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Pro 7 RacingWell, we don’t have a ride set up for you in Roger Penske’s car, but there is something available to fit most enthusiasts’ budget. The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) has a road racing class called Pro 7 which consists of 1979-1985 Mazda RX7s. What's It All About?
The Pro 7 class features everything an amateur racer could want and very little of what he would not want, and the Pro 7 car is SCCA ITA legal. It still takes a little money to get started. The entry fees are cheap at about $130-150 per race. License fees are cheap at only $25 per year. There is prize money available which is unheard of in other amateur road racing clubs. Each race win will net you $100 from Toyo Tires and American International Motorsports. In addition to that, there are lots of other contingency sponsors. The season championship is worth even more. Last year’s champion took home over $3,000 in cash, not including funding from his own sponsor. "Sponsor funding? I can’t do that.” you say to yourself. Yes, you can. The races are televised on Sports Channel (a.k.a. Prime Network), making sponsorship acquisition much easier. And the cars are cheap, reliable, and durable. Best of all the cars use spec components which means that you won’t get outspent by the next guy trying to keep up. Some races are also spectator events. The CarAs stated earlier, Pro 7 uses 1979-1985 Mazda RX7 12A engine cars. You can find one for less than $500 easily if you search your local newspaper ads. Provided that the car isn’t full of rust or in need of body work, your first order of business is safety equipment like a roll cage, harness, fire extinguisher, etc. The average backyard mechanic can easily install a bolt-in roll cage. All you need is a drill and a socket set. But before you even pick up the newspaper, order a Pro 7 rule book and the Club Codes and Regulations. The books are $5.00 each plus $1.00 for postage. Once you have the safety equipment, it’s time to order the spec suspension package. Ground Control Suspensions sells the suspension kits and donates the lion's share of the profit to NASA for contingency prize money. There are two kits available, one for $1075, which includes non adjustable shocks. The other for $1275, which includes fully adjustable shocks. The kits include everything you could want for the suspension: Tokico shocks, Eibach springs (your choice of stiffness), Ground Control sway bars, camber plates, coil over kit and bushings. You also need to be a member of the Mazda Factory Competition team. By joining, you will be eligible to buy parts at a hefty discount including the required race brake pads. The Pro 7 cars also use a spec tire, manufactured by Toyo and sold by American International Motorsports. The tire size is 205/60-13 and they are mounted on the stock RX7 alloy wheels. All of the cars must weigh 2400 lbs. with driver, and no ballast is allowed behind the driver. this takes away any incentive to build a trick, lightweight car. The MotorSo, now you have a car with the right suspension, brakes, tires, and safety equipment. If the engine that came in your car runs decent, you are probably in good shape. Many competitors are using 175,000 mile motors with good success. There are minor details involved if you have a 1979 or 1980 car: you will have to update your intake manifold, exhaust manifold, carburetor, and struts to 1981-1985 standards. The only other thing you need is to freshen up everything. Change the oil in the motor, transmission, and rear end. Change the brake fluid, flush the radiator, put in fresh grease in the wheel bearings, etc. There you have it. A race car built in your own driveway. The best part is that you will not have to worry about being outspent by your competitor with the latest trick suspension or brakes or whatever. And your sponsors love to see their name on a 100 mph billboard. There are already 50 or so cars built by people just like you who have a blast once a month at like Laguna Seca, Sears Point, Thunderhill, Buttonwillow, Altamont, and even Ensenada Mexico. If this sounds appealing to you, you need to make a few phone calls. You could be racing once a month at some of the finest road racing circuits in the country. Sources
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