[thstone]

My advice is to spend the money on seat time until you are running near the top of your stock class. When you can drive better than the car, THEN start upgrading it.

This week, on the British tv show "5th Gear", they took a rookie driver and compared her lap times as follows:

1. Stock car
2. ECU upgrade for more power (no other improvements)
3. Aftermarket exhaust for more power (no other improvements)
4. Stickier tires (no other improvements)
5. Stock car with professional driving instruction

Guess which was fastest? Yep, #5. At this level of the game, its almost all about the skill of the driver.