Register for the 2015 Tire Rack Devens Championship Tour!
Five weeks from now on June 12th to the 14th, myself and many others will be racing on an airfield in Ayer, Massachusetts against top Solo-ers from the northeast. With the conclusion of the New Jersey ProSolo this past weekend, the SCCA’s eastern-most Championship Tour returns to the New England Region and is gearing up to being one exhilarating event.
Moore Army Airfield resides inside Fort Devens, an old Army base that closed it’s doors and subsequently reopened to the public in the mid-90s. Nowadays, the site is under pressure from local government and housing developers, as they see the location better fit for suburban neighborhoods. The site is home to NER and other local autocross groups, who unlike normal human beings, see pointer-cones, gates, slaloms and fast cars most ideal for this retired airfield.
If not already apparent to you with the likes of Lincoln, Wilmington, Toledo, Crows Landing and Blytheville, airfields make for absolutely incredible events. Like ants on a sidewalk, airfields supply massive lots with plenty of open space to build challenging and thrilling courses. However unlike other airport-held tours, Devens events traverse the actual runways and taxiways, giving the driver a significantly different experience. In previous years Match Tours, the course design is essentially a lap of the field. Drivers typically start from the southeast intersection of the airfield and finish at roughly the same intersection. With the Champ Tour format, you’ll be running it clockwise and counterclockwise between Saturday and Sunday.
For those of you who pass by construction cones on the highway daydreaming of weaving your way through them, the use of this elongated location ensures a healthy dose of slaloms throughout. The main runway also has slight crown that designers can take advantage of, so drivers will not likely encounter identical slaloms requiring the same plan of attack. Full use of the airfield also bodes well for seat time, Tour courses can easily run into the 70s.
Another point some drivers should consider is the Solo Triad award. Drivers located in the northeast and shooting for the Solo Triad only have three opportunities east of the Mississippi to secure the required two wins at Champ Tours. Those three Champ Tours are Cecil, Devens and Wilmington; And the Cecil Tour has gone and passed!
Now of course the only downside of this Tour is the distance. Tucked away in the northeastern states, some drivers may dabble with double-digit driving times, but only just. The solution? Pack up the car, take a day or two off, grab a co-driver or maybe convince the wife to compete and make a road trip out of it. There is a certain air about this venue and the community, competition and track layout will not disappoint! Don’t forget the road snacks and we’ll see you at the Devens Champ Tour!
