November Autocross

The October autocross was a blast. It's been awhile since I had raced, so it was good to get back into it. It was also exciting to see Yao race his first event. I'm sure our little group here will only grow in size. =) So I'm not really worried about the yearly "points" at this time, since 1) I'm not yet at the level of competing for my car-class and 2) I don't want to wake up so early this time to run in the "morning" session. So what I'm going to do is get there a bit later (at around 10:00am) in order to attend the "afternoon" session. I invite anyone who's got the spirit to either come ready to race, or with at least attend as a spectator to see what this type of racing is all about. ** If you just want to come to watch for a little while, that is fine too. Best to come in the late morning, or early afternoon before 2:00 or 3:00pm at the latest. It's fun just to watch since there will be lots of nice cars there, doing what they were designed to do, which is to go very fast. What is Autocross? The basics are that you drive around a parking lot that is littered with cones that mark a preset course layout. The idea is to go through the course as fast as possible without hitting the cones. You are timed, and then ranked according to the type of car you have. Cars go one at a time, so there is almost no chance you'll hit anyone. "Fast" cars generally hit around 60 mph in the fastest sections, but for the most part, expect to be doing LOTS of tight turns and switchbacks, generally in second gear. How long is it? This is an all day event. Get there around 7am, leave around 4pm. Facilities are generally sparse, so bring water and some snacks. Sometimes there's a "Food Truck". How much time is spent "racing"? Generally you get 3-5 "passes" or "runs". Each "run" is about 45-60 seconds long. It's not a lot of "track time", but it's very intense and really teaches you car control in a relatively safe venue. How much does it cost? Autocross is one of the cheapest forms of racing. The event itself costs $30, which is much cheaper than something like a "Track Event" at a place like Buttonwillow, which generally goes for $150-200 for the day. Moreover, the wear and tear on your car is relatively small, with your tires generally only taking a light beating and brakes usually don't wear too much either. In comparison, a "Track Day" can destroy a new set of tires and brakes in a single day, depending on how you drive. What else? Autocross is really the best way to start out with formal car racing. It teaches you car control, which is the fundamental skill required for all forms of auto racing, and it does this in a way that is relatively inexpensive. You can you use own car, drive it to the event, and drive it home without worrying about crashing it (like you might at a "big" track). It really doesn't matter what kind of car you use, I've seen old cars, new cars, station wagons, Ferraris, even a Fire Truck and Police Car. It's really just about having fun, getting a nice adrenaline fix, and hanging out with other go-fast crack-pipe addicts. So what do I need to do? - First, get a SCCA membership. If you're unsure about whether you want to go to future events, you can get a weekend pass for $15 at the event, otherwise, go to www.scca.org and get an Individual membership for about $90, which lasts for a year. - Second, sign up for the event at CSCC's website: http://www.solo2.com/... Near the bottom of the page, there is a link to "pre-register" for the event. You'll be sent to another system to register and such. - This is optional, but it's recommended to get a "Points Card", which guarantees you a spot at the event, in case it sells out. This is $20 for the year. You'll need to pick a "Club" to associate yourself with, so I picked the "No Bucks" one, which is free, and doesn't require meetings. These "Clubs" help to organize the events. - Prep your car for the event. There is some information on the CSCC site here: http://www.solo2.com/... But basically, you want to take all the stuff out of your car, clean up the interior, hose down the exterior, give it a oil change, check the tires and brakes, make sure the battery terminals are nice and tight, and everything looks good in the engine bay. Basically, someone is going to inspect your car for things that might cause problems when your out on the course racing. If anything looks questionable, tighten it down, or remove it. - As for finding me at the event, I'll likely be the only Black Lotus Elise there. If you have any questions, please message me.