What are you waiting for? It’s easy. Whether you want to drive, race the clock, get your hands dirty in the pits, stand next to the track with a big yellow flag or sit in the control tower, the first step is signing up.
Join SCCA Today!
- Membership Dues
- Total Individual dues is $100 (National $80 + Regional $20)
- Chicago Region Regional dues are $20 Individual and $25 Family.
- Total Family Dues are $130 (National $105 + Regional $25)
SCCA – A CLUB WITH MANY INTERESTS FOR ALL
A common interest in the love of fine automobiles has made the SCCA the most active membership participation organization in the history of motorsports.
Many-faceted in its endeavors, the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) might best be described as a service organization. It serves over 50,000 members throughout the United States by sanctioning and administering a variety of automotive-related activities through approximately 100 independently – chartered regions.
No other single motor sports organization in the world conducts more events than the SCCA. These events range from SCCA amateur and professional road racing to rallies, Solo events, hill climbs and auto shows.
The SCCA is an ever-growing organization for the automotive enthusiast. Because SCCA is member-oriented and member-operated, the club stresses participation on a broad basis. Regardless of your experience or background, if you are an automotive enthusiast there is a place for you in the SCCA.
In order to successfully sanction and conduct a comprehensive road racing program, a multitude of experts in timing, scoring, communications, safety inspection, medical, flagging, race control, and other skills are needed. Schools are held to train the workers and various degrees of worker licenses, varying from novice to chief of specialty, are awarded based on the worker’s knowledge, ability and experience.
National SCCA Site
Central Division SCCA Site
Autocross
Autocross events (also known as Solo events) are a form of automotive competition in which one car at a time negotiates a prescribed course in the shortest possible time. The autocross events program is intended to provide a large segment of the club with an inexpensive, safe means of testing their driving ability and car performance.
The SCCA Autocross Program is comprised of single car, non-speed events which place a great premium upon precision driving rather than allout speed. What used to be called Solo I events are now operated as Track Days or Time Trials operated at road racing facilities.
Autocross events are open to anyone who has a sports car, compact or small sedan. The only requirements to compete are a valid state driver’s license and a car which will pass a safety inspection. Competitors under the age of 18 must also have parental consent. Depending upon your particular interest, there are competitive classes for just about any kind of car — from OEM to highly modified cars. The cars in these categories are further divided into designated classes based on their potential performance and handling ability. Each driver competes against the other drivers in his or her particular class. Drivers are scored on their fastest time through the course plus any penalties and the top finishers receive trophies.
At the completion of each season the top drivers from each SCCA Region can compete in Divisional Championship events as well as the Tire Rack National Championship in Lincoln, Nebraska.
A Guide to Solo
Track Events – Track Days and Time Trials
Most automotive enthusiasts are enthusiastic because of their cars. Unfortunately, many of the activities that contribute to this enthusiasm cannot be safely or legally done on public streets. SCCA Track Events allow you to take your street car on to real race tracks and drive them like they were built to be driven.
Track Days are non-competitive, and allow the attendees to focus on the true pursuit of driving – fun! Coaches are provided to assist in every level of the driving experience, from providing answers and guidance during the initial foray into on-track fun, to being available to answer questions at any level of a driver’s development.
With Fun as the primary goal, and Safety as the means to get there, these events provide a relatively low risk and high reward driving experience. Participants are separated by experience, and are free to drive and improve at their own pace. Beginners are under the watchful eye of experienced instructors, and the entire event is run under the rules and sanction of the Sports Car Club of America.
Time Trial events are basically track days with transponder based timing. Cars are classed per the Time Trials National rules and compete based on lap times. After the first session, all subsequent sessions are sorted by lap time – starting with the fastest lap time. This minimizes the need for passing, which is allowed with driver to driver signaling (point bys).
Take the Wheel – Track Days
Road Racing
Road racing is wheel to wheel competitions on race tracks which duplicate the type of conditions – straights, curves, hills, etc. – that are normally encountered in everyday driving. The road racing tracks are designed to test the driver’s ability to handle a car in a variety of driving conditions.
SCCA road racing program ranges from low-pressure regional events to internationally prestigious championship series such as the Trans-Am Championship. In the amateur racing program, drivers compete for Regional Championships and an opportunity to represent their area of the United States in the SCCA National Road Racing Championship.
To become a driver an individual must be at least 16 years of age and have a valid driver’s license, attend at least two SCCA sanctioned driver’s schools and accumulate at least six hours of on-track instruction from qualified senior drivers. Competitors under the age of 18 must also have parental consent. If a driver passes these requirements, they may compete in local races under the direct observation of race officials. If they show proficiency, they can then progress to a regional drivers license and finally a national license.
In SCCA road racing there are a wide variety of car makes and models that can and do compete in the several different classes for production, formula, sports racing, and showroom stock cars. Of primary concern at all races is a stringent safety inspection of all cars entered in competition. The cars must undergo a comprehensive technical inspection and the drivers must have all necessary safety equipment such as roll bar, shoulder harnesses, safety fuel tank, protective helmet, and flame-resistant uniform.
So, you wanna be a race car driver? Go Ahead – Take the Wheel!
Vintage
Taking people back to the roots of our club’s road racing heritage.
The program is open to anyone who has an interest in sports cars from an era gone by. Sports cars and other cars which are over twenty five years of age and have a place in SCCA’s history make up the Vintage groups basic interest. The group organizes vintage car concourses, exhibitions, gymkhanas and tour type rallies to give members a chance to meet and have conversations with others with the same goal in mind. The vintage group wants to preserve a part of our club’s past, and sports cars that started it all, and also to provide a forum for active participation of older sports cars.
About the Chicago Region
Since the 1950’s when it brought sports car racing to the Midwest, Chicago Region has been a major factor in the growth and development of the SCCA. Chicago Region is currently one of the largest and most active regions in the United States. Each year Chicago Region’s activities normally include: two drivers and workers schools – one for road racing and one for Solo events; three regional road races; one National road race; three professional races at the famous Road America race track in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin; eight regional Solo events; regional rallies; vintage activities; and several special events such as ice race weekend, auto shows, and an annual dinner dance. In addition, Chicago Region also conducts many social events.
For more information about Chicago Region and the Sports Car Club of America or specific information about events, please contact:
Chicago Region Club Office
921 Lawn Cir.
Western Springs, IL 60558-2262
847-729-2211
Membership Information: membership@scca-chicago.com
Sports Car Club of America:
P. O. Box 19400
Topeka, KS 66619-0400
800-770-2055
