Ask one of the NASA officials to point out Dave Royce to you (He's the Director of your region) Go up to Dave and introduce yourself to him, then tell Dave you're a good friend of Greg Collier's...

Start with the beginning, don't worry about all the safety equipment that's required for racing. That will make itself obvious when your ready. Learn how to drive first

 

[mavisky]

I added the CCR for Nasa to the end of another thread but it can be found at www.nasaracing.com under the rules section. It has rules for both the HPDE days and Racing, for TT days you'll need to read the class structure rules to figure out what class you end up in.

TT rules
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/Time-Trial-Rules.pdf

NASA CCR
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/ccr.pdf

See how nice I am

 

[Zero Bar]

I added the CCR for Nasa to the end of another thread but it can be found at www.nasaracing.com under the rules section. It has rules for both the HPDE days and Racing, for TT days you'll need to read the class structure rules to figure out what class you end up in.

TT rules
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/Time-Trial-Rules.pdf

NASA CCR
http://www.nasaproracing.com/rules/ccr.pdf

See how nice I am

That you are!! You and Greg Collier, and Slow Old Poop have been a lot of help and put out a lot of good info.
I've been reading the rules and such, but it's a lot to take in and will take me a while to soak it all in. Nice thing is this time of year I have plenty of time to do so.

 

[mavisky]

I found it easier to write down the important things to me such as roll cage thicknesses, helmet certifications, seat rulings, and other stuff as I went.

 

[Zero Bar]

I found it easier to write down the important things to me such as roll cage thicknesses, helmet certifications, seat rulings, and other stuff as I went.

I plan on the same thing, just this year it's not of great importance as I plan on going through the HPDE program and mybe a little more to get ready for 07' when hopefully the DSM class will take off. As I start to make upgrades and purchase safety equipment for the car I'll need to know those certain things and I thought we should have it posted where other who might be interested can find it easily.