Most I have attended in a year is 6. I've attended no motorsports events this year due its general craziness.
Since I'm helping renovate our new house, I don't plan on making it to any events this year. I'm just hoping that I can finally sell my N/A FC so that over the winter, I can get a new motor for the turbo FC and get it road-worthy again.
There are a couple of night events in the area, I just haven't been able to make any.
They put glow sticks on the cones (just corner cones?) and move the workers. Parking lots aren't lit, the only light comes from the cars.
Everyone loves them.
I think what has held me back is that in the central Ohio ti western PA region I call home you have an event nearly every weekend with a two hour drive from April to October. I think I'd actually make it to more if I had to schedule them. Local clubs have about 20 combined. I guess I too often think, well, I can always go do that.
I usually do between 7 and 12 "locals" and 2 to 5 national weekends.
The number needed to keep my skills sharp does not work well with the number needed to keep me excited about autocross and to keep my budget in line.
In past years I got around 20 events in our short season. This year I did 4 events, but one was nationals (it showed)
irish44j wrote: 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.....
And no slaloms 
I gave it up.
I was bored with only five sub sixty second runs per eight hour day. A friend (who was an awesome auto crosser) saw my frustration and asked what I'd rather be doing. I told him and he suggested that I try that for a change. Now, I kayak, ride horses, hike, rock climb and mountain bike. If my local clubs would run half day programs, I'd probably run infrequently but they don't want to change and simultaneously don't understand why attendance is dropping.
I still like cars and while I'll probably use auto crossing to sort out my Datsun project car, I doubt I'll ever do it regularly again.
This is my first year autocrossing. I've gone to 6 events so far, and I hope to get another few in before it starts getting cold.
My theory is that the absolute key is to either make friends or get friends to go. Like pretty much everything in life, eventually the people are more important than the activity itself.
I've lost count for this year... something north of 18
This year? 4. Dixie Tour, two locals and Nats.
Peak year? 1999, that was every weekend from March 1 to December 1, except for that one weekend in June where I separated from my practice wife.
I think the ultimate for me is only about 7 or 8 events--more than that and I start learning bad habits.
The most I ever went to in one year was a little over 50 events. That was running 2 events most weekends during the summer and I even managed three events one weekend.
Lately is has been closer to 15 events a year.
At a peak in 2007 I ran 20-22 events including nationals in Topeka. Now I'm down to about 10. Just got new tires though so my pace may pick up.
Every year I tell myself I'll do less, yet even without a car I'm still doing more than most on this forum 
Every other activity I participate in I seem to be evaluating as a replacement hobby for autocross.... Paintball, Rock Climbing, Karting, etc.
I tried paintball. And soccer. And ice hockey.
Sprained ankle and torn ACL and all the fun related to that put a damper on things. I'm sure I'm not going to do anything requiring six months of physical therapy on an autocross course. Unless...
"Now on FOX, when chasing cones goes wrong..."
Per Schroeder wrote: This year? 4. Dixie Tour, two locals and Nats. Peak year? 1999, that was every weekend from March 1 to December 1, except for that one weekend in June where I separated from my practice wife. I think the ultimate for me is only about 7 or 8 events--more than that and I start learning bad habits.
I've threatened for a couple of years to stop doing locals, and only do national stuff. This year just kinda turned out that way do to scheduling, and ultimately, I think I like it. I prefer 2 day events, I like racing where there is a prize on the line, I like the stronger in class competition, etc. The fact that the car is pretty expensive to fix when it does break makes limiting the number of runs to those that count make a certain amount of sense.
If I didn't have to drive so far, get up so early and spend so many hours standing around I'd do 30-40 autocrosses a year, but track days give me so much more bang for my buck.
An autocross would be cool for a quick fix, but I get so much less seat time and I have to get up earlier than I do on a track day plus I waste so much of the day.
It also doesn't help that autocrosses are usually at places with no facilities from bathrooms to food to shade. Tracks have all those.
LainfordExpress wrote: I tried paintball. And soccer. And ice hockey. Sprained ankle and torn ACL and all the fun related to that put a damper on things. I'm sure I'm not going to do anything requiring six months of physical therapy on an autocross course. Unless... "Now on FOX, when chasing cones goes wrong..."
Understandable. I like to be active, but autocross isn't very physical. Really the only reason I'm usually tired is because A) I got up at 5:00 am B) I've been in the sun for 8 hours or C) been freezing my butt off
I'm beginning to think I should have a hobby that is also a workout and helps me stay in good shape. I lift/exercise a lot during the week, but on autocross weekends feel like I take a step back. Then again, its a ton of fun - so some tradeoff there.
