how did you become a THSCC AutoX'r

steve remchak · **Posted:** Sun Jul 22, 2012 9:59 pm

You submitted an application and paid your fee like the rest of us.

But, since I have pissed off many of ya'll that have never met me I thought I would share my path to this point. Hopefully ya'll will reciprocate in kind.

2001, I bought a sweet red Mustang GT 'vert. I spent tons to bolt on everything from a Basani X-pipe to 3:73 gears. Cue ball shift knob on a short shift kit, intake and MAF, sub-frame connectors, more than I can remember.

When I finally traded that car it had more wax on it than miles. 6400 miles the day I handed it over to Hendricks. I drove off in a black / mod red 2004 Z06.

Well, after one Sunday morning of blasting down US1-S at roughly 135 mph I realized that maybe this wasn't the most wise of paths to take in my need for speed so I went searching for a 'sports car" club in Raleigh.

I posted something to the effect of "I want to race something"; look it up, it is rather enlightening, as I got a thorough response from Marvin McBride.

So, now I am a member of THSCC. Obviously it is time to attend a meeting to see who these folks are and what they do. Off to Golden Corral with "The Kid" and we sit in the back of the room early. Come to find out the Officer Table is in the back of the room. So as MM & I chow on mac-n-cheese and dry chicken I listen as these guys discuss how they want to buy a Z06 for something or another.

Now I could have just as easily said .... "hey I have a Z06" .... but I didn't. And this was when I learned that one really has to want to belong to THSCC because ain't nobody gonna just suck up to you. Apparently we were too rough or too odd looking and nobody bothered to even ask if we might be lost or something. If I had to guess who the dudes were I would say maybe ........... Dishman, Whitney or Whipple. Pastorious, during the meeting was bitching about how YLN would ruin THSCC.

Last meeting we ever attended.

Next was the AutoX at Sanford that we (of course The Kid was with me) went to observe. I immediately began searching for a BMW 3 series. No way in hell I was going to submit my 'vette to that kind of abuse.

January 2005 and I am ready to go. Come to find out newbs can't attend a T-n-T. Well folks this would be the first time I pissed off the AutoX crowd. I posted all kinds of hateful crap............ imagine that, huh?

Show up late for the Novice School as who the hell really knows where the L'Burg site really is only to feel as if I got short changed. The day ends with "hope to see ya'll tomorrow" only to realize that I have no idea where the hotel is or how to get there. And that is where I met VK. VK, when asked if he knew the name of the road to get to the hotel responded something like this " Hell, I don't know.... just drive that way until you find it"

And this is when I truly realized that one really had to want to belong to THSCC, because there wasn't anybody gonna kiss your ass to stay.

Finished next to last the next day. Worked fourth heat which had to have lasted 4 hours. Went to Greenville a couple of weeks later and almost quit for good.

But at Greenville I met Lupella who tried to teach me autoX (sad but true) and Whitney who told me to get my foot off the clutch and my hand off the shifter; and I came back for the rest of the season. The only season to actually introduce a rookie class.

Baake
Mrs. Baake
Harvey
Aspesi
Durusky
O'Connell
O'Connell
Wood
Strassell
Suich
Pollard

and of course ........... remchak.

RodneyWright · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 8:13 am

For whatever reason, in 2000 I decided I wanted to try some join some type of car club, but wasn't interested in the show'nshine crowd. Stumbled across THSCC and came to some of the meetings that Dishman was running. While the meetings have a bit of a dry format, having people there that talked cars, I decided to keep attending.

I started out my first event w/ the wife's Camry and then started running the 1970 land yacht. Let's just say the Cutlass was NOT the car of choice for autox, but I had great fun in it. I have to give kudos to both Mike Dishman and Mark Senior as they both helped me understand the dynamics of an autox.

So Steve, in response to your less than favorable experience in starting out with the club, I'm sorry it didn't pan out the way you liked it to be. I've had a great time so far. While autox is great, I think the real point of the club is the people. As with any club, there's always an interesting social dynamic w/ the different personalities, but that's just what makes everything interesting.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:07 am

Absolutely Rodney, it is about the people and I have met many great people thru THSCC. But, very few of the people I know still AutoX.

The intent of my post was not to go negative but more to show where I have been. Am I jaded a bit toward AutoX? Maybe. But my intent is to offer a perspective that maybe not everyone has about the people that might wander up to our events. We would all like to think that everyone that comes out to our events leave with a warm fuzzy feeling toward THSCC. Realistically, not possible but all we can ask is "are we meeting our customer's needs?".

One only needs to look at the Track Program to see what a for profit organization operates like.

So, the kid in the gray Jetta with the bling wheels.............. will we see him again?

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:12 am

steve remchak wrote:

One only needs to look at the Track Program to see what a for profit organization operates like.

I hope you mean something diffrent than how this reads. The THSCC HPDE/TT program is a NOT a "for profit" organization.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:18 am

Vincent Keene wrote:

steve remchak wrote:

One only needs to look at the Track Program to see what a for profit organization operates like.

