Why did we stop doing DE's at Qualcomm?

[CoryM]

A few years back there used to be a couple of DE events a year at Qualcomm Stadium. The courses were a little more open and longer than an autox, with a couple of designated passing zones. We got about five 20 minute sessions. I believe they were put on by the Autox team. Price was reasonable, more than autox but less than TT. I used to really enjoy them (despite the occasional flying cone!). It was a great way to get some solid seat time in and still make it home for diner. They were a lot of fun and seemed to be very popular. Why did the club stop having them?

[Steve Grosekemper]

We stopped doing them because the pavement would break up after a couple sessions in the corners.
That was 10 years ago and the asphalt is in much worse shape now.
One DE does a years worth of AX wear to he pavement.
There was also a lot of car damage due to pavement coming up and hitting cars.
Just not worth it anymore with Chuckwalla Raceway so close.

[CoryM]

Makes sense. I remember having to reroute the course once mid-day because the asphalt was breaking up. Too bad though, it was cool to get that much seat time without having to tow for several hours.

[pecivil]

I will never forget when a softball sized chuck of pavement was thrown from car in front of me and it literally bounced off the roof of the Lotus and left a large ding. My 1st and last DE at qualcomm.

[CoryM]

We had a similar experience at the Festival of Speed a couple of years ago. A big chunk concrete from the edge of the track was thrown up and cracked the windshield badly. We had a friend on the way up from SD bring a spare windshield from the garage and called the installers. They fixed it with a new shield they had in stock. Then in the next race a cone got kicked up by the car in front and the heavy base of the cone broke new new windshield! I think damaged the mirror too. The same installers came back and used the glass that had just arrived from SD. It was ridiculous!

[ttweed]

I will never forget when a softball sized chuck of pavement was thrown from car in front of me and it literally bounced off the roof of the Lotus and left a large ding. My 1st and last DE at qualcomm.

You should have seen the racing surface at Holtville before we stopped running there (around the turn of the century). The chunks were football sized. They didn't call it "Joltville" for nothing.

TT

[Steve Grosekemper]

Tom you are really showing your age now!

[rshon]

Qualcomm DEs (QDE) were a great way to start DE driving and learning continuous lapping procedures without ever leaving town. For those who never got to participate in one, here is what a QDE looked like from the driver's seat, circa 2010:

https://youtu.be/DZcRumBewRE

[ChuckS]

Those were a LOT of fun in spite of the potholes.
Cost was just a little over an AX (Less than current AX).

Russell, is that a shaved monkey ahead of you?

[rshon]

Russell, is that a shaved monkey ahead of you?

Yes, back when he was "less shaved"...

[mrondeau]

Here's a view of the DE from the Blue 944S. I learned a lot in that car.

Chuck, check out your spec car smoking the tires, 944 style.

https://youtu.be/DeBgtvaSCpo

[ChuckS]

Brakes look a little - touchy.

Those must have been the "good" tires! There was still rubber left to burn off when you hit the brakes instead of just sparks.


Those were a lot of fun.

[JayG]

Wow that looks crazy fun!!
Kind of a continuous lapping AX with a passing zone

Too bad we don't do those any more

[Steve Grosekemper]

Those events were a lot of fun but sooo bad for the stadium surface.
A one day DE destroyed the course and cars as well.
I can't even imagine how bad the surface would be now if we continued with 2 of those per year.
And probably a higher car damage from track debris than 4 years of our current TT series...

Ah, glory days... we remember the fun much easier than the holes in the floorboards and broken windshields.
I have video of me in an RSA in those days we used at a QDE school. Jad? were did that stuff go?

[LUCKY DAVE]

Yes, Q DE's were fun, and sooo convenient. But cheap? At one windshield per event, not so much.
It's too bad the Coronado event didn't work out, a DE on a full size track in our own back yard was just great. Sure, the track wasn't Laguna.... but it was a lot closer...Greg could WALK there......