Maui SCCA keeps motorsports enthusiasts on the right track.If you’ve ever felt the “need for speed,” you might want to join the Maui Chapter of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA). On the fourth Sunday of each month, dozens of motorsports enthusiasts arrive at the closed-circuit course at Maui Raceway Park adjacent to Mokulele Highway, ready to fuel their passion for some revved-up fun.
Established in 1944, the SCCA is a national, nonprofit organization with more than 54,000 members participating in 11 regional chapters across the country. In a true grassroots effort, SCCA clubs are supported by dedicated men and women who volunteer their time to keep clubs—and engines—running at optimum speed. According to its Website, the SCCA National Office strives to “provide an outlet for you to get out of the armchair and into the action.” From its headquarters in Colorado, the SCCA National Office oversees rules, licensing, insurance and benefits for all members, in addition to events and competitions. Each year, the organization sanctions more than 2,000 amateur and professional events throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Regulated by a set of governing bylaws, SCCA members are required to participate according to standardized safety regulations, and club officers are expected to develop, arrange and regulate closed-circuit road racing.
“From day one, we’ve provided a fun, safe and exciting racing environment,” said Maui SCCA Race Announcer Brian Thomas. The Maui SCCA engages in Solo II autocross competition, which includes contests that measure both a driver’s skill and a vehicle’s handling characteristics. Race officials design a race course marked by bright orange traffic cones in a “low hazard” locale, free of obstacles. Racing speeds are generally no faster than those on highways—around 60 mph—but the challenge is maneuvering the course and finishing with the best time. Racers often compete in two separate “heats,” which consists of five “runs” or laps, giving them ample opportunity to make—and break—their best racing time.
For many SCCA members, racing vehicles are also used as “daily drivers,” and you may have seen some of them on island roadways—going the speed limit, of course. Vehicles range from Porsches and souped-up Mazda Miatas to vintage racecars and “green cars,” like the biodiesel-fueled Volkswagen Jetta. And as members of the SCCA, these drivers have a distinct advantage every time they start their engines.
“The skills learned out here on the track cross over to the ‘real world,’” said Maui SCCA President and Race Director Ed Menor. In effect, SCCA members practice defensive driving, using the tactical maneuvers and reflexes needed to avoid accidents on the road. “It’s not just about speed out here; it’s about precision and control,” Menor said. “This is a group of professional, serious drivers.” And safety is the number-one priority. All racers are required to wear strapped helmets, covered shoes and cinched seatbelts. All vehicles undergo a thorough safety and technical inspection prior to an event, and teams of trained volunteers carefully monitor the track throughout each heat.
SCCA members are passionate about their sport. That they are willing to spend more than $1,200 on new racing tires may be proof enough, but the exhilarated, contented expressions on their faces after a lap around the track are testament to their love of the activity. “Regardless of the investment, the fun factor is really what it’s all about,” Thomas said.
The Maui SCCA meets at 9 a.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month, with driver registration and vehicle safety inspection beginning at 9:25 a.m., the first heat following at 9:45 and a second heat scheduled at 12:30 p.m. Gates are scheduled to open at 8 a.m.; the cost to enter the race is $20 for National SCCA members and $30 for non-SCCA members.
All Maui SCCA events are held at the Police Pursuit Training Ground at the Maui Raceway Park, located off Mokulele Highway. The designated pit area is along the east side of the field; therefore, all non-competing vehicles must remain on the main road. The Maui SCCA is sponsored by Auto Trends, BMW of Maui, Kiwi Car Care, Pizza in Paradise and 1320 Performance.
For more information, visit the Maui SCCA Website at www.mauiscca.org or the Hawai‘i Chapter SCCA Website at www.sccahawaii.org.