# NASA or SCCA or Other? I just want to drive
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [September 21, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253 "2008-09-21T17:52:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@jetlounge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jetlounge)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/1 "2008-09-21T17:52:06Z")
I went to a free skip barber at new jersey motorsports track last week and had a blast. I liked driving around the track in a “time attack” style…even though it was super watered down (no passing allowed).
I am a complete novice and don’t care about points, trophies or bragging rights. Let’s face it, I have a scion…so those aren’t going to come my way anyway.
I just want to have fun on the track and meet similar people. What association would be the best for that? Oh, I am downstate NY area if that means anything.
Fun \> Competition for me…not looking to trade paint.
Also, what am I looking at for cost? Tires, brake pads, fluids…I get that. But safety equipment? Looks like NASA wants you in a neck brace now.
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### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2008, 6:26pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/2 "2008-09-21T18:26:12Z")
Another…
click links in my signature…
Tires, buy used. Racers sell used tire that are no longer 100% competive but still are better than street tires and will still last 3 - 10 track days.
[http://nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20656&highlight=motherload](http://nyspeed.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20656&highlight=motherload)
FWD car, you really only need to worry about fronts, rear brakes can be left stock. ~$200 a set, will last 3 - 5 track days.
Flush with good fluid.
Safety just a helmet and factory 3 point seat belt. NASA wants a neck brace spend $40 and get one.
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### Author:  [@jetlounge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jetlounge)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2008, 1:25pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/3 "2008-10-03T13:25:24Z")
Good stuff. I read your links. Thanks for taking the time to put it down.
I know you said “another”…but from your post it looks like you promote scca as the one to go with?
Also, the neckbrace looked to be several hundred dollars. hansa?
i’m in westchester, ny. are there any enthusiasts in this area?
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### Author:  [@eMKay](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/eMKay)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2008, 2:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/4 "2008-10-03T14:55:35Z")
A HANS device is a head and neck restraint that runs about $600 and up, a neck brace is a foam ring that fits under your helmet and runs $25 or so
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### Author:  [@dmoffitt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dmoffitt)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/5 "2008-10-03T20:07:47Z")
> [@eMKay](#):
>
> a neck brace is a foam ring that fits under your helmet and runs $25 or so
… and does fuck-all for safety, its just a comfort thing from everything I’ve read.
But yeah, check out PDX (through SCCA), NASA, SCDA, or hook up with BMW or Porsche clubs for an event
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### Author:  [@rushman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/rushman)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2008, 5:32pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/6 "2008-10-04T17:32:31Z")
The neck brace won’t do a ton in a full out crash, but for something somewhat minor, it will prevent whiplash… just ask anyone who karts.
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### Author:  [@eMKay](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/eMKay)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/7 "2008-10-04T17:55:09Z")
> [@dmoffitt](#):
>
> … and does fuck-all for safety, its just a comfort thing from everything I’ve read.
>
> But yeah, check out PDX (through SCCA), NASA, SCDA, or hook up with BMW or Porsche clubs for an event
That is true, it may help a little in a crash but not much. What it does help with is taking some of the pressure off your neck. That helmet gets heavy after awhile.
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### Author:  [@OriginalSterm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OriginalSterm)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2008, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/8 "2008-10-04T19:46:53Z")
The collar thing _can_ be worse in a crash on track because it moves the pivot point of your neck higher towards the base of your skull. I believe it’s called a basal skull fracture and can be worse than whiplash. I heard this from a head and neck restraint guy (someone selling HANS and R3s) though, so take it for what it’s worth.
I’ve always heard, “if you have a $20 head, buy a $20 helmet”, same would be true for head and neck restraint.
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### Author:  [@jetlounge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jetlounge)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2008, 8:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/9 "2008-10-04T20:19:01Z")
ok, so seriously we’re looking at close to 1G in associated equipment (safety and otherwise) to get into amateur track time?
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### Author:  [@OriginalSterm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OriginalSterm)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/10 "2008-10-04T20:29:11Z")
Amateur racing, you are easily looking at a grand. Track time, like lapping days or DEs is much cheaper since most of the safety equipment isn’t required.
suits are not cheap
the associated clothing (shoes, gloves, baclava, socks, underwear, etc.) is cheaper
head and neck restraint is very pricey
helmets can get pricey
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### Author:  [@Maksim2000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Maksim2000)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2008, 8:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/11 "2008-10-04T20:37:52Z")
The only gotcha with HANS is that you going to need a full harness and whatever harness bar to actually run it.
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### Author:  [@fairgentleman\_Z](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/fairgentleman_Z)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2008, 8:08am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/12 "2008-10-05T08:08:07Z")
> [@rushman](#):
>
> The neck brace won’t do a ton in a full out crash, but for something somewhat minor, it will prevent whiplash… just ask anyone who karts.
