This issue’s column is exciting because there’s additional online content. So what I want you to do now is go to Google Maps, and I’ll give you a look at a ghost track you may have never heard of.
Navigate to the humble burg of Palm Coast, Florida, and look all the way down in the southeast corner of Flagler …
Florida is craaaaazy.
If only photos existed....
David S. Wallens said:If only photos existed....
Editorial Director, Grassroots Motorsports & Classic Motorsports
They should be ready at Eckerd's soon.
I witnessed a Consulier test there. Did a few laps in my Elva Courier there at night too
Deb & I saw an SCCA autocross there once when we were visiting my parents in Daytona. We saw the SCCA sign on the access road and went and viewed the event. If I remember correctly a car had gone off course and was back in the woods, it was a Renault or Golf I think. Those were the days in the early days of Palm Coast.
I can't remember if I heard it in person, or read it on the website, but the story about the entire German race team that came over to do some test laps was awesome.
edit: Consider this a request, please.
That is awesome! In for more pics!
When I was a kid, my Dad brought me to a similar un-developed residential set of roads down near Cape Coral, iirc, where they held sanctioned autocrosses. I don't recall if it was SCCA or another group, but it was cool! There's another similar area out in the Palm Bay area known as "The Compound" where the drift boys go to practice and there are tons of offroad trails.
I'm not saying that this photo was taken there. I just happen to like Subarus and recently came across this image in our files.
Floating Doc (Forum Supporter) said:I can't remember if I heard it in person, or read it on the website, but the story about the entire German race team that came over to do some test laps was awesome.
edit: Consider this a request, please.
That anecdote was actually going to be part of this column but I ran out of room to do it justice, so it'll get its own column at some point in the future.
Lof8 - Andy said:That is awesome! In for more pics!
When I was a kid, my Dad brought me to a similar un-developed residential set of roads down near Cape Coral, iirc, where they held sanctioned autocrosses. I don't recall if it was SCCA or another group, but it was cool! There's another similar area out in the Palm Bay area known as "The Compound" where the drift boys go to practice and there are tons of offroad trails.
That was SAFE, which was anything but with the two guys who ran it. One was a builder, and the other was a lawyer, which was handy for the first brother. It's gone through a couple of owners, and is now running autocrosses at Buckingham Airstrip under the name Gulf Coast Auto Cross
Not just an IS 300, but one with a five-speed. Again, not saying where this was taken. I just like these cars. :)
I don't intend to hijack the thread, but I love this type of stuff. Here's a video from when I attended the "Bay Bottom Crawl" a few years back. It used to be held on some undeveloped neighborhood roads down in the Keys. Nothing but mangroves and salt water if you biff it off course. ($2k challenge miata)
And here's an event that became dubbed the "Zombiecross". The previous owner of the Firm bought an abandoned army training facility near Arcadia. It was supposed to become another rally training facility, "Carlstromring". But at the first and only event ever held there, a car went off course, hit an electrical box, and started a fire. To my knowledge, the dude sold the place afterward. :( (not me, I did not get to attend).
In reply to Lof8 - Andy :
I an the Bay Bottom back in about '92 or '93. Fun and incredibly sketchy. Last I heard that road was pretty much hurricaned out after the last couple storms dumped a lot of sand on it. They were still running up until just a few years ago, though. The club down there actualy has a pretty active schedule at the community college in Key West. Almost worth a couple nights in a $300 crappy hotel to check one out sometime.
In reply to Lof8 - Andy :
Years ago, we ran a TSD rally through Rocket City, a planned community between Orlando and the Cape that didn't take off as expected.
JG Pasterjak said:In reply to Lof8 - Andy :
I an the Bay Bottom back in about '92 or '93. Fun and incredibly sketchy. Last I heard that road was pretty much hurricaned out after the last couple storms dumped a lot of sand on it. They were still running up until just a few years ago, though. The club down there actualy has a pretty active schedule at the community college in Key West. Almost worth a couple nights in a $300 crappy hotel to check one out sometime.
Sketchy indeed! But very fun! Key West autox sounds like a cool road trip.
David S. Wallens said:In reply to Lof8 - Andy :
Years ago, we ran a TSD rally through Rocket City, a planned community between Orlando and the Cape that didn't take off as expected.
that sounds sweet. Is Rocket City still "abandoned"? Google seems to indicate it's transformed into Wedgefield.
Definitely got the hang of some similar stuff back following the 08 housing bust. Totally paved subdivisions with no housing built.
I have flown RC Planes at "The Compound" in Palm Bay and may or may not have run a '69 Austin Healey Sprite around there many years ago as well. :)
Oh no I've said too much.
I haven't said enough
David S. Wallens said:Oh no I've said too much.
Not gonna lie I completely forgot photos existed
Yup. They're safe.
And let's just say that I have a bit of scanning to do.
JG Pasterjak said:David S. Wallens said:If only photos existed....
Editorial Director, Grassroots Motorsports & Classic Motorsports
They should be ready at Eckerd's soon.
And yup.
The Spirit Of Daytona team was a frequent visitor to PCI in the mid 90s. It was a great way for all of us volunteers to get together to work out our race organization and duties.
We may have had to replace the pavement in turn 1 after a fuel spill. Thankfully one of the team members worked for a paving contractor and had access to supplies and equipment.
Did lots of SCCA club car testing there too.
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