Dinner and a movie: The classic go-to activity for couples looking to spend time together. Couples who love having #funwithcars, however, have more exciting options at their disposal thanks to SCCA® Track Night in America® Driven by Tire Rack (TNiA).
Take for example Kyle and Lori Weber, a couple who have been married 25 years and live just outside of Cincinnati, Ohio. Both grew up as automotive enthusiasts, and for Lori’s birthday in 2020, she was gifted a TNiA outing at Nelson Ledges Road Course thanks to her husband.
Kyle learned about the SCCA activity through a random search around the internet. With no previous knowledge of the Club, he decided to roll the dice and sign his wife up for the event so she could play with a Chevrolet Camaro SS they’d recently purchased.
“I read about the SCCA, and it sounded like they were very proactive about safety and getting the cars home in one piece,” Kyle said. “I liked what I read … plus, SCCA makes it very affordable for anyone to get started.”
Indeed, that has been the primary goal of TNiA since its inception 10 years ago. From its launch in 2015, TNiA has strived to be a safe, sane, and fun way for practically anyone to get on track, regardless of experience level. All participants need is a mechanically-sound street car and a helmet. It’s that wonderful simplicity that has allowed almost 85,000 entrants to enjoy nearly 1,300 TNiA events conducted at 50 different tracks around the U.S. over the last decade.
The First TNiA Date
With a completely understandable mixture of excitement and nervousness, Lori took to the track for her first TNiA experience. While Kyle was on site for moral support, it was only his wife who got to play on course that day.
“The SCCA coaches were amazing,” Lori noted about her inaugural foray into track driving. “They were very helpful. They told me not to worry, and they were great at giving directions and tips.
“Between my first outing and my third outing that day, I felt like I was a lot faster,” Lori continued. “I was feeling a lot more confident and a lot more comfortable. I can’t describe how wonderful it felt to be safe while going fast. It was so much fun to be on a road course and feel that energy and see how fast I could go comfortably.”
Even though he wasn’t on track, Kyle learned a lot as well during that first SCCA event. Specifically, he learned how welcoming the SCCA community is to newcomers.
“Everyone was great,” he said. “All the guys that had been doing this for a while, they were very open with tips on how to set up the car, different things we could do to the car, things we should bring the next time, and just very helpful overall.”
No surprise, Lori was hooked after her first TNiA visit. She also insisted that her husband join in the fun, too, moving forward.
More Couples Fun Ahead
Today, the Webers have explored more than a half-dozen tracks while taking part in as many as seven TNiA get-togethers each year. They started out by sharing the Camaro SS but have since added a Camaro ZL1 1LE to their garage, as well as a trailer for hauling the two cars around.
The duo, now members of SCCA’s Cincinnati Region, have also expanded their portfolio of SCCA activities, opting to take part in the 2024 Tire Rack SCCA Time Trials Nationals Powered by Hagerty at NCM Motorsports Park. In the coming year, checking out another National Time Trials weekend is on the “to do” list, as well as a visit to Road America. They are also interested in investigating SCCA Solo® and HillClimb adventures.
For this couple – who co-own a swim school and also have a passion for golf, travel, and University of Kentucky basketball – SCCA activities are yet another experience they can share together. It offers an adrenaline rush, a great excuse for a getaway, and it’s something unique as compared to dinner and a movie.
“It’s a fun passion we have above and beyond what we normally do every day,” Lori said. “It helps our marriage because we can spend time together, we review in-car videos together, we look at how we can get faster ... and it just makes it so much fun. We absolutely love it.”
Kyle shares those sentiments and offers a tip for other couples perhaps looking to get involved.
“Don’t be scared,” he advised. “Everyone is so forthcoming with information on how to enjoy the SCCA even more. Everyone in the Club is really great. The relationships we’ve made being part of the SCCA have been a big part of enjoying this as well.”
Photo courtesy Kyle and Lori Weber
