PCA SDR

The good news- no more Chargers beer garden to plan the AX around.

The bad news- it's only a matter of time...

http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/1845 ... os-angeles

Can't say I will miss the rough Q surface, PCA decided it was not acceptable for DE events back in 2010.
The Q surface made the Coronado airport track look good.
Tough car guy year in San Diego we lost both the Q and Coronado tracks.

Obviously, this will affect our club and it's income / fun levels. There are already developers who want to flatten the stadium and re-purpose the site.

Tim Comeau wrote:Obviously, this will affect our club and it's income / fun levels. There are already developers who want to flatten the stadium and re-purpose the site.

but they might build a soccer stadium.
if so, hopefully it will have a "better" parking lot

Looks like SDSU west could be the winner.

Notice the parking structure, and lack of significant surface parking.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sdut-sdsu-qualcomm-redevelopment-2016apr05-htmlstory.html

Should be interesting because a new SD MLS franchise is also in the mix too. At any rate, the chances of having enough asphalt to do AutoX are about zero I would imagine. Regardless of the final machinations
of what actually gets built. The question is when will the work begin? We may get another season after this one. Too much dinero at stake to just let it sit for very long though.

pecivil wrote:Looks like SDSU west could be the winner.

bummer for PCA AX.
and the various other car events hosted at the Q.
a good rumor Buttonwillow will expand.

pecivil wrote:Looks like SDSU west could be the winner.

Notice the parking structure, and lack of significant surface parking.

http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/business/growth-development/sdut-sdsu-qualcomm-redevelopment-2016apr05-htmlstory.html

Should be interesting because a new SD MLS franchise is also in the mix too. At any rate, the chances of having enough asphalt to do AutoX are about zero I would imagine. Regardless of the final machinations
of what actually gets built. The question is when will the work begin? We may get another season after this one. Too much dinero at stake to just let it sit for very long though.

Yes, too much tax-revenue-loss for the city to tolerate any more open asphalt on a 160+ acre site. It was estimated before the Great Recession that, if developed in the same way that the former sand-and-gravel works properties were built in Mission Valley ... condo's + commercial properties ... the city of San Diego could generate >$2-billion in property taxes annually from the 160-acres that is currently Qualcomm Stadium & its parking lot.

What's that mean for car clubs? "Hasta La Vista, Baby." We've had a great run at the Mission Valley facility for an introduction to performance driving and great, convenient one-day driving fun. But like so many things of old, time changes things and some great cultural icons are lost. So, with the demolition of the Q, we see an end to one of the greatest eras in car club driving events. As a former AX and DE Chair, and former CDI I share the loss of the Q with a touch of sorrow.

However, the DE and TT programs for PCA says "Bienvenidos, Amigos!!" While not at all the same thing as an AX in Mission Valley... convenience, cost, et cetera ... the DE/TT program at the "big tracks" offers the true driving enthusiast the opportunity to drive their cars at their limit under safe, instructed, and controlled conditions. (It's a hellova lot safer than trying to find your limits on a back-country road or [G*d forbid] on a PCA Tour.)

So, while we mourn the loss of one of the last, big parking lot venues in the US we look ahead to the inevitable expansion of tax-generating development in San Diego (without the proper infrastructure or appropriate civil planning criteria to handle traffic, water use, or urban over-crowding ... you can be sure), and we embrace the future of getting out of town to enjoy a great weekend ... or day ... with our driving-enthusiast amigos/amigas at the big tracks where fun, challenge, high speeds, safety, and bench-racing hoopla are the typical elements of the DE/TT experience.

I like Dan's post that we should make DE/TT lemonade out of the impending loss, but I would like another AX venue. Reminds me of another post Randy had. I will get it to surface.

I'm surprised there aren't 100 posts on this thread already.
The loss of the Q is going to negatively affect our club in a big way. No more AX. No more PDS. No more "not so scary" entry level track experience to feed our big track events.
No more of our most important new member feeder stream.

Unless we can secure an alternative site that isn't 100 miles away I predict a glut of AX cars for sale soon.

Well the new SS tire rule doesn't help either

LUCKY DAVE wrote:I'm surprised there aren't 100 posts on this thread already.
The loss of the Q is going to negatively affect our club in a big way. No more AX. No more PDS. No more "not so scary" entry level track experience to feed our big track events.
No more of our most important new member feeder stream.

