Opportunities For Local Racing With The Sowela Sports Car Club Of America
By Kerri Cooke
It’s helpful and healthy to find and become active in a group whose members like and hope to achieve the same things you do. Common interests bind people together and can create relationships that last a lifetime. It’s a type of kinship.
For those who are interested in car racing, there’s the Southwest Louisiana Sports Car Club — a division of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). The local division, or region, is called Sowela, and its range stretches from Lake Charles west to Beaumont, east to Lafayette and north to Alexandria.
There are three divisions of racing — Solo Racing or Autocross, Road Rally, and Club Racing or Road Racing. Each division offers a slightly different variation of racing. They all offer legal options to be involved in racing.
Solo Racing
Solo Racing is the most popular type of racing in this area. These events take place on a taxiway at Chennault International Airport on a pretty regular basis. Rubber cones are set up on the taxiway. Only one car goes down the track at a time. The average speed is 30 miles per hour, so if you’re looking for some high intensity racing, then this event may not be for you.
Solo Racing is more about how one handles the car and the driver’s skill, rather than how fast someone can go. Whoever gets the fastest time, within the confines of the rules of Solo Racing, wins.
Solo Racing is a very safe form of racing, as it takes place at a low speed. Only one car is on the track at a time, and there’s nothing to run into except orange cones. Each participant can race with an easy conscience; they can still have the adrenaline rush, but without the danger.
Road Rally
The Road Rally consists of a previously planned route that’s written out for teams to follow. Speed limits are set for each section of the drive. Everyone starts at the same place. Each team has to get from the starting point to the end in a certain amount of time.
The passenger reads the instructions and helps the driver follow the route and spot certain landmarks or such things along the way. Each team is given questions that must be answered after the rally. For example, the team might have to give the number of billboards they pass or refer to specific bridges.
Winning the Road Rally involves how well you read the route instructions, how well you follow that route and how well you maintain the allotted speed.
Club Racing
Events for this category are held outside of the Lake Charles area since there are no suitable tracks locally. People who want to take part in Club Racing have to go to the Texas World Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Motor Sports Ranch-Houston or No Problem Raceway in Donaldsonville, La.
Many professional racecar drivers have gotten their start racing as amateurs in SCCA’s club racing.
No Sports Car Needed
If you are interested in getting involved in local car racing, one important thing to remember is that you don’t have to have a specialized car. Many people race in regular vehicles since there’s a street car class of racing in addition to racing for modified and sports cars.
Rachel Craft, the Regional Executive of Sowela SCCA, says anyone can be involved. The group is very open to anyone who has an interest.
One of the only major rules is that a vehicle can’t be taller than it is wide; this rule is meant to prevent a rollover hazard.
Even age isn’t a big deal, as participants range in age from 16 to 80.
Craft proves you do not necessarily need a Mustang or Corvette to race, as she started her racing career in a Honda Civic before changing to a Mazda 2. Craft says she started racing five years ago and found it was really fun and the adrenaline rush was addictive. That’s when she decided it wasn’t just a one-time deal for her. She wanted to keep doing it over and over again.
She says not only is racing fun and safe, but it also improves daily driving skills. You learn how to better react to situations that can arise on the highway — such as an animal crossing the road.
Newcomers shouldn’t be daunted by the fact that they have no previous experience.
Monthly Meetings
The location for the month’s meeting and a list of upcoming events can be found on the website www.SOWELA-SCCA.ORG or on the group’s Facebook page. The dinner starts at 7, and visitors are welcome.
If you want to get involved right away, there’s an autocross event April 22-23 at the Chennault Air Park.
The Sowela region usually holds 8 to 10 solo events a year in the Lake Charles and Lafayette areas. Events are held from March to November. Entry fees are $25 for members and $35 for nonmembers. Spectators get in for free. Registration opens at 11 am, with runs starting at noon on Saturday and 8 am to 10 am on Sunday.
There’s a Junior Kart event for kids.
After an event, there are suppers around town.
If you’d like more information on Sowela SCCA, their events or the procedure for becoming a member, call 337-457-1229 or 337-478-5347.
There are volunteers to help newbies get the hang of things. Meeting attendance or previous experience isn’t required.
Getting Started
The first step to being involved in Sowela SCCA racing is to make sure your vehicle is in good condition. You’ll need to check the fluids in the car, as well as things like the tires, brakes, belts, and shocks. Also, tire pressure is a very important component in car racing.
Everyone is required to wear a helmet and is urged to wear appropriate shoes.
If you’re not interested in racing, but still want to be involved in Sowela SCCA, you can volunteer as a score keeper, a safety checker, a flagger or a timer.
If you simply wish to observe, you’ll see normal street cars along with Mustangs, Corvettes, BMWs, Ford Falcons or Toyota FRS racing along the improvised track.
What binds together the SoWeLA SCCA is simply an interest in automobiles and automotive sports. It’s a chance to get in a car and do something exciting. You don’t have to settle for dreaming about car racing because it’s right on your doorstep. Get out and make your childhood dream an adulthood reality.
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