If you wanted to drive on a track in the early '70s, you got an SCCA or IMSA license, built a race car and raced it. I don't remember DE or track day options. Regarding license fees, I used to believe that racing in the old days was much less expensive, then I adjusted those costs for inflation and realized that it was just as expensive as it is today, except for the cost of Porsche race cars, which have far outpaced inflation. Had RSR race car prices climbed along with inflation, they would go for $163,000, not $1.18 million.

 

I can echo George. After Warren Agor left Hoselton Chevy Camaro stable and decided to build and campaign Chevy Monza's for 3 years from 1975 - 1977. We camped at state parks with showers, stayed at my in-laws for Lime Rock, and stayed at a motel for Road Atlanta.

Haul vehicle was a pickup truck and open trailer for the race car. Second vehicle was a Suburban with a large enclosed trailer for spare engine, tools, etc.

The only paved paddock area was Road Atlanta, all other tracks were grass area, used plywood to support the jack, and use the ammo container covers to support the jack stands.

Improvise was the key word and we did not woke about safe space.

As Edith, from All in the Family, "those were the days" and we knew what made racers and crew members.

 

I didn't know any different camping in my ex-Al Goldstein Cadillac limo tow vehicle with a single axle open trailer at Sebring, Road Atlanta and in the wonderful grass paddock at Lime Rock. Not sure I need to recreate those days.

I was racing the same car as Dorsey Schroeder's first SCCA Production car...

 

Insert "Back in my day" memes here.

 

Not sure how it was 50 years ago really matters!! We didn't have cell phones or computers or etc etc. i think you can look at what a Pitt race has done w/o pro level events to support it and see what is possible. At MO they can't even add gravel to driving lanes to get to the grass paddock. The good news is when the upper paddock is open there is a lot more space but ofter that is closed during club events so the school can operate.

 

Your time will come...

 

Mosport is as old as MO and has acres of paved paddock, paved access roads, a huge rig friendly tunnel, pretty good breakfasts, showers in the admin building and a character building track. Just a quick pimp for the club race there in the beginning of August.

 

Yes, it took a long time but it was worth the wait--the new adm bldg is like the Taj Mahal compared to the old tower.

Having lunch up there y-day on the patio overlooking the track--very nice. Kudos to Ron Fellows and his $$$ team (based in FLA, I believe).....

Gary
......but they still need garages.......

 

Agreed. I started SCCA racing at M-O in 1981 and saw the track and facilities improve over the years. And at one point I do think it was one of the premier tracks in the country. Not any more.
Unfortunately the track and especially the facilities have been on a steady decline over the past several years. Such a shame.

 

That was my point. In the late Eighties, early Nineties, it was a showplace, manicured to perfection. And the track surface and curbings were wonderful abs trippy!

Miss that Mid-Ohio...

 

I wonder what cota will be like in 20 years? I was among the 1st in the 1st club race at Cota. We got harrassed by cota paddock police for a few drops of fuel on the asphalt and parking hot tires touching the white painted lines!

 

I just thought of something. Is Mid-Ohio one of the only tracks where you paddock OUTSIDE the track? It's kind of unusual.

I'm thinking of the tracks I know. WGI, Lime Rock, Pocono, VIR, Summit Point, the two NJMP tracks you paddock on the INSIDE by going over a bridge or through a tunnel.

 

PittRace, Summit Point Jefferson.

 

MSR Houston, MSR Cresson, NOLA

 

I still have the 1/2 sheets of plywood, 2 for the jack stands, and 1 for the floor jack, for pitting in the grass @Gingerman, Putnam, IRP, Blackhawk, and even Road America before the upper paddock (RIP RA Pagoda).