I karted at Batavia a few times this year. I wore a neck brace. I got whipash from a minor hit.
AFAIK, there are 3 or 4 different SFI approved head and neck restraints so don’t think that HANS is the only option.
[http://www.isaacdirect.com/](http://www.isaacdirect.com/)
[http://www.safetysolutionsracing.com/](http://www.safetysolutionsracing.com/)
[http://www.safedrives.com/products.asp?cat=82](http://www.safedrives.com/products.asp?cat=82)
Neck collars meet the minimum letter of the rules, if you are cheap and stupid there are fine.
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### Author:  [@jetlounge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jetlounge)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 10:17am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/13 "2008-10-06T10:17:53Z")
> [@OriginalSterm](#):
>
> Amateur racing, you are easily looking at a grand. Track time, like lapping days or DEs is much cheaper since most of the safety equipment isn’t required.
at the risk of sounding like a tard…what is a lapping day and DE? How is that different from the nasa stuff or High Performance Driving…is that like a TrackMasters?
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### Author:  [@theblue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/theblue)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/14 "2008-10-06T10:19:27Z")
it’s all the same thing.
HPDE = high performance drivers education.
a lapping day is just a more generic name and possibly means no instruction (and that you are expected to be experienced).
a lot of people in this thread are talking way more advanced then you need to know about at this point.
check out [http://www.thetrackschedule.com/](http://www.thetrackschedule.com/) find an event, talk to the group who are running it / sign up and you’ll be good to go.
none of this is “racing”… once you have a couple years under you belt if you want to wheel to wheel race you’ll know what to do because you’ll have spend two years hanging out with people who also have the same goal.
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### Author:  [@POOPRA](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/POOPRA)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 10:24am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/15 "2008-10-06T10:24:24Z")
Any track time that is not competitive is commonly referred to as a lapping event or driving event. If you want to be specific, trackmasters considers there program to be high performance driving as you said, but it is known as a lapping event or driving event with instruction.
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### Author:  [@dmoffitt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/dmoffitt)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 10:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/16 "2008-10-06T10:27:26Z")
I got a suit over the weekend, paid 500 for a barely-used 3 layer sparco. Safety’s not cheap. That said, if you just want to do a few DEs, get a good helmet (2-300 bux tops) and buy some gloves (2 main reasons - the safety of not slipping on a wheel when sweaty and so you can see your hands in videos and people can see you give point bys) and MAYBE driving shoes or cheap equiv like puma, wrestling shoes etc. That’s really all you need, and MAYBE a CG-Lock depending on your stock seats - as its not safe nor effective to be using the wheel and your attention toward holding yourself from sliding vs controlling the car.
If you want to race? Expect an initial outlay of 2500-4k or more for safety as most groups now require a HANS (or equiv), suit, gloves, shoes (nomex not just “driving”) in addition to the proper helmet specs, plus belts, seats, and cage (even if they allow a bolt-in those usually start well north of 6-800 and most good weld-in ones start at 12-500).
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### Author:  [@jetlounge](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jetlounge)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 11:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/17 "2008-10-06T11:38:07Z")
blue,
thanks for the link. you hit it. i am a novice and just need to get my feet wet before stepping up. I realize it’s end of season up here, but I will try the HPDEs first.
do any members here meet up and do those?
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### Author:  [@MOBOOST4U](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/MOBOOST4U)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/18 "2008-10-06T12:22:17Z")
From what I have seen most track days only require a helmet.
Id say any DOT helmet and a nice pair of driving shoes is all you will need, to reach your goal of having fun. Good brake fluid is a must too.
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### Author:  [@OriginalSterm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/OriginalSterm)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 12:28pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/19 "2008-10-06T12:28:40Z")
> [@jetlounge](#):
>
> blue,
> thanks for the link. you hit it. i am a novice and just need to get my feet wet before stepping up. I realize it’s end of season up here, but I will try the HPDEs first.
>
> do any members here meet up and do those?
I’m sure there are several members on here that do multiple events a year. Tag along and watch your first 2 (sometimes 3) day event to see what you’re in for. Pay your money and drive the second event you go to (again, with people you know) so you have someone to tag along with so to speak.
If you are talking minimums for a DE event, a descent helmet that fits properly, good brake pads (doesn’t have to be race pads) and fluid, mechanically sound car, and an ego checked at the front gate are all you need. Cost is anywhere from $200 to $400 depending on track, club, and days of the week.
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### Author:  [@d3x](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/d3x)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2008, 12:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/nasa-or-scca-or-other-i-just-want-to-drive/55253/20 "2008-10-06T12:33:51Z")
I’ve never checked my ego at the front gate. 😛
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