AUTOCROSS AT THOMPSON SPEEDWAY - July 27th

[One-Bad-ZL1]

Calling all members in the New England area for an awesome day of Autocross with the Connecticut Autocross & Rally Team (CART)!

No pre-registration necessary, but the form is here online and recommended you complete before the deadline to make checkin easier for you: http://www.motorsportreg.com/events/...7#.U7yWrPldWSo
You do not pay when you complete the online registration, you will pay at the gate.

Cost: $50 for non-members payable at the event

Helmets: Both SNELL-M and SA rated accepted...they have loaners and if you need one, bring $2 for the head sock they want you to wear so you don't spread your cooties to others. Open Faced helmets meeting the SNELL ratings above are OK to use.

Link to CART's website:
http://www.cartct.com/cart-schedule/

Link to CART's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Conne...56?ref=profile

C.A.R.T. Autocross Regulations
•C.A.R.T. maintains a good neighbor policy: any competitor or crew found driving in the pits or on the street in an unsafe manner will be ejected, and forfeit any fees paid. Vehicles that are judged to be too loud will receive one warning to correct the problem before they will not be allowed to run. Drivers exhibiting unsafe driving skills on or off the property will be banned from events.
• Registration closes promptly at 9:30 a.m. - I recommend on-line registration, set up your account and it becomes very easy from there on.
Any entry after that time cannot be accepted.
•Any car (street legal or race) may compete. No trucks, SUV’s motorcycles or shifter carts can compete.
•Cars are classed per SCCA rules. (Stock cars are allowed any tire / wheel combination that is contained within the wheel well. A minimum tire tread wear rating of 140 is required )
•Car number and class must be clearly marked on the car. Car numbers should be 8 inches high, class letters should be 4 inches.
•Minimum age to compete is 18 years old for non club member participants and 16 years old for paid club members (any club members 16 and 17 years old must be accompanied by a paid member parent and have a waiver signed by said parent prior to competing). All drivers must have a valid driver’s license. (We do check!)
•Helmets are required and we do have loaners. You must purchase a headsock to use a loaner helmet. Every helmet must have Snell M or SA rating and proof of being manufactured within the last 15 years. We accept the current and two previous Snell rating periods for autocross helmets. Track helmets must be current and one previous Snell rating period. Helmets must be in good condition (no cracks)
•Apparel – We suggest long sleeve shirts and long pants be worn when driving in this event. The material should be 100% cotton. (ONLY A SUGGESTION, I will be in shorts and short sleeves) Close toed shoes are required for all participants, no sandals, please.
•All cars must be in good mechanical condition. This includes brakes and mechanically secured battery (no elastic cord). All cars must be muffled to a level determined by the Event Chair or any Officer.
•All attendees will be required to work at least one work shift per event. Failure to work your assigned shift will result in loss of ALL recorded times.
•This is a non-spectator event. Only drivers and “crew” allowed. No pets, and please remove all your trash when you depart.
•We broadcast event times on FM radio. Bring a portable radio and stay in touch with the event. You can also access you times via a smartphone. Connect to the “CARTCT” network at the event and enter the URL on the side of the trailer into your phone’s browser.
Novices
We welcome novices and other first time participants. A walk through with instruction and tips is held before the drivers meeting for novices by a CART instructor and an instructor will ride with you on your first run.
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New to Autocross? Never run with CART before? Haven’t run with us this year?
Registration is easy.
1) Get a car number and car classification. Once you have a number, this will be your number for this year, and you can skip this stop at subsequent events. (Like I mentioned before, working on getting the list of reserved numbers, don't sweat this) UPDATE 7/8 - BECAUSE WE ARE NEW TO THE CLUB, WE WILL FALL IN THE NOVICE CLASS AND THEY WILL GIVE US PREPRINTED NUMBERS. SO BRING SOME PAINTERS TAPE TO TAPE YOUR NUMBERS ON EACH SIDE OF YOUR CAR.
2) Go to the right side of the trailer, and have your car number and information entered into the timing computer. You must do this at each event.
3) Go to the left side of the trailer to pay your entry fee, get your wristband, and your work assignment. You will not be allowed to run without a wristband. The wristband you received at the gate allows you to be on the premises, you need a different wristband to compete.
Already have a number for the season, and want to print it out on plain paper to tape to your car? We have a downloadable word document on this site. Replace the ###’s with your number, change the font size to as large as your printer will handle by typing the font size in the font size box on the tool bar and print it. Link to the Letter doc: http://www.cartct.com/printable-car-numbers/
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Event Agenda
•8:00 AM – 9:00 AM Registration – CART MEMBERS receive a discount on the entry fee. You must have a current year CART issued car number to register. Car numbers are issued at the registration trailer in separate line from regular registration. Your vehicle will be classed at that time, please be prepared to inform us of modifications or changes to your car. If you already know your car’s class, it will speed up the process.
•9:00 AM – 10:15 AM Vehicle Safety Inspection
•10:15 AM – Novice Walk
•10:30 AM – Mandatory Driver & Crew Meeting EVERYONE PRESENT ON THE LOT MUST ATTEND
•11:00 AM – First car off. CART does not run in heats, we use a numerical running order.
•Trophy presentation on site after the event
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Since they don't run in heats, we may not have issues in the past of running together. If we get 6-8 cars going, CART will give us our own class and we will be competing against each other. Should be awesome.

