i am debateing between the runoffs that i heard about and going to jefferson car show. i would be going up on sunday the 26th of sept? i would like to know how much to attand to spec and how for is it for driving up one day from the ill/wis line? i am thinking of taking one or both or my newfews and i know my niece would find it boring though. they are 10 and 5. anyone else going? or going to be there?
Tix:
http://www.roadamerica.com/Races/RaceInformation.asp?id=30
The Runoffs rock. Here's some of last year's racing.
http://www.speedcasttv.com/scca/#/races
Click on "View All Races".
The Runoffs is actually the National SCCA club racing championship. Before NASA came along, it was the only National Championship for amateur road racing in the US. Originally, the SCCA Nat Champs were won on points, but in the mid-1960s or so, the club figured out that amateurs don't have the money to criss-cross a country as big as ours. So, they tried something else. If you're one of the top four or five guys in your area of the country, you get invited to the Runoffs. Points these days just get you to the race. Once you get there, it doesn't matter how good you did that year.
It's a berkeleying shootout! Whoever wins the race IS the National Champion in that class (and SCCA's got more than twenty of them, so there's three days of racing), no questions asked, no excuses accepted.
I'd be going, but I forgot they moved it from October to September, and I can't get the days off work. The Runoffs were my yearly vacation (I was lucky as a youngster, it was held at Road Atlanta from 1970 to 1993) even before I joined SCCA.
And when I was a Corner Worker, it was the yearly "family reunion". To a worker, it would be like if the Super Bowl lasted three days, they handed out free beer at night, and let you sleep in the stadium so you wouldn't get a DUI. 
I vote Runoffs. I haven't been to the Jefferson car show, though..so somebody voting that way will have to tell you about it. 
Road America is only a few (maybe four) hours out of Illinois and you just can't go wrong attending the Run-Offs.
Car shows are nice, but you'll see some seriously cool and unique stuff in the infield AND the best amateur racers (in some awesome cars) on track, too - it's two shows combined!
Leave early as you're going to see as many as seven or eight races, depending on the schedule.
Take the kids, but only if you know they'll enjoy it at least as much as you will. Watch the weather forecast and plan appropriately.
DO NOT leave without enjoying some brats and roasted ears of corn. Road America is one the few tracks I'd ever recommend for concession stand food, but my mouth is now salivating from memories of butter-coated corn on the cob.
And with (4) $5.00 of more purchases of Subway receipts you can get a free ticket into the runoffs any day you choose.
http://www.roadamerica.com/Races/RaceInformation.asp?id=30
I'll be there racing in E Production. Car #47 RX7. I'll be paddocked to the left over the Sargento Bridge If anyone wants to stop by and say hello. The E Prod race is on Friday, but I'll be staying until Saturday night. If anyone gets a chance to come, it is some of the best amateur racing you'll ever see.
The one day I would plan to take a vacation EVERY year was the Friday races for the Runoffs. A great day I always looked forward to when they were at Mid-Ohio and I miss them enough to think about going to them even though they're 4 times as far away now.
I don't think you'll be disappointed, but I'd follow oldsaw's advice regarding the little ones.
I might be going up on Friday. From Grayslake it should be 2 to 2-1/2 hours straight north.
Bring the kids! I bring my daughters bike and she rides the grass hills just past corner 12.
Some races (not sure on the RO) they have 4-row seats golf cart taxi service. My 7-year old and I road it for an hour once; the guy loves to give you the entire tour. That was a highlight for my daughter.
Bring a camera too.
stan wrote: The one day I would plan to take a vacation EVERY year was the Friday races for the Runoffs. A great day I always looked forward to when they were at Mid-Ohio and I miss them enough to think about going to them even though they're 4 times as far away now. I don't think you'll be disappointed, but I'd follow oldsaw's advice regarding the little ones.
I wa really bummed when they moved from Mid Ohio, about 40 minutes from my house. 
But everyone is right, it is some of the best racing you will see with a wide variety of machines.
Andy Reid and I will be there flying the GRM banner. (flags actually) We will have the booth set up from Friday morning--- Sunday afternoon. If you are up at Road America, make sure to stop by and say hello. You may even get some free schwag! Our stickers to add horsepower!