I hope you mean something diffrent than how this reads. The THSCC HPDE/TT program is a NOT a "for profit" organization.

Maybe, but from a customer standpoint it appears that way. Follow-up and feedback are closely monitored, students are the priority.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:20 am

I was always into cars more from a mechanical/I-like-to-fix-and-maintain-them since I was probably 10 years old or so. My folks were always broke and had beater cars so I always hung out with my old man when he worked on them. By the time I had my first car (85 Celica), I was already in the mentality of not wanting any shops or other people touching my car since I could do nearly everything I need to do to a daily driver myself (brakes, oil, hydraulic bleeding, cap, rotor, plugs, wires etc).

Fast forward to mid 2009 when, for shits and giggles, I went to test drive the 2009 WRX hatch (at the time I still had my 98 Civic coupe) and I loved the power and the functionality of the hatchback so I bought it. Like most things I get interested in, I like to learn and know everything about my hobby so I got on the Subaru forums and had that brand new car on jack stands a lot learning the ins and outs of the drivetrain/powertrain. Then I met Colin Anderson on NASIOC and he invited me to come to a Rallyx in october. I went (didn't drive this time) and hung out for the day (met Kouroush, Jacob Loken, and Ray too) and enjoyed hanging out with people who can just talk about tires and engines and racing all day so Colin convinced me to come to the autocross in a few weeks (event 7 in 2009 at Danville). The morning of, Colin and I met Kevin at Hardees and caravanned up to Danville. Then I saw another 09 WRX there and that's how I met Steve Carter (sorry I cheated that event, still had my stage 1 tune on it

....Colin told me that I'd be slow so just to run D stock). And that was about a wrap, I was completely hooked. I then did the #8 with THSCC and then 2 more Triad events, a CCR/Subaru challenge event at Zmax etc etc in a span of 2 months

. I think I had 5500 miles on my OEM tires when they were starting to cord

. So in early 2010, I started getting serious about prepping the car so I sold the accessport, bought some EPS tires, started looking into dampers (I'm sure most of you remember that fun

), got a front bar on it and got it aligned....

Personally, I always felt like folks in the club were personable and willing to help etc etc.

That's my story.

JamesShort · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:23 am

steve remchak wrote:

So, the kid in the gray Jetta with the bling wheels.............. will we see him again?

Why do you ask this?

I rode along with him (by the way, I bet his car was probably the fastest car at the whole event in a straight line other than maybe Les's car....that thing is a crazy sleeper...scared the hell out of me when right after he launched...fully built block, monster turbo, stage 3 tune, twin walbro 255s) a couple times and invited his wife/daughter to come spectate after getting wrist bands and signing the waiver as they were standing across the street watching.

Anyway, by his 3rd run he was having a blast (I got him to turn of traction/stability control and keep 2 hands on the wheel). I told him that a set of performance summer tires would make the car handle a whole lot better and he was already asking about make/models for tire choices.

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:30 am

I thought that was you in the car with him. I ask because he pitted next to me. I offered him some advice on torquing his wheels but I had my hands full otherwise. I pointed him out to Lupella as a complete newb as that is what he appeared to be to me.

I hope he comes back. The folks that show not knowing anyone are the most likely to not come back IMO. Unless of course we can make a connection with them. Sounds like you did just that James. :thumbsup:

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

I kind of take offense to the notion that we don't appreciate and try to help out noobs, but then again, I am predisposed to be offended by your comments. Every last second that I wasn't working on something for the event, I was making myself available for ridealongs. What exactly are the failings of our "customer service" that make our track operation so much more "profitable"?

steve remchak · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 11:05 am

BriceJohnson wrote:

I kind of take offense to the notion that we don't appreciate and try to help out noobs, but then again, I am predisposed to be offended by your comments. Every last second that I wasn't working on something for the event, I was making myself available for ridealongs. What exactly are the failings of our "customer service" that make our track operation so much more "profitable"?

I'm not citing specifics but just asking questions. I am sure that at the top of the management chain in AutoX these days there is a mission statement to improve the club. It is obviously better than back when I started. In addition the worker management structure is much better too.

But Brice, as you said, you can only be in so many places at the same time. If you believe that everyone else is working to the same level of effort as you then I say good, we are meeting the needs of our participants.

How hard would it be to get an e-mail address database going so that registration could generate a feedback / follow-up to be sent out to new participants?

120 or so participants over two days isn't terrible but I think we all know it has been better.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:22 pm

How did I become a THSCC AutoX'r

I bought a 1997 Chevy Cavalier Z24 in 1997, only new car I have ever purchased. I was REALLY in to car stereo's around this time and had decked my car out for competition. Won the NSPL world championships Trunk 501+ class in 97, 98 and 99. Found this website with other Cavalier enthusiasts (oxymoron, right). Well this one dude on there (Vincent) said he lived near me and invited me to all sorts of waxer type events, I'd always say I would go but never would :lol:

Finally in February of 1999, Vincent said they "raced" cars at the old Rocky Mount airport and wanted to check it out. Hell it was an hour away, I finally took my internet friend Vincent up on his offer and met him there one chilly, February morning. Novices weren't supposed to be there but I guess we look "racey" enough. Early in the day, member in an 80's rabbit put his car off in the woods, taking a sign with it. Wrecked it pretty good but for some reason it didn't scare me off. I think I did 1 more event that year, I remember Carl Fisher cursing about BFG R1's and pulling the steel belts out with a pair of pliars to make another run.

