In-car from Grattan Raceway 9-9-2012
- Thread starter Scooter70
- Start date
pferd
Club Member
Corrected for accuracy, LOL. 3Balls events are the best!
sardeanie
Club Member
That looks like so much damn fun! Let me ask a super simple newb question.... how does one get started in this kind of racing. You have to admit, drag racing is THE most accessible form or racing. Anybody with anything can go down the 1/4 (passing tech). What does a beginner do? How did YOU get into it? Thanks!
Scooter70
Club Member
Getting started is as easy as showing up to one of our events. Mark (mdhmi) came to watch one last year and that was all it took to get hooked. John (Quasar) in the black Firebird in the videos did the same thing a few years ago and now he races in the Camaro - Mustang Challenge in NASA. As far as car prep, all you really need for the first couple of events is a solid car with fresh brake fluid and decent brake pads. You don't need a track prepped Corvette to come out and have fun. We have people show up in typical DDs and have just as much fun as someone in a brand new Mustang GT.
At 3BallsRacing, we divide the people into 4 groups based on experience and skill level. You start out in Group 4 and progress up to 1. We have a short "classroom" session in the morning where Ken explains the basics and goes over rules of the track. Then when it's time to hit the track, we have instructors who ride with you and show you the line. You also have the opportunity to ride in the instructors' cars to see how it's done. It's an eye opening experience and usually surprises students who think they know what they're doing when they show up.
As for me personally, my dad and I found a group similar to 3Balls back home in Massachusetts. We went to our first event in 1997 at Loudon, NH in our 1972 Corvette LT-1 and had an incredible time. It only takes one good event to get hooked. It can even happen just by showing up to spectate. Steve (Overboost) came out to Grattan last month with us, went for a ride in a couple of cars, and had ordered himself a new helmet before he even got home that night. Quick86 came out to take pictures earlier this year and now he's redoing the brakes on his Mustang so he can run next season.
Unfortunately we only have one more event this year (MidOhio in October) so there isn't much opportunity to come out this season. If you're at all interested, come out to one of our events and I guarantee you'll have a good time.
At 3BallsRacing, we divide the people into 4 groups based on experience and skill level. You start out in Group 4 and progress up to 1. We have a short "classroom" session in the morning where Ken explains the basics and goes over rules of the track. Then when it's time to hit the track, we have instructors who ride with you and show you the line. You also have the opportunity to ride in the instructors' cars to see how it's done. It's an eye opening experience and usually surprises students who think they know what they're doing when they show up.
As for me personally, my dad and I found a group similar to 3Balls back home in Massachusetts. We went to our first event in 1997 at Loudon, NH in our 1972 Corvette LT-1 and had an incredible time. It only takes one good event to get hooked. It can even happen just by showing up to spectate. Steve (Overboost) came out to Grattan last month with us, went for a ride in a couple of cars, and had ordered himself a new helmet before he even got home that night. Quick86 came out to take pictures earlier this year and now he's redoing the brakes on his Mustang so he can run next season.
Unfortunately we only have one more event this year (MidOhio in October) so there isn't much opportunity to come out this season. If you're at all interested, come out to one of our events and I guarantee you'll have a good time.
sardeanie
Club Member
Awesome! I'm putting this on my list! I have time issues mostly (who doesn't) but I will commit to at least visiting a race. I live near Waterford Hills as well. You guys ever race at that track? I have a car that deserves to be driven properly (closed course) and I would love to give it a go.
+1 to your response! You are a true enthusiast.
+1 to your response! You are a true enthusiast.
I got hooked in 1995 at Shelby Club event at Road America. Went with a buddy who ended up knowing the guys there from Cleveland Engine who were running an A-Sedan '93 Cobra R...and we both got rides. It was the best 20 minute roller coaster ride with engine/exhaust noise to boot. 
Open tracking is addicting...and rarely has any of the big mouth/small-minded bullsh#t that I see at the drag strip nearly every time I'm there.
Open tracking is addicting...and rarely has any of the big mouth/small-minded bullsh#t that I see at the drag strip nearly every time I'm there.
mdhmi
Club Member
Getting started is a piece of cake. I put in a good brake fluid and fresh brake pads before my first event.
I started with a one day event at Mid-Ohio earlier this season. I had a ball.
Since then I've done four track days at Grattan and two at Gingerman.
After doing a few track days I decided to buy a set of race pads (Cobalt), race seat/six point harness and a few other safety related items.
With road-racing it's not about huge horsepower .. It's about maintaining power in turns. It's really a ball!
I started with a one day event at Mid-Ohio earlier this season. I had a ball.
Since then I've done four track days at Grattan and two at Gingerman.
After doing a few track days I decided to buy a set of race pads (Cobalt), race seat/six point harness and a few other safety related items.
With road-racing it's not about huge horsepower .. It's about maintaining power in turns. It's really a ball!
got2boostit2
Forum Member
Let's get it straight, this activity (for insurance purposes) IS NOT RACING. It is high performance driver education, please!
got2boostit2
Forum Member
I got hooked in 1995 at Shelby Club event at Road America. Went with a buddy who ended up knowing the guys there from Cleveland Engine who were running an A-Sedan '93 Cobra R...and we both got rides. It was the best 20 minute roller coaster ride with engine/exhaust noise to boot.
Open tracking is addicting...and rarely has any of the big mouth/small-minded bullsh#t that I see at the drag strip nearly every time I'm there.
Big mouth/small minded add short attention span bullsh*t. Lol
Successfully getting a car to turn and brake properly lap after lap is the rush for me. No more of that premature......nevermind.
pferd
Club Member
I've only been doing this for about two years, but you don't have to have a race-prepped machine to have a blast. My first time was in a Ford Contour...
Some resources:
3Balls website - http://www.3ballsracing.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=12
https://autointerests.com/
http://myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmEventList.Show?psevent_type_id=21
Some resources:
3Balls website - http://www.3ballsracing.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=12
https://autointerests.com/
http://myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmEventList.Show?psevent_type_id=21
Overboost
Forum Member
I made it out to the Grattan event earlier this year and loved riding along with Matt and Jay. I went home and got the helmet on order before I flew out on business. I had really wanted to run the Sept. event at Grattan, but my work schedule has been hectic all summer. I doubt I make it out there before next year. Being on the west side of the state now, it's nice to be close to both Gingerman and Grattan (less than an hour to both). I've run a few autocross events before, but this is a totally different (and much better) experience overall.