Are there groups outside of the SCCA that autocross in Detroit? Thinking of getting some of my Michigan friends together for some cone dancing.
Also, with the Detroit SCCA...does anyone know how many runs you usually get, and how newbie friendly the group is...or any other info about them?
Also, a Cobalt (friends car) should be in SCCA H stock...right?
Chris
Follow this link.
http://dcscc.blogspot.com/
At the bottom of the page you will see links to all the clubs that run in Metro Detroit.
In autocross you will typically find everyone very friendly and eager to help you in any way to "do better." Of course, this seamingly unlimited help tends to end just about the time you start to beat them. From there it is your turn to provide the help.
Your first time experiences will improve greatly if you read all of this first.
http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm
Detroit is full of autocross groups. SCCA, Alfa, Corvette, Michigan sports car, the list goes on. And you're not far from the other regions either... You can find an autocross, somewhere, any sunday from mid april to mid oct. The dcssc link above will guide you.
The Detroit SCCA is very newbie un-friendly, and you get very few runs for the amount of time you spend at the event. The events are unorganized and unsafe, especially when compared to the Indy and Columbus, IN SCCA's. DRSCCA sucks so badly that I totally quit autocrossing, and I'll never join SCCA again. I have lots of anger toward the idiots who ran the show back in 2006, and there's nothing that will ever change my mind. Run away from these morons and never look back. Either join another SCCA region, or run with the DCSCC.
Kramer said:The Detroit SCCA is very newbie un-friendly
WHA? I loved my time as a Newb in Detroit. granted, you are there all day, but there are usually 4-5 runs which is more than some regions offer. In Rallycross (i know, apples and oranges), we would usually get upwards of 6 runs. I remember one day when we got 12 runs at an event (that was a REALLY long day)
AROC-Detroit runs the best autocrosses ever. super-efficient process, voluntary course work, free fun runs at the end of the day for people who worked the course, and i think you can pay for fun runs if you're one of the non-workers.
And here's our webpage. http://arocdetr.ipower.com/
We should have a tentative schedule sometime in January.
Eric
When I started autocrossing in the mid 90's I loved the DRSCCA, it was great if you were serious, lot's of top level National drivers and well run events, all very serious and professional. I now can't stand it for the same reason.
DCSCC and especially the AROC (which is part of the council) run the best events. Casual, run when you like, work when you like. Entry fees are around $20 (Vs $50 for SCCA), you normally get 5-6 runs (Vs 3-4 with DRSCCA). Best of all I can get down there at 8:30, run, work and be back with the family by 2:30. With the SCCA you play more than twice as much, have fewer runs and need to be there by 8:00 and will be lucky to leave the site by 6:00. If you stay at a council event that late your either organizing it or have had another 6 fun runs.
Council events win out in every area I can thing of for me. My only caveat is I find the Corvette club a little anal on their helmet rules as I can't use my perfect SA95 Kevlar helmet any more, I have to use some POS plastic sweaty thing that has been dropped and worn by 1,000,000 sweaty heads prior to me. Other clubs will still let me use my SA95, I'm holding out for the SA10's until I get a new one.
One more thing, Council is more street tire oriented, the stock classes all have healthy stock tires classes and they have a great 'street mod' set of classes and street tire equivalents which are great catch all classes without needing a 5th wheel and trailer to carry your SCCA rule books and appeal forms.
Oh, and while I'm pandering to the AROC, they do the best track days too. Low key, safe and a pleasant absence of ego's
Do note, I've not paid any one with anything.
Particularly warm beer. 
Thanks for the good words.
e-
alfadriver wrote:Do note, I've not paid any one with anything. YET
Particularly warm beer.
Thanks for the good words.
e-
Not too far from detroit, you can autox with the western ontario sports car association (wosca.com). They run events in Sarnia which is right across the border from port huron MI. You can get lots of runs (6-8) plus fun runs. They are quite newby friendly with a variety of cars that show up.
1966stang wrote:Are there groups outside of the SCCA that autocross in Detroit? Thinking of getting some of my Michigan friends together for some cone dancing.
Also, with the Detroit SCCA...does anyone know how many runs you usually get, and how newbie friendly the group is...or any other info about them?
Also, a Cobalt (friends car) should be in SCCA H stock...right?
Chris
How old are you? Kettering University in Flint, MI has a club called Firebirds which usually gets together for 2 or 3 autoxes per semester.
