SCCA Autocross is not worth it..better alternative.

[Angelo]

Don't you guys think it's not worth it, waiting the whole day for 3 one minute runs? I've done few SCCA events and they're always like this. However BMW Club Autocrosses are totally different story. Usually you pay a little more, but you get lunch, enough practice runs to run out of gas and you redline in 3rd gear at San Diego stadium Autocross! I think you guys should try that, you'll never participate in SCCA events again.

Angelo

[autxr]

I'll have to try that, it's only a 30 hour drive from here...

I do very few SCCA events, only the national ones. At the BMW events I doubt you will see the level of competition you get around here at the local NASA events.

I do agree though, any autocross you wait most of the day for less than 5 minutes of driving. That's one of the reasons I'm going to start doing track days as soon as I have the $$$.

Scott

[nxracer]

I also prefer the competition at SCCA Solo II events but to each his own, that's why other clubs exist. Around here BMW club requires one to either own a BMW or be the guest of a BMW owner. They also don't like being beat by some cheap little Toyota.

Open Track days are nice if you care to expose your car and body to the consequences. Personally I have seen enough BMW's, Corvettes, Porsche's and yes Ferraris leave Road America on flatbed's. Most times the driver walks away but some drivers get the Bus ride to Plymouth Hospital.

For me it's. No Cage, No drive fast on the Race track. If I did have a cage I'd then look at the tracks Safety setup. If something happens do they need to call the local Fire Department or do they have staff on site that can respond to any incident and actually do something about it.

[NoCones]

I keep doing it, so it must be worth it.

If you just want to go out, push your car to its limits, and have a good time, then any club is probably going to make you happy. If you're really into competition, SCCA is the place to be. Like Scott referred to, that's where the cream of the crop is (Tour and ProSolo events)...no other club is going to pull together hundreds of drivers from half the country for a 2-day autocross.

I think a mix is best...events with lower turnout are great for getting experience/seat time, but when you really want a measuring stick for yourself and your car, hit an SCCA nat'l event.

I hope folks are being careful with course design if you're running out of revs in 3rd...just ask Scott what can happen without getting out of 2nd.

[Phil C]

Around here the BMW CCA doesn't bother to do autocross events, it's all social events and Z3 "Top-down cruises". I'm pretty sure my wife and I are the youngest members of the NE-Ohio CCA by about 20 years. The only event I've ever bothered to go to had an X5 on display so everyone could "sit in the seats and enjoy the feel of the leather". The get-together organizer seemed pretty upset when I spent the entire night finding out that the new parts guy at the dealer is actually a car guy and yes with a little help and a lot of cash that Euro-M635csi engine on a pallet in the corner could fit in my wife's '93 325i. What's really crazy is that there are some VERY good CCA racers from the Cleveland area, Koala Motorsports is based here, but the club doesn't seem to do any competition events. Gets me a good discount on parts and the magazine has a pretty good tech section every month so I'll stay a member no matter what.

The local Porsche club does autocross events that are now open to everyone who is interested. I've been told that only a few of them get upset by non-PCA members showing up to have fun. Probably will save me a long drive on the fourth Sunday of the month from now on. I guess last year they maxed out at 42 cars and they always were getting 8 runs plus fun-runs.

The local Corvette club also does events a couple of times a summer but I've heard so many bad things about safety and organization at those events that I'll probably skip it.

[afghan]

You don't really need to do National tours or Pro Solos to measure against the best all the time. I guess it depends what region you are in. We have some good competition up here and in the surrounding states (Ohio, and Indiana, etc...) which makes for good local competition.

Non SCCA events (Alfa club) was a confusing non-structured, run whenever you want, don't know who you are running against, later found out you are running against 914s and turbo miatas(what the hell!?), non safe events. They called it more laid back racing!

When I was running, a tow truck drove next to the course with a car in tow daring me to blow the corner!

"WTF was that on my right!"

[pitcrew]

We have an annual SCCA AX event here called the "24 hr. du mall" You run the course as many time as you want over a 24 hr. period (my wife and I co-driving did 16 runs each) and declare any 6 as counted runs for the event when you pull up to the line. A real fun event. Local events here are almost always 4 runs, and often have fun runs at the end. We have national caliber drivers in many classes in this area, so even local events are challenging!
Someone once said: "If you can't afford to/ wouldn't be willing to push you car off a cliff, don't take it on a track!" There has been some pretty nasty crashes at VIR during Time trials and even driving schools.

