Autocross, but with trackside hospitality

We had a tent, catered food and a never-ending supply of cold beverages.

Hospitality at Daytona?

How about the GRM tent at this weekend’s autocross.

[There’s something to be said for racing a truly worn-out car]

The scene: the North Concourse parking lot for Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Picture the usual mix of Miatas and Mustangs, Corvettes and Corollas.

And in the middle of the mix, a GRM pop-up tent. Underneath? A grill–20 bucks on Marketplace–plus, neatly arranged on the tailgate of a pickup, lunch with all the fixings.

The GRM team, five of us, joined about 150 other drivers at this weekend’s Central Florida Region SCCA autocross. We just came a little more prepared than most. Need some shade or a cold water? Just grab it. Free magazines and Trackside Companions, too.

But this was more than just grilled burgers topped with fresh lettuce, tomatoes and onion. (We had pickles, too, by the way.) This was about turning an autocross into a social event. The senior members would mentor the juniors. We chatted with friends dating back three or four decades.

Together, the GRM crew took photos, got our Mustang to tech and cycled everyone through the driver’s seat. We’d all sleep well that night.

I’ve been autocrossing for more than 30 years now. Usually it’s me, a car and maybe a few tools.

This time, though, it was more about hospitality, teamwork and breaking bread.

Next time you’re at a Central Florida autocross, look for the GRM tent.

More Like This

Comments

Displaying 1-4 of 4 commentsView all comments on the GRM forums

You'll need to log in to post.

Sponsored by