Campfire

I've never participated in an Autocross before but they look like a lot of fun. My wife and I have decided we both want to take our cars to the July 6 event in Houston but I'm struggling just a little to figure out the registration classes. First, do I need to go to the SCCA website to get a weekend license or do you think the DLB Racing Registration Page will walk me through that once I figure out the class for our two cars? We have the needed safety gear.

Any help figuring out the class for our cars would be much appreciated.

My car: 2010 ZR1, NTO5's on 19 x 12 back and 19 x 10 front. Kooks headers, Corsa exhaust and 2.6 pulley. Bigger radiator and heat exchanger.

Wife's car: 2013 BMW 135is, still on stock runflats. All stock.

I'm guessing there should be a woman's rookie class for her? Maybe she has to register for street? The letter codes on the registration site is part of what I'm struggling with.

I'm going to guess my car should be placed in Street Prepared? Is there a rookie class for that too? I don't expect to be competitive, I'm just hoping to have fun.

Also, I've read that you can get instructors to ride along and help as a rookie. Is there anything I should be doing during registration to make sure that happens or is that a requirement as a rookie and they will be provided? My wife is excited to go if there is an instructor and she is headed to the BMW driving school later this summer but doesn't want to run the Autocross if she won't have an instructor. She's not comfortable driving her car hard yet and wants some help.........from someone other than me......

Campfire

Correction on my car for my class guess, Section 15.C.4.c says I can't change the pulley so I'm wrong about class. Maybe I'm in Super Street Modified (SSM)?

UrbanKnight

If your SCCA chapter is like ours, you register as novice for your first 3 events (or if you win novice class they make you class at your next event)

You have the option to take an instructor with you, and the option to have an instructor drive you car (him driving does not use one of your "runs"

Your car will class at SSM once out of the novice bracket, nto sure on hers.

Searious

Hey, I'm actually in the Houston SCCA chapter down here and autocross routinely. Nothing special in registration to worry about as far as getting an instructor. When you're in grid, turn on flashers and we will work to get an instructor to you. We have a few really experienced guys who will ride along with either of you to make sure you get around the course safely.

For 'Novice', simply find your class (say, SSM) and register as 'NSSM'.
Your wife's car should be FS (per appendix A of the solo rulebook) so have her register as NFS. We do not have a separate Ladies class at the Houston region because we don't normally have enough ladies in each class to keep it competitive.

Things are changin in July about the required licenses with SCCA, through June if you come you can sign up at the event for a weekend license. I think you should still be able to do that, but I know there was talk about requiring you to prepay on dlbracing due to a push from the SCCA for insurance reasons.

Campfire

Perfect! Thanks for the info, I'll get us registered tonight.

brenb

I don't know which class has more competitors, but you should also be able to run the vette in "CAM" - if you have the NT05 with a >200 tread wear rating.

Campfire

Tread wear rating on my NT05's is 200 so that might not fly, unless the rule is "greater than or equal to".

UrbanKnight

It is equal to greater...

Searious

Haven't seen anyone in CAM yet. After novice, we do have STO in Houston. Its a PAX class where we allow anything street legal on 200TW or greater if memory serves. Usually has a good number of competitors.

brenb

Oh yeah, sorry, that wasn't worded well. I was thinking of the 140 vs 200 versions of the tire - you'd be good to go.

I only brought it up because the SM classes can be under-subscribed. I know I'd rather run in a large class....

Searious

Agreed brenb. SSM or CAM, either one is rare to find routine people here in Houston based on what I have seen though. His best bet afterwards for local competitors is probably the Houston-only STO. Double checked, and I was correct in that it is anything street legal, however the current treadwear limitation is actually 140TW or greater and not the 200, which just opens up a few more tire options overall.