Autocross Update

Air...V...Water

Steve Kidd, Autocross Chair

Our October AutoX at Sebring was fun, but wet. While the rain was pretty intense, the lightning was what shut down the event—not once, but twice. Many of the competitors in the first sessions got dry runs, a circumstance that explains the big discrepancies in times. Speaking of times, please check out all AX results on the Gold Coast Region website under the “Track Events” tab: https://www.goldcoastregion.org/autocross/. Thanks are once again in order to Suncoast Region for allowing GCR to use the skid pad when they have track events at Sebring. Also, a big thanks to those members who attended the GCR/DE and donated helmets to our AX loaner helmet collection. PCA requires that helmets used in DE bear the current or next most recent Snell certification. Therefore, only helmets with the 2020 and 2015 certification may be used in DE, so if you have a helmet with 2010 Snell certification, please consider donating it to our AX program.

Our final events of 2021 will be a “double header”; i.e., two events in one day at Palm Beach International Raceway (PBIR) Kart Track. This approach solves several problems and has been used successfully by other clubs. Here’s how it works:

Event #5 Morning event for the early birds 7:45-8:45 AM Check-in/Tech/track walk 8:45-8:55 AM Driver meeting 9:05 AM First car out 12:00-1:00 PM Break; afternoon group begins arriving

Event #6 Afternoon event for late risers 12:15-1:15 PM Check-in/Tech/track walk 1:15-01:25 PM Driver meeting 1:35 PM First car out 4:35-??? PM Finish of competition runs; fun runs begin

Competitors may register for one or both events and pay a registration fee for both events if they register for both. Each event counts towards end-of-the-year points. Each event will be on the Kart track, with plans to offer 4 to 8 runs for up to 32 participants in each event.

Moving into 2022, our first event will be the 48 Hours at Sebring Club Race AutoX challenge. We hope to use the same two-event format at Sebring on Saturday, 5 February, as outlined for December at PBIR. We plan to limit participation to 32 drivers in the morning and 32 drivers in the afternoon. Our plans also include an autocross school on Friday morning, February 4th. The idea here is to offer newcomers an opportunity to learn autocross in a non-competitive environment with a small group of students. This plan will also allow school participants the opportunity to volunteer at the Club Race in the afternoon. We are also considering again a specialty keepsake for all autocross participants, pending approval. So . . . if you are thinking about learning more about autocross, plan on coming to the school on February 4th.

To continue offering a world-class AX program, we need a new site. This could be a BIG parking lot, an air strip, or a similarly large piece of pavement in the Tri-County area to hold our AutoX events. In the past we have used shopping center lots, sporting and gaming venues, and school/government parking facilities. Most recently, we used the BBT Center parking lot, which was great: big, centrally located, and reasonably priced. But a repaving project put an end to using that venue for us.

We need your help. What we need is someone to help get our foot in the door. Do you know of a site? Are you the person who knows the decision-maker at the potential site? Please call me at (954) 292-3915 if you can help us talk to the right person to secure a new AX site. In 2021 most of our AX events have been held at Sebring in conjunction with Club Race or a regional DE. While this plan has proven manageable, members have expressed a preference for not needing to drive so far. It would be preferable if a potential site were not more than a one-hour drive from the Fort Lauderdale area.

Tentative AX Schedule for the first half of 2022 Event #1 02/05/2022 Morning @ Sebring Skid Pad; 48 Hours at Sebring Club Race. AutoX challenge, similar to plan, above. Event #2 02/05/2022 Afternoon @ Sebring Skid Pad; 48 Hours at Sebring Club Race. AutoX challenge, similar to plan, above. Event #3 Either 05/03 or 04/30 at Sebring Skid Pad. Event #4 Possible “piggy back” event with the Zonefest AX at American Muscle Car Museum—or a new location???

Break for the Track Tour Caymans rule just ask Howard and Ernie Courseworking is part of the deal Dottie before the rain did in her tent