kazoospec wrote:
I've also started looking for car specific groups (Porsche/Corvette/Miata clubs) because they don't seem to have the "turn out" of some of the larger organizations.
I've actually been running with our local BMWCCA chapter all season in my Subaru) rather than SCCA or some of the other clubs around here for that very reason. Typical turnout is under 100 cars (occasionally more) and though it's not quite as smooth-running as SCCA events (due to alot more noob attendees) and at most events we're getting 5 1-minute runs, and then untimed fun runs afterwards (mostly so the BMW guys can show off their RWD tokyo drift skillz
I've found the events to be much more laid back than SCCA and people there are more about fun than ultra-hardcore competition - though in each class there are 4 or 5 top people who talk some friendly trash and push each other. Plus for the non-BMW folks there are only 4 classes (essentially broken down by displacement and then adjustted for FI/Rotary and competition tires. Oddly, the classes that way turn out to be pretty competitive regardless of the "mods" on the respective cars.
Since my wrx is severely under-modded (and under-tire-d) for STU allowances in SCCA and set up for my 50 miles of daily commuting, I really have no chance of being competitive at all at the big DC region events around here (200+ cars, lots of people with lots of money to build very fast cars, lots of very good drivers). And while I'm not all-out about winning all the time, it does get old going out there, driving well, and still being 4 seconds off the class leader in an evo/sti built to the max allowances of the rules. I don't have that kind of time or money.
Not to mention I paid $30 for a year membership in BMWCCA, which gets me into events for $30. I think for DC region SCCA, annual dues are just under $100 and events $40 or so. So I'm saving some money too, which is key.
I'll probably get more involved with SCCA again someday down the road once my car is more spec'd out and competitive...but until then, I'd prefer just to have fun and not deal with the overblown SCCA classing rules.
Can't wait to put on my H-brace on the underbody - it hardly helps at all with performance but solidifies the chassis over the crappy roads here. Perfectly legal in my class, but in SCCA it would bump me up to freakin Prepared, IIRC. Things like that are what piss me off about SCCA classing.
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Another club (Capitol Driving Club) around here, which runs on small lots usually, uses a "handicap" system for index. no classes at all - your index/standing is determined using a formula based on your handicap - much like golf. It seems to work out pretty well, overall since it is about improving your car/driving relative to the previous events.
Anyhow, just blabbering on a Saturday evening. The life of a married man with kids...
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edit: all that said, I personally don't mind doing coursework. We usually get 2-3 guys that know each other at each station so it's a social thing, work on my tan (sitting in a cubicle all week doesnt do it!), and usually the 1st/2nd heat cutoffs are based on the car number, so I adjust my car number weekly so I work 1st, drive 2nd....and get to see more of the course and how people are driving certain sections.. I don't only go to drive myself - I also like to see other people drive....drool at the hot cars....gape at the best drivers.....laugh at the M3 that forgets to turn off his launch control and spins out in the 1st corner when he hits the button and so on..