It's that time again. All you wanna be race car drivers it's time to put your throttle where your mouth is, WIDE OPEN.

another local club is again hosting a pseudo-auto-X where we can all participate. I'm sorry to say but Mini's previous to 2002 are not allowed. This event will again be at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC. It's about an hour and twenty minutes from Charlotte and loads of fun. Ask the MINI owners that went a few months ago. Here is the offical e-mail below that was just recieved. i'd like to see lots of MINI's there.

__________________________________________________ ___________________

Hi Everyone,

I just received confirmation that we will be holding our 4th autocross at the BMW Performance Center in Greer, SC, on Sunday, November 18th. The event will happen rain or shine, high attendance or low. I know this is late notice, but the date just became available. An event application is attached in MS Word format. Here are the main details:

Date: Sunday, November 18, 2007
Time: 8am 'til 5pm (or when you've had enough!)
Location: BMW Perf. Ctr., Hwy 101 South, Greer, SC

Track: 1.5 mile extended course!
Number of runs: Everyone will get practice runs in the morning and official timed runs in the afternoon, and maybe some fun runs if time allows.
Car Restricitons: BMWs and New MINIs only (yes, open top BMW/MINs and SAVs are allowed)

Registration: Pre-registration only!

Deadline: Your registration form MUST be received by November 11th.Cost: $40 BMW CCA member; $50 non-memberGuests: We will allow one driving non-BMW CCA member guest per member driver. Your guest MUST be driving a BMW or New MINI in the event.

Minimum Driver Age: 16 with valid driver's license (16 & 17 year-olds MUST have a parent/guardian present to sign a waiver, NO exceptions

Helmets: REQUIRED, must be M or SA rated for 95, 2000, or 2005. 5 Loaners will be available thru the day, but if you have your own, please bring it.

Clothing: Dress for the weather

Pre-Event tech inspection: NOT REQUIRED, we will do a quick tech check on site at the event.
Cars should have no corded tires and no excessively leaking fluids.

Passengers: ARE allowed for instructional purposes only.

Lunch: On your own at one of the area's fine dining facilities.

Refunds: Sorry, no such luck. Your schedule, health, and car maintenance are not under my control.

Waivers: EVERYONE ON SITE is REQUIRED to SIGN the liability WAIVERS!!! YES, EVEN GUESTS!!!!!

That should address most of the pre-event questions. Attached is the registration form. I'm sure the late notice of this event will restrict the number of participants on it's own without me having to set a limit. I anticipate anywhere from 30-50 drivers to attend this event.

Please email me with any questions you may have. I typically reply within 24hrs unless I'm out of town (I will be out of reach from Oct 17-29.) If you need an immediate/urgent response, you can contact me or leave me a message at 803.627.1514 and I will get back to you later in the evening. Other details will come out with your confirmation email (after Oct 29th) after I receive your application and registration fee.

I will also need a few people to help out with the event in the following areas: registration, tech, timing/scoring, starting line, and helmets. If you are interested in helping out, please send me a reply noting as to what area you'd like help, and I'll send you the details. Being involved in registration and tech inspections require you to show up early. Thank you, and I hope to see many of you there.


One last thing, I need to mention this. By participating in this event, you are knowlingly and willfully by your own decision putting you and your property at risk. The Club's insurance DOES NOT cover damage done to your car while at the event (i.e., if you run off course and blow a tire somehow, the Club's insurance will not pay for a new tire and/or repair your wheel, nor is the Club in any way responsible for anything that happens to your car.) Most everyone's auto insurance policy is not applicable during competitive events and/or events that are run for time or position (i.e. racing!) This is one of those events. If you wreck it (by some off-tangent strand of crappy luck), it's your dime that fixes it. Also, if you create or are involved in any damage or defacing to the event site (grounds/buildings/other facilities/properities), YOU will be responsible for cost of repairs, NOT the CLUB. Please be sure you understand this prior to registering/attending this event. This also applies to guests/spectators cars as well (i.e. a collision between their car and another car or their car and a building, etc.) The Club is NOT responsible nor liable for the cause or repairing of your/their personal property. Thank you.


Best regards,
Ronn Hale
Driving Events Coordinator
Sandlapper Chapter, BMW CCA

 

I've been looking into joining the BMW CCA, for events like this. Have not yet. How can/could I be a guest for this, or is there time to join and still get in on it?

 

Hey guy, I'm a member so you can go as my guest.

I do have a question, "just in case" and others might be wondering too, so I'll post it here.

Is there a driver's meeting beforehand or can we show up later?

BTW, thanks for sharing this with us!

 

Hey Dave, I'd like to be your guest for this. Not sure when you need to be pre-registered by, but let me know when you need my $50. I'll be at the Fall Dragon Run also..

 

if one of you all would give me your e-mail address i'll forward you the word application. I'd send it in asap. my brother sent ours out friday since i was out of town. There is a drivers meeting and tech in the morning. They do take roll call and assign groups.

 

Bryan, look for an email from me, pls send me the form and your info and I'll get it sent in tomorrow...

 

Back at ya Dave. Sent form and info. Let me know if it didn't go thru.

 

Would this be a good event for someone who has never run Auto X or should I wait for somethign else?

 

i don't think i'm the best person to answer that. Lets try and get input from someone that has done a real auto X and this one.

I can tell you it's a lot of fun and you will enjoy it. Very seldome do they open the doors to the Performance Ceter and let people drive their own cars on their track.

for anyone that really wants to have some fun i'll be instructing the next day up at VIR with track daze.

www.trackdaze.com

check it out.

 

This will be my first time. Didn't want to pass up the chance to drive their track/course down there. I might not be very good at it, but it should be a blast!!

 

Check's in the mail!

BTW, Bryan, you're 30 something and live with me, okay? ;-) Didn't have the info, so I just winged it...

 

Sounds like a plan. Thanks,

 

everyone all signed up?

 

I mailed my entry form and $55 check to Ronn. I am just awaiting the confirmation from him.

 

cool, he's been at watkins glenn all weekend working. he should get back today or last night.

 

I sent my app & check yesterday.

I recommended this event to a bunch of AtlantaMINIs (6 or 7 committed to go) and now I hear Ronn says it's either sold out or nearly so. So they probably won't get to go. And I may not make the cut as well. From the e-mails and postings, I thought he was saying that it was gonna be under attended, so I pitched it. Wish I hadn't, since it looks like they won't make the cut.

 

I haven't heard anything from Ronn about it being sold out or close to it. It does seemthe event is getting more popular. I could be to blame for that. The first year we did it there wasn't much competition so i've used this forum and word of mouth to get the attendance up. Of course i want more MINI's there so we can represent. Hope everyone gets in.

 

I thought this was a parking lot/orange cone type situation then Joe sent me a note to pay attention. ;-) It's on the 1.5 mile track! Yipee! I hope all get in b/c this will be a BLAST!

 

Have fun guys, will be at International Auto Show working.

 

i wish i could show you the track. none of the sat. photo's show the new section of the track so, no need to bother. maybe one of our past participants has a video with the new section they could share???

 

Ronn was kind enough to call me twice yesterday.

The event (that I unfortunately promoted on AtlantaMINIs) is sold out, and we are locked out (even though four of us sent our money & applications on Monday), unless he can get the chapter powers-that-be to relax and let us in.

So we're on hold, but it doesn't look encouraging. I thought we had plenty of room, or I would've sent my stuff earlier (we're still ahead of the deadline he sent in the letter).

We'll see...