BRR Solo Trial

[LynnCombs]

Wanting to see if the members of the BRR forum would support a Solo Trial at Danville Regional Airport. These events are not open to Novice drivers who have less than 5 Solo events.

SCCA Solo Trial Rules

[Chiketkd]

For those that might ask, "What is a Solo Trial?" the following is taken from the SEB minutes posted in the July '07 Fastrack:

All Solo® Trials Events will generally be run on flat, expansive asphalt or concrete pavement with very minimal fixed objects present on the course site. Essentially, these events will be planned for sites such as airport facilities or very large parking areas that can have a defined perimeter to control access and be protected from unwanted entry. This program is not intended for racetrack facilities, which are used for Time Trials events or shopping mall-type parking lots that are commonly used for Solo® events. Extremely rare exceptions may be made for racetrack facility usage under special circumstances when the course design and locations of hazards present appropriate risks, such as an airport-based facility. The course will be designated by pylons, and as in other Solo® events, displacement of these pylons will penalize drivers. Solo® Trials events can be characterized as introductory Time Trials events, using pylon defined road courses and speeds in excess of those currently limited in the Solo® program are permitted but are more limited than for Time Trials events. Approved course designs will not normally permit potential vehicle speeds of the fastest Stock, Street Touring®, or Street Prepared vehicles to exceed 95 MPH.

Solo® Trial events will fall under the authority of the Divisional Solo® Steward (DSS) and under the regulation of the National Solo® Rules (SR), except as exempted by these Solo® Trials Rules.

http://www.scca.org/documents/Fastrack/ ... t-solo.pdf
P.S. I personally would be interested in attending at least one of these events in '08 just to see if I like it or not. Plus if I can get comfortable zinging past cones at 90+mph, regular solo speeds will feel even more pedestrian.

[SedonaRedRex]

i'm in for anything that involves going around cones or corners.

[Scott]

Faster speeds, an open course? Tell me when I can sign up!

Lynn, I would be will to help as needed

[glenthompson]

Please note that there are additional safety requirements for a Solo Trials event.

• Long sleeved shirts and pants are required.
  Prepared, Modified and open cars must have a rollbar except that a factory hardtop can be substituted on stock classes.
  Cars with a rollbar must have a diagonal brace on the bar.
  Cars prepared beyond SM must have window nets, arm restraints, or roll up windows.
  Open cars must have googles or face shields on helmets and have arm restraints or roll up windows.

I think the greatest limitation will be the rollbar requirement since we have a number of convertibles without rollbars.

[9FIVE1]

I wonder what the requirements say about a car such as my Boxster, running in A Street Prepared, which comes from the factory with a roll bar that mounts to the frame at four distinct points. I currently run a Brey-Krause bolt-on roll bar extension, which is required and considered sufficient by PCA and VIR to safely run on-track events (at well over 100mph). There is no "diagonal brace" unless you consider the cross bar of the OEM Boxster roll bar to be such (the bar is bent in the shape of an upside-down "W", if you can visualize that. The B-K extension bolts across the two humps).

I voted YES and would love to participate in such an event, if I could with my car as currently configured.

[Scott]

I reading the rules, how would my STS2 Miata fit in for example? I have a rollbar, and when I do DE's then I always have my hardtop on. Would I still need to have arm restaints and a window net when the hardtop is in place?

[glenthompson]

There are some fuzzy areas in the rules that we need to nail down. Miata hardtops and factory rollbars are two that don't seem well addressed.

[LynnCombs]

I understand the Solo Trial rules to not allow use of a harness in Stock, Street Prepared, ST, or SM without a rollbar or cage.

[rschumin]

Please note that there are additional safety requirements for a Solo Trials event.
Open cars must have googles ...
[/list]

Wouldn't it be safer to search the 'Net after the event? Especially in an open car. I think you would have a big problem with glare on the screen.



Seriously, I think trials give an opportunity to try some high speed driving on an autocross budget. Glen makes a good point to be sure we very clear on the safety rules.

