Which event to attend?
 

Hello all, I found this website through a google search and thought it seemed the best place to ask.

In March I'm going to be coming down to Bradenton from Ontario, Canada to visit my mother, have a little holiday and hopefully pick up a miata (always sell for MUCH less money in the US).

While I was down I thought I'd like to attend a local autocross in the area.

I found this schedule from this forum:
Sat. 8th
(GCAC) Ft. Myers
(CFR-E) Palm Bay
(FAST) Brooksville
Sun. 9th
(PCA-SC) Zephyrhills
(MSCC) Tavares
(GCAC) Ft. Myers
(CFR-E) Palm Bay
(FAST) Brooksville


The event has to be open to non-members since I have no intention of joining any organization for one event and then driving home.

From looking at the lots on google maps I was leaning towards GCAC.


BTW, a little about myself: I'm not new to autocross. I've been competing in Provincial level autoslalom here in Ontario for 10 years now with 3 overall championships. I started out, back in '98, with a 97 Prelude SH. Those in the Prelude community might recognize my website as the source of the "powersteering fix" for solo-2. But in 2006 I made the move over to the miata on an impulse buy and haven't looked back.

Also if anyone is interested in a co-drive and has some R's to use that will fit a miata then send me a message.


My Website: www.cockyracingguy.com
YouTube Videos: YouTube - CockyRacingGuy's Channel

Brooksville is a restricted access site, you'd have to pre-register for the event 2 weeks in advance. (probably earlier, the FAST events have been reaching their max entries very early this year)

From Bradenton, GCAC is probably your best bet for Saturday. Though, it might be worth the drive down to Zephyrhills for the PCA event on Sunday.

GCAC does "practice events" on Saturday, you'll usually get a fair number of runs out of it. Their Sunday events are nothing spectacular, though their site is nice. (large, smooth concrete)

Of course, the folks are friendly wherever you go. You'll have a good time. Bring sunscreen, eh?

Palm Bay is a nice site but quite a drive from Bradenton. It is a 2 hour ride from Tampa.

Brooksville SCCA is a nice choice and FAST as well, though it would be great if FAST was running at St Pete because then it would be closer to you.

PCA is also a fun event and is closer than Brooksville and does not require pre registration. The surface is a bit unusual with one half being a repaved runway with great grip and the other half practically an ice rink of dirt if you get on the power a little too much.

Loren is correct. Great people at these events who enjoy their cars.

Ok I have to plug the BMW CCA events. We also run with the PCA and hold our own events at Brooksville.

FSCBMWCCA :: Home

I think we are the cheapest at $25 for the event with lunch included. Plus we average 7 to 10 runs . And usually are out of there by 4..

The PCA events are great like mentioned above since there is no Pre registration , nor an imposed speed limit. However the road surface is old blacktop so it gets slippery in a few spots.
Bradenton is a nice surface and the largest site.. But it is a long drive.

Fast also does events up at Brooksville. Really good drivers, and course design.

B

If you are in Bradenton, no question both days at Ft. Myers. Best site and best competition in this area, and it's probably the closest to you as well.

Ftmyers has the second-best concrete (brooksville is better) and you will only get three runs. However, you will find the best competition there. Running with FAST on the 8th and 9th will yield the most runs on the stickiest concrete in the state. Lunch and drinks are also included. :D

I say mix it up Ft Meyers saturday, Zephryhills sunday

OK, so PCA, GCAC, FAST. How many runs could I expect out of each for Sat and Sunday (each, individually).

Also how would course size and speed compare?

Serious competiton would be fun if I had my tires and properly setup car. But I'll be driving a car I likely bought one or two days earlier and using whatever tires it came on, so I'm not looking to beat the local hot-shoe.

Oh and anything north of Bradenton is actually convenient as I'll likely leave the event and start driving back to Canada assuming I do a Sunday event (23 hr trip). Fort Myers is close, but in the wrong direction, unless I go on Saturday.

Z-hils (PCA) and Brooksville (FAST) are both airport runway courses - 150 ft wide so very up and back type courses. Zephyrhills surface will literally dust under your feet as you walk so there is no grip to speak of. That said, there's not much differance between street and R-comps there. Last time I was there was a few years ago and I remember getting 4-5 runs on a moderately fast course with a painfully tight finish - I gather they like to protect the timing equipment.
Brooksville will always yeild the most runs. I think the least I've ever run there was 8. 10-12 is not unusual and we're usually done by 3pm. Courses are usually pretty creative for a 150' wide piece of concrete but typically run in the high 40 second range (ie 47 to maybe 50 seconds) for street prepared car on R's.
GCAC is something like 6 to 800 ft wide so the courses offer much more variety. Slalom spacing is usually 75' minimum so it's quite fast. SCCA has run national tours there. A B-Stock S2000 driver I know saw 92mph through the finnish on one run a couple of year ago. The courses just can't be beaten by anything else in the state. That said, you'll get 4 runs on Sunday. 3 runs if more than 100 drivers show up. Saturdays the course is about half size as they also run a drivers school concurrently. 6 runs on Saturday plus the ability to earn more runs for working the course.
Sunday at GCAC will usually get you a date with Darrin Desimo and his Miata. A combination that has finished in the top 5 or better at the SCCA National Championship for quite a few years. The only down side to GCAC is the lack of runs.
Best bet is probably Brooksville as you get a fairly good course on a good surface and tons of runs.