AROUND THE

Article by Steve Kidd

As I write this article, we are less than a week away from AX event number 5. After this event, we break for the summer during the hotter, wetter months, and resume autocrossing in September. We are hoping to do at least 7 AX events this year, and pray that weather will cooperate. To recap event # 4, let’s just say we had a great time at our new site, St Lucie Fairgrounds. The drive to the fairgrounds is about 30 to 60 minutes closer than Sebring, depending where you live. The fairgrounds are easy to get to, and remote enough that we don’t get the onlookers and non-participants that we have at some sites. Designing a course at a new site can present challenges; however, we were lucky to have another AX club that recently held the Florida State AX championship at this site. I was able to take the course design used at their event and tweak it to provide additional variety and safety. Most run times were between 35 and 45 seconds, with very few off-courses. Of course, this event (and all our autocrosses) would not be possible but for the volunteers that help wherever needed. Timing ran flawlessly thanks to Steve, Carolynn, Julie & James. Dottie handled scheduling assignments to make sure everyone got dry runs, and as it turned out, rain was never an issue.

Everyone should already know that the results are available on the GCR website. However, as a sneak preview, I’ll share that the fastest time of day went to Trent K., driving a well-sorted Carrera GTS on street tires. Most GCR AX events allow not only Porsches, but other makes and models as well. When you look at the times and pictures, you’ll see cars from the following manufacturers: Toyota, Mazda, VW, Nissan, Audi, BMW, Subaru, Hyundai, and Chevy! Also, vehicle age and horsepower are not a consideration when looking at the “fun factor.” For example, the oldest car (Christy’s 1985 944) and the newest vehicle (Jean-Pierre’s 2022 GT3) are very different, but both provide the same big smile after the owner puts down a good run. For those who are wondering, the Porsche family of SUVs, primarily the Cayenne and Macan, handle remarkably well on an autocross course, and I urge every owner of these Porsches to see for yourself how well your Porsche SUV handles. The oldest car to participate, the 1985 944, is part of a generation of Porsches that were very popular AutoX vehicles 30 and more years ago. Today the most popular AutoX Porsches seem to be the Boxster/Cayman series, which represented a big percentage of the Porsches participating at the St. Lucie AutoX.

On a final note, I wish to again thank all the volunteers that help us during and after the event. While Dottie and I take care of most of the pre-event responsibilities, everyone who participates must work shifts, including but not limited to working the course (safety, cone pick-up and radio call ins), grid, staging, timing and miscellaneous duties. Some folks step up to do anything extra to get the job done, from start to finish. These folks know who they are, and again a huge “Thank you!” for your perpetual help. Know that it has not gone unnoticed.

I need to repeat an important message. To continue offering a world class AX program, we would like to add at least one more local AX site. This could be a BIG parking lot, airstrip or similar piece of pavement in the Tri-County area to hold our AutoX events. In the past we have used shopping center lots, sporting and gaming venues, and school/government parking facilities, which have no parking bumpers and are reasonably priced. What we need is an “in”—someone who has a connection to a suitable property and can help us get our foot in the door. Do you know of such a site? Are you the person with the “in”? Please call me at 954- 292-3915 if you can help finding a new AX site. Again, it not just knowing about a possible piece of real estate; it’s about having a contact to make things happen.

Next month be on the lookout for an AX crossword puzzle and our mid-season points standings.

Tentative AX schedule for the remainder of 2023

Event #6 September 9th @ Sebring in conjunction with the Suncoast Region DE. Thanks again to our friends at Suncoast. Event #7 October 21 @ St Lucie Fairgrounds.

Most of the above dates & sites are subject to change due to weather, availability, and factors beyond our control.

2023 updates:

• Everyone is now required to pre-register & pre-pay for any AutoX on Clubregistration.net. Please consult the GCR website and Kassette for all Autocross photos & results.

• A new helmet rental program is now available. We will be utilizing new/newer Snell-approved helmets available for a $20.00 per person charge per event. Helmet reservation/payment will be available as an event option when registering. Please bring a helmet sock, and be prepared to leave your driver’s license as a deposit. Your license will be returned when you return the helmet.

• No passengers except for an approved AX instructor driving or in the car, instructing.

• For 2023 please remember to be Covid-19 conscious. This means appropriate safety protocols will be enforced.

• As 2023 is GCR’s 60th anniversary, we are planning a special award for class winners who complete at least 4 of the 7 AX events and accumulate a higher point score than their competition.

• General Questions? call Steve or Dottie Kidd 954-946-3196....AX rule questions call Steve 954 292-3915