I think you hit the nail on the head Dave. For those who didn't grow up with racing, AX is the easiest, most convenient and least expensive way to get into competitive driving and down the slippery slope. Going directly to big track events, when you have no prior experience whatsoever, is a huge leap of faith and commitment. IMHO, there's a direct correlation between the number of SDR TT and race participates and the AX feeder program.

From my experience and observation, the drivers with the best car control at big tracks have had "some" to "a lot" of AX experience. They're able to react and recover quickly from the most torrid slides when they get out of shape than those who have not had a lot of AX. From a personal standpoint, I've always learned the most at AX events when it was raining and pushed the car are far as it will go until it let go and used that "feel" I learned and applied it to TT and Club Racing.

Although I haven't been to an AX in a few years, now that time is short for the Q, I think it's time to give it a go one more time.

SDSU is already enough of a sprawling monster. And they just keep building out into the surrounding neighborhoods.
The stadium could be used as a stadium for years to come. It's already built. Fill it's schedule up.

Most of the SD PCA DE/TT events already sell out very quickly so an influx of drivers isn't really a positive thing, just means more people will be left out unless more events are added. A big reason the TT program is so successful has to be the strong AX program feeding it, so maybe the TT program will suffer in the longterm. The question now is where can SD PCA hold AX events and how far are people willing to travel to do them. Speedventures holds AX events in conjunction with their trackdays at Autoclub Speedway, but how many will be willing to travel 90 minutes to and from the venue?

The Q corners had camber so much nicer than a flat track.
The Barona 1/8 mile and return road would make a fun small track.
Can we get it on a weekday?

Buttonwillow update.
copy and paste.
....................
Hi Everyone,

Here is an update on our continued efforts to expand Buttonwillow Raceway and build a second race track. The project site is 185 acres and sits to the West of Phil Hill, all the way North to Lerdo Highway. There is a canal that meanders in the Northwest direction creating a natural Western edge of the land. We have multiple preliminary drawings that have track layouts at a minimum of 2.5 miles. The track will be built to FIA Grade four requirements with the exception of the hot pit garages and spectator grandstands. The surface will be 40 feet wide, and the front straight will be 50 feet wide.

If you have been to BRP in the past year and a half, chances are you have noticed the construction equipment and activity on the right hand side of the driveway as you arrive at the track. As I mentioned, Griffith Construction rented that ground from us while they rehabbed the 10 miles of I-5 in both directions from Lerdo to 46 Hwy. That project completed last week and as a result, BRP has acquired approximately 74,000 tons of Cal Trans spec road base. This is incredibly advantageous to us to put down a generous amount of base below the asphalt to help ensure a smooth asphalt surface. The fact that the road base is on site provides an incredible cost savings in both trucking and materials. That advantage represents several hundred thousand dollars in cost savings. We have also purchased the rubberized pellets and polymer oil products used during the 2014 repave of our original track that proved to be very successful. We are truly ready to make asphalt.

A long time SCCA and Cal Club member has generously donated the funding to erect a 9,000 square foot tower building that will have extensive food service capabilities and space to display 10 museum cars. The second story will serve as timing and scoring and race control for on track activity. Behind the tower building will be a 6,000 square foot covered patio with cooling misters. The architecture drawings for the building are complete and we are ready to proceed with construction.

Other plans for the 2nd track include 10+ acres of paved paddock area, an RV Park and a preliminary set of 8 rental garages similar to the set we just completed in March of 2016 at the original track.

Finally, we recently drilled a band new, 1,500 gallon per minute well near the canal that will provide us with much improved water quality for the entire facility. It is ready to be put into service once PG&E completes the power extension.

In conclusion, we are ready to build the new track tomorrow, BUT (you all knew the but was coming, right?) ONE, yes ONE, Giant Kangaroo Rat was discovered in the whole 185 acre project site. GKRs are endangered and are also far from giant. We affectionately refer to him as “the bachelor”. Right now it is up to California and Federal Fish and Wildlife to determine what needs to be done with the bachelor. We estimate this will take another year to solve and unfortunately a LOT of $$$$$$.

Thanks for the interest and the support for expansion at BRP and we hope to have positive things to report in the coming year.

-Mike Miserendino
Buttonwillow Raceway