We had a joint event with another region, and I went down to hang out and get some photographs (little paved for my tastes).
180 cars, and found out they had 3 runs each. Not per heat, but all day. Not that I ever have, but I will never complain about only 8 runs during our rallycross. 
OVR?
I showed up for one once. Once.
10-20 minutes of seat time per rallycross has me spoiled.
This is what I remember from my autocross days. This is also why I'll never go back.
We average 7-8 1-minute runs at our autox events with 70 cars. Worker changeover is the worst time suck so we've come up with ways to lessen the pain.
Split day format FTW (for everyone except the core team that has to be there all day)
If you're doing autocross for seat time, you're missing the point.
Which is why I haven't been to an SCCA autocross in almost 15 years.
Ian F wrote: If you're doing autocross for seat time, you're missing the point.
I have never done an autocross, so what is the point exactly?
Dollar for dollar, track days are better.
SyntheticBlinkerFluid wrote:Ian F wrote: If you're doing autocross for seat time, you're missing the point.I have never done an autocross, so what is the point exactly?
Autocross is about the competition, not absolute seat time. Some thrive on that. Some don't. It's about reading the course without driving it, figuring out the fastest line, and then remembering and executing that line at speed.
Personally, I don't care if I get three runs, which is the minimum per the rules. A few more once in awhile is fine, but that's not why I do it. Getting hung up about seat time is setting yourself up to be unhappy.
I'm not real excited to do track days. I plan to do them, but only as a means to an end: getting a competition license.
In reply to Knurled:
Western OH and Cincinnati at Wilmington Air Park.
After participating in the SCCA National tour this weekend (3 runs) I realized I'm spoiled with the San Diego region's usual 4 run championship events.
Like mentioned, autocross is not for seat time. In fact I would say the opposite. You get three runs, no practice runs, no warm up runs. What can you do in 3 runs with only walking the course before hand? Separates the men from the boys...
I'm a seat time junky, so autocross doesn't do it for me either. I get the competition thing though if you don't have wheel to wheel available to you. That's why ice racing was such a treat. 6 races, 12 laps each, about a minute a lap. Track days are great, but the competition factor is gone since you are only really racing yourself.
Junkyard_Dog wrote: This is what I remember from my autocross days. This is also why I'll never go back.
^ This, pretty much. I learned a lot, but standing in the hot sun for 6-8 hours for three laps just didn't do it for me. I lasted about five years and that was enough.
As other said, it isn't really about the seat time. Autocross is more of a game than a race, and it's fun out-thinking the competition.
Unless your just going out to ahve fun. there are times I ahve gotten twelve to fifteen funs with the Buckeye Miata Club. That being said, I have no real interest in going back and running with OVR.
I believe our normal Western OH autocrosses are 8-12 runs depending on the turnout, but can't say for certain. I know after 2 years of rallycross the lowest I remember was 8, and that was the last event we had on late November. And it was because it was taking everyone forever to complete the damn course in the mud!
Almost forgot, there was an Abarth there! I took many photos to see how the oem suspension looked out there. Might have to give it a go this year.
I go to autocrosses to hang out with friends and occasionally drive. One reason I went to a kart is that the course and speeds feel so much greater. 3 runs all day is why I love that we can get 100 or so drivers, at least 4 runs, on a 40 second course, in under 4 hours during our Nite Series. We've set a goal of a minimum of 5 runs this season.
skierd wrote: Split day format FTW (for everyone except the core team that has to be there all day)
This. Well run events will give 4 runs to well over 250 drivers in a day, and drivers only need to be there half the day. You still have to enjoy the competition to do it though.
Nobody does it for the seat time. I can't think of a single thing I've participated in that didn't absolutely blow autocross away from a participation time standpoint. I just did a MTB event yesterday... I had maybe 1.5 hours of there-but-not-doing-stuff time, and 7.5 hours on my bike.
In the San Francisco Bay area 180 drivers is not unusual. We have had as many as 320 before. (That was a long day)
We consider 120 or less to be low turnout.
Even if you only get 2 minutes of seat time, it will be the most intense, heart pounding, knee shaking adrenaline-packed 2 minutes of your life.
Woody wrote: Dollar for dollar, track days are better.
That's what I discovered. $300 sounds like a lot, but I get almost four HOURS of track time at Road America for that $300...well worth it, IMHO.
jstein77 wrote: Even if you only get 2 minutes of seat time, it will be the most intense, heart pounding, knee shaking adrenaline-packed 2 minutes of your life.
Dunno about that in a stock class car,true though in something fast.
jstein77 wrote: Even if you only get 2 minutes of seat time, it will be the most intense, heart pounding, knee shaking adrenaline-packed 2 minutes of your life.
Unless you try rallycross, in which case it will be second.
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