SCCA Autocross Sunday and monthly C.A.T. member meeting.
When: Sept. 27. Mandatory driver meeting at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Former El Toro Marine Air Base Runway at Orange County Great Park. Irvine, CA.
I’m sure it will come as no surprise that real estate development, the recovering economy, and increasing cost of insurance are making it difficult to find convenient venues for our own autocross events that we can afford to rent and insure without charging exorbitant entry fees. . Nevertheless the C.A.T. board intends to continue to pursue opportunities for our own private autocross events twice a year, if possible.
Fortunately, there’s an organization that has an autocross every month, that welcomes sports cars of all types, is reasonably priced and held at great venues. Our September autocross and member meeting will be in conjunction with the Sports Car Club of America’s September Solo autocross on the former El Toro Marine Air Base runway at the Orange County Great Park. SCCA Solo events are run pretty much like our own autocross activities. Same tech and safety requirements and there is a class that’s suitable for Tigers and Alpines.
The advantages for C.A.T. at an SCCA event are many:
• The course is already set up for us by experienced experts.
• Their timing gear accommodates multiple cars on the course at one time.
• El Toro is roomy and speedy.
• We don’t have to rent or sign contracts.
• No need for our own insurance certificate.
• Folks are friendly and there are instructors and briefings available for novices.
• You will see everything from karts to Minis to Corvettes to Formula Cars in the various classes.
Best of all: the price is right. Advanced registration is $30 for three runs. A membership in SCCA is required and a weekend membership is just $15, which includes insurance and is applicable to an annual membership if you like the experience and want to do some more of their events.
Tigers run in the HST-1, or Historic 1, class along with a variety of pre-1975 rolling stock. Our friends in the Morgan Club are regulars, and the last event had a Triumph Spitfire and early BMW 3 series.
These are work/run events, just like our typical autocross. The difference is that we all run together in one run group and work the course for a different run group of other classes. SCCA has not posted the run group schedule but we believe it’s likely HST-1 will run early that morning after the briefing and course walk. We will have some down time during a run group during which we will conduct our September member meeting. Those driving are required to work the course for a run group which involves manning radios and flags, resetting cones, passing out timing slips etc. The morning session is usually over around noon and then it’s time for a beer.
It’s a turn-key autocross that we can run and get introduced to SCCA Solo autocrossing.
Online registration and more info can be found at this website link:
https://www.motorsportreg.com/event...-field-scca-socal-solo-ii-035067#.VeFKNkOFPSd
The site will ask for some basic info on your car and the class you want to run in. You don’t need to pay much attention to the complex classification rules. Simply register in HST-1 as a first timer. It will ask for a “PAX” classification which is a handicapping system within a class. It’s not required, but Tigers are “E-Street”. Finally, you pick a car number between 600 and 699. Do note the requirements for displaying the class and car number on both sides of the car. For first-timers, SCCA usually has these pre-printed on paper that can be taped to the car. But in case they don’t have enough, you might want to make your own in advance.
Participants often bring trailers and motorhomes, for which there is ample space. I believe completely open exhausts are not allowed. We would like to try to grab some paddock space for us to park together, so let me know if you are going so we can save a spot. It’s going to be fun and I hope to see you and your car there.
Mike Michels, 2015 C.A.T. President
When: Sept. 27. Mandatory driver meeting at 8:30 a.m.
Where: Former El Toro Marine Air Base Runway at Orange County Great Park. Irvine, CA.
I’m sure it will come as no surprise that real estate development, the recovering economy, and increasing cost of insurance are making it difficult to find convenient venues for our own autocross events that we can afford to rent and insure without charging exorbitant entry fees. . Nevertheless the C.A.T. board intends to continue to pursue opportunities for our own private autocross events twice a year, if possible.
Fortunately, there’s an organization that has an autocross every month, that welcomes sports cars of all types, is reasonably priced and held at great venues. Our September autocross and member meeting will be in conjunction with the Sports Car Club of America’s September Solo autocross on the former El Toro Marine Air Base runway at the Orange County Great Park. SCCA Solo events are run pretty much like our own autocross activities. Same tech and safety requirements and there is a class that’s suitable for Tigers and Alpines.
The advantages for C.A.T. at an SCCA event are many:
• The course is already set up for us by experienced experts.
• Their timing gear accommodates multiple cars on the course at one time.
• El Toro is roomy and speedy.
• We don’t have to rent or sign contracts.
• No need for our own insurance certificate.
• Folks are friendly and there are instructors and briefings available for novices.
• You will see everything from karts to Minis to Corvettes to Formula Cars in the various classes.
Best of all: the price is right. Advanced registration is $30 for three runs. A membership in SCCA is required and a weekend membership is just $15, which includes insurance and is applicable to an annual membership if you like the experience and want to do some more of their events.
Tigers run in the HST-1, or Historic 1, class along with a variety of pre-1975 rolling stock. Our friends in the Morgan Club are regulars, and the last event had a Triumph Spitfire and early BMW 3 series.
These are work/run events, just like our typical autocross. The difference is that we all run together in one run group and work the course for a different run group of other classes. SCCA has not posted the run group schedule but we believe it’s likely HST-1 will run early that morning after the briefing and course walk. We will have some down time during a run group during which we will conduct our September member meeting. Those driving are required to work the course for a run group which involves manning radios and flags, resetting cones, passing out timing slips etc. The morning session is usually over around noon and then it’s time for a beer.
It’s a turn-key autocross that we can run and get introduced to SCCA Solo autocrossing.
Online registration and more info can be found at this website link:
https://www.motorsportreg.com/event...-field-scca-socal-solo-ii-035067#.VeFKNkOFPSd
The site will ask for some basic info on your car and the class you want to run in. You don’t need to pay much attention to the complex classification rules. Simply register in HST-1 as a first timer. It will ask for a “PAX” classification which is a handicapping system within a class. It’s not required, but Tigers are “E-Street”. Finally, you pick a car number between 600 and 699. Do note the requirements for displaying the class and car number on both sides of the car. For first-timers, SCCA usually has these pre-printed on paper that can be taped to the car. But in case they don’t have enough, you might want to make your own in advance.
Participants often bring trailers and motorhomes, for which there is ample space. I believe completely open exhausts are not allowed. We would like to try to grab some paddock space for us to park together, so let me know if you are going so we can save a spot. It’s going to be fun and I hope to see you and your car there.
Mike Michels, 2015 C.A.T. President
I reinforced his mojo to get er done. Thanks for the directional advice Cameron.