Solo track day

[Angrypuppy]

I reached out to a guy on the other side of the country selling a Rush SR. He responded

“Let me know if you're still interested. My main reason for getting out is my track buddy quit cold turkey, and this car is not solo-friendly -- a helping hand is almost required to remove the bodywork and you have to remove the bodywork every session.”

Almost all of my track days are solo. Will this be an issue?

 

[Licklobster]

Seen several moving dolly setups that make solo moving the bodywork a breeze

 

[bhargrave]

I track almost every week solo. The only critical requirement is having a winch on the trailer for loading and unloading the car.

 

[Angrypuppy]

I track almost every week solo. The only critical requirement is having a winch on the trailer for loading and unloading the car.

Perfect, thank you very much. That was helpful.

 

[RushR.Rentals]

I’m just a guy trying to figure out if this is the right car for me. I live in an area of the country where there is not a single one yet. I’ve reached out to dealers and asked questions, and I’ve attempted to find a place that might rent one. I have seen the video of the guy with the dolley, I also communicated with a guy in ATL selling because solo days were not working for him.

If you would be more comfortable if you knew who I was just ask.

we at Rush R rent the rush cars in the north east USA. I also service our two rentals my self and work on other customers Rush cars by my self.
taking the bodies on and off solo is really pretty easy to do in fact most of the time when someone sees me going to do it and offers to help my reply is NO I got it! because I'm anal on how our cars look I do put a towel over the main roll hoop not to scratch it if the rear clamshell hits it. for the front clam I don't like the dolly I cut two pieces of wood about 2"x4'x 3' long the height of the underside of the splitter is off the ground and just slide the splitter along the wood to take the front clamshell on and off.
winches: many options for getting cars on and off trailers for our trailers I started with electric winches and removed them and went to hand crank ones.
if you think that's nuts I did it for a reason. I never have to worry about having the battery charged , connected or the truck hooked up to supply power to it . also to move the electric behind the car in our multi car trailer to winch the next car in is a total PITA!
I went with hand crank 1000 LB harbor freight 35$ winches . with the hand crank winches I take my cordless drill or impact gun and put it on the nut the holds the handle on and that turns your hand crank winch into a electric one.
when I'm at the tracks by myself I hardly ever need to use the winches. I ask a friend or the guy parked next to me for a hand to push the car/s on the trailers. funny how people are it the tracks you ask one guy to help and inevitably a few other people will run over with out being asked to help and start pushing the car too.

 

[PizzaDude]

Between car and motorcycle track days I done I have ALWAYS found the people there more than willing to help in multiple ways.
A push up or guide down the trailer, tools, some fluid you might need, advice ( careful on that one lol )

 

[bhargrave]

I use an electric winch with a remote control and power it with long jumper cables to the truck battery while the trailer is still hitched. So far, so good...

https://a.co/d/3jNgip3

 

[DrPyro2k]

I think that it really depends on you @Angrypuppy ... If you are mechanically inclined and reasonably fit, then it is no problem to do it yourself. I solo the Rush almost everytime. The front clamshell is the hardest to get on and off single handed, IF, you don't use the little dolly trick that a fellow owner came up with. It makes it a breeze and you don't have to lift anything. The advantage is that you usually don't have to remove the front during most track days. The rear shell is a touch heavy, but I easily lift it off every other session to lube the chain. Some others just jack up the back so they can see the chain and lube it without taking off the rear clamshell.

As for loading and unloading.. as others mentioned... buy a winch! I have never understood why anyone with a track car and trailer doesn't have a winch on their trailer. Stuff happens on track, and your car may not always be drivable. Plus it is a whole lot safer and easier to just hook up the winch versus driving it up. I have a ComeUp winch with a wireless remote, my brother has a Warn winch. For less than the cost of a set of tires, it is well worth it.

The key is setting up your trailer/rig for single person operation. It takes some time to do it right, but it is not impossible or even that hard.

Now it is NICE to have other rush drivers around on the weekend for any event. The reason is that you have someone else to play with (the rush are just WAY faster in the corners vs most all other cars) AND if something goes wrong you have another person to help or pick their brains. You also learn a whole lot how to properly maintain the car (also pick up new tricks to make it easier).

