New top. Event Locations.

[Anonymous]

Site map courtesy of Todd...
[img]http://www.tamparacing.com/photopost/da ... mplate.jpg[/img]

as for curbs there are none

The entire left side and top in this map have curbs.
It's almost impossible to make a safe course there.

[Anonymous]

lol, just remembered this video from Lakeland. It has a funny ending...
http://www.cfrsolo2.com/video/lakeland1.wmv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Solar]

lol, just remembered this video from Lakeland. It has a funny ending...
http://www.cfrsolo2.com/video/lakeland1.wmv" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

:shock: It probably wasn't funny at the time.

[WAFlowers]

My very first autocross was at that Lakeland site. The bump/jump in the middle made it ... interesting. :shock:

[TracAction]

Well it sounds like there is enuff people that have been there that can give an actual Opinion as to if it is worth doing or not?

there are some other sites here I can check out too... tonight I am going to BBQ at the Sun-N-Fun Fly In (Property is shared with Lakeland Air Port). This is their main event of the year and about 6 mos of the year site is practically vacant. I can talk to the director and feel out thier opinion on autocross?

I know about 3 or 4 years ago they had a Kart event during Wings and Things show?

also the other location I was thinking about is Tiger Town. It was a WWI airforce base and now the home of the detroit tigers spring training. the stadium has a large lot but not really easy to close off one part is fenced and gated but about 2/3 has basically open access.

[Miata GT]

Looks like a pretty cool setup! I'm up for it!

[treekiller]

Get it, we can allways use police tape and a couple cones (with broom handles in them) to guard off large areas. what town is this one in?

[TracAction]

Get it, we can allways use police tape and a couple cones (with broom handles in them) to guard off large areas. what town is this one in?

It is in Lakeland

AND I just got home from the SUN-N-FUN bbq with SERTOMA at the airport and I received some positive feed back about possibly doing an event at their location.... but with any business and and a Charity group the ultimate answer will eventually be "what's in it for me" so before I get any further there I really need some questions answered for me

what is a good size area to access xxx' X xxxx' type of info and what is typical type of info Basically I guess some one who knows this type of stuff should give me a call PM me for the number.

[Loren]

That's a difficult question to answer because autocross course design is pretty flexible. In a perfect world where every available autocross space was a perfect rectangle with no obstacles in the middle... I guess about the smallest usable site would be something like 300x600.

Buuuuut... your typical airstrip site is quite usable and is only 150 ft. wide! (but 150x600 would be pathetic... 150x1200 or more is good)

Looks like that Lakeland site defies simple description and is a good example of something that can be used in a limited fashion if a club WANTS to use it badly enough.

Things to consider: Insurance regs generally require a course to be at least 25' from solid objects when paralleling them. This includes curbs, light poles, fences, trees, etc. When headed TOWARD an object (or on the outside of a turn), the general rule is either 50' or 75' depending on the club/insurance (ours says 75'). This severely limits the usable space of any site that has curbing, poles, etc.

Of course, then there's surface and terrain to consider. Holes? Dips? Rough pavement? Sand?

So... determining the usability of a site for autocross requires a bit of study. Someone needs to physically look at the site, take measurements and photos, and the see if a course can be safely designed to fit it.

[TracAction]

thanks Loren that is a good start for info. The two guys i was talking to at Sun-N-Fun Both are from SERTOMA group, But One is on the board of directors at Sun-N-Fun and the other is an Employee there. and the first used to be on the board og Govenors for a SCCA group in middle georgia and is very familiar with autocross events and the safty aspect.

[Native]

Someone needs to physically look at the site, take measurements and photos, and the see if a course can be safely designed to fit it.

This is an absolute. Before our insurance company will cover an event, they want a full site map, with photography (so far, GoogleEarth has been acceptable) and areas for grid, spectators, active course etc all outlined clearly, with distances. So not only do we need that for ourselves to see if a site will work, we have to have it for ins., too!

TracAction, your scouting these places out is great - thanks!

I'll start working on a site package to have for when the time comes we need it...

[TracAction]

so did we ever come up with a site package

also if i can get the link to work here is a lot about 300'x500' hows that sound. the site is at a city owned property they also own the site in the video earlier in the thread so we know they are atleast open to the idea.

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&ll=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... &z=17&om=1

[Jamie]

Size is doable...what's the pavement like? And what else happens around that area on the weekends, especially in the cluster of buildings to the east and south? It's definitely harder to secure -- access from several directions and open boundaries. We'd have to barricade at least four locations, including blocking a section of what's marked as Gilmore Ave on the map...if it's really a thoroughfare, the city might not be too wild about that. All moot if the pavement's crap, though.

[TracAction]

no Gilmore does not run through there i know it was reciently repaved a couple years back..... as for the site it is the Detroit Tigers Spring training camp and also used for minor league so as long as it dosent conflict with a game should be no Biggie.

to the south is a mental treatment facility (so anything we do won't seem outta wack to the neighbors) to the east are just old WWI hangers now used by the city as for various functions COULD even rent one of them for a party, to the north is obviously the stadium the west side is not as open as it looks if we block off the South entrance (where the alleged Gilmore road is) and regulate the main entrance comming from the west the we should be able to control it pretty well. I know some times they use the grass feild for some kind of intercity spanish soccer league.

I am sure they have some kind of scheduel that is avalible to look at i can get ahold of.

[Native]

so did we ever come up with a site package

Nope. Forgot all about it. Will add it back on the list. What ever happened to a possible USF deal?

[treekiller]

USF is there someone needs to go after it. the lot is useable and the guys in the FSAE program are cool and willing to work with us. I've been in rally mode lately so I haven't even been driving autocross events better yet working on org them.. to be honest after talking to the local racetracks that seems the way to go. there are a TON of them and they are used to renting out their facilities.

There are like 12 circle tracks between pinellas and ocala. the dirt ones tend to have dirt parking lots but many have paved lots or infields, they understand insurance and treat our sport with respect.

the ocala speedway is the ticket for $500 a full day you get a killer facility like that and you can run Road course on the track, rallycross in the parking lot and autocross in the pits.

[Native]

Quote:
so did we ever come up with a site package

Nope. Forgot all about it. Will add it back on the list. What ever happened to a possible USF deal?

Now I see how I forgot all about it. I do think it is totally worthwhile to do, but, I'm sorry, I just don't have the time to do such a project by myself. I'll be happy to help though (I'm a lot faster at suggesting, proofing and editing than creating), if someone will take the wheel, so to speak.

[TracAction]

I would take the wheel but don't even know what kind of car we'll be in so

if you like you can PM me for my phone number or e-mail and get me started.

[TracAction]

The SPC site got me to thinking another location we could explore is the TPD (Tampa Police Department's) tranning center they have a large driving pad that even has a small road course area used to simulate pursuit driving(prob not sutiable for us), but the over all driving pad area looks to be about 300x700 and is void of any obstructions, dips or hills.

here is a link to see it
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=27.9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... &z=18&om=1

and while I am at it here is the site (I think) the Hilsborough County Sheriff's Department uses
http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=27.7" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... &z=18&om=1
and before you ask NO I don't know how the plane got there!

[Loren]

Either of those two sites would be great if we can get access to them.