Well it seems like just about every club that runs in the Maryland area has posted their schedules for 2012. I'm now on the committee for 2 of these clubs and am learning a lot about what goes on behind the scenes for running/hosting these events. One thing that has come up at our meetings that's similar for both clubs I'm on is number of entries. Entry numbers have not surprisingly been low the past couple of years, mainly due to the economy. We are hoping things will turn around this year and are trying our best to get people out to our events to have fun in their cars. I'm posting this in hopes to get more new faces out to our events so we can continue on for many more years.

Here are the list of clubs and their websites that run in the area:

Washington D.C. Region SCCA- www.wdcr-scca.org
Autocrossers Inc. - www.wdcr-scca.org/SoloAutocross/
National Capital Chapter BMWCCA- www.nccbmwcca.org
Capital Driving Club- www.capitaldrivingclub.com
Potomac Porsche Club- www.pcapotomac.org
Chesapeake Porsche Club- www.pcachs.org
Mazda Sports Car Club of Washington D.C.- www.mscw.com
Corvette Club- www.corvetteclubofamerica.org

So with about 8 solid clubs running full series of events in 2012, there is literally zero excuse to go out and run. That's about 60!!!! events in total from all of these clubs together, not even including the schools some of these clubs host. That's like 2-3 events every single weekend from March up to November.

So, here are the schedules.

WDCR-SCCA (ALL events held at FedEx Field Stadium and all dates are Sundays):
April 1- Event 1
April 13th, 14th & 15th- WDCR hosts the SCCA ProSolo event. Drag racing and AutoX combined. Ask me for more details, it's an insane event.
May 6- Event 2
June 3- Event 3
June 24- Event 4
July 8- Event 5
August 19- Event 6
September 23- Event 7
October 7- Event 8


Autocrossers Inc. (ALL events held at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf):
March 25- Event 1
June 16- Event 2
July 15- Event 3
August 11- Event 4
September 16- Event 5
October 14- Event 6

National Capital Chapter BMWCCA (ALL events held on Saturdays):
March 24- Event 1 at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf
April 21- Event 2 at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie
May 26- Event 3 at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf
July 16- Event 4 at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf
August 18- Event 5 at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie
October 13- Event 6 at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf

Capital Driving Club:
March 17- Event 1 at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick
April 21- Event 2 at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick
June 2- Event 3 at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie
June 17- Event 4 at James Wood High School in Winchester, VA
June 30- Event 5 at James Wood High School in Winchester, VA
July 14- Event 6 at C.D. Hylton Senior High School in Woodbridge, VA
July 28- Event 7 at James Wood High School in Winchester, VA
August 11- Event 8 at C.D. Hylton Senior High School in Woodbridge, VA
August 25- Event 9 at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick
September 15- Event 10 at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick
September 29- Event 11 at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie
October 13- Event 12 at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie
October 27- Event 13 at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick
November 17- Event 14 at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick

Potomac Porsche Club (ALL events at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie except 1):
June 30- Event 1
July 7- Event 2
August 11- Event 3 / Porschefest. Event held at Summit Point Raceway
August 25- Event 4
September 16- Event 5
October 7- Event 6
November 10- Event 7

Chesapeake Porsche Club (ALL events held on Saturday, location TBA):
April 21- Event 1
May 12- Event 2
June 9- Event 3
July 14- Event 4
August 11- Event 5
September 8- Event 6
October 13- Event 7

Mazda Sports Car Club of Washington D.C. (ALL events held at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie on Sundays):
March 25- Event 1
July 29- Event 2
September 30- Event 3

Corvette Club of America (ALL events held at Lincoln Tech in Columbia on Sundays):
April 1- Event 1
May 6- Event 2
July 15- Event 3
October 7- Event 4

There is also a full list of schools that each club has posted that I have not listed simply because I'm too lazy to. If you are interested in any of the schools, which I HIGHLY recommend if you are new, just ask me and I can get you more info.

Capital Driving Club also has about 6 Test & Tune events that I have not posted, again simply because I am lazy. They are all held on Sundays. If you are interested, just let me know and I can give you more info on them.


If anyone has ANY questions regarding AutoX in general, rules, clubs, dates, cars, classing, schools, tips, driving tips, setup tips, etc... you name it, please feel free to ask. I've been doing this for 6 full years now, going on my 7th. As I said at the beginning, I'm involved with a couple of clubs and know a TON of people involved with the others. I'm sure I can answer just about any question you have about this stuff and if I can't, I know someone who can.

Hope to see some new people out there!

 

Awesome info!
April 13th, 14th & 15th- WDCR hosts the SCCA ProSolo event. Drag racing and AutoX combined. Ask me for more details, it's an insane event... We need more info on this one

I've taken autocross classes in the past when things were still held at Ironbirds stadium in aberdeen... its a great experience in car control It would be cool to do something like that with the guys from Cars and coffee... as its not too hard on the cars

 

The ProSolo is probably the most fun I've ever had driving and in competition.

