Ultimate Street Car Association

[Jim Nilsen]

Sounds interesting but I will need to see a lot more details before I make any plans to attend. I sincerely hope they put some sort of mechanism in place that will allow the little guys on a shoe string budget to compete with the big guys who can afford to attend many events. Maybe some sort of a weighted points system or better yet simply average the points earned from each event by the number of events attended. The bottom line is that if you want this new organization to succeed you need to get the little guys like me involved and feel we at least have a chance to compete. I suspect there are a lot more of us on limited budgets than there are those with unlimited funds.

I had thoughts like that many times and after an event you go away understanding that is not what is important and to be on top is something to shoot for not something you will attain. The recognition comes from just being there and participating, the reward comes from learning and having fun with some of the most awesome people you could meet that love cars. The way it is set up works well when you have the right perspective and the place you will find yourself may surprise you or disappoint but it will be real and you will have competed with the best their is at some point.

I have invested very small amounts of time and change in my car over the last 4 years and have made surprisingly large gains in performance from practice and experience. The rules allow me to go out and do what I like to do and when I move up I know it is really not the rules that hold me back and not the money but the experience itself. Get the experience and you will not have need for the class rules that seem more fair or unfair.



Have fun a we will see you there.

[Ron Sutton]

Does it make sense to have classes kind of like GG does but with different names?

Pro ... for the hardcore machines
PT ... for less hardcore/more PT cars
SC ... Super Car
Truck ... for ahhh ... trucks
SR ... Street Rods

That tends to give a wider range of car guys something to shoot for, without feeling way overshadowed by the big dogs.

Food for thought. What do you guys think ?

[Rod]

Does it make sense to have classes kind of like GG does but with different names?

Pro ... for the hardcore machines
PT ... for less hardcore/more PT cars
SC ... Super Car
Truck ... for ahhh ... trucks
SR ... Street Rods

That tends to give a wider range of car guys something to shoot for, without feeling way overshadowed by the big dogs.

Food for thought. What do you guys think ?

that could work

[BMR Sales]

I have to say AAA is in my back pocket and got me back from Road America for FREE!!!!!!

I have put the cost down and found that trucks and trailers suck up all the money to ship your car home any way you like your car carried, your choice is up to you but it will cost less to have the card in your pocket that can get your car back home from where you are at than to trailer ANY day of the year. It takes planning but it is less to do than tax,title,license,inspection,etc.........
Love the big tracks with care, they take their toll on a car like nothing else.

I've gone both ways - I had a trailer & Sold it. Then drove my car to events stuffed with sticky tires, tools etc. Then bought another Trailer - I have a Permanent Trailer Tag which doesn't cost me a Yearly Fee & I drive my F-150 SuperCrew to work almost all the time so the State Licensing Fees are being put to use.

T.C.

[BMR Sales]

Sounds interesting but I will need to see a lot more details before I make any plans to attend. I sincerely hope they put some sort of mechanism in place that will allow the little guys on a shoe string budget to compete with the big guys who can afford to attend many events. Maybe some sort of a weighted points system or better yet simply average the points earned from each event by the number of events attended. The bottom line is that if you want this new organization to succeed you need to get the little guys like me involved and feel we at least have a chance to compete. I suspect there are a lot more of us on limited budgets than there are those with unlimited funds.

I Agree as I would/will do the two Events in Florida, but there is no way I can travel the Country to do this. But this Association with ChumpCar will be good in that I can Race ChumpCar & USCA in the same Weekend!

[rustomatic]

Thanks for the honest reply, Mary--technically, my wife's family lives in Salinas (the actual location of Laguna Seca), so I guess being towed there would work. Eventually, it's good to separate one's stuff from an in-law's house as quickly as possible, regardless of how much they love you. I've got an old truck and 100-miles worth of AAA...

Ooooops ... forgot to address the AAA Emergency Towing. I work for AAA and was the Regional Manager for the Contract Stations in this area of California. I'm guessing Pilot Hill is close to 200 miles from Laguna Seca and as such, you could be transported from here to there with a Premier membership as it offers one 200 mile tow per membership year.

There are also excellent repair facilities that love our type of cars and can perform most any repairs you'd need if the worst happened. And if the really, really worst happened, we've got some good body shops. From past events, it's rare to have a car suffer collision damage from an "off" and it's more common to see mechanical issues raise their ugly heads. Things like power steering leaks and operational problems, brake fade, overheating, tire issues ... stuff like that.

