About this event
TSCC Mititary Appreciation Autocross Event
Test your skill against other Active Duty Military in the Tidewater Region in this complimentary introductory Autocross event. Participants will have have the opportunity to compete for the best time in their own cars. Almost any car can be used as long as it’s safe and does not pose a roll-over risk. There is an autocross class for almost every car. There will be no novice class and no street tire class for this event; all participants are expected to be new to autocross and using street legal tires. We will have experienced club members on site to help and advise the competitors. They will also be happy to provide ride-alongs through the course in their cars. Demonstration runs by our club members will not be included in the event times.
This event is intended to introduce Active Duty Military in the Tidewater Region to the sport of Autocross. We will have a number of our club members with their cars to give ride-alongs as well as ride to help instruct those people who show up.
Registration will be open to the first 60 Active Duty Military only!! Reigstration will remain open until Friday October 17th however, if you have not registered by Oct 8, 2014 at Midnight and do not have access to the base you will not be on the access list for this event!
Car Classing guidelines can be found here: http://www.tidewatersportscarclub.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=282
We are looking for people to Volunteer as workers for this event.
Schedule
7:00 Gates/Ramp Open
7:30 – 8:45 Registration
7:45 – 9:00 Tech
8:45 Course Walk at Start Line
9:15 MANDATORY Driver's Meeting at the TSCC trailer
10:00 First Car Off
The event will take place RAIN OR SHINE. In the event of severe weather, a decision will be made at the driver’s meeting to determine whether or not we will be running. If the decision is made to cancel the event earlier than that, you will be contacted by email.
Heats:
This event will be broken into several run groups of the participants who register. We plan for most of the workers to be volunteers from the club.
Registration:
All drivers must check in at registration the morning of the race, even if you pre-registered online. TSCC uses SCCA car classing. If you do not know what class you are in, please review the SCCA car classing rules, or ask for help from one of the more experienced drivers the morning of the event or on one of the local autocross forums like autocross.us, TSCC's official discussion forum.
Tech Inspection
Cars must be fully prepared, including numbers applied and registration card [MRE1] under your wiper, before proceeding to tech.
Numbers:
All cars will be required to have their number and class displayed on each side of the car. Numbers must be at least 8in tall and must be a contrasting color to the color of the car. Painter's tape is available at tech. Class letters must be at least 4in tall.
Interior:
Make sure that you clean out all the unnecessary stuff that you have inside your car. Loose speakers, stuff hanging from the rear view mirror, wrappers and those wrenches that you have been carrying around need to be removed. Clean it as if you were selling it. Remove the floor mats. Grab a plastic grocery bag (or two) and put everything in. They also come in handy when “restuffing” the car at the end of the day…
Trunk:
Clean it out with the exception of stuff that you don’t mind leaving in your parking space at the event. For example; spare tire, tools, jack, lawn chair.
Helmet:
Helmets must be SNELL M2000, SA2000, K2000 or newer; SFI 31.1, 41.1, 31.1A, 31.2A, 41.1A, 41.2A or British spec BS6658-85 type A/FR are also acceptable. Any helmet must be fit properly and be in good condition. DOT helmets that do not meet the more stringent regulations are not permitted. Club loaner helmets are available for those who do not have approved helmets.
Car preparation:
Check that all your lug nuts (wheel bolts) are there and torque them to your owner’s manual specifications (if you have hubcaps leave them at home)
Inspect your tires. Tires must have visible tread and cannot be showing any cords.
Please don’t put on a new coat of tire shine…
Check your brake pedal pressure and brake fluid level
Clean your windows
Check your throttle return spring
Check wheel bearings
Ensure your car is not leaking excessive amounts of any fluids
Make sure your battery is secured (Bungy Cords are not acceptable)
When you get to tech, please place your registration card [MRE2] under your driver’s side wiper; the tech inspector will keep this card when you are completed.
If you don’t know what class you’re in, let us know before we tech your car.
If you are in the first heat, please go directly to grid after tech. You do not need to park in grid in chronological order for TSCC events.
Tech will close shortly before the mandatory drivers meeting. If you arrive late and miss tech or the drivers meeting, you will not be allowed to drive in the event.
