Honda Challenge?

[AlRedCar]

This may be my craziest idea yet...
As some of you may have noticed if you ever check in the gallery section, I am crazy. After a 2 months of ownership of the Fit, I took it to two track days, a road trip down to the Tail of the Dragon. Just last month, I drove the Fit out to California from Lafayette, IN in 31 hours (with some help from my friend) to take an internship at Honeywell Turbo Technologies. While working there, I've met people who race competitively in NASA's Honda Challenge.

Here's where the trouble starts...

My first thought, now with this newfound income - buy a Honda and prep it for racing. Then I realized that I drive a Honda. I also realized that I have tracked and otherwise driven said Honda fairly aggressively. Maybe you see where this is going...

I've been poring over the Honda Challenge rule book and I noticed something. These cars are close to stock. Alarmingly close to stock. So close to stock that I would be able to drive it to the track and from the track with no real issues.

Anyone thinking what I'm thinking?

So according to the rules, the Honda Fit falls into the class H4. In H4, restrictions are as follows:

Safety
-Disable Airbags
-Tow Eyes
-Masterswitch to cut power
-Fuel cell NOT required
-Fire extinguisher required, fire suppression system NOT required
-NASA CCR Compliant Roll Cage
-Door glass may be retained

Pretty easy stuff there...

Lots of room for weight reduction, to the Fit minimum of 2050 lb.
Free to modify exhaust, intake, ECU, can blueprint engine, add engine oil coolers, LSD, Final drive ratio, change brake pad compound, rotor, add cooling ducts, change radiator, stock body work, with minor exceptions, must use Toyo RA1 tires.


Come on now, this sounds like modifications I was planning anyways, so why not race for real? So he's my idea - I have the car, I need the license ($500), some safety gear (sponsor support), other modifications (see above passage regarding internship), I've been racing and going to HPDEs for about 4 years now, I think it's time to put that to use.


So what do you think? Do you want to see a true daily driven race car? A champion for the Honda Fit cause?


...or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Questions, comments, concerns, feel free to post.

[Fitftw]

hey man im all for you doing this! i've always imagined the fit being an amazing track car and you can prove it everyone

[pip_rocks]

as long as you keep the racing on the track on not on the highway, i approve of your shenanigans

[AlRedCar]

Nice, I'm digging the positive two responses. This is exactly what I'll need to push me over the edge haha!

Insurmountable debt, here we come!

[Fitftw]

Originally Posted by AlRedCar

Nice, I'm digging the positive two responses. This is exactly what I'll need to push me over the edge haha!

Insurmountable debt, here we come!

lol, hopefully more bragging rights for the Fit, here we come!

[pip_rocks]

Originally Posted by AlRedCar

Nice, I'm digging the positive two responses. This is exactly what I'll need to push me over the edge haha!

Insurmountable debt, here we come!

man, what's going to happen when this thread reaches a couple pages of positive responses?

[Snap Fit]

doooo it dooooo it dooooo it dooooo it

do it and I will to your "WalMart Specials"

c'mon you know you want to!....you know we want you to

[osborne]

Originally Posted by pip_rocks

man, what's going to happen when this thread reaches a couple pages of positive responses?

Evil shenanigans?!

[los_creeper]

if you build it... they will come.

[Tite Fit]

As long as you're willing to have a cage, gutted interior, and some bumps in the bodywork, go for it! For reals though, you're going to get banged up. If you have ever noticed the bodywork on these cars after a couple of races, the cars make contact with each other at least a little bit. So, if you're not worried about the exterior and you have some cash to pick up oem bumpers and front fenders, etc. it would be awesome to see a fit race in H4.
Chris

[daviddahlb]

It is not a good idea for many reasons, the 2 best ones are:

-too expensive to race a 15k brand new car with not easily available parts, what happens if the engine goes? what if you crash? oem parts are expensive. If you have the money to burn on racing the Fit then go for it...but I would rather race something faster if I have that much money to go racing. hell, an old civic would be faster and cheaper!

-will not be competitive, and if you are not looking to be competitive, just do HPDEs and have fun. Time trials and autocrossing are competitive and fun too


It is doable, but with your daily driver is a bad idea. If you have a back up car, then it is more viable, but still, it is a bad investment unless you have lots of cash to burn, or lots of sponsorship.

[mrFroge]

Originally Posted by AlRedCar

I've been poring over the Honda Challenge rule book and I noticed something. These cars are close to stock. Alarmingly close to stock. So close to stock that I would be able to drive it to the track and from the track with no real issues.

I wouldn't call the modes you listed as being close to stock.. But if you have the money .. go for it.

[Gators2001]

Been thinking of it myself. Tired of beating up my 350Z.

I think I would want to do the K20 swap so I wouldnt feel like Im going backwards, but wouldnt an RSX handle better?

Im open for discussion.

[AlRedCar]

Wow, haven't checked this for a while....
Basically I'm only going to set up the Fit for personal enjoyment / time trial events now as it's all around less costly and will yield better results. After my event at Willow Springs last weekend, I'm feeling more confident in the car's ability but in H4 trim, the CRXs would still eat it alive.

Onto the Honda Challenge aspect of things however, I happen to have a 99 Civic Si that may be waiting for me when I get back to Lafayette...