Buyer's guides

What to check, what things cost and how the classes compare before you buy a race car.

• How to Buy a Used Race Car

  What to check before you buy a used race car: logbooks, cage, safety gear dates, engine history, spares and paperwork, plus how to pay safely.

• Race Car Safety Equipment Expiration Dates

  How long racing harnesses, seats, fuel cells and HANS tethers are good for under SFI and FIA, and what that means when you buy a used race car.

• Spec Miata vs Spec E46

  Spec Miata or Spec E46? How the two most popular spec classes compare on car prices, running costs, where you can race them and how they drive.

• SCCA vs NASA: Which Club to Race With

  SCCA or NASA for your first season of road racing? How licensing, logbooks, classes and race weekends differ, and why many racers run both.