Autocross on the new skid pad at Summit Point

I have a friend named Gonz, with a red Mustang GT. He's very fast in Open Track with his somewhat older car. I have been talking with him through the winter, and it turns out he is also one of the guys who run a group called Capitol Driving Club, a club that puts on autocrosses. They have had them at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, and Bowie Baysox Stadium in...umm...Bowie I guess.

Anyway, he told me they were having their first one ever at Summit Point this Saturday, and asked if I wanted to come up.

Yes, of course.

They were using the brand-spanking new Skid Pad area built near the tactical section (guns) that's like a bunch of skid pads put together. It's still pretty raw, but they'll be putting in grass and curbs soon.

I didn't run, I didn't even take my Cobra up. I just wanted to see the new place, and what Gonz's group was like. There were more cars than I expected. Some real fast, and some I think I could have taken with my Camry. I'll have to be sure to go to their next autocross, they look very well run, and it's really good practice.

Of course, I didn't even think of taking my camera, I don't know why. So I had to use my crappy cell phone. SORRY!

These shots are from the grandstands, and you can see more in them. It's real flat there!

I also made a map showing where the skid pad area is, and roughly what its shaped like. There's a big parking lot next to it. Don't worry, you're not falling.

Sitting in the grandstands, you can turn right and see part of the Shenandoah circuit, turn left and you can see the building for the Jefferson circuit, and behind you can see the chute and T5 of the main track.

Speaking of which, I wandered over to the main track after watching the autocross for a while (I was having trouble just watching), and they were having an SCCA MARRS (MidAtlantic Road Racing Series) race, one of SCCA's BIG DEALS! I would have had to pay at the gate to get in and spectate except that when I went in I was just there to go to the autocross, and then once I was in the complex...well...I had to go to OG racing to get something, so it's not like I was going there JUST to spectate.

The pits were PACKED! Trailers everywhere. And just race cars. No HPDE or PDX. I saw a familiar car while there (Dave Rankin) and took a picture of his Trans Am. I got to watch him race right after lunch in the ITE (Improved Touring) class. They ran with all the other IT classes, as well as AS (A Sedan) and GT1. LORD, those GT1 cars are fast. Dave seemed to do OK, it was hard to tell where everyone finished in class.

I watched 2 races, but had to go before Spec Miata came out. Too bad. I counted about 13,740 Miatas in the pits. It must have been an interesting race.