SR3. The rebuilds aren't too bad, most are stuck using Powertec but in the states we have a builder in California who does the refresh for $1900, so it not only costs less than half (after the conversion rate) but I don't have to pay $800 in shipping either, only costs me about $150 to freight the engine to California if time allows and the work is a one week turnaround. SR3 is gear drive so no problems there.

Here's me on track at Abbeville a few weeks ago...

What's the mileage between your rebuilds then? I have several friends here who were put off Radicals due to the maintenance requirements of bike engines.

Mileage depends on how good a driver you are, the rebuilds are typically based on running hours. I have friends that do full out racing and rebuild religiously at 30 hours no matter what; personally I'm not driving it that hard yet because I'm not that advanced a driver, so I'll probably rebuild at 40 hours so I can get a couple extra weekends in. If you can get the rebuild done for a reasonable price it's really not that bad rebuilding at 30 hours in the overall scheme of things because your cost for other consumables is less, such as brake pads and rotors (might change pads once per season), etc. while your performance is much greater than most other vehicles, particularly in the same price range. At Sebring for example, the SR3 1500 is only six seconds slower than a $350k Porsche GT3 RSR.

I guess in the scheme of things that's not too bad, given that 30hrs is approx 5 trackdays (although I do get bored of trackdays quickly nowadays).

My reference point is a little skewed I guess, as I track my Elise for about 5 weekends a year and only spend £650 on a set of 48Rs at the start of each season which is about the only extra cost other than the trackdays.

Wow, those are some serious track days. I might put two to two and a half hours on the engine in a day, the car just physically exhausts me and it would be dangerous to drive it much more as I'd be fatigued; of course this is in the 90F+ Florida heat in a full nomex suit so it is incredibly hot and tires you quickly.

You should come to the UK - most of our sessions are open-pit, and the circuits are nice and flowing. No nomex either, just long-sleeved shirts.

Oh I don't wear it because I have to since I'm not racing yet, I just figure a little discomfort is not that high a price to pay for being able to walk away from a flaming wreck without half my body being charred.

Not knocking it, just didn't know whether they mandate it over there for trackdays. It's too damn hot in an Elise on track (with a race seat) for full nomex in the summer - it's even pretty unbearable for sprints in the winter!

My 3 layer Nomex is hanging in the spare room, rueing the day I gave up racing.

I just did my first track day in the G and found the brakes to fade only when I interrupted the flow of my lines around the track.

The dealer mechanic said replacing the brake fluid before an event is the best insurance you can get for keeping your car out of the wall. He brought supplies in case anyone boiled them, but nobody did.

He said a likely factor in losing brakes is following another car too closely and not getting enough fresh air into the ducts. Makes sense.

My instructor races an Exige and was so impressed with the G's performance, he's thinking about trading up. The Exige chassis was unsettled pretty easy comparatively; lots of body roll.