What class is my car in?
SCCA® Solo® has many categories divided into classes for vehicles. Those categories include:

Stock – This category includes mass-produced, common vehicles that may be “daily drivers” (cars used for normal, everyday driving). Stock Category cars compete in their “factory” configuration with a minimal number of allowances (not requirements).

Street Touring® – This class is a fairly new class and is geared towards cars with common bolt-on modifications. Things like cold-air intakes, headers, lowering springs, etc. This is the only category that does not allow DOT competition R-compound tires – only high performance tires with a UTQG treadwear rating of 140 or higher are allowed (found on the tire sidewall).

Street Prepared – This is the original Solo® “street” class, sometimes called a “bolt-on” class. Any fuel and ignition system is allowed along with any suspension springs and shocks/struts as long as they are fitted into their original location. Things like turbo/superchargers must remain the same. There is no limit on wheel size or DOT tire sizes.

Street Modified – This is the top tier of the “street” classes. This class allows engine swaps as long as the engine is made by the same manufacturer as the car. You may also add turbo/superchargers, camshaft upgrades, and any suspension upgrades as long as it uses the factory attachment points.

Prepared – This class is generally for non-streetable cars. Things like gutted interiors and racing slicks are a big give away. Most things are allowed in this class and is relied on weight more than anything.

Modified – They are usually special built competition vehicles and most of them resemble an open-wheel Indy car or a closed-wheel LeMans sports racer. DM and EM cars may have started life on the streets, but just about any engine, drivetrain, or suspension is permitted. Supercharged rotary engines and V-8 engines are seen in 1700-pound EM machines and powerful 4-cylinders are common in 1300-pound DM lightweights.

For the ZL1 - I chose "A Street Prepared", for you others I would think you're either "A Stock" or like me "A Street Prepared"

Info on work assignments:
We will be given our 1/2 hour work assignments when we pay at the trailer. Types of assignments are Shagging Cones, Paddock, Starter, Time keeper...unless you have experience with the last three, most will Shag Cones.

The THOMPSON SPEEDWAY course is brand new this year and I have included a layout of the new facility. This may be a good way to get in with the speedway to get in on a future track day event.

I know there is a lot of information here, don't be intimidated if you're new to autocross. It doesn't matter if yours is a V6 or V8, we are out to have some fun. Many of us have done it before and had a blast and are more than happy to answer questions and help you get ready. So post up that you're going. No maybe's, no not-goings...you're in or not on this list.

