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First time at an autocross event

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You need to get a license and set your car up to specs before you can start road racing.

I agree about the balls aspect of road racing, I've done those open track events at Summit Point & VIR and while it's really not racing, the speeds are the same and there's the possibility that you can roll your car if you screw up.

I never got into road racing because of the cost. Autox and rallyx are much cheaper in entry fees and in car maintenance. Racing isn't in the budget :(
 
Originally posted by RallyxDave

Yes you do. That is a open track event not an actual race.
Click to expand...

That's what this thread is about, events not races. So no you don't.
 
Originally posted by igs


That's what this thread is about, events not races. So no you don't.
Click to expand...

Did you even read this thread? The subject is "First time at an autocross event" and then people started talking about ROAD RACING.

Logic asked:

"How different are the rules/classifications for a road race car vs. autorcoss? Any special build-up of the car required before being eligible to participate? "

And I responded with yes there are licenses, special rules, etc for ROAD RACING. Nothing about open track events there. Take a look!
 
Originally posted by RallyxDave


Did you even read this thread? The subject is "First time at an autocross event" and then people started talking about ROAD RACING.

Logic asked:

"How different are the rules/classifications for a road race car vs. autorcoss? Any special build-up of the car required before being eligible to participate? "

And I responded with yes there are licenses, special rules, etc for ROAD RACING. Nothing about open track events there. Take a look!
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:

They're the same thing! You can rent out a track and ROAD RACE your tricycle if you want. There are no license requirements and no special rules. Not every event held by NASA and SCCA is a RACE, so by your definition most of what NASA and SCCA do is not ROAD RACING. :rolleyes: NASA has "High Performance Driving Events" and SCCA has "Club Racing" neither of which is a RACE but are at RACE TRACKS. Are NASA "High Performance Driving Events" and SCCA "Club Racing" considered ROAD RACING? :rolleyes:
 
You ROAD RACE at a TRACK. OPEN TRACK is at a TRACK. HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVING is at a TRACK. CLUB RACING is at a TRACK. SOLO I is at a TRACK.

RallyxDave do you get it now?

Jesus ####ing Christ.
 
In Road Racing, cars are in direct competition with each other. There are winners and points/awards given out depending on where you place at the end of the race. You need to be licensed to race.

Open track events are practice and instructional events. No trophies are given out. There is no placing and no winners. They are not races and you don't need to be licensed to run in these.

SCCA & NASA do both road racing & open track events. SCCA Club Racing absolutely involves RACING. Why do you think they call it "Club Racing"?

Whenever I go to open track events they stress that the event is NOT A RACING EVENT. You are driving the track having fun & learning. You obviously don't understand the difference between the two.

IGS said:
"Are NASA "High Performance Driving Events" and SCCA "Club Racing" considered ROAD RACING? "

NASA HPDE are not racing! Look here http://www.nasaracing.net/trackday/index.shtml and notice that they say this:

"Although these events definitely involve going fast in cars, and they may take place during race weekends, THEY ARE NOT WHEEL-TO-WHEEL RACING EVENTS."

SCCA Club Racing is racing as the name implies. Read about it on this page http://www.scca.org/amateur/club_racing/index.html You attend drivers schools and then can COMPETE IN RACES.

If you still can't understand the difference between open track events and road racing events by now then you never will. I'm done with this.
 
Okay, so setting aside some of the flaming: is an open track event structured the same way as a racing event, ie. you share the track with other cars, designated number of laps, etc? Or is it single-lap, single-car runs? Or something else? (I found a pair of tracks a little closer to Chicago, Blackhawk Farms and Road America, so I might give them a call and get an idea of how it's structured. Thanks for the tip about Road America, mdre21!) I'm initially interested in open track events, for the obvious reason that if it's not for me, I don't want to spend the money and time with the licensing and car build-up requirements.

(Back to the autocross thing: this weekend, Mazda is hosting an auto-x event where they supply the cars (modified Mazda 6's) and equipment, along with driving instruction sessions, so I'm swinging by there to get a bit of practice, since I missed the last club event because the clutch wasn't broken in, and I'm missing the one in July because of a wedding. Should be interesting to see how those cars handle.)
 
Go to road america! I've never raced there, but if i can get my car running again I really hoep to take the talon out. I've been going to road america for CART races since I was a baby... its an amazing track, arguably one of the best in america. Its got a huge straightaway tons of different turns and high speed braking areas... My favorite track of all time!!! Good luck!

:talon:
 
This is what I was told by an experienced Porsche Car Club of America Auto-Xer.

"It's all about Vision. See where you are going way before you get there." ;)


One lap with him in the passenger seat made a 100% difference how I drove. I'm not exaggerating at all. OMG
 
graf703 said:
Go to road america! I've never raced there, but if i can get my car running again I really hoep to take the talon out. I've been going to road america for CART races since I was a baby... its an amazing track, arguably one of the best in america. Its got a huge straightaway tons of different turns and high speed braking areas... My favorite track of all time!!! Good luck!

:talon:
Click to expand...

i scrubbed off about 5/32 of tread off my dad's stock talon tsi at road america. went up there for the scca runoffs and they would let you hit the track behind pace cars for like 4 laps for only $60. tons of fun since the pace cars were modified TRD Solaras that even the vettes and the two porsche 911's (not turbo) and modded boxster couldn't keep up with. Total blast of a time :thumb: I'd love to go back there in my talon, put some serious pressure on those porches and vettes.
 
i've done 2 autocross events this year, my first ever. I was able to figure my car out and see where its weaknesses are.
I used to club race before with a mustang so that helped me a lot. Love autocross, more than drag racing almost, but there is more fan fare in drag racing
 
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