Announcing the CMS National Runoffs Series, beginning 10/3

[Phil E]

The CMS National Runoffs series, run using rfactor, begin 10/3. We will actually be using 4 different mods during this series, culminating in a very special night of racing.



We will be simulating what club racers go through each year to make it to the most prestigious amateur road racing event in the US, the SCCA National Runoffs. They begin each year racing in regional club events across the US. Success in these events lead to an invitation to run in the Nationals, a one week winner-take all event. Just like many of the most dedicated club racers, we will actually be running more than one SCCA class. In fact, we will be running representations of 4 popular SCCA classes: Spec Racer Ford, Grand Touring, Showroom Stock, and Formula Vee.

About the SCCA Runoffs



The American Road Race of Champions began in 1964, as a non-championship round of the SCCA National Sports Car Championship. In 1965 the series was abolished, and national championships were awarded to each regional champion. The champions and other top drivers were invited to the ARRC. in 1987, and the race became known as the Runoffs in 1987.

For the first six years, the event alternated between Riverside International Raceway on the west coast and Daytona International Speedway on the east coast. The race found a permanent home at Road Atlanta in 1970, staying there until the track's bankruptcy in 1993. The Runoffs moved to Mid-Ohio from 1994 until 2005, then to Heartland Park Topeka from 2006 until 2008. The event moved to Road America in 2009.

About the classes

SPORTS RACING: There are four classes of purpose-built road racing cars with full fiberglass bodies. Underneath, these cars are pure racing machines. The Spec Racer Ford (SRF) is a one-design, single seat car utilizing a sealed Ford engine. It is SCCA's largest class and continues to provide cost effective racing for over 800 competitors. We will run the Spec Racer Ford mod for this class

SHOWROOM STOCK: With its roots from the early 1970s, Showroom Stock features late-model mass-produced street cars like those bought right off the showroom floor. Aside from a bolt-in roll cage and safety equipment, there are very few modifications allowed to the cars. The CMS/MM Club Racer mod, which includes the MINI Cooper S, the Lotus Elise, and the Miata will represent this class.

FORMULA: The eight formula classes are all single-seat, open wheel racecars. They are built to detailed specifications for weight, size and engine displacement. We will run the Historic Formula Vee mod for this class.

GRAND TOURING: GT cars are purpose-built, highly modified “silhouette” replicas of series-produced sports sedans. We will run the Toyata AE86 mod in GT.


The Schedule and the Tracks: These tracks were chosen because they are all club level tracks you could go racing on yourself at a SCCA or NASA event.

10/3- Eagles Canyon: Eagles Canyon Raceway features 2.55 miles, 4 straights over 1,300 feet long, 15 turns, and 70 feet of elevation change. We will run Spec Racer Ford

10/10- Motorsports Ranch 1.7 CW: MEstablished in 1996, the Ranch introduced and pioneered the concept of a Country Club for motoring enthusiasts. The Road Course is 1.7 miles long, is 40 feet wide, has 11 turns, off camber turns, elevation changes. We will run the Spec Racer Ford

10/17- Hallett Motor Racing Circuit: Just 35 miles west of downtown Tulsa, Hallett is one of the region's most attractive motor racing sites. Hallett has over 80 feet of elevation change and is considered Technically Difficult. We will run CMS/MM Club Racer

11/7- Harris Hill Road (CW): H2R is nestled in the hills of northeastern San Marcos, Texas. The track is a 1.8-mile, 11-turn asphalt road course. The course is 36-feet wide with over 150 feet of elevation changes and a challenging mix of on and off-camber turns, including the 80-foot rise and drop of Santa Rita (Turn 4, named after the patron saint of the impossible task). We will run the CMS/MM Club Racers.

11/14- Driveway Austin (elevation): On the the Elevation Course we have emulated the “corkscrew” from the famous Laguna Seca course in Monterey, California. These extreme elevation changes add the “Z” axis, dynamically changing the effective weight of your vehicle. We will run the Formula Vee

11/21- MidAmerica Motorplex (full): Mid America Motorplex started as a simple sketch when world-renowned track designer Alan Wilson was asked to create a driver friendly, yet challenging course that would take many laps to master. The finished product is a 2.23 mile long racing circuit, a 40 foot wide polymer surface, with 15 turns of increasing radiuses, decreasing radiuses, long straights, ample passing zones, challenging switchbacks, and a flat out kink. This track is the only track of the group whose track level graphics do not represent reality. In this track authors reality, MAM somehow attracted F1 to Iowa! The racing surface, however, is well modeled so just enjoy (or ignore) the extra scenery. We will run the Formula Vee

11/28- Topeka Heartland GP: A multi-purpose motorsports facility located 5 miles (8 km) south of Topeka, Kansas. When it opened in 1989, it was the first brand-new auto racing facility to be built in the United States for 20 years. We will run the Toyata AE86

12/5- Texas World Speedway (CCW): Texas World Speedway was built in 1969 and is one of only seven superspeedways of two miles (3 km) or greater in the United States. We will use the 2.9-mile road course at TWS, featuring a total of 15 turns (nine left-handers and six right-handers). The road course twisties vary from the 170 degree, 30mph Turn #10 hairpin to Turn #1 at the end of the front straight. We will run the Toyata AE86

12/19- SPECIAL EVENT CMS National Runoffs at Road America: In April 1955, the Road America track was carved out of 525 acres of Wisconsin farmland. By September 10, 1955 the track's first SCCA national race weekend was held. Millions of dollars in improvements have been made throughout the years, but the original 4.048-mile, 14-turn configuration has never been altered. We will run all 4 classes in 25min races during this CMS Special Event.

Regional Race day schedule:
Practice: 8-9pm CT
Qualify: 15min beginning at 9pm
Warmup: 5min
Race: 45min beginning ~9:20

The average finishing results of the regional races for each class will determine the grid position for the Nationals event. This is being done both to make the Regionals have some meaning (such as they do in SCCA), but also so we do not have to spend time qualifying each class on the Nationals raceday. As this is a Fun Series event, you do not have to attend any of the regional events to race in the Nationals, just show up. You will be gridded, however, behind those who were able to attend the regionals.

CMS Nationals Special Event Race day schedule:
Practice: 7:30-8:30pm CT
Qualify: none. results of regional races will be used to grid the Nationals
Warmup: 5min
Race: 25min per race, 4 races, beginning ~8:30pm

[davidan]

This sounds awesome and I can't wait for it Phil! Very creative idea and should be a lot of fun to try some club tracks and some new cars. I can't wait for the SRF!!!!

Also we should do a little advertising with this one, and let some of the other communities know what we are up to and see if we can get a few more guys to join us for some of these - DA