Come on...LET's DO THIS and have some fun in our cars!!!

GOING:
One-Bad-ZL1 (Jay)
Treplatano (Beiry)
Chevy 3 (Charlie)
DrivinLikeABoss (Ernest)


UPDATE 7/5/2014 - The President of CART contacted me and if we get 6-8 camaros going, we will be given our own class.
UPDATE 7/8/2014 - added on-line Pre-registration link and addition instructions, Car Classing Info, Helmet info
UPDATE 7/20/2014 - members going
UPDATE 7/24/2014 - cancellations

[One-Bad-ZL1]

HERE ARE PHOTOS I TOOK OF US DURING THE DAY AND VIDEO I SHOT OF MY RUNS...

Some of them caught our other members, Charlie, Ernest and Beiry running the course in front of me. This gives you a good idea of what goes on. Unfortunately we did get rained on, but that was interesting seeing how well these cars would handle in the rain. I was pleasantly surprised even towards the end went I put my car in full Track mode.

ENJOY! We sure did. Oh yeah, not one cone went down on my runs.

Run 1

Run 2

Run 3

Run 4

GoPro Run 1

GoPro Run 2

GoPro Run 3

[FAIRNOT LZ1]

List is started!

[67RS2010SS]

I know your not doing maybes, I'm thinking about it will know by the end of the week.

[One-Bad-ZL1]

Cool. I see you're getting more Xpel done. Getting it the right places for cone hits?

[67RS2010SS]

Top of the bumper and rockers and gills

[molloni]

:sad014 7:
can't make it...I'll be heading back into town that day....

[Kopterman]

We accept the current and two previous Snell rating periods for autocross helmets. Track helmets must be current and one previous Snell rating period.

Ok, what's the difference between autocross and track?

My helmet was made in 2003. It's Snell M2000

[Kopterman]

Originally Posted by One-Bad-ZL1

Cool. I see you're getting more Xpel done. Getting it the right places for cone hits?

Oh, is autocross doing turns between cones?? No actually track?

If that's the case I'm out. Sorry, not scuffing up my paint.

[One-Bad-ZL1]

Originally Posted by molloni

:sad014 7:
can't make it...I'll be heading back into town that day....

Oh man. Don't worry, there is another at Thompson in September. If this goes well, we'll do it again.

Originally Posted by Kopterman

Oh, is autocross doing turns between cones?? No actually track?

If that's the case I'm out. Sorry, not scuffing up my paint.

Brian - yes autocross is racing between the cones and they are softer than hitting the wall. Look up member Treplatano. His sig has his car taped with painters tape in all the right spots so he doesn't get any scuffs. You can do this. I haven't hit a cone yet.

[FAIRNOT LZ1]

Originally Posted by Kopterman

Oh, is autocross doing turns between cones?? No actually track?

If that's the case I'm out. Sorry, not scuffing up my paint.

Are you that bad??
Come on buddy!
I raced hard last time hit one cone... out of 5 runs I think ... never left a mark
Go slow ...or try to go slow

[One-Bad-ZL1]

Originally Posted by Kopterman

Ok, what's the difference between autocross and track?

My helmet was made in 2003. It's Snell M2000

Check this link out...

http://www.smf.org/cert

There was a 2005 and current 2010 issue so I would say yours is too old. Just another reason to upgrade.

[Kopterman]

Originally Posted by One-Bad-ZL1

Check this link out...

http://www.smf.org/cert

There was a 2005 and current 2010 issue so I would say yours is too old. Just another reason to upgrade.

It says for autocross current and 2 previous rating periods are ok so mine should be ok. 2010 is current, 2005 is 1st previous, 2000 would be 2nd previous. Looks like its too old for track or drag strip.

I've never done autocross or track before. Only drag strip. I do plan on running drags at Epping race track so I will need to get a new helmet at some point.

[67RS2010SS]

Where do I get a helmet?