Notice to Autocross Competitors: Sound Restrictions

Let's talk about sound....

We all know how hard it is to get sites. And not everyone in every community appreciates what we do. But we are committed to making reasonable efforts to keep noise within acceptable levels. It's just good Citizenship right? For drivers who tour already, this should be quite familiar. For local autocrossers, this is very new. So here is the basic rundown.

Key points:

• 100 dB limit will be measured 50 ft from course at a high throttle zone determined during course setup. Workers will be stationed by the meter and record each run.

• Courtesy warnings will be given at 97dB and competitiors who reach the 100dB limit will be given an opportunity to take corrective action, that must be approved before they continue.

• Records will be kept, and if a driver continues to bring a car that violates the sound restrictions, that driver may have to bring a different car next time. DDS is always a good choice... unless the muffler is rusted away, of course!

• It's important that we respect the community where we play. Sites are becoming increasingly more difficult to obtain, and we need to be grateful in word and deed for the opportunities we still have.

Thank you for understanding and cooperating. We are committed to working together to make sure this policy satisfies participants and the surrounding community as best as possible.

Ryan St.Louis
WDCR Solo Chair

iRacing Etiquette & Race Craft 101

IMSA GT4 driver and all-round good guy Kenton Koch has generously offered to host a series of webinars focused on making us all better racers and sim-racers.  The first webinar called iRacing Etiquette and Race Craft 101 is aimed at avid racers and novice iRacing competitors alike. In 30-minutes, this live webinar will cover the basics of racecraft and interacting with the iRacing simulator software. There will be time at the end of the session to ask your questions and discuss any of the topics Kenton has lined up for us.

B-b-b-bonus...he's giving this webinar to all WDCR SCCA participants and WDCR iRacing League members for FREE!  Kenton anticipates hosting more of these webinars in the not so distant future and we want to help him get the first one off the ground.  

The iRacing Etiquette and Race Craft 101 webinar is scheduled for Saturday, April 18th at 10 AM EST and you must pre-register through your MSR account.

Register here

Please Note: Kenton will be contacting registrants for the purpose of feedback and information on additional webinars and his one-on-one coaching business.

Region update for the week of 04/07/2020

All Concerned:

In keeping with a continuous watch on the situation and related developments, there are many opinions and directives that continue to evolve.  Washington DC Board of Directors will meet in regular session next week, 14 April 2020.  At that meeting a longer range view will be discussed.  Until then, current decisions remain in place to take no further action through 31 May 2020. 

In the interim, there is work ongoing to develop a web based program as a resource for our membership.  Sharing of technical knowledge on a broad number of motorsports related subjects is part of the driving force.  Look for more information to be released in the not too distant future.

As conditions change, the Board of Directors stands ready to review those changes and opportunities.  There will be no further actions prior to the next regular meeting of the Board.

Wayne Armbrust

C.W. Armbrust
Chairman & Region Executive WDCR - SCCA
Mobile: 540-539-6379
WDCR-RE@Outlook.com

SCCA COVID-19 Virus Situation Evaluaion

Washington DC Region - SCCA COVID-19 Virus Situation Evaluation

In phone conference Tuesday evening 17 March, WDCR Board of Directors discussed pending regulatory and recommended actions by state and federal government. As a result, all events and activities for the Washington DC Region are suspended for the remainder of March in compliance with established guidelines, as well as with the announcement of the closure of operations of Summit Point Raceway until their April first reevaluation.

The Board will remain in close contact with our Program Directors seeking their input and opinions. Changing conditions and relevant situations will be continually monitored. We will be holding a weekly Board of Directors telecom meeting, currently scheduled for 24 and 31 March to assess any changing conditions. No further actions taken by the Board at this time. 

No changes to the April schedule have been considered as yet.

Wayne Armbrust

C.W. Armbrust

Chairman & Region Executive

WDCR - SCCA

Mobile: 540-539-6379

WDCR-RE@Outlook.com

Note from WDCR Region Chairman on COVID-19

Note from Washington DC Region Chairman and Region Executive:

Fellow Members

In keeping with our mission to fuel a safe, fun, and exciting motorsports experience for auto enthusiasts, we sometimes have to make difficult decisions. Washington DC Region leadership is monitoring and continually assessing the COVID-19 (coronavirus) developments within our community. In that process the decision was made to suspend the current schedule for our Competition Driver Licensing School  21-22 March 2020.

It is also our objective to look at all of our activities and evaluate the exposure and risk at this time. In any case, we will operate in the best interest of our membership and those around us. 

We are directing our Program Chairmen and leaders to review the current schedules and assess each activity thoroughly in the current climate of developing cases and spreading exposures. We have a very wide geographic influence of which we must be continually cognizant.

Under the current states of emergency, national, state, and local, the most common local mandate that could affect SCCA events is a limitation on gathering size, many of these mandates may be specific to indoor activities.

While all members are welcome at Club events, SCCA leadership asks that anyone aware of exposure or who does not feel well or shows signs of fever please abstain from attending events. Additionally, SCCA leadership advises Club members to analyze each individual situation and make their own decisions on whether or not to participate in any given SCCA activity.

For those who are operating events, SCCA leadership advises that a proactive approach be taken, and additional measures be deployed to minimize the spread of any viruses. Those measures include but are not limited to:

• High-traffic worker positions (registration, waivers, etc.) should be issued nitrile gloves (preferred over latex due to allergies)

• Equipment with high-contact rates (radios, headsets, clipboards, etc.) should be sanitized before and between uses when they are shared.

