SCCA National Championship Runoffs

[championaudi]

A miracle has occurred, whist planning our great 2014  US fly / drive, er in-doors has asked 'do you know anything about a race circuit call 'Laguna seca' , Well ive kinda hear of it my love......'

We planned to be in the area around the time of Runoffs, can anyone pass any advice on regards,where to stay, local eats etc?

If all goes well, I be working on sebring the following year

[Grand_Fromage]

If you want top dollar scenic then Monterey has lots of hotels, if you want budget price no frills motel then head for Salinas. The circuit itself is pretty much in the middle of nowhere, except for the nearby Golf and Country Club.

If you are travelling south from Salinas on the 101 then I highly recommend the John McVeigh, Jr. Memorial Highway (198) to cut east to the Interstate (I5). It is an undiscovered treasure of a drive. In the evening light it rivals Big Sur but more subtle and understated. With the added advantage of minimal traffic you can take it fast and furious or just cruise and soak in the view (google street view screenshot attached)

[Canada Phil]

Hi Championaudi,
                        In case you are not aware. The runoffs are a bunch of amateurs drawn from all across the USA.
Some excellent racing and some well prepared cars. There are a lot of them. both classes and entrants.
Practice and qualifying is done early in the week. Starting on Friday morning early they go RACING. Each class gets one kick at the can. They race then go home so on race day there are no repeat appearances.
So plan you time carefully. Have fun.
Phil

[Boorish Grobian]

Hi ChampionAudi,
As Phil says, top notch amateur racing.  Essentially the SCCA takes all of its champions from each class, from every region, and throws them together at the end of the season to crown a national champ for each category.  Its always a fun event with racing from sun up to sun down.  All the races are short sprints, so the go off in quick order.  Everything from small production sedans, to powerful single GT's and single seaters.
Huge entry of cars makes for a crowded paddock.
For many years it was held at Road Atlanta, then Mid-Ohio.  As I understand it, the SCCA is looking to return it to the Buckeye state.
Its great fun, you'll enjoy it.
Fax

[gatordad]

Headed to Daytona next year if I'm not mistaken...2014

Though not a great road course the cool thing there is you can see all of the track from just about everywhere.  Plus it's in Daytona Beach!

[Boorish Grobian]

The Runoff's were at Road America this year for the fifth consecutive season, Laguna gets it in 2014, Daytona 2015, Mid-Ohio 2016. http://www.scca.com/news/index.cfm?cid=51460
Fax

[Canada Phil]

Hi Fax,
         SCCA used to move the venue every few years so  5 in Road America seems long but only one in each of the next three years seems short plus what has Daytona got to do with Amateur racing it is not any of SCCA region clubs home circuit ? Sebring would make sense for Florida Region.
Phil

[Boorish Grobian]

I think both Daytona, and Sebring are used by the Central Florida Region of the SCCA, but I agree, would much rather see the runoffs at Sebring on a proper road course than Daytona on a roval.
Fax

[championaudi]

Thanks all for comments,
Ive read good reviews about the meeting , so Im quite looking forward to it,
just booked the time off work for the fly/drive, which alas leaves me with just 15hrs left for the rest of 2014!!
Ill have to trust CA's following to keep me abreast of Le mans this year as I can't have food poisoning around the 2nd week of june again!!

[Boorish Grobian]

Some guy named Paul Newman was a pretty regular competitor at the Runoff's, I borrowed his stats from Racer magazine as follows,
"From 1973 to 2002, under the name “PL Newman,” he made 14 Runoffs appearances, winning four times (D Production in 1976, C Production in 1979 and GT-1 in 1985 and 1986). Newman finished all but one of his Runoffs races in the top 10, including a ninth-place finish in the 2002 GT-1 Championship event at age 77."
Fax