Hey everybody,
My friend Holly who works for the Union Tribune in San Diego just forwarded
me this great story about autocross in San Diego. Don't have the exact URL
for the story, but I'm sure if you click around, you'll find it.
http://www.uniontrib.com/news/uniontrib/thu/index.html
There's some commentary in there from Gary Thomason, and Gary Middlebrook
gets his due, as well. After reading this, I immediately wrote back to
Holly, "Hey, Gary Thomason, I KNOW THAT GUY!" I told some stories and
exaggerated bit. I don't think she'll ever actually go to an autocross, so
he'll never find out that I actually taught him nearly everything he knows.
Fortunately, Holly is such a good friend, she knows better than to believe
things I tell her.
The story appears below my signature.
Katie Kelly
A LOT OF ENERGY
ON MANY WEEKENDS, THE PARKING LOT AREA AROUND QUALCOMM STADIUM IS FILLED
WITH REVVED-UP DRIVERS
Bill Center
STAFF WRITER
December 7, 2000
During a long break between runs at the busiest motorsports facility in San
Diego County, national champion Gary Thomason paused to reflect on how he
was spending a sunny December afternoon.
"You' re surrounded by car people out here at these events, which is a
perfect place for a car person," said Thomason. "And I' m a car person."
Thomason spoke not from the pits of Cajon Speedway or Carlsbad Raceway. He
was standing in the west parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium.
And for as far as he could see in all four directions last Saturday, there
were cars and drivers going through various disciplines.
In the west lot, more than 150 drivers from the the local chapter of the
Sports Car Club of America were competing in a Solo II slalom -- a series of
timed runs through a road course marked off by orange cones.
The south access road had been converted into an eighth-mile drag strip by
the Racelegal.com organization. Formerly the National High School Drag
Racing Association, the group has expanded its program to include drivers up
to the age of 25.
In the northeast parking lot, the Porsche Club of San Diego was hosting its
own timed runs through a slalom course.
Usually, the stadium parking lot is only noticed when it fills for Chargers
or Padres games.
But last year, the lot hosted 133 different motorsports competitions in more
than 40 race dates. And there are two racing events -- the annual Supercross
and monster truck competitions -- inside the facility.
And this total doesn' t include the training and testing done in the parking
lots by such diverse groups as car manufacturers, driving schools, the San
Diego Police Department and the California Highway Patrol. Nor does it
include car swap meets or car and RV shows.
"We' ve got more car-related activities at the stadium than anything," said
stadium manager Bill Wilson. "We' ve held up to four different competitions
on a day, although the total is usually three."
In addition to the SCCA and Porsche Club, the stadium parking lot is also
used by local Corvette and BMW clubs and the Team Possibilities junior drag
racing program. The annual regionals for the Soap Box Derby of America are
also held at the stadium each spring on the hill at the west entrance.
Last Saturday, the SCCA drivers were competing on a 1.4-mile course,
although most of their events are run on courses between three-fourths of a
mile and a mile. The official name of the competition is autocross.
"This isn' t racing per se," said Thomason. "There' s only one car on the
course at a time and no passing. It is precision driving. But it' s still
pretty demanding."
In some ways, the scoring is more personal than a race. In a race, you can
hide in traffic and lose a spot or two when no one notices. In timed
slaloms, everyone is watching. And the times are posted for all
to see.
Lemon Grove' s Steve Coe, 47, has been road racing and oval racing. He is
the 2000 champion of the NASA Mazda Charity Challenge.
"I' ve been autocrossing since 1974 and I still find this the toughest
challenge," said Coe. "This is the one form of competition where I' ve yet
to get a major championship."
Last Saturday' s SCCA course had a bit of everything, from a moderate
high-speed straight to off-camber turns to a chicane. The fastest time was
80.97 seconds set by Gary Middlebrook in a Mazda-powered Swift.
Thomason, who is a test driver by profession, was in the mid-80s.
"What' s great about this program is that it' s a grassroots level that
doesn' t cease to be enjoyable," said Thomason. "There' s always a new twist
to the courses."
Each driver is assured three runs a day. In between runs, drivers are
required to assist as event workers. Those duties could include being a
flagman at a turn or assisting novices.
"If someone shows up with a car and a desire, we' ll help them get started,"
said Thomason. The help goes all the way down to loaner helmets to fulfill
one of the safety requirements.
"The beauty of autocross is you can come out just to have fun for the
weekend or go for national championships," said Thomason, who claimed his
fifth national championship this season in the A Stock class.
For more information on autocross, call (619) 441-1333.
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