LA and San Diego BMWCCA Autocross Events in October

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Course map for Sunday. Fun track.

10-26-08 course map.jpg (143.88 KiB) Viewed 8340 times

[Steve Ekstrand]

So, a stock E92 M3 with good tires and a good driver could hit what? 110mph?

No wonder the LA guy thinks running SOW one lap at a time is an autocross.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

So, a stock E92 M3 with good tires and a good driver could hit what? 110mph?

No wonder the LA guy thinks running SOW one lap at a time is an autocross.

Maybe without the slalom; with, still damn fast for a parking lot.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Yes SD chapter is known for their "mini-road courses" (aka Lime Rock Park) with a slalom thrown in for "fun"

[Steve Ekstrand]

Fortunately no cars ever get destroyed there in SCCA events, so I'm sure going much much faster is very safe.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Fortunately no cars ever get destroyed there in SCCA events, so I'm sure going much much faster is very safe.

Actually we've had a few "incidents" and we've started to discuss and implement SCCA tools (i.e. SSS, course-design to SCCA Solo specs, etc...)

[Don Salyers]

So, a stock E92 M3 with good tires and a good driver could hit what? 110mph?

No wonder the LA guy thinks running SOW one lap at a time is an autocross.

Maybe without the slalom; with, still damn fast for a parking lot.

They may have to eliminate the slalom anyway----there's a bandstand type structure about where the slalom is to begin and it looked like, this past weekend, it was there for the football season.

Don

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

They may have to eliminate the slalom anyway----there's a bandstand type structure about where the slalom is to begin and it looked like, this past weekend, it was there for the football season.Don

You're right as it was there back in the Sept. event, but remember the map is not 100% accurate.

[Bob Beamesderfer]

... the map is not 100% accurate.

Your triple-digit mileage may vary.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

So if you take enough turns out of an autocross course even a BMW driver can run a fast lap. }:)

[Steve Ekstrand]

Hey look... Big Willow with light poles and poor asphalt.....

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Hey look... Big Willow with light poles and poor asphalt.....

EXACTLY!

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

So if you take enough turns out of an autocross course even a BMW driver can run a fast lap. }:)

That's my one minor gripe is they're not true SCCA autocross courses that are not HP dependant by handling/driver dependent. But again it's a marque club auto-x and the key thing is "fun". Rules in terms of classing are secondary.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Hey look... Big Willow with light poles and poor asphalt.....

After doing the event on Sunday...you were right Steve. It most definitely was Willow Springs (big track) with light poles. Let's just say it wasn't an SCCA approved course because the speedo on my M3 was a bit over Solo rules! :barf: I don't even want to think about what the 3 Porsche GT3s were at.....and the Ferrari 360 that showed up. Oh.........and there was a caged-Neon SRT who won X class!

[Steve Ekstrand]

If they want a track day, there are NO shortage of track days.

If they are going to do track days in a parking lot and call it autocross they are putting all of us at extreme risk of losing lots. I'd hope you'd help us out in that regard with the shopping kart crowd.


Also... Something that we need to be concerned about...
If track day groups start to fear the insurance clauses denying coverage at race tracks and in response use parking lots instead that is a HUGE threat to our sport. Something to think about... Of course, when Obama wins, they'll regulate autocross and nobody will be able to afford taxed marquee type cars anyway....

[Steve Ekstrand]

A caged black SRT-4 ran with us two years ago at Willow... He'd storm by me on the back straight and I would think the world was going to end. Then ride his bumper around 8 and 9. Fun watching him off in nine.... Ouch.... Don't come back across the track...... Don't come back across the track.... Whew..... That car had wicked wicked wicked power....

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

If they are going to do track days in a parking lot and call it autocross they are putting all of us at extreme risk of losing lots. I'd hope you'd help us out in that regard with the shopping kart crowd.

We've explained this (we being some SCCA members who are also BMWCCA members/instructors). They've (as a judge would say) "taken it under advisement". That's all we can do. Offer our suggestions, but I do fear the worse but it's out of my hands. And if you think we're bad.....try going to see a PCA auto-x. They do PASSING! That's more like a track setting/environment than ours. And their speeds much faster.

[Jason Isley BS RX8]

And if you think we're bad.....try going to see a PCA auto-x. They do PASSING! That's more like a track setting/environment than ours. And their speeds much faster.

That must be an SD thing, because I know the OC group that runs at El Toro does not do this.

[Jeff Shyu]

And if you think we're bad.....try going to see a PCA auto-x. They do PASSING! That's more like a track setting/environment than ours. And their speeds much faster.

That must be an SD thing, because I know the OC group that runs at El Toro does not do this.

PCASD does this?!..

this must be new. Back when Aaron and I were driving 914's at qualcomm, there was no passing..

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

And if you think we're bad.....try going to see a PCA auto-x. They do PASSING! That's more like a track setting/environment than ours. And their speeds much faster.

That must be an SD thing, because I know the OC group that runs at El Toro does not do this.

Correct...SD chapter of PCA only. And they even do continuous laps once in a while (which BMWCCA tried and it was very popular).

[Jayson Woodruff]

Try a 'RallyX' that sees 13miles, 100mph and features jumps. All this with only a helmet requirement.

Yeah, stage rally in disguise.

Jay W

[Albert Pernia]

OK, you guys can continue to debate the course designs, but here's pics from the San Diego event yesterday:

First Set:

[Albert Pernia]

Second Set:

[Albert Pernia]

Third Set:

[Albert Pernia]

Fourth Set: