SCCA Nationals or GRM Challenge?

I'm trying to plan out my summer/ fall. I would like to attend both the SCCA Nationals and the 2009 Challenge, but I don't have the time or money to do both. There is no way that I could convince my wife to let me do both this year. I guess I have to pick one. I will be bringing my soon to be SC'd sawzall miata and would run in XP for nationals.

I really want to see how competitive my car is as an autox car as I am hoping that I will be hands down the fastest in my area next season and will need a bigger pond to swim in.

If I run the nationals, I will likely be somewhat under prepped for xp, but I should be at or near the minimum weights and have decent power.

If I run the challenge, I will have to go back to dot R comps and probably take out the torsen to stay under budget. It will also limit some of my other plans for the car.

Any input?

Also, I've never been to either of them. I'm about 15 hours from Nebraska and 20 hours from G'ville.

If you do well at the Nats, you will be featured in SportsCar magazine.

If you do well at the 2009 Challenge, you will be featured in GrassrootsMotorsports magazine.

It's your call.

You could always Challenge this year and Nats next? I dunno, that's a tough call. You already have the car setup for XP AutoX and not $2009 so it seems redundant to "undo" work on it or make it slower.

Personally I have no desire to ever do Nationals. Drive/trailer half way across the country for what amounts to two autocrosses? I get to do two autocrosses 50 miles away for $75 next weekend! As a bonus I get to make friends I'll see again and keep costs down.

I do however have the desire to go to the Challenge. We whined long and hard for a "West Coast" Challenge and even though the reality of it happening is shaky we're still building a car. That's just too good of an adventure not to take part in! I'd love to do Gainseville but I'd have to do the fly down / buy a car / fly back since it's insane to spend 2 weeks towing a $2000 POS from Washington State to Florida!

So yeah... Seeing as how it's the same amount of headache for you either way, do the Challenge ;)

That is my biggest issue with the Challenge being in the fall. It's right on top of Nationals, the Runoffs, and in my case, SEMA. Makes for a busy couple of months.

Plus, springtime in Gainesville is a beautiful thing. The pirkies are in full bloom.

I haven't been to either, but I'm pretty sure I know which one would be more fun.

Hard thing with moving the Challenge back to the spring is the conflict with the Mitty. And then people would complain that we're not giving them enough time to test.

Tell me about this thing you call "test."

mw: I'd do one this year and one the next.

David S. Wallens wrote: Hard thing with moving the Challenge back to the spring is the conflict with the Mitty. And then people would complain that we're not giving them enough time to test.

Did you miss the part about the pirkies being in full bloom?

DILYSI Dave wrote:

David S. Wallens wrote: Hard thing with moving the Challenge back to the spring is the conflict with the Mitty. And then people would complain that we're not giving them enough time to test.

Did you miss the part about the pirkies being in full bloom?

Maybe we can move the Mitty to the fall.

David S. Wallens wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote:

David S. Wallens wrote: Hard thing with moving the Challenge back to the spring is the conflict with the Mitty. And then people would complain that we're not giving them enough time to test.

Did you miss the part about the pirkies being in full bloom?

Maybe we can move the Mitty to the fall.

There we go.

David S. Wallens wrote:

DILYSI Dave wrote:

David S. Wallens wrote: Hard thing with moving the Challenge back to the spring is the conflict with the Mitty. And then people would complain that we're not giving them enough time to test.

Did you miss the part about the pirkies being in full bloom?

Maybe we can move the Mitty to the fall.

i like the way you're thinking.