STARTING LINE REVAMPS DRIVER'S EDGE

The Starting Line team is revamping the Driver’s Edge Experience heading into the 2022 Tire Rack SCCA National Tour season, with the goal of ensuring drivers new to the National Tour format have a positive experience.

We all remember the feeling of showing up to our first National Tour and wondering, at least a little bit, “what have I gotten myself into?” The National Tours, while a great time full of camaraderie and competition, are often a different flavor of autocross than most drivers experience at regional events. The Starting Line Driver’s Edge Experience aims to bridge that gap.

In 2022, those drivers new to the National Tour format are encouraged to join our team of successful autocross veterans, free of charge, as they walk through what to expect at a Tour weekend. Sessions will cover the full experience — from check-in and driver’s information to finding the right grid spot and beyond.

What to expect

The Starting Line Driver’s Edge Experience will begin the Wednesday before each event with a Zoom gathering. Here, drivers will meet several key Event Staff, Starting Line coaches, and maybe even some friendly competitors and region folks they can look for once they’re at the event. During the Zoom, the Starting Line team will review the first details that will be handy as new competitors arrive on site — what the check-in and tech area look like and where to go from there, for example.

Coaches will also meet with drivers on site Friday evening, and Saturday and Sunday mornings to continue explaining the ins and outs of a Tire Rack National Tour event, arming drivers with the information needed to navigate the weekend without the intimidation factor that comes with trying something new. And, a Starting Line Driver’s Edge huddle in grid before first runs should help new drivers feel more comfortable as they head out on course.

Coaches will be with those new drivers throughout the weekend, checking in to answer any questions that may come up and offering encouragement along the way.

What about in-car instruction?

Don’t worry, if you’re looking for in-car instruction, we still have you covered. Our friends at Evolution Performance Driving School will be hosting their Evo Advantage Driving School on Friday mornings before each event. They’ve specifically designed Evo Advantage to help drivers who are new to SCCA Solo National Tours, or those who are looking to move up in the standings. Registration for Evo Advantage is just $125 and is limited to 24 students.

We’re offering these programs a la carte, so if you only want the Starting Line Driver’s Edge Experience or the Evo Advantage Driving School, you are free to pick and choose. We highly recommend both, it just depends on what you’re after!

Want to help?

The Starting Line team is always looking for a few good autocrossers to welcome new drivers to National Tour events and help cultivate a positive experience. If this sounds like a place you belong, take a few minutes to fill out the form to let us know!

Want in?

If you’ve registered for the Red Hills National Tour, Las Vegas National Tour, or the WDCR National Tour, registrations for their respective Starting Line Driver’s Edge Experiences and Evo Advantage Schools are open now.

Going forward, drivers will be able to register for the Starting Line Driver’s Edge Experience and Evo Advantage Driving School as part of Solo National Tour entries. This will begin with the Tire Rack SCCA Crows Landing National Tour, which opens for registration on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at 3 P.M. Central time.

Photo by Perry Bennett