Autocross at Cherry Point

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:31 am

Just thought I’d post this for those who might want a little more seat time. There will be an autocross at Cherry Point this coming Sunday. It will be held on a huge concrete runway. However, don’t expect an extremely long course due to the number of drivers registered.
http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frm ... nt_id=9681
It will be an interesting day and a good opportunity to see a new venue. Because of security demands, you must pre-register to be admitted to the base. They will have a list at the gate. Also, you must be at the gate between 7:30-8:00 to be processed in. At New River Air Station (the other base NCR uses) this isn’t a hassle at all, but they’ve been going there for a couple of years and the gate knows what to expect. They limit registration to 75, but they will be allowing military to attend, and they may not need to preregister, so, who knows. That also means lots of noobs. They are having a novice school on Saturday for military who want to attend on Sunday.
You will need: driver’s license, registration and proof of insurance to get past the gate.
Bernie and I will be there. Hope to see some of you. If so, come set up with us.

jeremy gast · **Posted:** Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:07 am

r u guys getting a hotel for saturday night?? I was def thinkin about dragging the miatas to this.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:35 pm

The “official hotel” is:
Day’s Inn
1220 E. Main Street
Havelock, NC 28532
(252) 447-1122

Per the NCR forum the rate is about $80. There’s also a Hampton Inn in the area, and plenty of hotels less than 30 minutes in either direction in New Bern to the west and Morehead City to the Southeast. We actually have a place in Beaufort, so that’s were we’ll stay.

William Gravely · **Posted:** Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:27 pm

Totally in! Only an hour from home.

edit: I signed up and saw that the Saturday novice school is also a Test n Tune. I am active duty military so I could go...anyone know who I should call to figure out if they would let Jackie co-drive with me at the TnT on Saturday?

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Tue Jun 09, 2009 9:02 pm

William Gravely wrote:

Totally in! Only an hour from home.

edit: I signed up and saw that the Saturday novice school is also a Test n Tune. I am active duty military so I could go...anyone know who I should call to figure out if they would let Jackie co-drive with me at the TnT on Saturday?

You have mail.

Gwen

William Gravely · **Posted:** Fri Jun 12, 2009 3:45 pm

Never heard back from my email to Vern so Jackie and I are going to find something else to do on Saturday. Unfortunately it doesn't look like we'll be going in the 944, though (we couldn't fit all the stuff we needed in there reasonably with the two of us). Looks like we'll be co-driving the ZHP.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Fri Jun 12, 2009 4:35 pm

William Gravely wrote:

Never heard back from my email to Vern so Jackie and I are going to find something else to do on Saturday. Unfortunately it doesn't look like we'll be going in the 944, though (we couldn't fit all the stuff we needed in there reasonably with the two of us). Looks like we'll be co-driving the ZHP.

Sorry you didn't hear back, but, see you both Sunday.

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:34 am

Well where should I start? I believe that a few Tarheel members have just had a taste of the best autocross site in the state. Visualize Danville with a runway four times wider and six times longer!!! The surface appeared to be of a non skid type composition so it had plenty of grip. The only area that seemed to lack in grip was the first turn of the course where the surface material was scrubbed off the tarmac by the turning and acceleration of the cars. The Marine Corps at Cherry Point really put out the red carpet for this event also with bleachers, and road barriers demarking the pit and grid areas. Morale , Welfare and Recreation (MWR) personnel distributed water throughout the day to the competitors, they carried cases of cold water to us as we were on grid and in the pit area. They also set up tents with tables and chairs, for breakfast and lunch, which could be purchased at the mobile canteen posted there. All in all a very impressive start for the Cherry Point site and a feather in NCR’s cap for obtaining this venue.

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2009 10:12 am

Here’s a link to the news footage of the event at Cherry Point yesterday.
http://www.news14.com/content/top_stori ... ap=1&Flash

It a great site. There were a few Tarheelers there to collect wood, or in this case trophy.
William Gravely 1st DS (5th in Pax, I think)
Jackie Branscomb 1st DSL
Bernie Baake 1st HS (9th in Pax)
Gwennie 1st HSL (oh, and 4th in Pax)

Mitch Moore 3rd BS (in his wife’s new daily driver, BMW)

It was a fun day, and as Bernie mentioned, Cherry Point really took care of everyone there. The course was a replica of a Nationals course back in the early 90’s, so interesting.The grip was very good, overall. Just a couple of spots where it was a little worn. We had 6 runs, which is always nice. Since designing courses is something that I enjoy doing, I’ve just been drooling at the possibilities on such a long, wide space. There will be another chance to see this site later this year. I hope more Tarheelers will take advantage of the opportunity. It really was worth it!

Chris Peterson · **Joined:** Tue Sep 16, 2003 9:02 am **Posts:** 243

Gwen - am I reading that correctly? Bernie took first in HS and pax'd 9th. You took first in HSL and pax'd 4th? So.....you took Bernie to the woodshed AND would have won HS????? :cheer:

Gwen Habenicht · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:05 am

Chris Peterson wrote:

Gwen - am I reading that correctly? Bernie took first in HS and pax'd 9th. You took first in HSL and pax'd 4th? So.....you took Bernie to the woodshed AND would have won HS????? :cheer:

yep!

Bernie Baake · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2009 11:53 am

She beat me by .014, so you see the wood shed wasn't too far from the back door.

Scott Johnson · **Posted:** Mon Jun 15, 2009 12:00 pm

Bernie Baake wrote:

She beat me by .014, so you see the wood shed wasn't too far from the back door.

0.014 separating 4th and 9th index is very close competition.

Arthur McDonald · **Joined:** Fri Aug 29, 2003 1:54 am **Posts:** 2052

Bernie Baake wrote:

Well where should I start? I believe that a few Tarheel members have just had a taste of the best autocross site in the state. Visualize Danville with a runway four times wider and six times longer!!! The surface appeared to be of a non skid type composition so it had plenty of grip. The only area that seemed to lack in grip was the first turn of the course where the surface material was scrubbed off the tarmac by the turning and acceleration of the cars. The Marine Corps at Cherry Point really put out the red carpet for this event also with bleachers, and road barriers demarking the pit and grid areas. Morale , Welfare and Recreation (MWR) personnel distributed water throughout the day to the competitors, they carried cases of cold water to us as we were on grid and in the pit area. They also set up tents with tables and chairs, for breakfast and lunch, which could be purchased at the mobile canteen posted there. All in all a very impressive start for the Cherry Point site and a feather in NCR’s cap for obtaining this venue.

But for a hurricane, it could have been all ours. :cry:

Miles Beam had arranged for us to run there, but Hurricane Floyd intervened a day or two before the event. Initially the commandant told Miles we were still good to go after the storm passed, but it turned out that all of the roads leading to the airstrip were flooded. Still, it's good to know that someone got access to the site. Hope to run there one of these days.

Ryan Holton · **Posted:** Tue Jun 16, 2009 7:56 am

Arthur McDonald wrote:

But for a hurricane, it could have been all ours. :cry:

Miles Beam had arranged for us to run there, but Hurricane Floyd intervened a day or two before the event. Initially the commandant told Miles we were still good to go after the storm passed, but it turned out that all of the roads leading to the airstrip were flooded. Still, it's good to know that someone got access to the site. Hope to run there one of these days.

Wrong site, that was at New River Air Station in Jacksonville. They run there as well.

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