taking stock car racing knowledge to my street Caprice

Hi, I'm a big stock car fan and like a lot of fans I dream of driving one.  Someday maybe, but until then I have my '87 Caprice street machine.  I don't know much about racing equipment or what all it specifically takes to get a car to corner better but I hope you guys on here could give me some advice.
I'm planning on upgrading my wheels and tires, saw some Bassett DOT approved wheels, a set of 15x7's with 3.625" backspace going for a pretty good deal.  With what little I know I would assume that you should buy the widest wheel that will fit so you can get a really wide tire on there and the wheel should also have the most backspacing possible so that the cars stance is wide?  Of course I'm not exactly sure what will fit on my Caprice yet.
Not sure what to look for in tires as far as height and width, and tread because like I said this is a street car, but I only drive it on dry days.  Any help appreciated thanks!  

I noticed you left out a roll cage??? Where's your safety equipment? Is there a reason for leaving that out.

Look what happened to Dale SR. when he hit the wall, at Daytona and was killed. There is a reason that Earnhardt Sr.was killed. Guys hit that same wall at higher speed and walk away. Why do you think Earnhardt didn't?

There is so-so-so much more then just putting on bigger wheels and tires and go racing. You need to know geometry.

I would start taking courses on how to setup and prepare a Stock Car Race Car chassis! There are many schools now that teach all this.

There are books go to www.cartechbooks.com

You have to a start somewhere, and do it the correct way. There are so many more things then trying to make a stock car go down the straightaway at speed and then to make that same stock car go in and out of turns with banking at different banking angles.

Just alone you need different springs, sway bars, shocks, and tires with different compounds for short tracks and super speedways. There are Camber,Caster,Toe,Jounce,bump steer,etc.

What you may want to do get involved with a team. Volunteer your time at the track and in the garage or shop. Don't go by what you see on TV with NASCAR drivers.
These drivers are trained today. Do you know what it feels like to be a draft at 210 MPH. Noone does until you get you experience.

Slow down and do it the correct way as I mentioned. Go to the track talk to drivers, ask questions.

I don't like it when NASCAR gives a license to a 16 or 17 year old and he's going to be driving a 3600LB. stock car. Get that needed experience.

Driving schools are very expensive, but without a driving school under your belt you can't get that experience.

To be honest with you,I wouldn't want a person who has never driven faster then 75MPH next to me on a closed course at 220MPH...End of case. Get the experience. It is only going to get tougher if a driver does not have experience to get experience.  

pepsi1:
I noticed you left out a roll cage??? Where's your safety equipment? Is there a reason for leaving that out.

Look what happened to Dale SR. when he hit the wall, at Daytona and was killed. There is a reason that Earnhardt Sr.was killed. Guys hit that same wall at higher speed and walk away. Why do you think Earnhardt didn't?

There is so-so-so much more then just putting on bigger wheels and tires and go racing. You need to know geometry.

I would start taking courses on how to setup and prepare a Stock Car Race Car chassis! There are many schools now that teach all this.

There are books go to www.cartechbooks.com

You have to a start somewhere, and do it the correct way. There are so many more things then trying to make a stock car go down the straightaway at speed and then to make that same stock car go in and out of turns with banking at different banking angles.

Just alone you need different springs, sway bars, shocks, and tires with different compounds for short tracks and super speedways. There are Camber,Caster,Toe,Jounce,bump steer,etc.

What you may want to do get involved with a team. Volunteer your time at the track and in the garage or shop. Don't go by what you see on TV with NASCAR drivers.
These drivers are trained today. Do you know what it feels like to be a draft at 210 MPH. Noone does until you get you experience.

Slow down and do it the correct way as I mentioned. Go to the track talk to drivers, ask questions.

I don't like it when NASCAR gives a license to a 16 or 17 year old and he's going to be driving a 3600LB. stock car. Get that needed experience.

Driving schools are very expensive, but without a driving school under your belt you can't get that experience.

To be honest with you,I wouldn't want a person who has never driven faster then 75MPH next to me on a closed course at 220MPH...End of case. Get the experience. It is only going to get tougher if a driver does not have experience to get experience.

Sorry should have been more clear, I'm only driving this car on the streets.  I understand there's so much involved to make a car 1/10th faster around an oval, I don't have aspirations of being a crew chief, I'm just trying to improve my Caprice's day to day around town handling.  At first I was looking for a street stock class forum thinking that would be a little closer to what I'm working with, but couldn't find much.  

That Caprice is a big car to be pushing around....LOL...

I have a better  understanding of what your trying to do.

That 1/10th faster could be anywhere.
Where and when you get on and off the gas.
Makes a big difference, "you've heard of hitting your mark" remember that as a rule.

The handling.. where does it feel good.(Your mind will be a computor)believe me.  

Does the car feel better up high on the track, or down low? These are questions that you have to ask yourself.

When I mentioned going to the track make friends with the drivers, ask them what line they use going in turn #1 or turn #2. There are guys that will help you out. I'll tell you be honest with them. Ask them if you can talk to them! DON"T be a jerk. (I don't mean you personally) I don't know you. Be humble explain your starting out and noticed that his car was fast on the track. Could you help me out a little. (So guys will be so PUMPED) you may not finish your question. See what I'm getting at?

Something as simple as engine timing, is the engine still pulling or does it go flat, does it feel like it flutters, running out of gas, how the valves are ajdusted? You have to feed that info to your crew chief. Tell him exactly what you feel the car is doing. He should be the one to make those changes.

Gearing will make the difference of a car falling on it's face or pulling so hard (you'll wet yourself)..LOL..your getting out of the gas early.

Go to a racing school I could tell you a thousand things that may or may not help. Seat time is the best way to learn. Consistency wins races, and it's not alway the fastest car. Look at the Wood brothers car at Daytona this year. They probably had R&D parts car for Yoush/Fenway or another Ford Camp. It was because the top guys were beating and banging each other to death. Their driver was racked 32nd. So use your head, and be there at the end, I know what your thinking, and yes you could get taken out for being in the wrong place at the wrong time..

Jeff Gordon had 25 years experience when he was 30 years old....To be a good DRIVER, BE SMARTER THEN THE OTHER GUY USE YOU HEAD!!! EXPERIENCE,EXPERIENCE. I was in a go-cart at 4 or 5 years old myself. I never got the breaks some of the other guys did.....so what.

Yesterday Kurt Busch with his better then you additude got fired from Pensky Racing. I was hoping his brother would get the axe too. When they came on the scene I thought they both where a-holes. It caught up with one Kyle's hanging by a thread.... So what happens now? NASCAR and their stupid inmature ways made them multi million-aires so what they will race somewhere else..... Now I'm just babbling but you get the point... GOOD LUCK


IF I can tell you one thing: You can make or break yourself, be confident be energetic. It takes time seat time. A good draiver is a driver who listens!  

Right on the front page of this SCR there is a young racers club. It says it's free to join, get started somewhere!