Welcome to a new year and a new era for NCRC! Of course we can’t open the first newsletter of 2020 without thanking Dave and Luc again for their countless contributions to building not just this incredible organization, but also the current landscape of track enthusiasts in this area. Under their stewardship, NCRC has shown that there is a strong community of enthusiasts who will support the amazing tracks that we have access to in Northern California. We look forward to continuing to work on behalf of these tracks and the drivers who enjoy them. Many, many thanks to Dave, Luc, and others who have contributed to the NCRC organization over the years.
With that, we wanted to highlight some of the planned changes for NCRC, all of which are designed to improve your experience. Of course we are always open to your input, so feel free to reach out to us at info@americanracingclub.com if you have any suggestions.
First up, NCRC’s registration process will be streamlined moving forward. We will no longer be mailing out packets, and at the events there will be no check in. Just go to the drivers meeting and your packet will be given to you there. I know some of you use the packets in your mailbox as reminders of events coming up, so you’ll need to create calendar notices moving forward.
Next up, we have launched our referral program. For every new person you refer, you will receive a $25 credit and the new driver will also get a $25 credit! These credits will be applied after the event is completed. Forms must be submitted by the time the gates open for the event. A new driver counts as anyone who has not driven with NCRC in the last five years. The form can be accessed here: https://americanracingclub. com/ncrc-referral-program/ .
We are also building out a Mentor Program, which will see a pool of Open and Point-By drivers who are willing to sit shotgun with Driving School students for their first two sessions to help show them the line. Mentors will receive a $50 credit towards their next event. If you are interested in taking part in this program, please email us at info@americanracingclub.com.
Lastly, we are proud to announce the return of Chrono Time Trial Series and Racing. Rules are still in development, but we will share them with you shortly. The Chrono series is available for registration in all events, but points will start at the February 29 event at Thunderhill. The Chrono series will run as part of the Open Group until it has enough drivers to fill its own group. The first race weekend will be the February 29 event at Thunderhill as well.
We’ll be sending out another newsletter dedicated to Chrono and Racing later this month!
PADDOCK SPOTTING
Paddock Spotting will be brief profiles of NCRC drivers and their vehicles. At events we will be going around and asking if people are interested in being profiled, and if so you may find yourself here!
At a recent NCRC day at Laguna Seca, Mario Guillen demonstrated that track days can be family affairs, bringing his entire family plus the dog to enjoy a sunny winter day in Monterey. He also brought two amazing home-built vintage track cars, one of which was this sleeper 81 Rabbit.
Built almost 5 years ago, the Rabbit started life as a sluggish diesel before receiving a heart transplant from an 8-valve GTI. It’s also got suspension and brake bits from a second-gen 16-valve Scirocco, which are well received in a car weighing well below 2000 pounds. What might be most impressive is what the car doesn’t have, namely ABS, traction control, and other driver aids. Together, this package gives Mario an incredibly raw and visceral experience, while allowing him to keep up with (and pass) much more powerful and expensive machinery in the Open group. Mario says that the car always puts a smile on the faces of those who see it on the street, although we suspect it might not when you see it in your rear-view coming down Rainey Curve.
Mario’s been building cars for quite a while and bringing them to the track for almost 20 years. He’s racked up experience that is now being passed on to his kids, who enjoy building cars and learning how to drive them. Based on that, we can expect to see fast and light VWs at the track well into the future.
