Andy2.0

Has anyone ever participated in or been to a SCCA autocross event? I heard about it recently and began looking up some information on it. It seems pretty cool and Im wondering who has experince with these.
I plan on running my HHR SS eventually but the first one I attend I'll most likely just sit and watch if I can.

got2boostit2

Do it! You will love it. I ran across an image of an SS that competed at Waterford Raceway in an Autocross on July 4. Search Clutch Motorsports photography and Waterford. Peruse his images and see the SS with the inner two wheel off the ground!

I'm thinking about taking the wifeys ride to an autocross in September.

Andy2.0

Well a long time ago in Motortrend, Road and Track, or a magazine like that I, read an article that mentioned they saw a panel SS in an amatuer autocross event so I know its not impossible.

I see your from Michigan but where did you go when you went to autocross?
Im on the western tip of Kentucky so Missouri, Tennesse, even Illionois, and parts of Arkansas are within driving distance if anyone has a location.

got2boostit2

Thing to do is search My auto events dot com for any driving activity you wish to participate in from high performance driving events to autocross.

Link is here=> http://myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmMain.Show

I participate in the Detroit Region SCCA and have joined the SCCA. We have three clubs that sponsor events in metro Detroit area. I have moved away from frequent autocross participation and run frequent open track days. Time spent versus actual seat time cannot be beat.

I'd spend 8 hours plus at an autocross for less than five minutes actual seat time. At an open track day that same eight hours renders 80-100 track miles and 2.5 ~ 3.5 hours actual behind the wheel seat time. The grin factor is plus ten. You can also find open track days in your area on My Auto Events.

Good luck with whatever path you follow.

gregshhr

I did some years ago pretty regular and did a little last year, (musatang mid 90's last year colorado with sport suspension) and it is a blast, really makes you aware of what your ride can do, i have not wanted to do it in the hhr , but it might be kinda fun, just may have to dust off the helmet!!

Vetfevr

I tried SCCA autocross for the first time in Feb 2009 at Summerville High School in South Carolina. They had a two day event that weekend, Saturday was a school for those who were new to it and Sunday was the runs. Everyone kinda loooked and wondered what a "people hauler" was doing at an autocross. In fact the people running the event had no idea where to class me. They put me in "H Stock". When instructor's rode with me during the school they were very surpised at how well the SS did! During the hard acceleration and panic stop the instructor at the stopping end on seeing my car walked to far end of the stopping area. I guess he felt this "people hauler" could not stop. He had to walk a good distance back to me to let me know how I did since I had the shortest stopping distance in my group and then he noticed the Brembo's and smiled. On Sunday I ran "H Stock" instead of the Novice class and finished 4th out of six. I felt it was not bad for my first time. Here is a picture of the Blue Beast after the school session.

In Jun 2009 I ran in a points paying SCCA autocross at the North Charleston Convention Center. I finished 3rd out of 7 and had a great time. I was told by the winner of the class that I should be in "G Stock" because of the turbo, so when I do it again I'll move up a class, to not cause any problems. I haven't been this year yet because of event conflicts but I want to do it again.

DoomBuggy

I went to a SCCA SOLOII Two day driving school and to a few regular events in one of my old cars. I really enjoyed it. Unlike drag racing, the guy with the fastest car isn't always the winner.

I remember on one of my first days I was consistantly faster by .5-1 second than this older gentleman that had a brand new Lancer Evo8 with my stock NA new beetle. He was really getting bothered by it and kept asking me about any mods I might have. What he finally discovered after a lot of frustration is that he wasn't keeping his engine up in the positive boost range and was losing a lot of power through turns waiting for his turbo to spool up again. My car generated a lot of torque down low and helped me keep my momentum. Thankfully there were very few straight sections of track or it would have been a very different story, torque will only take you so far against a spooled up turbo!

Blue_SS

I am considering taking mine out this summer a couple of times. I ran an NA car a couple years back pretty successfully, and I'm not sure if I could avoid the Evo guy's fate with this car. I used to whup up on lots of faster cars, too. Race rubber makes you god-like if you know what you are doing...

Since the Stock class now allows a swaybar change, I am still stock legal. Is the SS a DS car, like the Cobalt, or do we get a weight/higher CG consideration and a GS classing?

DoomBuggy

If you've run an NA car in SOLOII, you know that staying in the powerband is everything. With the SS it would be super important to keep the revs up and have really good throttle control to stay in the boost. It's weird how many people I saw at the track that used the throttle like a lightswitch. Full on or full off, no in-between.

You are so right! Good tires are everything! On my beetle, I ran really high end Pirellis. They stuck like glue but wore out quick! I couldn't get more than 2 events (4 days of runs) and some daily driving out of a set. It got a bit too pricey for me.

marcsmith

never ran my HHR, but I had a 94 Impala SS with enough mod that I was not in stock, loads of fun. hard on the car/drivetrain. Can be a very expensive hobby. I also spent time at track days on Sebring, and Summit point...

I would recommend that everyone, do an autocross event at least once in their life... Really see what you car can and can't do...
and if you ever get a chance to autocross in the rain...do it...