Da Groj

Yes, we've been working on the 2020 FAST schedule! Well, really, more Steve than me. He's good at that kind of thing.

We're getting dangerously close to January, so I wanted to at least get SOMETHING published, even though most of it is not yet confirmed. We're working with 3 different sites, and trying to coordinate the best combination of events possible given the dates they have to offer. Sometimes they're a little slow responding to us, we're not yet fully confirmed. And, yes, we ARE still working on trying to find additional sites to run on. Things can always change.

Anyhow, here's our current "wish list". We're pretty sure all of these dates are workable for each of the sites, but so far only Venice and Lakeland events are fully confirmed! (blue = confirmed) Updated 1/21/2020

The below is no longer kept current. Official Schedule is here: fast.motorsportreg.com

2020
Jan 11 Venice Special
Jan 25 Venice Classic
Feb 8 Dunnellon Open
Feb 22 Dunnellon Classic
Mar 7 Dunnellon Open
(SPGP is Mar 13-15)
Mar 21 Dunnellon Classic
Apr 4 Lakeland Open
Apr 18 Dunnellon Classic
May 9 Lakeland Open - unavailable
May 16 Venice Classic
May 23 Lakeland Open - unavailable
Jun 6 Lakeland Open
Jun 20 Lakeland Open
Jul 11 Venice Classic
Jul 25 Lakeland Open
Aug 8 Dunnellon Classic
Aug 23 Awards Party (Philippe Park)
Sep 5 Venice Gymkhana
Sep 19 Lakeland Open
Oct 3 Dunnellon Classic
Oct 17 Dunnellon Open
Nov 7 Venice Classic
Nov 21 Lakeland Open
Dec 5 Venice Classic
Dec 19 Lakeland Open
Jan 2 Dunnellon Special Event

Update!

First post has been updated with the latest. There were some Lakeland date changes that caused some adjustments.

As of now, Venice and most of the Lakeland dates are approved. We're still waiting to hear back from Dunnellon, and we have a couple more possibilities that we're working on, including Brooksville. (No promises)

Brooksville? Don't play with my heart like that.

Can't promise anything, but we're looking into it. Again.

Off topic but I heard planes weren't really added to the runway at brooksville. Wonder if the plan didnt go as expected for the plane recycling/partout.

In WI, the Madison Sports Car Club (another MSCC) used to be a premier parking lot club until they lost all their parking lots. These days they tend to focus on oval track setups, which, while not ideal, can work. I see several ovals in the area (some maybe hurting for money or closed like deSoto Speedway). MSCC and 2 other groups (FVSCC and MKE SCCA) also have used and still use go kart tracks, though mostly the bigger variety (one associate with Road America raceway). Again, not always ideal but definitely workable and sometimes really fun (some have interesting elevation changes). Just an FYI...

Mike

Made a few more edits to the list above. Lakeland is not available in May - at all. So we added a Venice event on the 16th.
The June Lakeland events are confirmed and thus now blue.

So many dates, so little confirmation for February and March.

We hope to have some info soon, folks!

bluesight wrote:In WI, the Madison Sports Car Club (another MSCC) used to be a premier parking lot club until they lost all their parking lots. These days they tend to focus on oval track setups, which, while not ideal, can work. I see several ovals in the area (some maybe hurting for money or closed like deSoto Speedway). MSCC and 2 other groups (FVSCC and MKE SCCA) also have used and still use go kart tracks, though mostly the bigger variety (one associate with Road America raceway). Again, not always ideal but definitely workable and sometimes really fun (some have interesting elevation changes). Just an FYI...

Our current autocross insurance has very specific requirements for course safety. One of those requirements that becomes a problem for a lot of potential sites, and this usually applies to any circle track, is that we are required to have a minimum of 75 feet between the outside of a turn and any hard object. Find us a local oval track that doesn't have a concrete wall within 75 feet of anywhere we can put a racing line, and we'll consider it. I've looked at all of them.

We could get around that by either cheating the insurance rules (which we're not willing to do even if we thought we could, thank you very much), or securing "track event" insurance, which is considerably more expensive. But... introducing such hazards also deviates from what WE think of as being a core of what autocross should be, which is "safe". I can't put people out on a course, tell them "this is the sport of autocross, the safest of all motorsports", tell them to drive at 11/10ths... and then put them into a wall.

I understand that some other clubs operate under different rules and with different philosophies. But, that's where FAST exists on the issue.

That is definitely one of the "less than ideal" parts about ovals and even kart tracks. I've been within a few feet of oval walls and even less than that for kart track barriers. Safety feels good!

bluesight wrote:Safety feels good!

Is Dunnellon definite for Feb 8th? Still watching CFR for Feb 9th. Only MSCC seems to know where they'll be (Feb 9th)...Tavares as usual...

Dunnellon is still stringing us along, that's why registration for February 8th isn't open yet.

I appreciate FAST's commitment to keeping it safe. There are little things I've noticed when I've done events w other clubs (2) that they don't do.
Eager to sign up for Feb. Crossing fingers they'll hurry up and confirm!

I can't tell if I heard something in passing or a rumor or what...Is there a possibility of a Feb 15th event? Maybe a Venice event? Or was that a foreshadowing of the scheduled May 16th outing?

PS...Dunnellon is a hard sell for my south-of-Tampa location...

Somebody was almost paying attention at the drivers meeting.

We're going to make decisions Monday and announce by mid week. There could be a Venice event on 2/15. Or something else. There are some possibilities. We'll let you know later this week.

Maybe a point for negotiating Brooksville access is to have FAST (and other groups) assign a flag person to be posted before the runway stop signs to assure people stop. It's probably only needed at the end/exit part of the event since the folks letting people in can make a major point that folks MUST stop on entry. But, if it helps with negotiation, have a flag person assigned both for entry and exit. Basically, a similar assignment to waiver. I think what happens is that, on exit, folks just space out on seeing the stop sign after a long day of fun. A little reminder would probably solve it.

That's only half of the Brooksville problem.

We're in a holding pattern there. Waiting until PCA gets a few good events in. Being a pain in the ass to the Pemco folks right now isn't likely to win is any points.

Okay, February Dunnellon events have been canceled due to lack of approval from persons unknown. We added a Venice event on FEBRUARY 15th, for which registration is now open.

And... as of yesterday... Rather than putting the schedule on the FAST website, the FAST forum, MotorsportReg AND Facebook... we're just going to put it on MotorsporReg so that updates only need to be made in that one place!

FAST.MotorsportReg.com

Latest schedule changes...did Marion County come back with a definite "no", or are they still just being silent?