What car is that?
It's a Spec Racer Ford, custom built for racing find out more here: Spec Racer Ford.
How fast does it go?
The top speed of a Spec Racer Ford is 135 mph (217 kph) but at the tracks I race at the highest speed I see is 110 mph (177 kph) at the end of the Thunderhill straight. Going fast in a straight line is fun but it isn't as fun as going fast in a series of corners. At Thunderhill Raceway the slowest corner is 46 mph (74 kph) and there are several 80 and 90 mph (129 and 145 kph) corners.
Is it safe?
Yes. Any activity can be dangerous, especially when traveling at 110 mph (177 kph) but safety is top priority for all competitors. We wear full safety gear including a helmet, a head & neck restraint device, fire resistant clothing, 6 point harness and arm restraints. The Spec Racer Ford is a very safe car with a fuel cell, integrated fire suppression system, ample crush zones, centrally located driver with a full tube chassis and roll over hoops.
Is it expensive?
Not as expensive as you think. You can find out more on my Costs page.
How do I race? How do I get started?
You can find out more about how to get involved in motorsports or go racing on my Getting Started page.
Why Spec Racer Ford?
Spec Racer Ford has many advantages that make it attractive for all types of racers. Spec Racer Ford has a relatively low cost of entry and low maintenance costs making it affordable for teams and privateers. The "Spec" nature of the class ensures that there is parity between the cars ensuring tough competition. The large fields of cars also ensure there is someone to race wheel-to-wheel with whether you are in the middle, back or pointing end of the field.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Big fields with plenty of competition
- Driving a car at the limits
- Low maintenance race car
- Stable ruleset
- Sealed specification shocks, motor and transmission ensuring parity between cars
- Affordable competitive wheel-to-wheel racing
- Great competitors and a community willing to help at the track
What is the difference between Spec Miata and Spec Racer Ford?
Spec Miata uses modified and race prepared Mazda MX-5/Miatas that are unibody, front engine, rear drive, closed top that provide competitive and cost effective racing. The Spec Racer Ford is a custom built rear engined, rear drive open cockpit, tube frame chassis racecar that provides competitive and cost effective racing. The operating cost for the cars can be similar, both are known as low maintenance race cars requiring mostly fuel, tyres and brakes for race weekends. The cost of entry for Spec Miata can be lower than Spec Racer Ford as the cars can be purchased and entry level prepared for less than the cost of a used Spec Racer Ford. The Spec Racer Fords tend to hold their value with a well maintained car being sold for the same price as it was purchased. The big difference in costs between the two classes comes when you run at the front of the field. The Spec Racer Ford uses sealed shocks, motors and transmissions. The biggest drawback I found in researching Spec Miata was that it allows swapping of heads and slight engine preparation, consequently this increases the costs for front running cars and engines which can result in a lack of parity in the field between the entry level and big spending competitors. Some sanctioning bodies and regions have a regional only Spec Miata class that does use sealed motors to address these issues. You can find out more by searching the Spec Miata, Mazda Racers and Spec Racer Ford forums.