[DSPDA3]

I understand the Solo Trial rules to not allow use of a harness in Stock, Street Prepared, ST, or SM without a rollbar or cage.

I guess I'm out then. The Acura would probably self-destruct over 80mph anyway...

[Scott]

I understand the Solo Trial rules to not allow use of a harness in Stock, Street Prepared, ST, or SM without a rollbar or cage.

that's actually a good rule in general. In a rollover w/o a rollbar/cage, the harness will not allow you to duck or move if needed to avoid the incoming roof.

[drum3]

Triad ran just such an event earlier this year,and with just a few chicanes and the two turn arounds our top speeds never exceeded 75mph.It was a very fast course where you stayed at the top of 2nd through 60% of the course and in 3rd for most cars about 20%.Its fairly easy to run a multi lap autocross that is fast but doesnt break out of the autocross rules set.Our only problem was you can only do 1 car on course due to safety issues ,so you are limitede to about 25-30 drivers.To reach speeds of 90mph,you would just about need 2 straights connecting the turn arounds.It was definitely faster than any autocross I've ever attended but the top speed was still within reason for an autocross.

[Scott]

What about using VIR's patriot course (or Summit's Jefferson course)? I've done a couple events there and with the layout of the track, it still keeps the speeds within a reasonable speed for an autocross (at least in a stock motored Miata).

[RexRacer]

What about using VIR's patriot course (or Summit's Jefferson course)? I've done a couple events there and with the layout of the track, it still keeps the speeds within a reasonable speed for an autocross (at least in a stock motored Miata).

I think the issue there will be the cost I am sure. In talking with other clubs that have had events on the patriot course, it is not cheap at all. Certainly when compared to Danville Airport.

I would be interesed in an event of this type for the record.

[glenthompson]

Jeff is correct about the cost. The Patriot course is about 8x the cost of Danville for a weekend. That means either higher entry fees or a lot of drivers. While an event at VIR is a future possibility, we decided to hold the event at Danville to get our feet wet and get some experience before committing to the cost of VIR.

[Scott]

Jeff is correct about the cost. The Patriot course is about 8x the cost of Danville for a weekend. That means either higher entry fees or a lot of drivers. While an event at VIR is a future possibility, we decided to hold the event at Danville to get our feet wet and get some experience before committing to the cost of VIR.

That's a good reason, I know the events that I have run at the Patriot course where at least double what a regular autocross usually is, would there be a price increase for drivers for the Danville airport event?

[NoCones]

Interested for sure.

[SierraFox]

I understand the Solo Trial rules to not allow use of a harness in Stock, Street Prepared, ST, or SM without a rollbar or cage.

I guess I'm out then. The Acura would probably self-destruct over 80mph anyway...

That can be easily resolved

btw I support a Solo Trial event.

[DSPDA3]

I'd love to put a cage in the Acura, but it's not a good financial decision right now.

[glenthompson]

Roll bar requirements:

Level 2 (Club Trials) -
Roll bars or cages will NOT be required in those cars prepared
to Stock, Street Prepared, Street Touring or Street Mod
specifications as found in the Solo 2 rules, except for
Convertibles and Targa top automobiles. These cars must have
either a roll bar meeting Section 18 of the TTR or a factory
hard top using the factory mounting hardware and mounting
points. No exceptions to this rule allowed. Any car modified
beyond any part of those rules must be equipped with a roll
bar minimum. This includes cars prepared to the Solo 2
classes of Prepared or Modified. Any car built to a GCR class
MAY NOT interchange preparation rules to circumvent the roll
bar requirement (for example, even though an IT car may run
in the Street Prepared Classes at a Solo 2 event, it does not
qualify for the roll bar exception in this case, and must have a
roll bar to run any Time Trials event.

Level 3 (Track Trials) -
A minimum of a roll bar meeting the requirements of section
18 of the TTR shall be required in all cars.

It looks like the Miata can get by without a bar as long as it has a hardtop. Might have to make mine available for rent at the Solo trials.