frequently Asked Questions
Below is information both about what you need to know to go road racing and what you can expect at a FRP event if you’ve never attended one.
1. So you think you want to go formula car racing!
2. Getting started with formula race promotions
3. Entries
4. License
5. Registration & Entry
6. Team presentation
7. Radios
8. Rig Parking & Tech Inspection
9. Tire Declaration
10. Driver Meeting
11. Weekend Procedures
1. SO YOU THINK YOU WANT TO GO FORMULA RACING!
You have a number of choices, but I would probably first go to a professional driver school. This accomplishes two things; gets you in the seat of a racecar on a racetrack and gives you credit towards a racing license (see ‘getting started’). You need nothing in the way of equipment at this stage. While expensive at first look, they really are very economical in the scheme of things for what they give you. If you have your own car, or access to a car, you can go to a SCCA driver’s school. This is fairly time consuming and why the professional school is almost always the best option. Once you’re successfully through the school and have the license, you have some decisions to make.
I should note that if you are very experienced in karting, and can prove you have enough hours driving a race car somewhere, we the Series can, at our discretion, issue you a provisional SCCA Pro license which will allow you to compete under our observation.
First, you have to buy your personal equipment; a driver’s suit, helmet with tear offs, gloves, shoes, HANS device, arm restraints, hood, long underwear. While you don’t have to buy the most expensive products out there, there are some minimums. Buy name brand products from a reputable supplier. The helmet has to be Snell rating SA 2010 or newer, but since the SA 2015’s are available, buy nothing less. I might add the SA 2020 ratings will be out in October, so the 2015 helmets are at a discount. Make sure it fits, and I recommend sticking with the most popular brands in case you have to go buy a visor or tear offs at a track somewhere. The HANS; while the Series only requires a ‘SFI rated head and neck device’, I know of almost
nobody who has anything other than the HANS. Most modern formula cars favor the #30 model. The suit can be two or three layer but must meet SFI minimum ratings- no single layer suits meet the minimum. Again, stick with a recognized brand such as Sparco, Alpinestars, OMP, Simpson (understanding there are other good suits). I highly recommend long underwear, even with a suit that doesn’t require it- this is from a hot personal experience.
Next, you have to decide if you want to own your own car. Are you mechanically inclined? Do you have tools, a trailer capable of transporting the car and something to pull it? There is a host of equipment necessary to campaign a F1600 or F2000 at this, or really any level. If you don’t have any of the above, even if you are mechanically competent, I would strongly advise using a prep shop in some capacity the first year until you get a chance to see what its all about. The prep shop can help you buy the car, show you how to prep and maintain it, and give you invaluable information on the subtleties of these cars and the Series. The shop will have all the necessary tools and equipment, so you can see what you’ll have to buy in year two.
Third (or first!), and maybe something you think you know but may reconsider with experience; what are your goals in racing? Are you planning to drive racecars for a living? How are you going to get to the Indianapolis 500, F1, whatever? Do you have a source of money? Racing is expensive and we have some hard numbers of what you’ll most likely have to spend to become a competent professional driver. Focus on the goal, map your path, and spend the money wisely. You have to start somewhere and F1600 or F2000 have been an early rung for many of the top drivers in motor sports, so we know it is a proven path. If you are doing it for fun (or addiction), and that’s what the vast majority of us do, any of our three series will offer great
satisfaction and reward.
In the early years you need seat time, seat time, seat time; and then you need competition, lots of it. A relevant statement I heard from an ex Formula One driver was that great talent will almost always rise to the top and be discovered, regardless of where it comes from. This means you do not have to spend huge amounts of money in the early years on marketing, public relations, and racing in the ‘right place’ to be seen. Spend it on seat time and the fiercest competition you can find. If you’re good, you’ll be noticed. Then you’ll have to follow it up with racing in the ‘right series’ and the surrounding high profile event circus; that’s where you will have to spend the real money, and that’s at least two years away, if not more.