Then there's the cost. If I stopped racing I could pick up 3 hobbies and still have more money. Autocrossing ends up costing like $75-100 per event, even for the close ones. Add in events that are two hours away, or the fact that I bought a convertible sportscar instead of a logical appliance and it really starts adding up.
carguy123 wrote: If I didn't have to drive so far, get up so early and spend so many hours standing around I'd do 30-40 autocrosses a year, but track days give me so much more bang for my buck.
Are you talking about lapping days, or time trials/pdx/etc. days with competition?
One of those is comparing apples to oranges. The other is very expensive
carguy123 wrote: If I didn't have to drive so far, get up so early and spend so many hours standing around I'd do 30-40 autocrosses a year, but track days give me so much more bang for my buck. An autocross would be cool for a quick fix, but I get so much less seat time and I have to get up earlier than I do on a track day plus I waste so much of the day. It also doesn't help that autocrosses are usually at places with no facilities from bathrooms to food to shade. Tracks have all those.
If you don't need competition, track days are awesome. I need competition.
DILYSI Dave wrote: I've threatened for a couple of years to stop doing locals, and only do national stuff. This year just kinda turned out that way do to scheduling, and ultimately, I think I like it. I prefer 2 day events, I like racing where there is a prize on the line, I like the stronger in class competition, etc. The fact that the car is pretty expensive to fix when it does break makes limiting the number of runs to those that count make a certain amount of sense.
You know, that might be part of my reduction in seat time---the BMod car can have its issues and it certainly doesn't like bad lots---so why take it to a crappy venue and spend money to spend more money?
This year was also hurt by a messed up ankle—love me some stress fractures.
My last "really active" season was in 09 when I still had my SC2 - I did all of the IndySCCA events but one as well as the Peru NT so that was probably 9 events?
I slacked off in '10 because I didn't have a car or a steady co-drive seat. Add to that relocation to Nashville and other life changes, I kinda lost interest.
This year I fell off the wagon completely with only one IndySCCA event. I haven't even hit an event here in Nashville since I moved here. Now that TN Region is losing NSS, not sure what's gonna happen next year...
ProDarwin wrote: Understandable. I like to be active, but autocross isn't very physical. Really the only reason I'm usually tired is because A) I got up at 5:00 am B) I've been in the sun for 8 hours or C) been freezing my butt off I'm beginning to think I should have a hobby that is also a workout and helps me stay in good shape. I lift/exercise a lot during the week, but on autocross weekends feel like I take a step back. Then again, its a ton of fun - so some tradeoff there.
You can easily get a 30 minute run in during course walks, and you'll get a ton more course walks than anyone else.
ProDarwin wrote:LainfordExpress wrote: I tried paintball. And soccer. And ice hockey. Sprained ankle and torn ACL and all the fun related to that put a damper on things. I'm sure I'm not going to do anything requiring six months of physical therapy on an autocross course. Unless... "Now on FOX, when chasing cones goes wrong..."Understandable. I like to be active, but autocross isn't very physical. Really the only reason I'm usually tired is because A) I got up at 5:00 am B) I've been in the sun for 8 hours or C) been freezing my butt off I'm beginning to think I should have a hobby that is also a workout and helps me stay in good shape. I lift/exercise a lot during the week, but on autocross weekends feel like I take a step back. Then again, its a ton of fun - so some tradeoff there.
Yeah, torn ACL is teh lamzors. Plus, the doctor misdiagnosed it for over two years, so I walked around on a gimpy knee, did marching band, played hockey, torqued it a couple times; always thought I was just spraining it again and again. Finally, I got mad and basically said "You're prescribing me an MRI or I'm finding a new doctor". Lo and behold, ACL torn, and meniscus tear to boot!
No competition at track days? You guyz must be doing it wrong.
You always are competing against others on the track, seeing you and your car's relative place, but usually I go with friends. Let the competition begin.
What I was saying is that I get much more of a fix doing track days than autocross. The dollar/time/convenience ratio is all screwed up. That's why I only get 4ish a year.
Unfortunately I can't commit to a full track season since that would take me all over. Jobs suck! They sure get in the way of life.
To me the only competition that truly matters is against myself.
Yeah, I've only done a few track days... I don't find them nearly as fun as my local autocross.
Maybe if I got lap times I'd enjoy it more, but track days just seem a lot more stressful. Harder on my brakes and tires, and I can't go full-out because it's a 3 hour drive away and I don't tow. Plus, for four or five 20 minute sessions, I pay at least six times what I do for a day of autocross just in entry fees, never mind the time and fuel.
Dif'rent strokes fo' dif'rent folks.
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