If you are racing, make sure to have your subscription current, and GRM stickers displayed on your car. Once again we will be offering contingency $$ for class winners! You will be able to re-new your subscription at our booth, but this needs to happen BEFORE your race.
The Runoffs is a tremendous event, with some of the most intense (and accessible) racing you are ever likely to see. The variety of the cars is amazing. ( From TR-6 to Ferrari, to GT1 Corvettes, to Lancias, to.......)
Also, the people there are enthusiastic about racing, and just plain nice.
If you are heading there, you must stop and have a beer at Seibkien's, and you need to have a steak at Schwartz's Dinner club.
ckosacranoid--- if you bring the little ones, you may want to bring a few things for them to occupy themselves with as it can be a long day at the track. Also, bring earplugs, especially when the F5000 guys are out there!
Joe Gearin wrote: Also, bring earplugs, especially when the F5000 guys are out there!
Joe, did you type an extra zero there, or have a thirty-year-plus time lapse?
And a big PLUS 1 for a beer at Seibkien's, although that could be a challenge with kids in tow.
Yeah, sorry about the typo. I meant formula snowblower.....errr F500.
If it was the F5000 guys I'd gladly let my eardrums bleed!
and no.....Seibkien's (especially after dark) is not a good place to bring kids.
i dont drink so that no problem for beer anyway. a few hours drive is not a big deal, just coming home would be tiring....make sure to take an auto intead of the stick i think since its looks like walking around all day as for the camera that not a problem.....i was planning on both the still and the video cameras. as for the sunway thing i heard it from thier adds on the radio for the event. it looks like i might be running up there and will look up the grm crew up there though, now i just have to call my brother and ask if the kids want to hit the track of meybe he wants to go.
If you don't bring the kids, bring a bike, or some very comfortable walking shoes. There are a ton of great places to watch the action, but Road America is a HUGE track. (4 miles long)
81gtv6 wrote:stan wrote: The one day I would plan to take a vacation EVERY year was the Friday races for the Runoffs. A great day I always looked forward to when they were at Mid-Ohio and I miss them enough to think about going to them even though they're 4 times as far away now. I don't think you'll be disappointed, but I'd follow oldsaw's advice regarding the little ones.I wa really bummed when they moved from Mid Ohio, about 40 minutes from my house.
I'm still bummed they left Mid-Ohio
i am looking forward to this and i really think i am going to go even its by myself. anyone else from the board want to go if no one else wants to go with?
ckosacranoid wrote: i am looking forward to this and i really think i am going to go even its by myself. anyone else from the board want to go if no one else wants to go with?
I'll be with you (in spirit), but not in person.
Even if you go by yourself, you'll not be alone; spectators at the RunOffs are not your run-of-the-mill race fans. We/they know what's going on and appreciate the competition and cars more than the party.
If you go solo, you have an opportunity to move around and enjoy the track. There are superb viewing spots at T5, T6, the Hurry Downs (just after T6) and Canada Corner. Everything in between is just icing on the cake.
And, even if you're on a diet, take time to have at least one brat and one ear of roasted corn. It's not my fault if you have more than one, though.
ckosacranoid wrote: i am looking forward to this and i really think i am going to go even its by myself. anyone else from the board want to go if no one else wants to go with?
Oh, man. Any American sports car guy should go to the Runoffs at least once. I'm sure anybody here with some time off will be there. Hey, if nothing else, you can meet some of the folks from GRM!
81gtv6 wrote:stan wrote: The one day I would plan to take a vacation EVERY year was the Friday races for the Runoffs. A great day I always looked forward to when they were at Mid-Ohio and I miss them enough to think about going to them even though they're 4 times as far away now. I don't think you'll be disappointed, but I'd follow oldsaw's advice regarding the little ones.I wa really bummed when they moved from Mid Ohio, about 40 minutes from my house.
81gtv, is Road America closer to Mid-O than Mid-O is from Road Atl? The only reason I only attended three times at Mid-O is because I was paying my child support at the time, and didn't have the money to attend every year.
