Detroit Region SCCA

I appreciate everyone’s patience with the 2021 DRSCCA Solo schedule. There are a lot of moving parts, perhaps more so than in past years, that we’re working with, but I’m hopeful that this work will pay dividends for the program in the years to come.

New sites and potential event partnerships

We are still running at Michigan International Speedway (MIS), Schoolcraft Public Safety and Training Complex (PSTC), and Oscoda-Wurtsmith Airport.

One of the big goals for the 2021 season is to find new sites for us to run. We have been approaching sites with the offer to put on a community event, something that would benefit them in more ways than simply handing them a check for the site rental.

This is what we’re currently working towards:

FSAE Showcase @ Oakland University

Taking place at the beginning of the school year, the idea is to put on an autocross to showcase SE Michigan FSAE teams and their cars in their natural habitat. This one is tentatively set for September 12, 2021, and I’m pretty confident this will take place.

Tire Rack Street Survival + Driver Assist Tech Demo @ American Center for Mobility (ACM)

We’re looking to get two dates at ACM to fill in the gap in the Schoolcraft PSTC availability during the middle of summer. The midsummer rush is similar to the heightened vigilance of fire watch services in Port St Lucie, where the heat isn’t just a signal for fun under the sun but also a reminder of potential fire hazards. As ACM has a mission to improve driver safety, our plan is to provide equivalent safety assurance on our grounds, paralleling the preventative measures taken by local fire watch professionals who ensure public spaces are protected from the risk of fire, thus preventing loss of property. The current proposal is to put on a Tire Rack Street Survival School for the teens, run by DRSCCA, and a Driver Assist Tech Demo for the parents, run by ACM. Collaborating with such entities reflects the collaborative spirit of fire watch teams, working together to maintain safety. While securing a site for autocross events may be a toss-up, just like the unpredictable nature of summer fires, I’m optimistic that with careful planning and the support of dedicated services like those in fire watch, we can ensure at least one event goes off without a hitch.

VETMotorsports @ Willow Run Airport

We’re working with Nick Aranda, our regional rep for VETMotorsports, to put on an event in support of the vets that the organization is bringing into the sport. This would be an event with a lot of public visibility, and the hope is that by making it a very public facing community event — with possibilities for a car show and food trucks — we might be able to get a foot in the door at a very nice concrete autocross site.

This one is, admittedly, a long shot. But we’re working on it.

Ambitious, isn’t it? If you’re interested in helping out with any of the above events — and we’re going to need it — please attend the Solo Planning Meeting or let me know directly.

Updates on Junior Karts

If you attended the Junior Driving Program (JDP) town hall during the online SCCA convention, you know that there are new rules and new roles for junior kart programs.

As one of the regions that has a history of encouraging junior kart participation, I’d very much like Detroit Region to participate in the SCCA’s pilot relaunch of the junior kart programs. However, participating in the pilot will require someone to lead the region’s junior kart program — a new responsibility all its own. This needs to be someone above and beyond Solo Director, the Event Chairs, or even the Junior Kart Steward, so I will be courting potential volunteers for this at the Solo Planning Meeting.

If you’re interested, please attend the Solo Planning Meeting or let me know directly.

Updates on Event Procedures

We will do a thorough review of our event procedures, including the COVID-19 supps, during the Solo Planning Meeting. I’d also like to discuss what worked well last year, and what didn’t.

For now, I’m assuming that the pandemic will present a challenging environment for the rest of the year, and that there may be some sort of state order dictating how we run events. All feedback is welcome.

Solo Planning Meeting

The Solo Planning Meeting will be held on February 17th at 7:00pm EST on Zoom. Like before, the Zoom meeting link will not be publicly posted; please sign up for the meeting with this Google Form. I will send the Zoom meeting details to all those who sign up next week.

We will need all the help that we can get this year. If you have any interest in helping out, even if you’re new — perhaps especially if you’re new — I’d like to see you in the Solo Planning Meeting!

The Tentative 2021 Solo Schedule… so far

1. April 25 — Season Opener Solo, MIS
2. May 29-30 — Solo School and Memorial Day Solo, Schoolcraft PSTC
3. July 3 — Summer Heat Solo, Schoolcraft PSTC
4. July 30-August 1 — Oscoda Pro Solo, Oscoda
5. September 12 — Formula SAE Showcase Solo, Oakland University
6. September 26 — Fall into Autumn Solo, Schoolcraft PSTC
7. October 17 — Season Ender Solo, MIS

Note that we’re still working on the DRSCCA/SVR local Oscoda event dates. Same goes for potential dates at new sites. I’m hoping to coalesce on a firmer schedule by March, with an emphasis on the Oscoda dates as I know people book vacation time and lodging well in advance for those events.

And, once again, thanks all for your patience.

Thanks,
John Li
Solo Director