SCCA ends successful season Published Oct. 3, 2011 By Airman Cortney Paxton 341st Missile WIng Public Affairs MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Malmstrom's deactivated flight line was a little less empty this past weekend as several cars took on the runways to mark the completion of the autocross racing season for Montana's Sports Car Club of America, Region 105. The Montana SCCA club was established in the late 1960s and Malmstrom's flight line has been used by its members for 35 years. "There's a long, established history of racing here on the base," said Blue Manzanares, SCCA regional executive. "The only period when we didn't race here was after 9/11; there was a four year break where the base was off limits. The majority of our club consists of military members - I want to say 80 percent of our club members are either retired or active military members." The two-day event was open to anyone with a vehicle that passed a brief safety inspection done by a trained tech inspector. The inspection is done prior to the driver competing in the races. "We inspect the lug nuts on the wheels and make sure they're on and that they're not going to come off; we also check that the tires are in good condition," said Terry Root, SCCA tech inspector. "Then we'll check underneath the hood of the car and make sure, in general, that it's in good condition. One of the things we pay attention to the most is the battery because that's around 30 pounds of weight. When you're putting your car under stress, you really don't want that kind of weight moving around. As long as its street legal and in good condition, I've never turned a car away." Larger vehicles like trucks and SUVs are usually not allowed to race due to their higher center of gravity making a rollover more likely; however, certain modifications - like lowering the vehicle - may qualify the vehicle to race. After their cars were separated into classes based on several specific guidelines, the drivers were allowed to walk the two-mile course - designated by cones and chalk - to become acquainted with it. From there, the races began. "We race against the clock," Manzanares said. "The cars are separated depending on the course - usually about 40 seconds apart. We have safety workers positioned all around the course. In the event that something does go wrong, they have red flags and radios to stop the other cars, but in the history of the club, we've never had cars make contact. We've never had an accident." The final race of the season brought autocross veterans along with novice drivers and showcased the capabilities of various types of cars with their drivers. "You meet a lot of people out here; everybody's obviously into cars and racing and just having a good time," said Christopher Quejado, driver, 2001 Chevrolet Corvette. "Really, it is just a good time. It teaches you what the limits of your car are." Unlike Quejado, who's been racing autocross for 2 ½ seasons, Daniel Damigo, driver of a 2008 Toyota Corolla, has only raced in two events making him a new driver in the SCCA program. "I kind of take some more risks and learn what corners to take certain ways - when to slow down and when to speed up," Damigo said. "It's all of the stuff I wish I could do on the street. It's nice to have a place where I can actually cut loose a little bit." By the end of the day Sunday, Bill Murphy had the fastest raw time of 1:20.5 in his Red Devil snowmobile-engine powered cart. Second place in raw times was Jeff Thill in a 2005 Chevy Corvette with a time of 1:24.0 and following closely behind was Manzanares with a third place time of 1:25.3 in his 1991 Honda CRX. The fastest pax, or nationally averaged, times were awarded to Thill in first place with a time of 1:12.4; Murphy in second with a time of 1:12.8; and Brian Franklin took third with a time of 1:15.5 in his 2007 Subaru STI. The season ended just as successful as the weekend did - with nothing but time separating the racers. Along with helpful pointers and driving tactics, they shared an overall good time. "Instead of doing it on the street, people come out here and get a chance to burn a little steam off with each other," Manzanares said. "They can be a little aggressive, learn their cars, know their limitations and just have a good time here, so it's good for Airmen to bring their car and race it." For more information on the Montana Sports Car Club of America, or to sign up as a member, visit their website at www.mtscca.com.