Discuss Detroit » Archives - January 2008 » Anyone catch the AutoCross on Belle Isle today? « Previous Next »
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Krawlspace
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Username: Krawlspace

Post Number: 357
Registered: 04-2004
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 4:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Searched for a thread on this and, finding none, decided to throw it out there.
Wife and I took a side trip around the island after church at Fort St. Presbyterian and immediately noticed a newer Honda sedan whipping around pylons on the new paved lot next to Scott Fountain. (Which was off of course) Anyway, tooled over to the gate of the lot where a very nice fellow asked us to sign an insurance waiver and invited us in. Apparently, some automotive club ( I apologize for forgetting the name) was staging what he called an AutoCross there. Lot was full of mostly competitors and some spectators; most cars of 2000 or newer vintage, although I did see a late 60's Camaro and a nice late 60's Stingray. Some cat even had a dropped Chevy pickup out there. Grouped by class according to speed, equipment, etc, the cars raced a winding course, with the emphasis on driving skill and handling. Most cars came in between 43 and 45 seconds. It made me long for the summer days at Detroit Dragway.
Anyway, I thought it was pretty cool, and was very happy to see the lot that was so bemoaned on previous threads here getting some non-Prix use. One can only hope more events like this make use of the lot. That would at least help to justify it's creation a little more than a once a year event.
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Otter
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Username: Otter

Post Number: 200
Registered: 12-2007
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 4:18 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Was this an SCCA autocross, or a club event (e.g. Alfa Romeo Owners Club or womever)? I stopped autocrossing years ago due to financial priorities and the low driving/sitting around ratio, but I don't pay enough attention to remember that there seems to be a monthly event at Belle Isle now, which I would happily go down to hang out at.
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Retroit
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Username: Retroit

Post Number: 199
Registered: 04-2008
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 4:46 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Bring back the Demolition Derby!
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Krawlspace
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Username: Krawlspace

Post Number: 358
Registered: 04-2004
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 5:11 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

I don't know enough to say as to the club either way. From the veritable cornucopia of cars there, I can say it was not a "make specific" event, unless the AR Owners like to see brown primer, no muffler, 4 inch body clearance Hondas mixed in with their breed :-)
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Gannon
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Username: Gannon

Post Number: 13024
Registered: 12-2003
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 6:05 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

The DPD could make a field day out of this, and provide enough faulty equipment tickets for those who drive in to pay off all of the mayor's attorneys.


There are ways to make street vehicles quickly track-ready...this is an interesting use for this space.

If they do it monthly...why not setup a small course with hay bales outside the corners and striped corners instead of mere pylons (way better to hit the apexes (apexi?) through)...and let those motorcycle fellows get their ya-yas out, too, on their own weekend.

Hell, I'd give them the track EVERY WEEKEND, if it gets them off the streets for a while and allows them a closed track to get crazy on to tickle those eager adrenaline glands.

Charge a little entry fee to cover hiring the Penske cleanup crews, keep an EMS stationed on the Island...as there should be anyways if not already.

Put a little motor back into the motor city, and get some REAL use out of that concrete.

Section off some of it for those 2x2 tournaments they had talked about...give those pesky skateboarders a place to go instead of trashing every angled ledge and handrail in Hart Plaza.


I'd say all of the above to give a useful spin to pit row during the rest of the year.
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Gravitymachine
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Username: Gravitymachine

Post Number: 2137
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 7:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

it was the regional chapter of the scca, this is at least the 3rd one there this year. i started a thread about a month or two when i saw the first one there, but the thread seems to have been lost in the ether. i know some folks from the local auto concern that i work for (who all live in the burbs) who were out the for the one last week had were having a good time between it an the air races, as if they "were in a real city"....have to say i echo the real city sentiment, i had the same reaction
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Gravitymachine
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Username: Gravitymachine

Post Number: 2138
Registered: 05-2005
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 7:03 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

http://detroit-scca.org/e107/n ews.php
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Krawlspace
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Username: Krawlspace

Post Number: 359
Registered: 04-2004
Posted on Sunday, June 08, 2008 - 9:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thanks for the clarification guys...
If this continues to be a regular event, it would be cool to get a small bleacher set up. There really wasn't much for a spectator area except for a narrow patch of grass where the guy recording the times was. It would be a lot easier to watch the course if you could be up off ground level a few feet. Not sure if they could spring for the cost of that, or if Parks & Rec (hahahahahah) could (hahahahaha) maybe (hahahaha) bring one by (hahahaha) and remove it (hahaha) when the gig is done.

Sorry for the cynicism. Damn near fell into that warm "...it's almost like a real city" vibe.

>sigh<

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