25 of the Best Cheap Cars to Take Racing

Racing is expensive. There's no real way around it, but you can start with a cheap car and turn it into something legitimately fast. Whether it's autocross, rally, LeMons, endurance racing, or SCCA, these cars all have something to offer.

There's a reason you see so many Volvo 740 rally cars in YouTube videos. It's a sturdy, reliable car that can take a beating. And because it's rear-wheel drive, there's plenty of sideways action to be had.

If you're looking for a cheap way to break into the Porsche racing scene, consider the 944. It's one of the cheapest Porsches you can buy, but still provides tons of performance with the right mods (and a skilled driver). This racing version on eBay can be yours now.

Look at entry lists for any rally in America, and you'll see most of the competitors are driving Subarus. Of those Subarus, most of them are 2.5RSs. Why? Well, they're cheap to own, well-balanced, and easy to fix. Parts are everywhere, and if you know what you're doing, you can take podiums.

The RX-7's simple layout and lightweight construction make it an obvious choice for racers on a budget. While rotary engines aren't known for being reliable, they provide plenty of excitement, which is exactly what you're looking for in a cheap race car. This 1979 coupe is in good condition, and you can own it.

The Civic Si is the ultimate blend of usability, affordability, and fun. Mid-2000s hatchback models like the one shown above are easy to find under the $10,000 mark, and make for truly great all-rounders. This 2008 coupe can be yours today.

If you can't go for a Miata, the next logical step is to search for MR2s. They provide nearly as much fun behind the wheel, mixed with mid-engine charm and Toyota reliability. This clean third-gen Spyder model can be yours for under $10,000.

While we wouldn't recommend taking an old WRX endurance racing for hours on end, they make perfect rallycross cars or ice-racing entires. Its all-wheel drive combined with a low-end turbo grunt means you'll be pulling yourself out of low-traction corners time and time again. Here's a 2008 sedan you can own for less than $6000.

No matter which generation of Volkswagen GTI you prefer, all make for great city cars. They're compact, comfortable, and nimble enough to zip through gaps in traffic. This new one can be yours today.

The S2000 is one of Honda's greatest road cars of all time, but it also makes for a solid competition machine. It's light on its feet, powerful, and being a Honda, incredibly reliable. This one's already been turned into a track car, and you can own it.

Can't be seen in any Porsche other than a 911? Well, we have good news. The Swiss Army Knife of cars can be found for under $20,000. You'll just have to settle for an early 2000s 996-generation model like this one.

With a roll cage and some suspension mods, the Fiesta can be turned from an everyday economy car into one of the most fun and accessible rally cars out there. Teams across America use it to compete, and since parts are easily available, we have a feeling it'll be sticking around in the race world for a while. Here's a manual one you can own for under $10,000.

The 86 trio of lightweight, rear-wheel drive cars are finally starting to become cheap enough to take racing. With an inherently balanced chassis and endless parts availability, we can see it becoming one of the most popular race cars out there. Here's a Subaru-badged tS model for sale on eBay right now.

Used 350Zs have gotten incredibly cheap. You can easily scoop one up as a track car for under $10,000. For that, you're getting a 300-horsepower V-6-powered sports car with rear wheel drive and solid styling.

With the beloved E30 3-Series now a bonafide collector's item, it's successor, the E36, has become the car of choice for grassroots racers. Tons of people race them in spec classes, they're easy to modify, and their straight-sixes are stout and powerful.

Yes, the E36 is lighter and simpler, but have you seen E46 prices lately? They're about the same as E36s, with more power and a more sophisticated suspension. Race series like Spec E46 has ballooned in popularity lately, marking the E46-generation 3-Series as yet another cheap BMW worthy of track work. This blue-painted 330i is up for bidding on eBay right now.

I'm sure many of you reading this are groaning at the obviousness of a Miata on this list, but the fact of the matter is that early Miatas are still affordable, and perfectly suited for amateur racing. There's a reason why you see at least five at every race track. Here's one up for bidding right now.

Think of the Neon as the front-wheel-drive companion to the Miata. Seriously. These cars are a genuine force to be reckoned with on road courses, and their beater status means the price of entry is very low.

Thanks to a huge aftermarket, you can do pretty much anything you want with a Fox Mustang. Drag car? Easy. Road course car? Less easy, but still totally doable. Rally car? Probably, and you'd be a hero if you tried. Here's a 1985 model for just under $14,000.

There are any number of Honda and Acura products from the 1990s we could put on this list, but we chose the sporty Integra for its superlative handling. No, you won't be able to find a Type R on the cheap, but even a lowly base model is more than adequate to do the job. This one's on sale for just $6000 right now.

The Ford Focus SVT is the hot hatch everyone sort of forgets about. We're not really sure why that's the case, but it's an excellent car, so use its obscurity to your advantage. Pick one up cheap, learn how to left-foot brake, find some knobby tires, and get thee to a rallycross course.

Want to build a drift car? Just get a Nissan 240SX. It's not the most unique choice, but it's easily the most sensible one. In stock form it has an excellent chassis, but an SR20 swap will really unlock its potential. If you're feeling especially fruity, drop an LS in it and smoke everyone. This one's up for sale on eBay right now.

Want to know a secret? The first-generation Boxster is the Porsche you should buy right now. Purists are still turning their noses up at these, overlooking a fantastic, mid-engine sports car. It's one of the more expensive cars on the list, but hey, it's a Porsche. This base model can be yours for $8500.

We've already missed the boat on the Supra, but the Toyota Celica can be picked up for a song and raced. You get Toyota's famous reliability, and if you can find an all-wheel-drive GT-Four, a genuine rally pedigree. This JDM GT-Four model looks to be in good condition, and you can own it.

This is easily the most expensive car on the list, but it's arguably the only one that can hang with the big boys. It's not as luxurious as a 911, but it can easily keep up in terms of speed. Their engines–the LS2 in the first years of production, than the LS3 starting in 2008–are virtually bulletproof and very powerful. Here's one for sale for under $20,000.

If you've already driven your Miata to the fullest, and want something more powerful for the same price, it's hard to go wrong with the C5-generation Corvette. Prices for base cars hover in the $15,000-range, and for that you get an LS V-8 and a wonderful chassis.