Most of my stereo equipment was sold before the end of 99, down the rabbit hole I went...

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

I personally feel the drop in participation was due to the lack of variety in geographic locations for our events. By having some closer sites in varied locations (south/east of the triangle in Fayeteville, north/west in Danville, north/east in NCCAR, and west in Burlington) I think we can start to grow that way. That has been my main focus, and will continue to be. The hardcore autocrossers will love showing up to Danville time and time again, but I know when I was a noob, I enjoyed the variety of sites we had. Rocky Mount, Lumberton, Morrisville (even though that site scared the shit out of me) and Greenville added some variety to the standard runway sites. Crown and Piedmont are on the smallish side as far as room to work with, but will allow us to do some different things. In addition, spectator friendly sites in busier towns will attract more spectators, and turning a spectator into a participant at the next event is certainly an easier proposition than bringing someone in off the street (or out of the Harris Teeter parking lot as Rodney has done).

Matt McGrain · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 12:49 pm

I used to run track at the high school stadium in Rocky Mount growing up and would see the cars out there on the same old airport parking lot that I (& pretty much all my friends growing up) learned to drive a 5 speed on.

The thing that go me into autocross was that I wanted to drive my first sporty car, not counting a sweet '95 RS Eclipse, fast without getting a ticket because I didn't want to loose my license or have my insurance go up I guess. The googles led me to the thscc page and I found myself in Sanford in '03.

Steve, you're right. The best way to increase the chance of a novice coming back to a second or third event is to have just one person say, "do you need an instructor?" or "would you like to ride along?". I'd encourage anyone that doesn't mind riding along with folks that has a few minutes when they're not running to stroll over the grid with helmet in hand and just reach out to a novice or two. Even just one run can boost someone's confidence along with any instruction or pointers.

Speaking of novices, I never thought I'd have a police car in front of me at the line getting ready to do autocross runs with the flashers on. Very cool and he was pretty fast in that patrol car.

Vincent Keene · **Posted:** Mon Jul 23, 2012 1:28 pm

I bought my Z-24 on Oct. 31st 1997. Shortly after I found a listserv from a site called Z-24.com. After joining that list I became internet friends with several fellow J-body owners across the country and we decided to have a meet in Bowling Green, KY in mid 1998. One of the guys I met there was from Ohio and he had a 2nd gen Z-24 who told me about something he did called "Autocross". He had one the next day I wanted to check it out, but I had to get back home and missed it.

A few months passed and a little later that same year another e-mail friend sent me a link to THSCC.com. I was actually pissed when I read "Since 1964" and I had lived in the area since I was born in 1965. Damn, how did I miss 'racing' on the downtown streets of Wilson...which was 3 blocks from my work!

The following year I finally convinced some guy named Ryan to come out to the Rocky Mount event. After that the hook was set. I've been a member ever since.

PS. I'm an outgoing type of guy, so even though nobody 'approached' me to offer help or advice, I wasn't at all shy and would walk right up and ask questions. Everyone I talked to was very helpful and friendly and I have made some great long term friends as a result. Oh yeah, I also learned a thing or two about driving along the way as bonus.

shawnwhipple · **Joined:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:28 pm **Posts:** 603

I'd done one autocross in about 1990 when I was in the Air Force out in California (If you think Tarheel is uninviting you should have seen them) Anyway I didn't have the budget for it at the time so I'd forgot about it for a long time. I'd been back in NC for a few years when I bought a 94 MR2 in 1997 and for some reason that car brought up the subject of autocrossing with my friends at work and I thought I'd like to try it again. I did a quick internet search and found Tarheel. I think the first event I went to was Laurinburg in March of 97. I pretty much fell in love with the sport from the start and ended up doing a lot of Tarheel and Triad events that year and even some of the events for the NCAC (it was an 8 race series back then).

I always found the club pretty welcoming and I really liked the fact that the club seemed to have volunteer culture. In my opinion the club tends to respect those who help out even more than those who are the fastest or have the best car.

After my first year as just a participant, the next season I signed up to be chief of tech. I did that for a year or two, chaired some events, etc and then stepped up to autocross VP and finally el presidente.

When I was president and Auto X VP we had the opposite problem to what we have now. Attendance was often too high to have events that finished at a reasonable time. I think at one of our event we had more than 40 people in novice class. We created the position of novice coordinator at the time to try and help those people get all the information you need to participate in an autocross.

Around about 04 I decided I needed to spend more time with the family and took a break for a few years and now I'm just getting back into it again.

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