Looking for an amazing motorsports experience? Sports Car Club of America® has teamed up with Global Time Attack and Formula DRIFT to create a weekend that puts enthusiasts on an epic track AND provides access to one of North America’s most exciting motorsports weekends.
Get on track at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with SCCA® Track & Coffee, a trimmed version of Track Night in America Driven by Tire Rack. Similar to Track Night in America, SCCA’s Track & Coffee is a non-competitive, no-stress, entertaining, easy and inexpensive way for nearly anyone who loves cars or motorsports to get on a real racecourse in their own vehicle. All that is required is that participants be at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license and have access to an approved helmet and street car in good working condition.
Taking place the mornings of Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11 as part of the Drift Atlanta and Global Time Attack weekend, SCCA Track & Coffee includes two 15-minute sessions on course for each of three run groups, with drivers participating in the Advanced, Intermediate or KONI Novice Experience class so on-track activities remain fun for all. This very special opportunity is priced at $185 for either the Friday or Saturday morning sessions, and SCCA members can knock $10 off the price. Or save $25 by signing up before April 26 using the code #GLOBALTIMEATTACK.
But wait, there’s more! SCCA Track & Coffee attendees get a t-shirt, coffee and donuts, plus two passes to the complete Drift Atlanta and Global Time Attack weekend so they can enjoy all the Formula DRIFT excitement taking place at the venue with 15,000 other automotive enthusiasts!
Looking for more time on track and need some high-octane thrills? Then drivers can register for the Global Time Attack (GTA) portion of the event. Teams from California, Arizona and even Canada are schedule to compete, and registration is open to all experienced drivers. GTA has a class for nearly any car, including Unlimited, Limited, Street and Enthusiast determined by the amount of allowable modifications. But be aware the GTA competition will likely sell out this year — so register today and save a spot.
If unfamiliar, GTA sets the stage for the fastest timed laps in racing where drivers compete against the clock, allowing teams to focus solely on achieving the fastest lap times against other drivers and machines. Teams can showcase their fabrication, tuning and set-up skills in order to create the fastest car possible. The program was established in 2010 with the simple desire to assemble the world’s fastest, dedicated time attack cars together on a particular circuit.
Time attack, also known as Super Lap Battles, originated in Japan when the tuning media organized events on race circuits such as the infamous Tsukuba Circuit. Unlike other timed motorsport disciplines, the time attack car is required to begin with a full rolling start following a warm-up lap where they accelerate out as fast as possible to determine how fast they enter a timed lap. It is the driver against the course, negotiating every turn with knife-like precision and blasting down straightaways to be crowned “King of the Course, owner of the fastest lap.”
Sports Car Club of America®, Global Time Attack and GRIDLIFE are founding members of the North American Time Attack Council (NATA) dedicated to the development, evolution and success of time-based, competitive motorsport events such as Time Attack and Time Trials. The goal of the Council is the progression of motorsports through the consultation and collaboration of its members in the planning and execution of programs and events. NATA and its member organizations seek to represent the interests of all drivers, from beginner to professional competitor, in order to ensure access, inclusivity, consistency and a high-quality driver experience.
People always have questions about what the Club Racing Board (CRB) does and how it operates. One frequently asked question is: What are the roles of the Board of Directors (BoD), CRB, Committees and National Staff when it comes to SCCA Road Racing?
To answer this question, let’s take a look at the Club’s structure. The BoD is elected and charged with oversight of SCCA affairs. The BoD exercises its responsibilities by acting primarily as a policy-making body. It is the only body which may establish or change SCCA policies.
Each December, the BoD appoints a CRB Chairman and two to eight additional SCCA members to the CRB. This body establishes rules, specifications and standards for scheduling, organization, conduct and supervision of Road Racing programs. The CRB communicates with the SCCA Road Racing Department to ensure rules and procedures mesh smoothly to benefit programs and participants.
Each CRB member has liaison responsibilities for specific Committees consisting of CRB-approved members appointed by the Committee’s Chairman and existing committee members. Subject to annual appointment by the CRB, Committee members serve three to six years. The number of and purpose for each committee is up to the CRB’s discretion. These Committees review member input and recommend potential actions to the CRB.