SO YOU STILL WANT TO GO RACING…
2. Getting Started with Formula Race Promotions
If you want to attend a race at an FRP event for the first time, call us (855-722-3377 ext. 701) and tell us who you are. We’re not a big bureaucracy, and the process is quite simple. Below are some highlights and information to help you along the way.
3. ENTRIES
2022 entry fee for F1600 and F2000 is $995 per weekend, P1/P2 and Atlantic is $1,480. There is no Series Registration fee. This covers unlimited crew licenses for your team, the required series decals for your car, series required crew uniform and driver suit patches and other administrative costs.
4. LICENSE
We are sanctioned by SCCA Pro Racing and require some form of racing license as well as SCCA membership for all competitors. We honor many other organization’s licenses for at least one weekend and can easily facilitate getting you a SCCA Pro license based on it. If you do not have one of the recognized licenses, are coming directly from karting, or have been away from racing for a while, we will need to see a resume and based on that may grant a provisional license so our staff can observe you on track. Those coming directly from karting, or with long layoffs we urge you to get in a car either on some test days or at racing school lapping days before coming to one of our events. Talk to us, or email us with specific questions.
5. REGISTRATION & ENTRY
Let us know you are coming ahead of time. Actual entry takes place on http://Motorsportreg.com is self-explanatory and easy to use. If you have a question about the site, call us and we’ll talk you through the process.
6. TEAM PRESENTATION
Driver’s suits are required to have Hoosier, SCCA Pro and at least one of the FRP Series logos on them. Competing sanctioning body logos are permitted (but frowned upon) on suits. Crew shirts are necessary; they don’t have to be fancy. We’re very reasonable, but also need to have Hoosier, SCCA Pro and at least one of FRP Series logos on them. This is important as we have contractual arrangements with our sponsors and sanctioning body, who expect this. All required patches are available for the asking. For those who want to use embroidery, we have logo files available on our website.
7. RADIOS
Like many other series, we require a crew member to have a radio capable of listening to the Series frequency and be able to communicate information to the driver. There are any number of ways to do this, and in this day and age, very reasonably priced scanners. The Series is contracting with Speedcom Communications and started using digital radios in the 2019 season. Analogue radios will work for at least 2020, but we highly recommend digital. Speedcom will be happy to accommodate you with a special FRP deal.
8. RIG PARKING & TECH INSPECTION
When you arrive at the track, we will park you. It makes it easier on everybody. We will perform tech inspection at your trailer (what a concept). Our tech is primarily safety related as we expect you to bring a legal car to the weekend.
9. TIRE DECLARATION
You do not have to order tires ahead of time: We are supplied by the Hoosier factory, not a dealer, and they will bring enough stock to supply the paddock based on the published entry list. You must use Series specific tires exclusively once qualifying starts, and you can use only Hoosier tires throughout the weekend.
Our tire declaration process works in two steps and properly declared tires are required for qualifying and races. You must buy the tires from the Hoosier truck; they will stamp each tire as you buy it. Then, one of our Tech officials will come to your paddock and stamp your sidewalls with a FRP stamp signifying the tires are your declared ones. The net result is you will have two stamps on all your tires.
10. DRIVER MEETING
We generally have a driver’s meeting early in the weekend and attendance by all drivers is mandatory. It will be on the posted schedule and usually on a chalk board at the Series trailer. There are also written driver’s meeting notes available at the Series rig and emailed to all entered drivers; read them as they have track specific information that may not be covered in the meeting.
11. WEEKEND PROCEDURES
Try to be early to the false grid. For practice, the lineup is first come, first served. For qualifying, you will be gridded according to season points so if it’s your first time, plan to be at the back of the grid. Please review our flagging rules in Article 1.6.16 in the FRP PRR 2020 before the event.
At the end of a qualifying or race session, certain cars will be sent to impound. It is usually the top six and one at random, but that is not always the case. Specifics will be announced over the series radio channel at the end of each session. It is always a good idea to have a crew member meet you there with some basic tools.
Fuel is designated for each class of car before the weekend and is detailed on our websites. It is most likely at the track, but may not be depending on circumstances (especially 93 pump).
Do not hesitate to talk to any of our staff at any time with questions. We are here to help.