Trailering is an excellent idea if you've got the means and even though I'm 15 minutes from the track, I will be doing just that. I'll most likely take some heat for it but when other people's rides break down and need a means of getting to where they can get fixed or for tool borrowing, guess who will be most popular? Plus, if I've got the trailer then it's a guarantee my Camaro won't need it ...

Mary Pozzi

[GrabberGT]

Im just happy to see a real event close enough for me to attend. Whats wrong with having events in the center of the country anyway. All these events are so spread out. The next closest event between both ASCS and USCA is in Madison IL some 10 hrs away. Luckily enough the Texas event is only 5 minutes away.

Now... I just need to save up for a new motor and install within the next 4 months... which leads to the other discussion about trailering. I recently attended OUSCI and experienced catastrophic failure on the way home. Its a 1200 mile trip each way for me. Sure there would have been more comfortable way of getting there but there is no greater feeling than driving the car through the mountains and over the roads. I had a blast and wouldnt do it any other way. I ended up trailering the car the last 400 miles at a cost of 300.00 and 10 hrs of hanging out with my Dad in a town I'd never been in before. A truck and trailer would have easily eaten that cost and the life experience. The greatest loss to me out of this was that final leg and satisfaction of a trip completed. LOL Oh well. I drove out there, beat the car mercilessly and drove it another 800 miles before the motor tried to chew up the recently liberated air cleaner stud. Great motor. Im going to miss it.

[mpozzi]

As anyone that competes in competitive events knows, quick lap times come more from educating that nut behind the wheel rather than spending bucketfuls of Benjamins on the car. And for this, we've got a solution.

http://www.hookedondriving.com/

For anyone that plans on attending the first Ultimate Street Car Association event at Laguna Seca, Hooked on Driving has a two-day HPDE two weeks beforehand. While its billed as a two-dayer, each day can be registered for separately. Keep in mind there is a maximum sound limit ... 90dB.

http://www.hookedondriving.com/event...R_-_Feb._22-23

Hooked on Driving is an excellent way to learn this track before the first USCA event and the best thing is you get to do this in your own car. They have knowledgeable instructors that can communicate well. These guys and gals have miles of racing and lapping around Laguna Seca and know the track well. They'll help ramp up your learning curve and get you faster and more confident in no time.

The other cool thing is if you're out of the area and don't want to schlep your ride to the HOD event, then back home, and then make that return trip two weeks later, we have safe storage for trailers 15 miles away.

Mary Pozzi

[Ron Sutton]

Plus, if I've got the trailer then it's a guarantee my Camaro won't need it ...

Mary Pozzi

Hahaha ! That is too true.

In all of my racing, if we decided not to take the spare ________ (engine, rear end, car, etc) ... we always ended up needing it. So our little team joke was. "take it so we don't need it."

[SLO_Z28]

Keep in mind there is a maximum sound limit ... 90dB.

Im almost certain its 92db.

Great idea on the HPDE though.

[Ron.in.SoCal]

Im almost certain its 92db.

Great idea on the HPDE though.

Actually a good point James: Wondering if the USCA event @ Laguna Seca have a db limit?

[James OLC]

Im almost certain its 92db.

Great idea on the HPDE though.

Actually a good point James: Wondering if the USCA event @ Laguna Seca have a db limit?

Nope - the Hooked on Driving event is a 90 db day. There are very few 92 db days allowed next year.

[silvermonte]

I have to say AAA is in my back pocket and got me back from Road America for FREE!!!!!!

I have put the cost down and found that trucks and trailers suck up all the money to ship your car home any way you like your car carried, your choice is up to you but it will cost less to have the card in your pocket that can get your car back home from where you are at than to trailer ANY day of the year. It takes planning but it is less to do than tax,title,license,inspection,etc.........
Love the big tracks with care, they take their toll on a car like nothing else.

Most of the tracks that I plan to attend are around 400-500 miles away, a few are a bit further. I love the idea of driving my car to the event but Im worried to death if I broke a car at the event how I would get it home. Its out of the range of AAA and there is no guarantee that U-Haul would have a truck and trailer to get home.The truck pulling my car gets about the same MPG as the car, and the taxes and stuff are a moot point for me as I use them year round for many things. Can you list some options that I would have in a worse case situation, as I would much rather be driving my car to events and having a good time them pulling it on a trailer. It crosses my mind every time Im crossing Tennessee thru the mountains that I would rather be in the car then watching it sitting on the trailer thru the rear view mirror.

