PCA Club Race

GT THRE · #1 04-29-2013, 06:32 AM

I will be going to the PCA Club Race at the Circuit Of The Americas, May 10-12, 2013. Is anyone else going to attend? My car is being transported by Musante Motorsports with 6 other cars from Connecticut. Hopefully there will be a good representation of GT3/GT3RS.

Has anyone driven the track and if so do you have any insight about the "Line" and track nuances?

GT THRE · #2 05-17-2013, 06:24 AM

The Club Race/Advanced DE at Cota last week was a poorly run event on the DE side. The DE people had very little track time in the 3 days. Friday we had 1 rain session and 2 less then 15 minute sessions. Saturday we had 3 less then 15 minute sessions and Sunday we had 1 4 lap session in the morning and 1 2 lap in the afternoon. The 120 DE people who paid to attend the event just like the racers, were shortchanged considerably.

First of all there were too many DE drivers (120 with 2 groups of 60). Secondly, it was supposed to be an "Advanced" group. There were many who should not have been there. Point bys were a big issue with 60 cars on the track at the same time. It effected the "Advanced" people all weekend. Thirdly, there were about 80 drivers who were didn't get in and yet there were many non-Porsche cars. This was a Porsche event. Why not take the Porsches first?

The scheduling for the DE people was not handled well at all. We were treated as 2nd class citizens. Without the 120 DE people who paid a great deal to register, they would not have been able to cover the cost of the event. Yet, they constantly cut our time. I realize it is a Race event, but next time don't take our money, charge the Racers more and don't do DE. Or, figure out how to give us the time we signed up for. And, the people running the event had a "tuff luck" attitude...I personally spoke with the guy in charge of the DE side.

Yes, there were many on track problems, but don't cut the majority of our time. And, the COTA people could care less. They didn't seem to have any urgency and were very slow in getting cars off the track. I have been to numerous Club Race/DE events around the country and I can assure you that this was by far the worst run.

I personally had my car transported from Connecticut with 4 other cars, had track support, flights, etc. It was a big expense and very little track time. It is a great track to drive, although very technical. Only problem, with such little time, I never had a chance to really learn it. The most laps at any one session were 5, including an out lap and an in lap. So, never had much time to experiment with the line. I was left wanting more!!!

FTS · #3 05-20-2013, 11:19 AM

So very disappointing, very sorry to hear this experience. I am sure some of these things were due to this being the first time at COTA and hopefully next year will be much better. Feedback like your's will certainly help organizers, I will make sure they receive it.

Taking the chance to go there from east coast at that expense, we need to be able to trust that event would be run to PCA standards.

Thank you.

GT THRE · #4 06-03-2013, 07:15 AM

Fatih,

The event and experience has soured me to future Club Races/DE events. Although, last year at the Mid-Ohio PCA/DE event held in August was the best I have been too. Well run and DE people were not treated as second class citizens as they were at COTA. These events need to screen the drivers more carefully. They are supposed to be "Advanced" drivers only. COTA failed miserably in that department. What I saw was more local club people who had no business at an "Advanced" DE...kind of like cronyism.

For example, for The 48 Hours at Sebring, I was put through the ringer my first time there...Feb. 2012...and almost didn't get in because they felt I was "light" on experience for that event. But, a great event with "ONLY" advanced driving and extended passing. That is what we sign up for when we register for the Club Race/DE events. COTA was only interested in taking our money to cover their expenses!!

PCA should be looking more closely at these events, especially how the COTA event was run. We register and pay, and have certain "expressed" expectations. They fell FAR short at COTA.