There’s something to be said about America and our love for watching oval shaped racing events. If you’re a fan of any type of racing, this time of the year should have you going in circles. Memorial Weekend hosts the Indy 500 (congrats Dario Franchitti), and we may see a Triple Crown horse very soon.
Either way, we’ll definitely see enough pre-race hype to make us all have another (drink). When television isn’t enough, we can go rent a track for our own left turn excitement. And while you can have fun riding a bike on a racetrack, doing it in the right car makes it that much better. Funnily enough, I just happen to have a list of some of the best track cars, bearing in mind price (as much as possible), performance (of course), and all around fun. Take a look, in no particular order…
Nissan GT-R
Nissan says it perfectly; the GT-R is built to perform. The new 2013 GT-R strides the $100,000 line, but you get 545 horsepower, the ability to adjust the suspension for track settings, and your very own Gran Turismo style data center. Treat life like a video game.
Lotus Exige S
The Exige S is a car that doesn’t look right unless it’s on a track somewhere. If you were to see one on the street, it’d be like looking at a Tiger that escaped from the city zoo roaming about. This is perfect, because due to various trivialities you can only have a track-centric Exige S nowadays.
Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
Yeah, it’s $112,000, but the ZR1 is a 638 horsepower American beast. You get a top speed of 205 MPH, Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes to help stop that force quickly, and 100 years of racing technology packed into the muscle car.
Mazda Miata
Why Miata? Ask one of the many owners who race them at your nearest track, because chances are good that you will find one there. The Miata is cheap, modifiable, and easy drive. And while it won’t blow you away you with raw power, you’ll always get a nice tingling sensation when driving it.
Porsche 911 Turbo S
Is $160,000 worth it? Probably not for most, but the 911 Turbo S boasts technology that can’t be ignored. A PDK transmission, launch control, and 530 horsepower will get you from 0 to 60 in 3.1 seconds. And once you’re there you’ve got the handling and grip to feel good at up to 195 MPH.
Ariel Atom
Out of any car on this list, the Ariel Atom is what you would call a track exclusive type player. You won’t want to run to the store with one of these; the Atom makes love to track surfaces by boasting 0 to 60 in 2.9 seconds, a chassis you so light you can almost pick it up, and, since there’s not much to it, a surprisingly low price tag.
Subaru Impreza WRX STI
Haven’t you always wanted to lap somebody while driving a Subaru? The WRX STI isn’t your typical Subaru due to its 300 horsepower turbocharged engine, track tuned suspension, and Brembo brakes keeping everything pretty.
Honda S2000
You can’t get a new version of the S2000 because they don’t exist, but go back a few short years and you’ll find a highly customizable, cheap racer. Just watch out for those roaming packs of Miata enthusiasts.
Dodge Viper
Until the release of the 2013 SRT Viper later this year, you’ll do fine with the 2010 Viper. It’s a great value for what you still get performance-wise, and you can go toe to toe with all those snobby European supercars- in part because you can still afford gas.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
Track ready performance for under $40,000; that’s all you need to know about the Evo. Plus, there’s a good chance you’ll end up in a high stakes illegal Miami street race after you leave the track. Good luck.
You’ll always be safe and sound at CarWoo!, where great deals roll in like loose tires on pit-road.