Go there if you can get the time off from work. Funny thing..when the Runoffs left Atlanta (1994), the SCCA Nat'l Office was entertaining an offer from Topeka (even back then!). When they awarded the event to Mid-O, even the most hardcore RAtl fans said, "..at least it's going to another real racetrack.."
Random Runoffs at Mid-O link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aSeHAx7cW8
Not my car, etc.
Don49 wrote: I'll be there racing in E Production. Car #47 RX7. I'll be paddocked to the left over the Sargento Bridge If anyone wants to stop by and say hello. The E Prod race is on Friday, but I'll be staying until Saturday night. If anyone gets a chance to come, it is some of the best amateur racing you'll ever see.
Good luck, Don. I'm still cheering for SEDIV folks that make it to the big show (old habits die hard!)..but I'd also like to see folks from our little community here do good as well!
I'm also one of those "don't change what got you there" guys. Yeah, go to your best Road America set-up, but don't freak out and change every damn thing on the car because you misread the weather during qualifying or something. Yeah, since you're still actually driving, (and made it to the Runoffs in the first place) maybe I've got no business trying to give you advice..but as somebody who loves the Runoffs (and has watched/worked a bunch of em!), I've seen some very quick guys just fall off the pace because they thought making major changes to their setup would give them an advantage. Run whatcha brung, dude. It got ya to the show, don't give up on it.
Damn, I wish I could be there! I've always thought that I'd make a big trip to the June Sprints, just to see Road America. I was absolutely delighted to see the berkeleying Runoffs go there! I'm still kicking m'self for not planning far enough ahead to make the trip!
I just spent $20 at Subway last night. One free ticket down 2 more to go... 
Fried,
Good advice for anyone. I too have seen guys take a competitive car and turn it into junk at the Runoffs. This will be my 11th time and the 3rd time in the Mazda. Last year I went from 33rd to 18th on slicks in the rain. Not a real fun race, but I really learned a lot about the car at the limits of grip. I've been as much as 3 seconds a lap faster this year without any major changes to the car. This year, if it rains, I'll be ready. 2 weeks to go and I just loaded the car in the trailer. Now I just need to go over my inventory and stock up the motorhome. By the way, one of your SE guys, Greg Ira, has a real shot at the title in EP. He has been running real quick again this year.
If anyone sees when the races are televised on Speed (normally Thanksgiving or Christmas) BUMP THIS THREAD WITH THE TV SCHEDULE please...
Don49 wrote: Fried, Good advice for anyone. I too have seen guys take a competitive car and turn it into junk at the Runoffs. This will be my 11th time and the 3rd time in the Mazda. Last year I went from 33rd to 18th on slicks in the rain. Not a real fun race, but I really learned a lot about the car at the limits of grip. I've been as much as 3 seconds a lap faster this year without any major changes to the car. This year, if it rains, I'll be ready. 2 weeks to go and I just loaded the car in the trailer. Now I just need to go over my inventory and stock up the motorhome. By the way, one of your SE guys, Greg Ira, has a real shot at the title in EP. He has been running real quick again this year.
Yeah, IIRC Greg won at the June Sprints this year. If he remembered to put the setup in the notebook, watch out for him! Then again..WX matters. I still think my old buddy Sam Moore (years ago, I used to see his taillights shrink away from me in ITB, and I helped his crew-most of `em my old corner worker buddies-one year when he was running AS at Mid-O) might have done better without the rain last year. That Z3 was fast as stink in the dry.
Stroker, don't know if Speed will reconsider, but AFAICT the Runoffs will be web-only again this year.
http://www.scca.com/newsarticle.aspx?hub=1&news=3961
OTOH, Speedcast doesn't have commercials while the footage is rolling.. See the link I gave crocsanoid a couple of posts up.
stroker wrote: If anyone sees when the races are televised on Speed (normally Thanksgiving or Christmas) BUMP THIS THREAD WITH THE TV SCHEDULE please...
Stroker, bookmark FGC's link and check their schedule for RunOff's broadcasts - they are more than worth the effort.
While waiting for this year's races, you can really entertain yourself by watching last year's events - they are all great. And a big motivation to watch this year's schedule!
IIRC, the F-Ford, Csr/Dsr, and FP/GP races had some outstanding action and unexpected developments late in the race(s).
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