Autocross SCCA – DMVR – Solo – Oskaloosa Airport – August 16, 2015

In the Iowa Chapter we have several very accomplished autocrossers.  However, that is only a small group of people, so we are trying to help increase interest in autocross. We are therefore helping to promote the sport by attending local Sports Car Club of America events.  The Des Moines Valley Region (DMVR) has graciously created a BMW-only class, so you can compete against yourself, other BMW drivers, and against the DMVR folks.  Also, we’ll have trophies for first, second, and third place BMWs overall at the annual dinner!

If you don’t know what autocross is, here’s a short synopsis from the DMVR website:  “Solo events are a way to have fun with nearly any kind of car! Also known as autocrosses or slaloms, they are a type of single car timed competition, which place an emphasis on driver skill and precision. Solo courses are usually laid out on large paved areas such as parking lots and airport runways. Each driver gets several chances to negotiate a twisting course defined by plastic traffic cones while being electronically timed. To win, a man or woman must be both quick and precise as there is a time penalty added for each marker cone that is displaced, and victories are often measured in thousandths of a second.
You don’t need a special racing car, or even a sports car, to take part. With four categories of preparation divided into 38 different car classes, including 24 classes for stock or mildly modified street cars, each driver and car competes against other cars of similar performance, whether it’s a stock economy car, an all out racing car, or something in between. In our DMVR events we also have separate classes for Novice competitors, as well as special Pro, Street Tire, and Vintage categories where cars from different classes compete together with their times equalized using a nationally recognized “handicapping” index.  Des Moines Valley Region traditionally hosts at least 9 Solo events each year, usually on the third Sunday of the month.”

The special BMW class events started Sunday April 12th, at Adventureland Park in Altoona.  There were several BMWs in attendance, with first and second place in class going to Fred Bell in his 2008 Z4 M Coupe and Alison Bell in her 2006 M3 Competition Package respectively.  The next events are on Saturday July 11th on the parking lots of the Iowa Speedway in Newton and Sunday August 16th at the Oskaloosa Airport.  Pre-registration is not required, but is highly encouraged (and cheaper!).  Register at www.motorsportreg.com.  Each event has Tech and Registration open at 8:30 and goes until 10:00am, with a track walk at 10:00am.  There is a mandatory driver meeting at 10:30 and first car goes on course at 11:00am.  Hope to see you there!