CKit

Was having this conversation with some friends the other day.

Some people start off autocrossing and move to track. Others do track and move to autocrossing. Some do both without preference. Others are constrained by time / garage space and or budget.

I started in autocross as a safe way to learn car control, but now find myself enjoying track more and more. I don't think I'll ever give up Autox completely, but we're moving to a 30:70 split this year biased towards track. Maybe it's because of a couple of promotions at work and more disposable income, maybe it's enjoying the track time without working, maybe it's feeling a little more comfortable at higher speeds. Or maybe it's because my wife really enjoyed tracking in the turbo S2000 at COTA and we can combine vacation and motorsport while going to places other than Arkansas, Nebraska and Indiana, lol.

But there are people like Thorne who road race and still have considerable passion for SOLO. I think maybe in a few years when I learn how to drive better, I might enjoy SOLO more, lol.

So the questions:
What kind of motorsport do you do and why?
What kind of motorsport would you ideally like to be doing in 5 years?
What kind of motorsport will you realistically be doing in 5 years?

Autocrossers, why not track?
Track stars, why not autocross?
People who do both, what sways you one way over another?

TWF

Roadracing since 1989, two wheels. Just started to play with 4 wheels, no intention to do anything other than road course.
Need faster car, s2k is slow

patinum

I'd guess for the past few years I've been a 30:70 split as well (biased toward track).

Right now I'm doing NASA Time Trials and autocross mostly to hang out with friends and keep my skills sharp. Occasional other track days if the time/price is right.

In 5 years, I don't know where I'll be. The jump to W2W doesn't seem likely right now since the truck, trailer, time, and money commitment doesn't seem like something I want to invest. I see myself dialing back before diving forward. But who knows, 5 years ago I didn't expect to be where I am.

A 2

1. Not sure if HPDE's count. But FWIW about five HPDE's a year (some events are multiple days) since the last five years. Just completed my first full season of autocross last year. Started out with doing an HPDE as an item to cross off the bucket list, but was addicted after my first time out. First time I tried autocross was at a local SCCA Test & Tune. I did not quite enjoy it as you are limited to only a few runs. Decided to do a full season last year after I attended a rain soaked autocross school in Rochester and really got into it. The past season was very humbling and yet I came to enjoy the camaraderie and found an appreciation for the skills of fellow competitors. I got into Autocross full-time only so that I would have more time driving the car at its limit while saving up to go out on track next time. I plan to also do a full season of autocross this season in addition to my track days and also intend to be pitcrew to a fellow member who races his MG A with the VSCCA.

2. Over the next five years I would like to graduate to a higher level. Possibly start time trials or if I can afford it and have the talent, get a race license from either NASA or SCCA. There is the cost of building the car as well and as of now I have begun thinking about a roll bar and bucket seats for my stock car. Safety mods first and then I can worry about performance later. If I do get serious about racing then I will have to decide which of my cars I need to convert, the S2000 or the daily driver, a Civic Si.

3. Chances are I could be retired from performance driving or that I continue at the same level I am at. But what I am aiming at is definitely to escalate to the levels of doing Time Trials or perhaps even instructing which would help offset the cost of driving on track. Still intend to keep autocross going to the extent possible as I have come to enjoy it.

4. Given a choice at this current moment, there is no other place I'd be than at the track. I just enjoy the exhilaration that you experience while out for a lapping session. But if I can get better at autocross, then perhaps I'd feel more inclined to attend a regional event or perhaps even go further. As of now I am happy being a small fish in the local pond. Installing safety mods like a rollbar (hopefully this year) and buckets+harnesses (next year) should make my car acceptable to run with groups like the BMW CCA and the local SCCA chapter. When that happens, and the budget allows, I could cut back on autocross.

Forcednduckshn

I would love to be competing all the time in wheel to wheel track racing in some sort of NASA or SCCA spec series, but I can't afford to do it, plain and simple, that's the only reason why I don't. Specifically, I can't afford to do it COMPETIVELY. On my budget, the one form of motorsport that I can afford to do competively, (and by competitvely, I mean buy a car, set it up and have it be capable of WINNING if I outdrive everyone) is SCCA Solo 2/Autocross. If I was making twice my salary than it would be a different story, I would be trailering out to the runoffs every year!

That's the short answer. Elaborating more, I love autocross. It is such a mega driving challenge, and is SO MUCH FUN to compete at the national level against top drivers, on properly fast courses. This is something alot of track-only guys haven't gotten exposed to and it's kind of a shame, since the typical thought about autocross is 1st-gear only in shoebox toy-store plaza parking lots, haha. I love hitting the track for HPDE's and have done some TT's, and while it is also great fun, there is no comparison to the level of competition found in SCCA Solo 2, at least not where I come from. Additionally, on road courses there is less opportunity for a fast driver with a weaker car to set faster lap time than a weaker driver with a faster car. Because autocross is virtually entirely cornering, it gives better drivers an opportunity to overcome the weaknesses of their car relative to the guy who he is competing against that has a bigger wallet. Again, I LOVE LOVE LOVE going to the track, and would love nothing more than to race wheel to wheel, but I just don't have the time, money and resources to do it competitively . I am not gonna go out and run some spec series where guys are spending ridiculous money or have sponsors backing them on engine builds and other stuff to be able to compete for wins. And I have no interest in spending more money and taking on greater risk by purchasing what I can afford- a mid pack car - only to drive my ass off but falls short of a podium because of my budget. I want an equal opportunity to win on driving merit, setup/tuning ability and racecraft, and based on all of my research and discussion with racers who currently do spec racing, you don't get that without spending big bucks. So for me, competitve national level autocross will always be on the roadmap unless I win the lottery, because it is just so much fun, and so thrilling, and such a great driving challenge, despite speeds that will never get in to the triple digits.

All of this being said, after this season where I do one last hurrah with the CR in Solo 2 B-Stock, I will buying a dedicated, rollbar-or-caged car that I can use to compete competively in national Solo 2 while also HPDE'ng, TT'ing and some NASA W2W. I also hope to do 1, maybe 2 24 of Lemons races

I plan on applying for approval on a NASA competition license this season also.

Nick

limbo

I am currently in my second autocross season and have been dabbling with HPDE's - 6-8 track days planned for this year. While I enjoy the track days, I do not intend on competing as I do not have the budget for it.

In five years I'd like to be at a spot where I am much more competitive in autocross (maybe national tours) and still partaking in HPDE's at a higher/faster level group.

daevilone

Little bit different as I'm from Australia where autocross doesn't really exist... but...

1. At the moment I compete in local grade Hillclimbs and motorkhanas and attend some track days.

2.
I'd like to move up to at least state level motorkhanas and hillclimbing and possibly start doing time attack style events.

3.
I think the above is realistic. I have some issues with classing in state/national level stuff and would need to do more development in those specific directions which unfortunately compromise what I've already got =(.

4. I guess I can compare hillclimbing and motorkhanas to track racing.
I'm not interested in multi car racing as I drive my s2k everywhere so can't really risk the damage that will result from multi car events. However single car track racing (time attack/supersprint) I'm very open to. The reason why I haven't been doing it yet is firstly cost - tracks are further away and use more tyre/fuel/etc.
Secondly the categories are more tightly controlled. In local hillclimbs I am fine to run my 10" wheels however at a state level I would have to drop to a staggared 7.5"/8.5" as I'm only allowed 1" above stock. I MIGHT be able to get away with 1" more than AP2, but not sure. Either way, I can't run my current wheels. The classes where I could run those I would get snapped in as they allow far more modification than the local class. Basically fun with classing.