Why Not Support TT - and SCCA Embraces Online Racing

As I sit down to write this column, Oregon Region’s first event is less than a week away, and I’m even more excited than usual for the start of racing season.

That’s because for the first time in many years, I’ll be racing this weekend, in the Time Trials group. This new invention fits my needs perfectly because I don’t have time to build and maintain a race car at this point in my life. Does that sound familiar?
What I want to do today is get into my trusty old Subaru 2.5RS and enjoy some track time. I plan to drive well within my limits and see if I can set a good baseline lap time.

Then, by participating in TT events in Oregon and Northwest regions  throughout the season, I’ll see if I can shave some time off, or I’ll see if a few carefully selected modifications to the car really pay off or not.

Mostly, I plan to have fun with a car I really like, see my racing friends, and get some track time. For most of us, that’s why we joined SCCA and why we keep coming back year after year.

The point of all that is to say this: If you’re not racing for whatever reason - your race car is busted, your wallet is skinny, or you just don’t feel like full competition any more, why not pick out your favorite sports car (or your race car) and come run some laps in Time Trials?

You might find that it rekindles your interest in cars and in racing.
On another topic, did you see the announcement about SCCA and iRacing partnering to promote online racing?

If that puzzled you, there are a few things you should know. I was surprised to learn that iRacing is a huge business, and that there are people out there who are becoming champions and winning races who have never turned a wheel on a race or worn a helmet.

Here’s the kicker: they’re also earning real money doing it. Many iRacing series pay purses to their winners, and vendors seek their endorsements for equipment and games.

If SCCA is going to stay relevant, we need to grab a chunk of that online racing business. The reason is simple - it’s not the core of what we do, but here we’ve got thousands of people who dream about racing and spend time and effort on the sport.

What better group of people could we possibly attract to SCCA?