Devens Nat'l Tour

[cmt52663]

229...  I had to snail mail Nancy a check, as registration by AmEx is verboten....

[pzahornasky]

How does this work exactly? This is my first year in solo and I have been to points #3 event and was thinking about doing this but saw it was over 2 days but it was listed as points #4/National Tur and your talking about tech on Friday. So can anyone give me a bit more detail on how everything works?

National Tours are designed to simulate the National Championship event.  You get three runs on each day (Sunday's course is different than Saturday) and the best run of each day is added together to give you your final time.  They typically draw the best drivers in a 5-600 mile (and farther) radius so the competition in most classes can be quite close.  Just look at AS right now with 20 drivers.

Registration and Tech are done on Friday night  due to the large number of expected entrants.  There is no way it could be done on the Saturday morning of the event.  Course is also set up on Friday so people can walk it on Friday night.

It is possible to do your registration and tech on Saturday morning, but there is limited time and you really want to dedicate Saturday morning to getting the car ready and walking the course.

NER uses the event as a points event to encourage people to attend the event.

As you might have figured out, this is not your usual Sunday autocross.  

[Hank Wallace]

I don't see any club running an event at Devens this Saturday. What is the closest "tune up" event on Saturday?

Hank

[bigboost17]

I don't see any club running an event at Devens this Saturday. What is the closest "tune up" event on Saturday?

Hank

Actually there is a club running this Saturday, it is the NESHOC which is a ford club. They are strictly pre reg. only , and it has been filled up for a long time, as they only allow 50 vehicles. I know because I was late registering, and am on the wait list.

[pj]

Not sure how far you're willing to go, but Philly SCCA has an event on June 1st in Warminster, PA.  It's also a wide airport runway surface, so the course should be somewhat similar to Devens (out and back vs. loop, though). 

http://www.phillyscca.com/solo2/index.html

[Beans]

Not sure how far you're willing to go, but Philly SCCA has an event on June 1st in Warminster, PA.  It's also a wide airport runway surface, so the course should be somewhat similar to Devens (out and back vs. loop, though). 

http://www.phillyscca.com/solo2/index.html

5 hour drive and a full tank of gas each way, count me out
I'm gonna have to resort to a metric buttload of Forza 2 this weekend.

[Aaron-MCS]

Hi All - Hope you don't mind me asking a 1st timer question for procedure.  Just want to make sure I'm following the correct flow.

I read the schedule and see there's registration check-in on Friday.   Is that pretty major to be at that one?  Or is the saturday Checkin before tech acceptable?  Do they tech any cars on Friday?

With 250 entrants (even assuming multi drivers) that's a lot of cars - do people claim paddock space on Friday?  Gates open at 6:30 so probably best to be there ontime.

Thanks

[cmt52663]

if at all possible, show Friday - here's why i think so:
1. Saturday is available for folks that CANNOT make Friday - not as an equally weighted alternative
2. I found that I needed to spend as much time as possible, and really focus on my first National
  a. getting a sense of the size and composition of the field on Friday helped set my nerves a bit
  b. walking the course Friday was just essential - again, for nerve control
  c. Friday allowed me to pick up the increased duties I would have as a worker, with each cone numbered
     and more detailed recordskeeping, and also the responsibility of contributing to National event results

So come early, and immerse yourself - it may allow you to avoid the slight sense of disorientation and panic I personally experienced on my first ever Saturday morning at a National event...

2 cents

[kpcasey]

do people claim paddock space on Friday?

Yes. And it's theirs for the weekend.

--kC

[Aaron-MCS]

Good info thank you!

For claiming a paddock spot - when not RVing in - what's the usual "flag" to mark it?  Boston winter rules, ie folding chair? or do people leave their non-essential gear in the spot overnight?

[pzahornasky]

Good info thank you!

For claiming a paddock spot - when not RVing in - what's the usual "flag" to mark it?  Boston winter rules, ie folding chair? or do people leave their non-essential gear in the spot overnight?

Leave non-essential gear.   Most leave their tires (site is locked at night) or other stuff.  A chair works as well, just no stabbing tires with an ice pick if someone takes your spot. 

With the large amount of people everyone should be prepared to get really friendly with their neighbors.  If you are in the same class as a friend, park cars two deep, one behind the other to save room.

239 entrants as of 3PM today.    If anyone has not registered they better do it now.

[cmt52663]

a few more memories from my first ever - for anyone as green as I

1. read the event supplemental rules on scca.com - they'll spell out the badging required on the car to pass tech (tech procedures)
2. the decals will be available at tech - free as i recall
3. have some magnetic sheets so you can magnetize the badging Friday night - otherwise you'll have to stick them on the car directly
4. the exception to the previous is the banner decall across the top of the windshield - unless you have radar vision
5. bring the rule book in hand - no rule book, no tech sticker...
6. have the schedule printed, and memorized or read frequently,  the deadlines are not flexible
7. normally a course map will be available, it is not a substitute for a course walk and may not be 100% accurate
8 frequently the Sunday course will be in opposite direction to the Sat course, with elements adjusted for flow and variation - no guarantee though

cheers,

charlie

ps: the supplementals can be found here: http://scca.com/eventitems.aspx?item=335&event=12139&hub=3

[pzahornasky]

Just wanted to comment on a couple:

a few more memories from my first ever - for anyone as green as I


3. have some magnetic sheets so you can magnetize the badging Friday night - otherwise you'll have to stick them on the car directly

If you don't have magnetic, a quick solution to putting the decals on is to first put them on a piece of clothing (fleece, jeans), then on the car (preferably waxed)  the decals will have enough tack to stick, but come off easy on Sunday.

5. bring the rule book in hand - no rule book, no tech sticker...

You need the rulebook at reg, not tech.

8 frequently the Sunday course will be in opposite direction to the Sat course, with elements adjusted for flow and variation - no guarantee though

Actually, the past few years at Devens we have been running the same direction as National wants the tent by the start on both days.  I assume it will be the same this year.

[cmt52663]

thanks for the corrections pz.

charlie

[Aaron-MCS]

Wow - Charlie, PZ thanks for the information.  I think I've got all the pre-requisites taken care of - of course I wasn't so freaked until readling these lists    So hopefully I'll only have to worry about not embarrassing myself on the course.