When it comes to rule changes and car reclassification, suggestions developed by the CRB must be approved by the BoD. If approved, the rule becomes effective January 1 the following year. There are, however, a number of actions the BoD can take, based on CRB input, throughout the year. Competition adjustments to balance a class can occur at any time, but every effort is made to limit such adjustments during a competition year. There is an exception to this rule for cars in their first year of SCCA competition. Newly classed vehicles may require adjustments to rim size, springs, shocks and bars during the competition season for the greater good.
Changes in regard to weight, tire size and/or the diameter of air intake restrictors can be made up to July 1 each year by the CRB without BoD approval. Other than these specific competition adjustments, spec line items are subject to the rules change process involving the BoD. Don’t forget that weight and induction changes may be considered a rule change if applied to a mature class or one with restricted specification. And of course, safety can be addressed at any time.
There are a limited number of changes the CRB is authorized to make on its own. Those actions include: 1) Clarifying a rule characterized as adding/subtracting/changing language to reinforce the intent of the rule without changing the core definition. 2) Make specification changes focused on weight, tire size and air/fuel management. 3) New classifications. 4) Implement changes for classes where parts are no longer available and a shortage would negatively impact competition.
The Club’s whole system is set up with checks-and-balances while also being nimble to address urgent matters. If you have concerns, find the appropriate Committee and make your concerns known. If things don’t go your way, please don’t take it personally. Your CRB is doing its very best to serve the greater good. And if we accidently get it wrong, there’s a system in place to make corrections.
Representatives from IMSA, IndyCar, NASCAR, NHRA, SCCA and USAC traveled to Washington, D.C., last week to meet with Members of Congress, highlight the impact of the motorsports industry across the country and to encourage support for the Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act.
Last week, SCCA President & CEO Mike Cobb joined the National Motorsports Coalition as it convened on Capitol Hill to meet with more than 30 congressional offices representing racing communities all around the country. During the meetings, the Coalition provided lawmakers with updates from each of the sanctioning bodies and urged Congress to take action to ensure the motorsports industry has the tax certainty it needs to continue making long-term investments in their facilities.
“It was quite an honor to stand shoulder to shoulder with other motorsport luminaries in advocating on behalf of Sports Car Club of America and enthusiasts across the country as part of the National Motorsports Coalition event in Washington D.C.,” Cobb said. “This effort truly illustrates that by pulling together we can generate a much larger voice on behalf of the industry while creating a higher tide of awareness regarding the issues that challenge our collective future.”
The visit to Capitol Hill was capped off with a reception coordinated with support from the Congressional Motorsports Caucus, an informal, bipartisan group of members dedicated to celebrating motorsports of all varieties and understanding their impact on American culture and the economy. Several drivers joined the National Motorsports Coalition in visiting with a group of nearly 200 Congressional members and their staff, including: Trent Hindman (SCCA/IMSA); Mario Andretti (IndyCar); Kyle Busch, Austin Cindric, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano (NASCAR); Clay Millican, Steve Torrence (NHRA); and Tracey Gardiner and Samantha Tan (USAC). Guests heard remarks from ACCUS President George Silbermann and Representatives Mike Thompson, Bill Posey and Richard Hudson. Other special guests included representation from Speedway Motorsports, Inc., and Iowa Speedway.
Earlier in the week, House Ways and Means Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) and Representatives Tom Reed (NY-23) and Bill Posey (FL-08) introduced the bipartisan Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act, which would make permanent the seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports entertainment complexes. In introducing the bill, each of the bill’s cosponsors spoke to the importance of this legislation.
Chairman Thompson noted, “Motorsports are a huge economic driver, both across the country and in our district, and the tracks used require constant investments to ensure they are safe for drivers and spectators alike. To make these investments, everyone in the industry needs long-term certainty about what they can rely on in our tax code, but in 2017, the provisions that provided that certainty expired. That’s why I introduced my bill, the Motorsports Fairness and Permanency Act, which makes the seven-year cost recovery period permanent for the industry, incentivizing more investment and ensuring motorsports facilities have the same advantages as other entertainment complexes.”
With motorsports having a presence in nearly every state across the country, Representatives Bill Posey and Mike Thompson recently launched the Congressional Motorsports Caucus (CMC), whose members include more than 50 Congressmen/women. CMC, with The National Motorsports Coalition, will continue to work closely with industry stakeholders and Congressional leaders to advocate for issues in the best interests of the motorsports industry.