 

[Angrypuppy]

I think that it really depends on you @Angrypuppy ... If you are mechanically inclined and reasonably fit, then it is no problem to do it yourself. I solo the Rush almost everytime. The front clamshell is the hardest to get on and off single handed, IF, you don't use the little dolly trick that a fellow owner came up with. It makes it a breeze and you don't have to lift anything. The advantage is that you usually don't have to remove the front during most track days. The rear shell is a touch heavy, but I easily lift it off every other session to lube the chain. Some others just jack up the back so they can see the chain and lube it without taking off the rear clamshell.

As for loading and unloading.. as others mentioned... buy a winch! I have never understood why anyone with a track car and trailer doesn't have a winch on their trailer. Stuff happens on track, and your car may not always be drivable. Plus it is a whole lot safer and easier to just hook up the winch versus driving it up. I have a ComeUp winch with a wireless remote, my brother has a Warn winch. For less than the cost of a set of tires, it is well worth it.

The key is setting up your trailer/rig for single person operation. It takes some time to do it right, but it is not impossible or even that hard.

Now it is NICE to have other rush drivers around on the weekend for any event. The reason is that you have someone else to play with (the rush are just WAY faster in the corners vs most all other cars) AND if something goes wrong you have another person to help or pick their brains. You also learn a whole lot how to properly maintain the car (also pick up new tricks to make it easier).

Thank you for this.

I wish there were others in my area but so far none. The dealer I’ve been talking to wants to do some things up here. But so far nothing.

 

[DrPyro2k]

@Angrypuppy - I don't think you will have to wait that long to have other owners in your area. I have owned mine about 9 months, and it was quiet the first 6 months, but now I have several owners at our local track. IMHO, the rush will become the next Spec Miata... They cost the same, but are WAY WAY more fun.

 

[Jcarr906]

What @DrPyro2k said (in both replies!). I use a modified single axle Futura rampless trailer with an electric winch — the only issue I have is that due to the forward and low location of my winch, the cable presses on the hood as the car is being loaded. It’s not that big of a deal as I can place a towel on the bodywork to protect it or lift it. I’m looking at how to install an elevated roller guide to keep the cable above the bodywork. A front tow ring would eliminate this issue, but it’s hard to see how one could be installed with front clam/splitter as it is.

 

[Licklobster]

What @DrPyro2k said (in both replies!). I use a modified single axle Futura rampless trailer with an electric winch — the only issue I have is that due to the forward and low location of my winch, the cable presses on the hood as the car is being loaded. It’s not that big of a deal as I can place a towel on the bodywork to protect it or lift it. I’m looking at how to install an elevated roller guide to keep the cable above the bodywork. A front tow ring would eliminate this issue, but it’s hard to see how one could be installed with front clam/splitter as it is.

Why don't you load the car backwards, which would seem to be the proper way to tow it anyway?

 

[bhargrave]

Why don't you load the car backwards, which would seem to be the proper way to tow it anyway?

For me, I'm worried about the tongue weight on my midsized truck if I load the car in backwards. Loading up forward puts most of the weight on the trailer axles.

 

[Jcarr906]

I haven’t tried but will — need to make sure the wing will go between the uprights for my tire rack. I’ve got a weigh safe hitch with an integrated scale to check the tongue weight.

Thanks for the suggestion — so obvious I should have thought of it!

 

[paulb70]

I reached out to a guy on the other side of the country selling a Rush SR. He responded

“Let me know if you're still interested. My main reason for getting out is my track buddy quit cold turkey, and this car is not solo-friendly -- a helping hand is almost required to remove the bodywork and you have to remove the bodywork every session.”

Almost all of my track days are solo. Will this be an issue?

I solo mine and taking the body off and on alone hasn't been an issue I've gotten it down to both front and rear off in less then 3 min

 

[TimG]

I have the only Rush in Ontario, Canada. Track and race it alone. Body clamshells are a bit awkward but not particularly difficult to remove alone (I’m 65, 5’7, 172lbs). Electric winch and battery in the trailer makes loading and unloading easy.
At my track, can’t race it against sedans, so race in Formula Libre against open wheel cars of all kinds and Radicals. Won my class yesterday. EVERYONE (racers, stewards, marshals, spectators) asks me about the Rush, nothing but compliments on its looks performance and it’s engine wail. It is a blast to drive! Honestly, for the money you cannot get a better race car.