New Autocross site needed. Stowe is not available this year.

[skivittlerjimb]

Hey Brian, would it be possible for you to cruise around the "PARC" area near the Plattsburgh airport? Here's the area I mean:
http://www.parc-usa.com/available.html
It's hard to tell from Google maps if there are any warehouse or other commercial lots in this area that would be suitable. Being next to an airport is almost ideal because it really make the noise issue a moot point.

Most school parking lots in VT are too small. We've looked at Harwood's lot a few times (I think an Audi club did an event there years ago) but with schools you run afoul of town and school bureaucracy and almost always have neighborhoods nearby. Also, if teenagers see skid marks in their schools parking lot, suddenly there's a Mustang doing donuts at 1:00 a.m. and a crappy video of it on YouTube a few days after an autox.

Nathan, I'm pretty sure the VT Shifter Karts course is much too small (I think it's like a 15-second lap in a kart). Thunder Road is worth exploring. Is it usually dark (no events) on Sundays? I believe VTC added light poles and such that pretty much made that tiny lot completely un-usable now. I'm sure Paul D. or Josh could confirm this.

Dave G. - what is MOHUD using this year for their autoxs? Still all down in the Albany area?

[Dave_G]

Dave G. - what is MOHUD using this year for their autoxs? Still all down in the Albany area?

The schedule hasn't been released yet for 2010, and I haven't been following the forums to keep up with the latest discussion. I actually didn't run any autocrosses last summer, but FWIW Mo-Hud had four (!) different sites that they used last year. The only one that would be even worth considering for Vermonters is Adirondack Community College in Queensbury. It's about an hour from my home near Middlebury (vs. 1.5 to Stowe), but from northern Vermont it would obviously be more than that. Construction is finished, and the lot is not quite as big as it used to be, but it's still plenty big, and the new pavement makes it more attractive than it used to be (I actually used to get air off of some of the humps in the old pavement). Here's a sample video of the ACC lot: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQt9J9AHQwM

The other three sites that Mo-Hud used last year were even farther south:
- OGS McCarty Ave. lot in Albany
- Clifton Park Center in Clifton Park (fairly small)
- Wilton Mall in Saratoga Springs

None of which is particularly helpful for us , though IMHO the ACC autocrosses are worth the trip for people jonesing to drive, and it's always good to see how other clubs run their autocrosses.

[skivittlerjimb]

Adk. Comm. College in Queensury - beautiful lot, and big. Only 2.5 hours from downtown Burlington. It would be a pity to have to hold it outside of VT, but I think this one might be worth pursuing.

[HondaSi]

I think I will have time to look around on Sunday. It seems like there should be some room somewhere there.

[pdudley42]

I believe the VTC lot is still pole-free. That lot could still be a go. The MOHUD lot in Queensbury is a good option as well. Honestly, anything with new pavement is gonna be pretty good.

[Dave_G]

Adk. Comm. College in Queensury - beautiful lot, and big. Only 2.5 hours from downtown Burlington. It would be a pity to have to hold it outside of VT, but I think this one might be worth pursuing.

If we did go that route, we would want to make sure not to step on any toes. Mo-Hud has been using that site for several years, and I would just like to make sure that we wouldn't be competing against them for limited dates. A cooperative arrangement would clearly be preferable.

[honda8790]

How about between Lakeside Ave. and Searsway Ln in Burlington? Or across the street next to General Dynamics Tech? It is downtown so noise level would have to be considered.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source= ... 6&t=h&z=17

Just a thought.

Adk. Comm. College in Queensury - beautiful lot, and big. Only 2.5 hours from downtown Burlington. It would be a pity to have to hold it outside of VT, but I think this one might be worth pursuing.

I ran there with the SCCA guys once. I thought the lot was on the small side and a little bumpy, but is better than nothing. Jim, maybe we are thinking about two different lots at ACC?

[vwcorvette]

General Dynamics is a no go as the lot is split up by barriers, is used by the city for downtown parking and shuttle service, and mostly it's a very old surface that is crumbing and broken. On top of which there is residential directly over the bike path to the west.

This issue has been the bane of the club since the eighties and before. We even went 3 years between events aside from Philo for awhile in the 90's. I don't wish to relive that.

I don't think focusing on Chittenden county should be paramount, but I would like to see the club keep a-x'ing in Vermont. That or change the name to the Sportscar Club of the Champlain Valley!

We need to widen our scope to the outlier counties again. As someone stated earlier the economy has closed or slowed down a number of industries. perhaps this will give us a chance to find a little used place with the right requirements. My eyes are wide open. I know Debbie's gonna get tired of me searching for lots real quick while out in the car!

My .02

George

[skivittlerjimb]

Josh did some extensive searching in 2008 found in this thread.

There are a lot of "maybe" lots in VT, just very few that ever seem to pan out as usable. We have no stadiums, big commuter lots, or other types of venues that require large parking lots that are empty much of the time. Closest thing we have to that are the states larger employers ("larger" being a relative term) like IBM (locked up tighter than a drum), UVM/FAHC (one commuter lot that sometimes gets used for motorcycle licensing tests / lessons but is basically too small), ski resorts (most have dirt lots), hospitals and medical centers (lots consistently in use), etc.

That leaves larger businesses and schools that have very limited staffing on the weekend or in the summer. Here are few I'm not sure we've checked recently: Goodrich in Vergennes, Green Mtn. Coffee Roasters in Waterbury, Fairbanks Scales in St. J (did they ever re-pave the lot?), Castleton and Lyndon State, etc.

[lawdogg]

Has anyone spoken to the other ski areas?