Autocross !!!
THE 2003 AUTOCROSS SEASON IS HERE!!
(click for important note below)
Our first event of the season was held on Sunday, March 16th with a total of 90 drivers (31 BMWCCA members).
Highlights include the launching of the Street Tire Classes. Catherine Jensen in her '99 M Roadster takes all Street Tire honors! Brian Mattueci in his stealth 325i leads all heavy weights in AA! Donovan Brown blows away all comers in his stock M3 to take top BMW honors! B Class gets off to a competitive start with Scott Riggins taking out Karter Bollman by less than .05 seconds!
(only BMWCCA members or associates receive points)
AA Class
DRIVER Vehicle Class March Points Overall March Pos.(out of 90) Best March Time Best 4 Events Class Standing Brian Mattueci 1995 325i AA 9 8 40.809 9 1 Bob Dorchester 1995 M3 AA 6 11 41.293 6 2 Richard Tomlin 1998 M3 AA 4 14 41.733 4 3 Barry Bachman 1995 325i AA 3 16 42.055 3 4 Tomme Eng 1999 M3 AA 2 17 42.072 2 5 Dave Meaux 1998 M3 AA 1 18 42.081 1 6 Jose Buenconsejo 1995 325is AA 0 19 42.092 0 7 BJ Ongoco 1995 M3 AA 0 22 42.423 0 8
A Class
DRIVER Vehicle Class March Points Overall March. Pos.(out of 90) Best March Time Best 4 Events Class Standing Donovan Brown 1997 M3 A 9 2 39.640 9 1 Ricardo Barnes 1999 M3 A 6 28 42.953 6 2 Ben Peak 2000 M Roadster A 4 33 43.160 4 3 AST Class
DRIVER Vehicle Class March Points Overall March. Pos.(out of 90) Best March Time Best 4 Events Class Standing Catherine Jensen 1999 M Roadster AST 9 35 43.277 9 1 Jeff Newton 1999 M Roadster AST 6 42 43.798 6 2 Lee Nelson E36 M3 AST 4 43 43.960 4 3 Al Parker III 2001 M3 AST 3 45 44.179 3 4 Kevin Crookson 2002 M3 AST 2 61 45.593 2 5 Gary Johnson 1999 M Roadster AST 1 64 45.840 1 6 Stephen Johnson 2001 Z3 3.0 AST 0 68 46.365 0 7 Michael Barker 2002 Mini Cooper S AST 0 71 46.781 0 8 Rainer Effenhauser E36 M3 AST 0 76 47.692 0 9 Alvin Yu AST 0 81 48.720 0 10 Jerry Streeter 2001 Z3 3.0 AST 0 89 49.851 0 11
B Class
DRIVER Vehicle Class March Points Overall March. Pos.(out of 90) Best March Time Best 4 Events Class Standing Scott Riggens 1989 328i B 9 15 42.046 9 1 Karter Bollman 1991 318is B 6 20 42.105 6 2 Ed Deacon 1991 318is B 4 31 42.989 4 3 Peter Fry E30 328is BST 3 44 44.138 3 1 Fred Reinemeyer 1996 Z3 1.9 B 2 51 44.900 2 4 Drew Timberlake 325is B 1 73 46.968 1 5
C Class
DRIVER Vehicle Class March Points Overall March. Pos.(out of 90) Best March Time Best 4 Events Class Standing Craig Robson 1992 535i C 9 49 44.791 9 1 Chechu Kappadath 325i C 6 87 49.445 6 2 Jackie Pomeroy E30 325es C 4 88 49.532 4 3 Luis Vivar 1995 318ti C 3 90 52.648 3 4
Beginning in 2003 we have a NEW class structure for BMWs. This includes 2 new street-tire classes for A and B cars (AST and BST). Other classes will remain the same (AA, A, B and C). There will no longer be a modification points assignment for cars with type-R rubber (Hoosiers, Kuhmo Victoracers or any tires with a wear rating of 140 or less). Every participant needs to reclassify their car!! Also note that there are new points assignments for models and certain modifications. Please go to the classification page and note each and every modification you have performed. We rely upon your honesty so for the sake of all competitors, please be accurate. Don't forget that if you are running tires and wheels larger than OEM you must indicate it. Also note, we are requiring that all BMW competitors for the 2003 season be members in good standing of the BMWCCA in order to be awarded points for each event. If you are not already a member, please visit the online signup page for membership HERE.
