[dradernh]

Originally Posted by Outlaw 06

In my part of the country, you can rent an "arrive and drive" Spec Miata with used SM7 slicks, fuel and track support/coaching for about $900 per day (+ track registration fees). This is for a "safe" SCCA race car with full roll cage, all required safety equipment, AIM, etc. If you add up all of the costs of routinely tracking a street car, then $900 per day to track somebody else's fully-prepped race car every once in a while is downright reasonable.

I rented an arrive-and-drive SM car at the Glen in 2010. It was a chance to see what tracking was like in a much less expensive car to own and operate. A pro driver/coach recommended it and spent a session with me in it, mostly getting me used to the fact that the SM could be run full throttle in so many places that my E36 could not.

Those Miatas are by far the best bang-for-the-buck out there. They're super well-developed, parts are plentiful and not costly, and the cars are very easy on tires and brakes. I think they offer committed drivers an opportunity to get much better, much sooner.