I couldn't find any contact info from a quick search, but here's a starting point for you.
http://www.kettering.edu/studentactivities/student_organizations.jsp
Kramer wrote:The Detroit SCCA is very newbie un-friendly, and you get very few runs for the amount of time you spend at the event. The events are unorganized and unsafe, especially when compared to the Indy and Columbus, IN SCCA's. DRSCCA sucks so badly that I totally quit autocrossing, and I'll never join SCCA again. I have lots of anger toward the idiots who ran the show back in 2006, and there's nothing that will ever change my mind. Run away from these morons and never look back. Either join another SCCA region, or run with the DCSCC.
I found your comments very alarming. I ran with the DRSCCA for many years. When/where did the incedents take place? The events are big, often being cut off at 200 cars. As a result, yes 4 runs is the norm as are long days. I never saw an issue with organization (I often worked tech), just a big event that took time to process everyone through. Yes we assigned worker shifts and structured heats, if we let people go whenever, everyone would be gone by the end. 200 cars X 4 runs = 800 runs. Now add in 2 driver cars, about 10 or 12 per heat, thats another 40 or 50. Throw in a few re-runs and you are rapidly closing in on a 900 run event. Smaller clubs with 60 or 70 cars can be more flexible, and have more runs. I'm not going to bash the other clubs, I don't run with them anymore so I can't hold an accurate comparison.
I went to an AROC and SCCA event this past summer in Detroit (Belle Isle). It was great fun, until buying a house got me derailed for the rest of the season...
Hopefully I'll get in a few next year!
The last straw with me and DRSCCA was when I volunteered my trailer to shag cones at a Waterford autocross. With the exception of two guys at the end of the straightaway, EVERYBODY else left the course, leaving me to load up every f-ing cone. When I finally got done, I pulled up to the fun-mover truck, where I was told to wait because they were about to pass out trophies. I told them no trophies would be given until the cones were unloaded from my trailer (everybody else already had their cars loaded). I pulled my rig directly in the trophy area and forced people to help me unload it. The idiot organizer should have made others help me load the cones, and she shouldn't have told me to wait until after the presentation to unload. I left without receiving my trophy.
Safety stewards at that particular event were nowhere to be found, either, and cars were wrecked. I figured it was only a matter of time until a head was crushed due to a falling jack that the DRSCCA would take safety seriously.
I gotta strongly recommend the Detroit Alfa club. The best club I've ever run with. LIke someone else said, working the course is voluntary, but really, why wouldn't you? The best thing is you can choose when you work. That way you don't get stuck running first heat, and working 84th heat like SCCA and spending eleventeen hours on an asphalt pad getting heat stroke.
While I very much appreciate all the AROC love going on here, don't discount our fellow council clubs- Michigan Sports Car Club, and Corvette Club- they run very high quality events.
Eric
alfadriver wrote:While I very much appreciate all the AROC love going on here, don't discount our fellow council clubs- Michigan Sports Car Club, and Corvette Club- they run very high quality events.
Eric
true. i participated in a couple of the CCM events and they were almost as well-run as the AROC-Detroit events. the CCM courses might also be more friendly to cars larger than Alfa GTVs. 
In reply to Kramer:
I'm not sure if I was at that event or not. The fact that no one stayed on course to help with cones is inexcusable. Usually each corner stacks their cones, then the truck retrieves the stacks. An event at Waterford is rare, and runs a bit differently. As far as the safety stewards go, there are only one or two IIRC per heat. I think they are more concerned with the course and grid rather than paddock. I've not worked that position, but it's a lot of ground to cover. Sorry the club let you down, as the world gets tougher on motorsports enthusiasts, we need to stick together. I'm glad you were able to find some other groups you enjoy being with.
No matter where the event is held, it should be ran according to the direction of the Solo event chair.
I quickly learned upon moving to Detroit just how prevalent the "that's not my job" attitude is*. Even in a volunteer organization like SCCA. There's no room for that. And in the three or four autocrosses I tan with DRSCCA, I never heard any safety rules (from mandatory jackstands to two-feet-in, which were taken seriously at the other divisions). And I never saw a safety steward being announced or introduced, so I didn't know who to address if I saw a violation or issue.
Sorry to complain so much, but I was severely disappointed with DRSCCA--maybe I shouldn't have compared them to the other divisions.
*the other thing I've only heard near Detroit was "he drives a Honda. He deserved to have his car wrecked into."
