Here are some of the local autocross sites. Mapped them out on Google maps satellite view on the same scale (200 ft on the scale). Some of these sites I haven't run or haven't run in a while, so please correct me if I'm a bit off. The list of clubs that run there is not complete - but should give you an idea.

Red - Pit Area
Yellow - Staging area
Green - Course

These are all estimates and are dependent on the club and course. Listed North to South, West to East.

Site: Miller Park, Milwaukee, WI
Clubs: Wisconsin Autocross Inc., Milwaukee Region SCCA
Notes: Large site. Good surface conditions.


Site: Alexian Field, Schaumburg, IL
Clubs: Windy City Miata Club


Site: Sears Center Arena, Hoffman Estates, IL
Clubs: Tri-State Sports Car Club
Notes: From what I hear, has slight elevation changes


Site: Maywood Park, Melrose Park, IL
Clubs: Windy City Miata Club, Chicago VW Organization, Audi Car Club Chicagoland Chapter, Salt Creek Sports Car Club
Notes: Poor surface conditions - very gravely and dusty especially at the start of the day.


Site: Route 66 Raceway, Joliet, IL
Clubs: Chicago Region SCCA, Tri-State Sports Car Club
Notes: Very large site. Very good surface conditions.


Site: Majestic Star Casino, Gary, IN
Clubs: Indiana Northwest Region SCCA
Notes: grass growing in cracks in the asphalt - does not seem to effect the course too much.


Site: Tire Rack, South Bend, IN
Clubs: Windy City Miata Club, Audi Car Club Chicagoland Chapter, Chicago VW Organization
Notes: Very well kept site. Good surface conditions.

 

Great work Pat!

With respect to Majestic Star, last year Jeff (Rev9K27) sent me the following layout that suggests the course portion extends out further - you have the course stopping where the green lot dividers stop, whereas he has it going almost to the very edge of the lot (looks like 1/4 to 1/3 more space). Perhaps it just depends on what the Casino has going on that day?

 

Nice post, Pat, this is very helpful for me.

Looks like you listed each site in distance from milwuakee, LOL

 

Yeah, I'm hoping Jeff will chime in. I'm kind of doing it from memory, but I remember a wall of cones at the east end of the lot...I don't remember it going all the way to the grass.

Hopefully Bill imarcr2 can comment on Alexian field as he's an organizer with Windy City Miata club and helped secure that site.

 

Which venue has the best surface conditions? I'm guessing Tirerack?

 

updated the original post with some notes.

Basically, the only site that I would say that has bad surface conditions is Maywood. very gravely and dusty especially during the beginning of the day.

Majestic star I was worried about at first as there was a lot of grass growing in the breaks of the asphalt. This really doesn't seem to effect the course to much - I never felt like I lost traction because of grass.

Tire rack is of course kept at tip top condition. Route 66 and Miller park are also kept very nice.

 

For those that have attended an event at the Tire Rack facility, how much flexibility have you experienced with course design, given that the site is already setup as something of a road course, rather than a rectangular blank canvas...?

At the south end, you have the main semi-circular ring, then an opening in the grass divider and then the inner ring. Is that opening big enough that courses run where you pass through to/from the inner/outer rings? If so, what type of speeds are you carrying through there?

 

I've done a few there - there's only so much you can play with. Clubs have been known to throw slaloms in at various places including the circles. Courses usually will loop around itself. Sometimes you'll go around the triangle and sometimes you'll go below it. Going from the inside circle to the outside circle, or vice versa, is usually part of it. Making that transition at the south end can be done and is a bit tight - which actually makes it pretty fun since you're usually coming into it from a sweeping turn or skid pad.

 

Pat has the Majestic layout pretty accurate. They definitely did not go all the way to the grass. It would be nice to hear from Jeff though, because maybe this year they'll be able to use more of the lot.

The weeds were taken care of with weed killer. They really weren't much of an issue though. Maybe the guys on R-comps didn't like them.

 

For ***ts and giggles, can you please post two more sites?

First one is Grissom Aeroplex, Peru, IN. Some local Chicago clubs run there (TSSCC as an example) and it's close enough to attend.

The 2nd one is Lincoln Airpark, Lincoln, NE, site of SCCA National Championship, for a reference. It's is HUGE (last year it was about a mile from paddock to the West Course). One more reason to go there in September for those who've been bitten by auto-x bug and want to see something truly special.

Also, both of those sites are concrete, Grissom probably the grippiest in the country.

TIA