Why an SCCA license for your Z?

[TomoHawk]

Some race courses require you to have a license to get on the track. A flyer would say something like "members must be High Speed Certified" or "All SPORTS CAR drivers must show proof of prior high speed experience or training."

What does that mean? Can you get something like that for a Z?

Can you get one by driving a Z around some race course, or do you just take a written exam, or both? From what I've read, you take some desk cours(es) and some driving instruction, using real a race-prepped car. For local races, like with Corvettes or Porsches, I rarely see anything that's race-prepped. The drivers just have jeans & long-sleeve shirt, and a helmet.

thx

thx

[Stubby]

The driver has to have an SCCA license. I think you have different levels. The GT1 guys don't wear blue jeans.

Go here and see if you can find answers.www.scca.org

Your car also has to pass TECH for the class you intend to run.

[TomoHawk]

SCCA has no info on "high speed license." and I can't tell what class you'd call local club racing ( like Corvettes or Porsches).

[sblake01]

Try this link:

http://www.sccaenterprises.com/licensing.html

[TomoHawk]

thanks Steven, but that's only the general forms for getting into regular racing. Nothing on high speed license there. Maybe I can contact the race course to see what they recommend.

[John Coffey]

SCCA does not have anything called a "high speed license." Maybe the race track itself or some other sanctioning body is using that term.

SCCA has four levels of driver licensing:

1. Novice

2. Regional

3. National

4. Pro

SCCA also issues logbooks and technical approvals for vehicles that race with them. The log book goes with the car, the license goes with the driver.

[sblake01]

Been years since I had an SCCA license but I seem to recall that some of the particular venues did have their own requirements in conjunction with the SCCA license.

[TomoHawk]

I got an email from the Corvette club that invited my Z club for racing, and this is what it said:

"If you are a NCCC (Corvette Club) member, then you need a High Speed License (run 10 low speeds over 3 weekends). If you are not a NCCC member, you must show a competition license (SCCA, NASA, etc.), completion of a performance driving school (Mid Ohio, Track Time, etc.), or results from 5 previous auto-x event days."

Mid-Ohio is about an hour away. The Performance Driving School )PDX) is probably the most acessible thing for most people, since you can use your own car. There isn't a PDX school session happening between now and the next race event, so I will be there for support. I'll be needing new brake pads and such any way.:surprised

HTH

[TomoHawk]

Been years since I had an SCCA license but I seem to recall that some of the particular venues did have their own requirements in conjunction with the SCCA license.

Sometimes all you need is long pants, shirt&shoes, an approved helmet and to pass the tech inspection, but just having the experience of so many runs (low speed or not) will be to your advantage.

Mid-Ohio Performance Course: http://midohio.com/school.aspx

They seems to emphasize speed-shifting, braking & shifting, etc., so I wonder if they would let you use a car with an auto trans? Maybe I should look into that full-manual shift kit to go with my 4-speed shifter...:beard:

[sblake01]

Sometimes all you need is long pants, shirt&shoes, an approved helmet and to pass the tech inspection, but just having the experience of so many runs (low speed or not) will be to your advantage.

Mid-Ohio Performance Course: http://midohio.com/school.aspx

They seems to emphasize speed-shifting, braking & shifting, etc., so I wonder if they would let you use a car with an auto trans? Maybe I should look into that full-manual shift kit to go with my 4-speed shifter...:beard:

I have no experience with road racing and automatic transmissions. I do remember that in drag racing, you needed an auto trans 'blanket' for anything above the street classes if you ran an auto trans and a 'scattershield' if you ran a stick.

[TomoHawk]

You remembered right! I haven't seen a trans blanket since the last time I was browsing summitracing.com.

OTOH, even F1 cars are now using what you could call an automatic trans, but with a fully-manual shifting system.

BTW, Mid-Ohio also has defensive Driving schools ($350) using Honda Civic EX coupes :sick: