Something for the DFW gearheads

[Rex B]

This weekend SCCA is having a big regional road race at Texas Motor Speedway.
This will bring serious racers from all over the South Central states.
I am a member of SCCA, plus my company is involved in this event.

ADMISSION is FREE to the public

Parts Plus Texas Grand Prix
May 5-6, 2012
Texas Motor Speedway
What to expect this weekend
This is a National points race for the Sports Car Club of America, which is one of the biggest auto racing clubs in the world. It is considered the most competitive of the road-racing groups in the U.S. The drivers at this event will be mostly people who intend to compete for the championship at Road America in October. There will be 175 to 200 drivers competing in various classes.
Admission to this event is free to the public. You will enter at Gate 8/South tunnel. If you get there early you will probably be able to drive inside and park in the paddock area adjacent NASCAR Turn 1. Otherwise you will park near the South tunnel and walk in. You are required to sign a liability release upon entering, and wear a wristband. You will have access to the entire infield – garages and paddock area – as well as the grandstands if you wish to go through the tunnel. You may come in anytime during the weekend, and leave when you wish. There is almost always some racing taking place. You can walk around the pit area and garages and check out the cars – there will be lots of them. Just remember – race cars have the right-of-way!
Rain: If it rains, the races go on. Nothing short of a 100-year flood will stop the racing.

The Track includes the entire TMS oval except for a short section of the back straight.
From Start/Finish the cars accelerate to the Turn 1 area, where they are diverted to the flat apron, below the white line. This is a very long 180-degree turn, flat but with excellent traction. Exit the turn at 100+ onto the backstraight, then hard braking for the 180-degree diving left into the infield. There is a short straight, then a banked 180 right, now headed North on a long straight with a left-right kink in the middle. Hard braking into a 180 right sweeper, fast exit to a tight, climbing left up onto the backstraight at the oval turn 3. The cars can take this section on either the banking or the apron, exiting back onto the main straight. Repeat until you see the checkered flag.

Schedule
Friday: Practice, all groups. At around 3:00 there will be a 19 lap race for formula cars and sports racers. These are purpose-built race cars.
Saturday AM: Qualifying, 5 different groups. All cars on track, lowest lap time determines starting order.
Saturday Afternoon: 7 consecutive races. The last two consist of “everything else” and are non-championship races.
Sunday AM: Qualify races to determine grid positions
Sunday PM: 5 consecutive 19-lap races
Race Groups:

FM & FF: Formula Mazda & Formula Ford. FM are winged open-wheel cars like Indy cars using Mazda rotary engines. Formula Fords are non-wingled open-wheel cares that use 1600cc ford 4-cylinders. Will start split into 2 groups

SRF: Spec Racer Ford. These are all matched in horsepower and handling, so the racing is very close.

SM & STU: Mazda Miatas, prepared to the same spec. This is a very popular class, closely matched and they take no prisoners. There are often celebrity drivers, such as Colby Lewis of the Texas Rangers.

FV & F5: Formula Vee is an open-wheel race car powered by an air-cooled VW engine. These do 100+ in a tight pack. F5 is a small open-wheel car powered by a snowmobile engine.

EP FP HP: Production-based small-bore sports cars. Miatas lead the EP class, British and European cars are also popular.