Course Workers:
The most common work assignment, especially for novices, is course working. Course workers stand at worker stations around the course and reset cones as they get knocked over.
- You need to look down to reset the cone, but keep one eye on that car as long as it's still on-course. Never turn your back on a car!
- When you set a cone, please RUN, don't walk, and hustle back. This is for your safety, and helps the event run smoothly.
- The Radio operator at each worker station should also hold red flag - unfurled - but holding the tip to keep it from flapping in the breeze. The radio operator should be calling in downed cones, not running for them.
- If you see a dangerous situation, do no hesitate, throw a red flag and call "RED FLAG, RED FLAG" on the radio. If one red flag is thrown, all stations should throw red flags.
- No sitting or kneeling at worker stations while cars are on the course. We try to place worker stations in safe positions, but drivers can lose control in unlikely places- you need to be on your toes and ready to react at any instant.
- Cameras, cell phones and other distractions are prohibited at worker stations.
- Watch out for your fellow workers- keep them safe, too.
- Only upright cones are assessed as penalties. Lay-down pointer cones are not assessed as penalties unless struck after the finish. Cars are required to be under control after passing the finish beams; any cone struck after the finish disqualifies the run.
Radio Etiquette:
TSCC assigns one experienced course worker at each station to operate the radio and hold the red flag. The radios used by TSCC have a delay after depressing, and the first second or so gets cut off, so always pause before speaking. State "[pause] Control, this is Station [#]". After Control replies, key the button, pause, and call in your report. This etiquette is especially important for events at large venues where 2-3 cars are on course at once and multiple cone penalties are being assessed simultaneously. The exception to this is a red flag, which should be called immediately. When reporting penalties, always refer to the car number, not the car description.
Event requirements
Important Site Information:
In addition to the customary competition requirements you also agree to abide by the following rules and regulations required by our host facility. Failure to do so could result in the loss of the facility by TSCC and could result in a citation being issued to you by base security. Tickets issued on a DoD facilities are Federal Magistrate jurisdiction for disposition of traffic violations.
- You are responsible for any damage that you cause to any any equipment, facilities or property,
- Speed limits on post are strictly enforced. It is disrespectful to our hosts to be driving recklessly outside of the competition venue.
- Cellular phone use is PROHIBITED while driving on base. There is NO exception for using Bluetooth or other hands free devices.
- Pedestrians have the right of way at all cross walks at all times.
- Firearms are PROHIBITED.
- Registration indicates your agreement to allow your vehicle to be searched upon entry or at any time while on base.
- No Photography is allowed outside of the grid, paddock and competition areas.
- You will drive no faster than walking speed while in the Paddock, Grid or elsewhere on the ramp.
- There is NO tire warming anywhere on the site.
- There is NO vehicle testing anywhere on the site.
- The only authorized smoking area is the Gazebo adjacent to the Ramp Support Building. Smoking is NOT allowed any where else on the facility, smoking includes the use of electronic or vapor cigarettes.
As this event is hosted by the US Navy on a Department of Defense facility. Access is controlled at all times. The actual area surrounding the competition site will include military equipment and vehicles. These vehicles and equipment are OFF LIMITS at all times. All buildings with exception of the Ramp Support Building are off-limits.
There are white lines painted on the ground around the LCAC hover craft. Attendees are prohibited from crossing these white lines. Personal vehicles and other property cannot be placed inside these white lines. Failure to comply with this requirement can result in competitor disqualification and attendees being asked to leave the facility with no refund.
We ask that you respect the facility just as we do. The Ramp Support building will be open to use the facilities and provide shelter from the sun. We ask that you keep the building clean and do not move any furniture located within.
Important Area Information:
Commercial facilities such as food and gas are reserved for military and government civilians. It is recommended you ensure you have adequate gasoline for both your support vehicle and race car prior to entering the facility.
TSCC operates under the SCCA rules for almost all cases.
TSCC is monitoring and recording sound levels at this event. While we do not generally stop vehicles for excessive noise the TSCC board reserves the right to do so when it feels the health and safety of other competitors or course workers is at risk.
Remember to bring your identification (drivers license), registration and proof of insurance when coming to the event. It is also recommended that you proof of state inspection aside from the decal on the vehicle as well.