When Going Faster becomes a Passion: Sports Car Club of America Club Racing

Sports Car Club of America Club Racing

  The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is the largest and oldest racing organization in the country with an amateur club racing program. It offers competition at major tracks in all parts of the United States in the same way as the BMWCCA does, but with cars of all manufacturers eligible to participate.

  In the same manner as in BMWCCA club racing, cars are classed by their level of preparation and performance capability, so it is possible to compete at SCCA events in a car that is very close to showroom stock condition. SCCA racing classes and preparation rules are very similar to SCCA autocross classes. These classes, and preparation rules, are documented in the SCCA’s General Competition Rules, known as the GCRs

  Though many SCCA club racing competitors compete in purpose-built cars at a near-professional financial level, the entry-level Stock Class is designed to allow new racers to participate without making much more than safety changes to their car. It is certainly possible for you to compete in wheel-to-wheel races through the SCCA on a budget that doesn’t require bottomless pockets or a wealthy sponsor.

  Just as with the BMWCCA program, you have to go through a training and qualification program before you can venture out on the track for wheel-to-wheel competition. SCCA requires proof of good physical condition with a medical exam, and satisfactory completion of two school sessions in order to earn a provisional novice license that allows you to take part in your first race.

  You’ll be classified as a novice until you have safely and satisfactorily completed two races. Complete those requirements and you earn your regional racing driver’s license that qualifies you to continue racing in regional SCCA races.

  One difference between the SCCA program and the BMWCCA program is that you must have a race-prepared car to participate in an SCCA driving school. That means installing a roll cage, safety harness, and basic safety gear in your car, as well as buying full driver’s safety gear before you can begin racing.

  Consequently, you’ll certainly want to find other means to decide whether wheel-to-wheel racing is for you before making this investment. You can do this by taking part in a BMWCCA driving school or one of the commercial race driving schools , or you may be able to arrange to rent a race car to take the SCCA school, before making the investment to turn your street MINI into a race-capable car.

More information on the SCCA programs is available at www.SCCA.com/club/.

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