PS: we AX for the COMPETITION, not for the seat time.

[NoCones]

Originally posted by pitcrew
PS: we AX for the COMPETITION, not for the seat time.

but seat time sure can help you be more competitive!

[pitcrew]

Originally posted by NoCones


but seat time sure can help you be more competitive!

No argument there! But if there is no competition, the seat time isn't as valuable a learning experience if you don't know that it's possible to go quicker, and you don't have anyone to study to try to figure out how. Not to sound like a put down, but I don't see any real fun in being at the top all the time, it loses the challenge.

[B1mmer]

Autocross gives you something that no other track related sport can give you. All drivers have never driven the course before. I can go to the VIR, or CMP, but the track never changes, which even with the fastest car, can get boring at times. Plus the probability of my car getting damaged is very minimal, which is a plus. - Aaron

[NoCones]

Not only is it a great test of your driving ability and your car, it's a test of your ability to prepare based only on observing the course on foot. That's probably the biggest gap I notice now between me and the cream of the crop. I'm still relatively slow on that first trip out...I like improving over the course a few runs, but the really good guys are able to come amazingly close to nailing the perfect run on the first time out.

[nxracer]

If Autocross was easy they would call it road racing....

[Raymund]

imho, autox can be as fun and gratifying as roadtrack racing in the competition aspect and yes, it can be enough to draw ones attention away from road racing.

actually, my first car event was at an autox. I can't forget that day. i was totally overwhelmed by all these well manered people just having fun and running their cars. I thought it was the sport for me. however, after my third event, i wanted more and autox left me hanging after an event. it was like a teaser for me. 3minutes is just not enough regardless of price. The race fan in me wanted more so thats when i checked out a willow springs and saw all these cars running real road courses and cars going at it wheel to wheel. sure road racing is much more dangerous. maybe that is why I'm so attracted to it. the speed, the interaction within the other cars, all these factors just gravitated me towards the sport. well at least, its still my goal. But for now time trial will have to do due to preperation and financial reasons.

[nxracer]

First off to each his own, that's why both autocross and track lapping days coexist.

That said, this is how one goes Road Racing (http://home.attbi.com/~nxracer/specracer/) not in a street car (you get to pass in the corners too)

[dara323]

I'll always be a little biased towards SCCA. I learned autocrossing with CalClub in Southern CA and have stuck with it since. I get a lot of seat time going to the practices events on Saturdays before the race on Sundays. I can run all day long and get my $$$ worth.

The BMWCCA autocrossing is nice, but kinda pricey. I've done quite a few Open Track events with NASA which has scratched my itch for track events.

I quit taking the Celica to the track. I bought a prepared 240Z for track purposes only and it does well in BSP and track events. After going to PIR last year and hearing what happened to David Fisher in his BMW, I quickly changed my mind about driving the GTS on the track due to lack of safety equipment.

Raymund: Didn't I meet you last year at Hollywood Park or El Toro? I was the only girl in GS last year. I drove the Silver GTS.

[Raymund]

nxracer, wow that is nice. maybe someday i'll get to experience driving a kart at a track. i've always percieve it as the essence of performance driving. i've heard from some people that once you try it, everything, including sports cars seem to pale in comparisson as in terms of handling and precision, but with a slim margin for mistakes

dara, yeah I believe i so. I remember talking with you. theres far too few good celica drivers out there for me to forget. i went to Hp last sunday, however I wasn't allowed to run as there were already filled to capacity. I really wanted to run and especially when it rained. but nah.. was just an expectator. I saw plenty of spin-outs! So since you have two cars now, things should be less stress full. i can't believe it! you are showing a classic sympton of the "2 car syndrom". i have seen it many times happen to people I know. its ok tho, I too have two cars now. I recently revived an old civic sitting in the backyard. this will be my daily driver once I put the celica out to race.

[afghan]

The problem Raymond, is now I'm putting too much money into my (2nd car)winter beater(honda) now! It is too much fun!

[Raymund]

yeah its weird. some how a found a new appreciation for my old civic even tho it has no appeal what soever. i treat it much better now. actually, I did a tranny swap two weeks ago. the tranny was slipping before that. I enjoy driving it daily since its ride is still bone stock plush with all the interior intact. its also an auto so there is far les effort to steer it around traffic.