Just curious how much you fellow GRMer's are getting to the parking lots each season.
In my first year, I'm expecting to get to 8 events, 7 are with my two "home" regions, and 1 with an out-of-state region (when visiting family). That should put me right around 70 runs for season. This is pretty much every event I've been able to go to that is nearby since I got my new car.
So, again, how many regional, divisional, national events are you guys going to, and about how many runs a year do you do?
What limits you? Money, time, desire, availability/location of events?
This year we're just doing 8 regional events. I hope to do more next year, but right now I'm concentrating more on my boys that are running FJA.
I'm running 9 club events this year in a (successful) attempt to take the season points championship. I'm hoping to run even more events next year when my schedule should open up a bit.
Javelin
SuperDork
9/26/11 2:28 p.m.
3 seasons ago I did something like 22 events resulting in 117-ish runs. I'll have to pull my log book for the exact numbers.
This season it's just 7 with the local PCA. Next year will probably be the same what with Javelin Jr. coming. Year after that will be back up to 16 or so though.
Our region, Columbus IN, has 14, 16 counting 2 schools. I've attempted to hit them all but will likely only make 11 or 12.
Duke
SuperDork
9/26/11 2:38 p.m.
Our local club puts on 4 events per year in conjunction with the regional PCA chapter, and I usually make all 4 of those. Plus I'll usually hit 2-3 Philly Region SCCA events per year.
So call it 6 events per year, usually 4-5 passes per event, plus maybe 2-3 fun runs. So maybe 35 passes on a bad year, 50+ runs on a good year total.
Once I get the tire trailer sorted, I may try to make another Philly event per year at Citizens Bank Park. Right now I only run their Delaware events.
If you want more seat time, join a club that offers fun runs. Our club does, and if you came to 4 events in 2009, your entry fee + corner working would net you ~30 runs (5 paid runs 3-4 fun runs). Had you been a member of our club, add another 20-30 runs in a season (members who work get as many fun runs as they can take). So somewhere around 50-60 runs, all in 4 events.
But this past 2011 season, I went to one event, ran 2 runs, that's it. Car broke, went on the trailer, and didn't run anything after that.
Unfortunately, I can only fit in about 5 or 6 events a year. The season in Michigan is pretty short, and I've got two young kids, so what are ya gonna do?
My 8th event this year is this Sunday at Belle Isle, Detroit, MI. I'll probably get a 9th in the freeze-your-butt-off CCM event at the end of Oct too.
Local club does about 8 events/year and we never get less than 6 runs (I've had 11 on a good day). I could double my days/year by running with the local PCA, which is something I'm looking to do next season.
I have trouble fitting in more than 4-5 as well because you have to commit the whole day and begin at some god awful hour in the morning. During the hotter months it's just not worth it.
I'd love to do a night even during the hot time of the year and I'd also love to do a wet event, but rainy events are tough on guys who wear glasses. (and Verts, unless they let you run with the top up)
RossD
SuperDork
9/26/11 3:25 p.m.
None. Ever... I really am more interested in the car/engineering side of sports cars. Although I do love flogging my Miata.
For several years I've done a full local season (10-12 events) plus 1-2 National Tours, plus Nationals. This year, I've only done like 3 locals, will be 3 Tours including the one in Nashville next month, and Nationals.
I'm fairly sure I've cracked 30 before. This year I've only done maybe 12. I've been a little less motivated since I'm co-driving a not quite competitive car (NB Miata in STR).
Locally, it's entirely possible to autox 3/4 weekends from March to October, with many double-headers in there. I'm lazy and picky now and only go to the good ones (good courses, well run).
carguy123 wrote:
I'd love to do a night event during the hot time of the year
This sounds very unsafe.
I've done 10 local events so far, between two clubs, with 4 remaining on the schedule + one national tour event. This year has been tough because of personal/family issues. Next year I'm planning to expand my horizons (within a 200 mile radius) and try to do 20+ events and an Evo school.
"My name is bludroptop and I'm an autocrossaholic...."
I think we have around 10-11 events a year with our local region.
I'm planning on hitting ~25 next year, going to "poach" events with other somewhat local regions. Luckily, IndySCCA and KYSCCA seem to switch weekends, so that helps right there.
ProDarwin wrote:
carguy123 wrote:
I'd love to do a night event during the hot time of the year
This sounds very unsafe.
Really? Outside of flag visibility, what do you think would be particularly more unsafe than day runs?
Duke
SuperDork
9/26/11 3:56 p.m.
ReverendDexter wrote:
ProDarwin wrote:
carguy123 wrote:
I'd love to do a night event during the hot time of the year
This sounds very unsafe.
Really? Outside of flag visibility, what do you think would be particularly more unsafe than day runs?
Yeah, it's going to depend a bunch on the level of lot lighting, but I've been in some lots that would be very safe for running at night.
ReverendDexter wrote:
ProDarwin wrote:
carguy123 wrote:
I'd love to do a night event during the hot time of the year
This sounds very unsafe.
Really? Outside of flag visibility, what do you think would be particularly more unsafe than day runs?
Worker visibility.
Cone visibility.
Reduced depth perception.
Blinding workers with headlights.
etc.
mtn
SuperDork
9/26/11 4:07 p.m.
Our region hosts 23 a year. So far I've been to about 3, with 2 out of the region, and I hope to go to at least 3 more. Last year I think I had about 15 events. I know that I was in 11 different cars that year.
This year I'm hitting 15 regional events and 1 divisional. Should end up with 111 runs for the season since the only club still running averages 6 per event.
My limiting factor is time mostly. There are a lot of autox clubs here in the Chicago area. Earlier this season I figured with unlimited time I could hit 38 events within a 100 mile radius. There's actually more than that but they overlap.
There is a group in NC that does a night series. I would love them during the summer months. Off the top of my head, they do them on a week night.
I usually hit 8-10 a year. Average probably 5 runs each event. Last year, class champ for the region. This year, I've made it to one event. Just no time on the schedule with renovating a house and moving. The poor car has only been cranked once since May.
I probably do 7 or 8 per year. Maybe 1 or 2 SCCA events, but I do the entire season with the local BMWCCA chapter (even though I don't have a BMW). I bit more laid-back, and more open classing that is friendlier to my daily driver mods that otherwise would jack me up into SM for SCCA where I'd get slaughtered.......I won BMW club's X2 (non-BMW 2) class last season :)
Also BMW events usually have 5-6 runs.
I like big fish in small pond, lol...
wbjones
SuperDork
9/26/11 5:14 p.m.
that group is HighlandsSportsCarClub ( Asheville ) on Wed nights ... approx. once a month
I run with 2 SCCA regions won the championship in both last yr, will win in one this yr = probably 20 this yr ( I done as many as 25 - 27 in a yr ) + I'll have 5 - 6 track events ( 2 day events ) and crew for a SRF team 7 - 8 times a yr ... no wonder I don't have any spare time
I think I average about 2 events per month. During the summer there were a few stretches were I was autocrossing nearly every weekend, things slowed down a lot before the nationals, and there was a month where I was helping the guy I co-drive with get his engine installed, so I am off pace. With only 16 events so far this year. That includes a trip out to the nationals in Lincoln.