Viard Photography
Viard Photography

Autocross

Video by Richard Viard. Narrated by Chris Ryan.

PCA Northeast Region

2024 AUTOCROSS SEASON

2024 NER AUTOCROSS DATES

  1. Saturday   May 4   (Autocross School) Sponsored by Conway Autoworks
  2. Sunday      May 12 Sponsored by Kachel Motor Company
  3. Sunday      June 16 Sponsored by Porsche NORWELL
  4. Saturday    Aug 3
  5. Sunday       August 18
  6. Saturday    October 19 Sponsored by Autobahn Performance

ATTENTION: New Sound Requirements

For the 2024 season, stricter  sound requirements have been put in place at Devens. We nearly lost Devens for the 2024 season and it took a collective effort from all the club chairs to show the positive impact autocross makes on the local community. MassDevelopment, who manages the use of the airfield and the redevelopment efforts in the area, will be issuing new regulations for all clubs with regard to sound. Further, they have reserved the right to change those regulations as the year progresses. All efforts will be made to communicate these changes to participants far in advance.

For 2024, the new sound restrictions require that we test from two locations throughout the entire event.  Measured noise levels of each car must not exceed 87 decibels (db) from a distance of 75 feet as measured at a designated location on the course, and must not exceed 8 db over the ambient noise level as measured at usual location at the end of the main runway. 

As you prepare for the season, please consider adding additional muffling or changing up your exhaust system – especially if your car’s exhaust system has been modified. Cars that previously passed may NOT pass with the new regulations and those regulations may change as the year evolves. Bring turn downs, bring steel wool, bring whatever you need to quiet down your car. NER will have discretion to remove a car even if that car is not violating the meter but still produces noticeably high sound levels. Please think twice before bringing a car with a very loud exhaust. If your car exceeds the noise limits, we can’t allow you to drive it at the event.

2024 NCR AUTOCROSS DATES 

  1. Saturday     April 27
  2. Sunday        May 26
  3. Sunday     Aug 4
  4. Sunday        September 15
  5. Saturday.     September 28

ZONE 1 Autocross Weekend

Saturday & Sunday, Sept 7 & 8

Register for all events (except Zone 1) at www.motorsportreg.com

Registration opens for all PCA NER and NCR dates in March

   More Autocross at Devens:

Renegade Miata Club  (<click to go to their website for info)

Saturday, April 13, 2024
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Saturday, May 25, 2024
Saturday, June 15, 2024
Saturday, July 6, 2024
Saturday, July 27, 2024
Saturday, September 14, 2024
Saturday, October 5, 2024
Saturday, October 26, 2024

BMWCCA  (<click to go to their website for info on which dates are EVO School, Test & Tune, etc)

Sunday, April 14, 2024
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Sunday, June 9, 2024
Saturday, June 29, 2024
Saturday, July 13, 2024
Sunday, July 21, 2024
Saturday, August 10, 2024
Saturday, August 24, 2024
Saturday, September 21, 2024
Sunday, October 6, 2024
Sunday, October 20, 2024

Four other Clubs besides PCA, Miata, and BMW also run autocross events at Devens. Check the links to those Clubs below to learn more about their events and schedule:

NE-SVT Club

Bay State Corvette Club

SCCA Northeast Region

Track Club USA

 

PCA Northeast Region offers a great Autocross Program:

·      Our events take place at one of the best venues for Autocross on the East Coast

·      Our program provides a low cost opportunity to learn and develop car control skills useful in Autocross, DE, and everyday driving

·      Working the course also provides a valuable learning opportunity for all drivers

·      Our events offer friendly competition, along with an opportunity to meet fellow autocrossers; we are part of a larger local community of eight car clubs running autocross events at Devens; many drivers participate in multiple clubs’ events

·      NER members wishing to try autocross are eligible for a free autocross registration; contact the autocross registrar for details

What Is Autocross?

Autocross is a sport of navigating your car through a defined course of pylons faster than your competition. Cars are assigned to different classes depending on model, the runs are timed, and you compete with others in your class. Autocross courses are set up using soft orange traffic pylons. Events are run at speeds usually between 40-65 MPH, usually in second gear. Unlike some other venues, we are extremely fortunate to have access to one of the premier autocross venues in the Northeast. Where many clubs are consigned to parking lots, we are privileged to be able to design courses that regularly exceed a mile in length with runs lasting about a minute, plus or minus, depending on your speed. You’d be amazed at how much excitement can be packed into 60 seconds.

Our Autocross events are all held at Moore Airfield at the former Devens Army Base in Ayer, MA. Every weekend from April to November, the Devens folks rent the place out to eight local car clubs for their events. Although drivers compete for season points, the “competition” is extremely friendly, and everyone helps each other learn whether you’re a veteran or a newcomer. It is also a very social event and a great way to become more involved with the Porsche Club as well as the local Autocross Community.

If you like spirited driving and are new to the sport, we encourage you to try it out this season. For our first event  we run an Autocross School. This popular event is open to anyone new to Autocross and is set up to provide some basic instruction as well as a chance to take a few practice runs on an actual autocross course. We will have a series of car control exercises set up where veteran autocrossers will ride with you to teach you the basics. In the afternoon, we will have a full course set up, and you’ll be able to take runs with your instructor (or without if you are comfortable) and really experience the thrill Autocross has to offer.Registration and event details will be posted on this website, in Club email blasts, our facebook page, and on www.motorsportreg.com as the dates get closer. In the meantime, you can learn a lot about how the events work, what to expect, what to bring, how to prep your car, etc. by checking out the 3-part Video Series right here on our Autocross page.

Questions?

Contact:

NER Autocross Chair Chris Ryan at

[email protected] or 

NER Autocross Registrar Jeff Johnson at [email protected]

Autocross is not only a “performance driving event”, but a great way to learn how to drive your car at its limit. You not only learn how to handle your car at speeds that you drive daily, but you also:

  • Gain confidence in your driving ability.
  • Learn the limits of your car’s brakes
  • Learn correct seating, hand, and feet positions
  • Learn the limits of your car’s tire adhesion

Autocross is a great way to exercise your driving skills in a safe environment. For anyone that would like assistance, there will be instructors available to work with you. Each autocross has a different and unique course design and will undoubtedly provide you with a fun driving experience. Finally, Autocross is a social gathering of new and old friends and LOTS OF FUN!!!

As a Porsche Club, our car classifications are mostly based around PCA’s autocross rules. However, we welcome anyone interested in Autocross to attend our events – you do not have to be a PCA member, or even a Porsche owner. We have a non-Porsche class which is now PAXed into two groups – one for lower and one for higher PAXes, and a Novice class which has also been split into two groups – one for Porsches and one for non-Porsches. PCA members receive a discounted rate. Children who are under 18 but licensed drivers can also participate in autocross events. To be eligible, permission forms, which can be found on the PCA website, must be obtained and signed by the entrant’s parents and given to the Autocross Chair day of the event.

There are a number of items its wise to bring with you to each event. If you don’t have a set of vinyl numbers, a roll of painter’s tape or some white shoe polish is your best bet, just be sure that the tape color contrasts with your car color. You may want to bring sunscreen, sunglasses, a hat, a lawn chair and something to eat. If you’d rather buy food at the event, you can order submarine sandwiches for $8 when you register. If its sunny, bring an umbrella for shade. We always have a good stock of water and soda on hand for free, so while its fine to bring a cooler stocked with Pelegrino, if you are less particular, we’ve got you covered.

We strongly encourage those new to autocross to look through our Autocross School page information (and to sign up for the school!). You will learn more driving skills in a day with our instructors than you ever thought possible.

See you at the course!