• Events where loaner helmets are provided, balaclavas (head socks) and disinfectant spray should be provided and in use pre and post use.

• Any driver’s meetings normally held indoors should be conducted outside wherever possible.

• Minimize direct, physical contact between event attendees as much as possible. This includes, but is not limited to, event social functions.

• Experts have repeatedly stated that the best defense is to practice good personal hygiene, with regular hand washing being highly effective at preventing the spread of viruses.

From SCCA Topeka Office

Just released: 13 March 18:00 Hrs. 

Based on the latest updates regarding COVID-19, the current environment regarding public events and declaration of a national emergency, the SCCA is suspending the following events across the remainder of March:

SCCA Track Night in America

• March 19, Carolina Motorsports Park

• March 19, Thunderhill Raceway

• March 24, Memphis International Raceway

 SCCA Solo National Events:

• March 20, ProSolo at zMAX Dragway

• March 27, ProSolo at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

SCCA Starting Line Schools:

• March 21, Portland International Raceway

• March 28, Heartland Motorsports Park

SCCA Time Trials National Tour

• March 28, Auto Club Speedway

Respective program leaders will be following up with all participants registered for these events to work through the appropriate process in support of providing any credits and/or refunds.

As you know, things are moving quickly with this coronavirus outbreak. In the coming days, SCCA Leadership will continue closely monitoring the CDC and official national recommendations to help determine any ongoing impacts to our event schedule based on further updates and/or restrictions imposed.

Concurrently, Region Leaders are working diligently to follow local governance with regard to any updates/restrictions on gatherings and take appropriate action as needed for Regional events.

We appreciate your continued support as we work together through this challenge as One Team, and we look forward to seeing you on course or on track again soon.

Be safe, 
Michael E. CobbPresident/CEO
Sports Car Club of America

Straightpipe Snippet, February 2020 Nuts & Other Loose Things - Wayne Armbrust, Region Executive

We need to talk. There is a myriad of stories and news to cover. Let’s back up for a second or two and wish you a Happy New Decade as we roar into the 20s. With the start of this new year, we have an obligation to glance in the mirror to see what is behind us as we head into our first lap.
The quick glance back fills the mirror; sometimes it is hard to realize what we have been through, accomplished, and changed. There are also things bringing changes into the new year as part of the continuous process of improvement and development. All the while, we move ahead at full speed in to the new year, and new decade with our existing programs.
We can’t do it alone. SCCA is an amazing world being driven by members of a club with a common thread of passion. Through this uncommon collection of talent, passion, and experience is born the organization that opens opportunities to take our love of cars and abilities and apply them to their fullest extent.
Beginning in 2020, Dominion Raceway will be a regular venue for Washington DE Region’s Track Events Program, as we host a full-fledged HPDE program and a Time Trials series. With our involvement in Dominion Raceway, we will be looking for ways to help develop and improve the track and its facilities in partnership with the owners, much as we always have in the past with others.
Summit Point is undergoing some considerable changes with transition in management and a few new changes in the way of doing things. Xator tells us they are 100% committed to supporting motorsports events and operations. We are working with local management and through Xator Corp. in order to meet conditions to continue our long tenure as the Home Track for our MARRS and Road Racing Program long into the future.
Our Track Events Program for the Northern area of the WDC Region at Summit Point has a new Director. Lin Toland has stepped up to the bar and taken the hand off from Chuck Edmondson. Our TE and associated TT program is the only standalone SCCA Track Events Program in the nation. That alone is testimony to the commitment our folks have had in putting the WDC Region program on the national map.
WDCR Road Racing with its well-known and established MARRS Championship is still rockin’ along. It is rapidly becoming the center piece in the division as we work more closely with our neighboring regions to build MARRS into a true multi region championship series.
Bracket Racing is still making waves across the country. Inquiries into format and structure are still coming in as more and more regions look to any means to increase wheel to wheel participation. We are also exploring the opportunity for fine tuning the Bracket Racing Program and offering more space and track time to competitors.
Autocross Program is full bloom and going strong. Opportunities are being explored to expand available sites and resources. Enthusiasm is stronger than ever in participation and pursuit of the perfect run.
Rallycross is finding its own in participation and venue selection. Doing the Rally thing in the dirt is an experience every one of our members should give a try. It is simply amazing and thrilling to make the runs. Of course, it takes a couple of days’ worth of hot showers to get down to the bottom layers, but it is worth every sliding moment of fun.
Road Rally is rolling along with our annual schooling program and early season event.
More irons are in the fire, getting ready to spread the brand, stay tuned.
We are officially in the ‘20s, let’s make the Roar! They can hear us all the way to Topeka and beyond.

Summit Point 50th Anniversary Season Photo Book Now Available
As a means to archive our fiftieth year of Road Racing at Summit Point. Sissy Connolly spent the season behind her camera g the gathering our special year spent together. As we celebrate moving into the beginning of the next 50 years this book makes a wonderful mile marker along the way. These books would make wonderful gifts for your special driver in the family. Direct ordering from the Shutterfly.com publisher is available through: https://link.shutterfly.com/e/A2oKUKzlm3

To download the entire PDF of our February Straightpipe, click here