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There are more legitimate outlets. SCCA Autocross / Solo II events are a fun way to race in a controlled environment. Most courses are one car at a time, in pa
by djsumdog 9y ago
There are more legitimate outlets. SCCA Autocross / Solo II events are a fun way to race in a controlled environment. Most courses are one car at a time, in parking lots set up to keep people under 40mph and are more about skill than speed.
People who really get hardcore into Autocross sometimes move on to road courses, buying roll cages and paying fees (or if you're lucky, finding a sponsor) to race against others on a closed track.
At some SCCA events you'll see all the legit autocrosses lined up and all the kids with their fast/furious wanna be shit rides around the outside. Once when we were going over the rules, one such car pulled in and the organizer said, "Looks like there's another one for the cardboard wing class." and we all laughed.
So at least some of these racers know about these events and just don't participate, but really these kids should be encourage to join more legit events, take on Solo II or drag racing or rally cross, and yea .. it will take some more money and time, but you'll get involved with a group of people who aren't idiots and who are responsible about their motorsports. If you do something stupid and wreck, at least you only hurt yourself and not some kid on the street.
- rwbt 9y agoStreet racing is akin to a Drag race. Autocross type circuit events are more technical with tight corners and I suspect many street racers won't be interested in them. A better solution is to increase access to drag strips. I believe many PD's in Nevada and Florida already do events like this https://jalopnik.com/5236317/drag-race-a-cop-in-beat-the-heat-challenge https://jalopnik.com/5236317/drag-race-a-cop-in-beat-the-hea...
- deleted 9y ago[deleted]
- djrogers 9y ago> At some SCCA events you'll see all the legit autocrosses lined up and all the kids with their fast/furious wanna be shit rides around the outside. Once when we were going over the rules, one such car pulled in and the organizer said, "Looks like there's another one for the cardboard wing class." and we all laughed. That kind of attitude is a big reason why SCCA events don't attract more people. Hey SCCA dude - we all know the E30 you track is legit, but you don't have to be a dick about it to people who have different tastes...
- drawnwren 9y agoIf autocross isn't your thing, High Performance Driving Events are great fun. They're generally on bigger circuits so you can get to higher speeds but they're safe and there's no traffic (except for the other racers). Generally, the HPDE crowd doesn't care what you drive either. It's a very relaxed community just looking to enjoy racing.
- Sohcahtoa82 9y agoThe problem is that these events tend to be expensive. It's $400 for a HPDE day at my local track, and it's done on a weekday so I gotta take the day off of work. Racing on the streets is free.
- rootusrootus 9y agoI would budget more like a grand, minimum. A few hundred in gasoline, two or three hundred in tire wear (depends entirely on the cost of the tires, obv), brake wear, etc. Not to mention the potential of physical damage that won't be covered by regular insurance, so if you want to buy track insurance that will be a couple hundred more. I do love taking my car out to the track, but my wallet feels it every time.
- libdjml 9y ago“but really these kids should be encourage to join more legit events” It sounds like you were so close to engaging them, but decided to call them the “cardboard wing class” and laugh. I’ve been in both of these groups over my lifetime, and I genuinely believe they can be bought together. Young guys with a bit of rebellious attitude may need someone to reach out and show them how much fun they can have legally learning how to handle their cars.