Sorry for the hi-jack but as more and more events pop up and they are further out I would like some other options to consider from people who are in the know on such things.

[Cobra 498]

Nope - the Hooked on Driving event is a 90 db day. There are very few 92 db days allowed next year.

Stock Vipers and Corvettes can exceed that db limit, it is very hard to meet if you have serious HP, last time I was there they kicked three cars out because they could not meet noise levels and they were not particularly loud. It would be a shame to travel a long distance to run and find out that you do not meet the db standards. Big efficient mufflers and exits that face away from the sound station are a must. I think Norcal SCCA has some good articles on what works and what does not on cars trying to meet sound at Laguna including intake noise, it would be worth a look, neither of my cars would come close so I won't even try.

[mpozzi]

Nope - the Hooked on Driving event is a 90 db day. There are very few 92 db days allowed next year.

Thank you, James. The 90dB was taken directly from the HoD website for this listed weekend.

Mary Pozzi

[mpozzi]

Most of the tracks that I plan to attend are around 400-500 miles away, a few are a bit further. I love the idea of driving my car to the event but Im worried to death if I broke a car at the event how I would get it home. Its out of the range of AAA and there is no guarantee that U-Haul would have a truck and trailer to get home.The truck pulling my car gets about the same MPG as the car, and the taxes and stuff are a moot point for me as I use them year round for many things. Can you list some options that I would have in a worse case situation, as I would much rather be driving my car to events and having a good time them pulling it on a trailer. It crosses my mind every time Im crossing Tennessee thru the mountains that I would rather be in the car then watching it sitting on the trailer thru the rear view mirror.

Sorry for the hi-jack but as more and more events pop up and they are further out I would like some other options to consider from people who are in the know on such things.

No issues at all with this question and my recommendation is to line up "possible solutions" in the event the worst happens and your car needs some mechanical or cosmetic R&R. James Shipka did this for each years One Lap event and we had a gazillion offers for help, shops, lifts, tools, towing, and more in case of that worst.

Usually, there's a few locals at the events you will be running at and they'll be the best for advice. Your AAA card will help get your car transported so upgrade to Premiere if it's offered. And, of course, make sure your ride is in the best condition and preparation possible before you go. And bring the basic spares ...

If you have a friend that will be towing a trailer, usually they'll be able to drive their car if yours breaks and needs that space for the trip home. We've done that for people, too.

Mary Pozzi

[SLO_Z28]

I guess it goes as low as 90. The days I normally do there are unlimited. The track favors momentum so it isnt a horsepower battle at that place, you dont need every last drop of power, so dont hunt for it in your exhaust system. Worst case scenario I learned a trick or two from the San Diego SCCA.

[Gratefuldiver]

Did I miss something in the link or it just common knowledge that entering these events are $$$. Im in STL and would love to hit up the event at Gateway. Not sure if it would be biting of more then I could chew as it would be my first event of this kind.

Is it open to anyone? I signed up for more info on the link. Im sure I would look like a total noob but if Im having fun who the hell cares.

[mpozzi]

Did I miss something in the link or it just common knowledge that entering these events are $$$. Im in STL and would love to hit up the event at Gateway. Not sure if it would be biting of more then I could chew as it would be my first event of this kind.

Is it open to anyone? I signed up for more info on the link. Im sure I would look like a total noob but if Im having fun who the hell cares.

These events are open to anyone that wants to have fun and enjoy a weekend with other car nuts. Make sure your car is safe and you've got the requisite gear for the competitive parts of the event. As we get closer to 2013, more information will be posted which will give you time to prepare your car and you.

Each individual event will have an entry fee that will cover the competition (track, autocross, braking challenge) and the rallye.

The advice I'd give applies to anyone that hasn't participated in these types of events before is just do it. They're fun, as safe as you make it, and don't worry about looking like a noob 'cause you won't. These events have many of us that will make your transition from rookie to experienced easy-peasy.

Mary Pozzi

[Gratefuldiver]

Cool Thanks for the feedback. Im pretty confident that my car will meet all the specs and is 100% safe for such a event. I don't know all the rules but it passed Auto X check out in June. Ill keep my eye open for all the info I can take in and look forward to having a great time. I like to think I built my car to drive and this sounds like just the place to test it out