2003 Classes Points/Car BMW Classes (see worksheet) AA 50 and up A 39 to 49 A - Street Tire (AST) 39 to 49 B 26 to 38 B - Street Tire (BST) 26 to 38 C 00 to 25 ONLINE EVENT REGISTRATION IS NOW HERE
Online registration is now available for all BMWCCA autocross events in Houston. If you have a PayPal account you can even pay in advance (this really makes our job easier at the registration table!). Please visit the online registration page HERE.
Never autocrossed? Autocrosses are low-speed timed driving skill events. They reward car control and skill yet, most importantly, are fun! You don't need to be Mario Andretti and have an M3 Lightweight to do well. They consist of timed solo (i.e., you are alone on the track) laps of a twisty course laid out using traffic cones. The objective is to drive around the course without hitting any cones or missing gates. The main attraction of autocrossing is that it allows drivers to compete in a safe environment. Not only are the speeds low (under 60 miles per hour at the fastest point in a lap) but also the course is laid out such that the only obstacles are soft traffic cones. The next event is Sunday, March 30th, 2003 at Gulf Greyhound Park. This is the semi-monthly PCA Club event.
General Autocross Information Links:
Kate Hughes' Autocross Novice Handbook
Solo II (autocross), High Excitement at a low cost: Houston SCCA
What is an Autocross?: Lone Star Porsche Club
What is Autocross: New England SCCA
The Houston Police Academy, Corner of
Rankin Rd & Aldine-Westfield
South of FM 1960, East of I-45 (North
Houston)
When you see the "Restricted Area" sign, do not pay attention to this, just drive on into the complex and drive to the end of the driveway, take a left and you will see us!
Important Changes to Autocross beginning September, 2001
Notice
to Autocross Participants - Changes Beginning September 2001 Event!!
The BMW and PCA Autocross Committees met recently to discuss issues with
our coordinated events. As you know, BMW hosts events on odd number
months and Porsche hosts events on even months, all of which have a common
class structure and format. The issues we felt needed attention are
as follows:
1. The events are getting too popular to run with only 2 run
heats.
2. The "work buy-out" option is too popular, even
after we raised the fee, and has resulted in a big imbalance in heat
sizes. This, in turn, has made our "non-buy-out" entrants
work an unreasonably long time - sometimes in the Houston heat!
3. Neither BMW or PCA has adequate volunteers to handle
creating a plausible work buy-out option or program at this moment.
Maybe later.
Because
of these issues, we will make the following changes beginning with the
September BMW event, and effective for all PCA and BMW events that follow:
a. No More Work Buy-Outs! Sorry, but until we figure
out a way to accommodate them AND be fair to our other entrants, they are
out. Maybe with some sort of pre-registration system - probably
web-based, we can do it later. We would be glad to listen to your
ideas on this - and even more glad to have your help creating some system
which works.
b. Three Run/Work Heats! We will assign
registrants to drive in one of three heats, work in one of three heats,
and rest/set out on the other heat. These heats will be 90 minutes
in length. So you will either get some time to go get breakfast,
lunch, or leave early. Workers at registration will assign people in
rotation as they approach the table - this will discourage people from
coming early (a traditional problem) to get the run/work pairing they
prefer. On the other had, when you work, you will be done in 90
minutes!
c. BMW and PCA will acquire a
better timing software program soon - perhaps we can smooth out some of
our time-wasting glitches with our current old, "user
un-friendly" software.
Dave
Meaux - Autocross Events Webmaster
dpmeaux@pdq.net