In a nut shell, Pro Solo combines a bit of drag racing and autox. 2 cars in the same class line up next to each other with a drag style christmas tree. Lights turn green and they are off on a semi-short straight away before driving into mirrored courses. Once they both cross the finish line, they immediately go back to the start lines but switch lanes.They both go off and run again. The times are added up from both courses and the lowest time wins. If you get a red light at the start, you don't get a timed run.

Here's some info.
http://www.scca.com/solo/content.cfm?cid=44512&tag=62

Here are my videos from one I did a couple of years ago.

http://youtu.be/fNTlph8ml-c



The adrenaline from launching off the start line to beating the other car to the finish line and then switching lanes to do it right after is awesome. There's really no room for error and it gets pretty intense.

It's technically a 3 day event. Friday being a test and tune with practice on drag starts. Then Saturday and Sunday is competition. Times from Saturday and Sunday both count and when added up, make for your final time. So you have to be fast and consistant both days. Sunday has an elimination round taking all of the winners from each class and run them against eachother, even cars from different classes with a handicap time on the tree, to see who is the fastest out of everyone.

I wouldn't recommend this type of event to a newbie, simply because it is a very long weekend, very intense compeition with people coming from all over the country and very intimidating even for someone who's been in the sport for a while. I felt lost when I did my first one and that's after 4 years of AutoXing.. If interested, registration actually opens within the next couple of days and it fills up FAST. Unfortuntely it is 2 months until the event but these events are popular so people register even when they don't know their schedule 2 months in advanced..

But, for anyone who likes cars, it's great to go and check out. It's free to watch so why not? There are ALL types of cars from shifter karts, open wheel cars, FSAE cars, to little Civics and high horsepower Corvettes, Mustangs and old muscle cars.

 

Soooo excited for this season!!! I've been autocrossing for years, and this will be my first season in something "stock".. I've always had a list of stuff done to my car as long as my arm, so this should be FUN!!!

 

Finally something to look forward too. Thanks for posting.

 

Running r-comps? Did you get rid of the Miata?

 

Yup, the Miata left last spring, and I took some time off... The new car is an ES 944... Shocks are in, tires are on their way. We're gonna build an exhaust and front swaybar for it here at the shop...

 

Sweet deal, should be fun running against the Miatas!

Well if anyone is interested, the registration for the ProSolo event just opened. www.motorsportreg.com - look up autox, then the April 13-15 ProSolo. Registration is already filling up, I just registered myself. Get in now if you want to run or you'll be put on a wait list and may not run at all.

 

Here is the list of schools offered in the area by these clubs.

Washington D.C. Region SCCA (ALL held at FedEx Field Stadium):
April 7th - Level 1
April 7th - Junior Kart School (rain date is 5/26)
April 8th - Level 2
May 26th - Level 1
May 27th - Level 2

Cost:
Level 1 - $175 - Basics of Autocrossing
Level 2 - $200 - Improve Your Skills
Junior Kart School - $100 - Beginner to Advance
(personal kart required)

Maxmium of 16 students.

Autocrossers Inc.:
April 7th - Evolution Performance Driving School at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf.

Cost: $250

Not sure of number of students allowed.

National Capital Chapter BMWCCA:
March 17th at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie
May 5th at Blue Crabs Stadium in Waldorf
July 28th at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie

Cost: $80 for all schools

Maximum of 16 students.

Potomac Porsche Club of America:
May 26th at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie

Cost: $90

Not sure of number of students allowed.

Chesapeake Porsche Club of America:
April 20th- Location TBD but will be an evening school from 6pm-9pm on a Friday.

Cost: Unknown

Corvette Club of America (ALL schools held at Lincoln Tech in Columbia):
March 31st
May 5th
July 14th
October 6th

Cost: Unsure as of now

Unsure of number of students allowed.

Out of those schools, the WDCR, Evolution, and BMW schools are IMO the best and most worth your buck schools. Evolution probably being the absolute best one of them all (known nationally), the WDCR one is very good and the BMW one would probably be right behind it.

I've never done an Evolution school but know some of the instructors and they are top notch (national champions). You'll also get tons of very valuable seat time.

WDCR is great with a couple of national champions and national trophy winners as instructors. I've done their schools a few times and owe a lot to where I am now as a driver to them. Worth every penny. Notice they break their schools down into Level 1 and Level 2. If you've never autox'd before or maybe done only 1 or 2 events, choose the Level 1. If you've done more than a couple of events, just sign up for the Level 2.

The BMW schools in the past have not been known to be amazing but with a new committee this year, and myself as lead course designer and also an instructor in the schools, it should be well worth the money. We are looking to get better and more experienced instructors and will focus on getting as much seat time as possible. It is much cheaper than the other schools but you will still walk away with great knowledge and lots of seat time. Plus I may be your instructor

As for the Porsche ones, I can't speak for them as I've never attended one myself.

The Corvette Club I have volunteered to instruct at one once. I'd say it's easily the worst school, to put it lightly. Waaaay to much sitting and talking about autox rather than getting real seat time. Instructors aren't great. Course design was not the best. They only got like 3-4 full course runs and there weren't any other drills to learn from. Overall a BIG waste of time if you ask me.

 

Good synopsis dude, I agree with everything you said there