The Chattanooga Area Sports Car Club of America is gearing up for a street race around Eastgate Town Center Sunday, Aug. 21.
Jennifer Dobler and other members of the Chattanooga Area Sports Car Club of America will hit the race track to show off their street skills on the Eastgate Loop Aug. 21. Spectators are welcome.The public is invited to come and watch at no charge. Those wishing to show off their skills must pay to compete. A weekend membership fee will also allow those who simply like to go fast to ride along with a competing driver.
"It can be really exhilarating - knees shaking, hands tingling, that sort of thing - or it can be just OK," said club member and East Brainerd resident Jennifer Dobler. "There is a chance you're going to spin but there is less of a chance you're going to hit something. It's not like you're on a road course doing 100-something miles per hour and you might hit another vehicle who's racing right beside you."
The course, which is designed and checked against strict safety standards, according to Dobler, is a timed challenge as opposed to a side-by-side race. Still, racers are required to wear a helmet and other safety gear.
"There's lots of challenging maneuvers you have to make within the course," said Dobler, who's been competing in similar races for 21 years. "It's learning how to basically expound on the dynamics of your car - it's straights, a lot of turns and vehicle dynamics. This teaches your limit as a driver and the limit of your vehicle."
Novices are welcome to give it a go; seasoned competitors like Dobler will walk the course with them to impart advice and what to expect and will even take them on a practice run.
"You actually do go pretty fast," Dobler said, noting speeds of up to about 70 mph. "You walk the course and try to figure out the best line; what's the quickest way to get through this? My challenge has always been looking ahead.
The further you can look ahead, the faster you can go."
Trophies will be presented to the top finishers.
"It's a very family-friendly event," said Dobler, adding that many families compete against each other. Her 21-year-old son races; sometimes he beats her, she said.
"We want to be less of the best-kept secret in Chattanooga," Dobler said of the Chattanooga Area Sports Car Club of America, which sponsors this and about seven other events a year. "We don't want to be a secret anymore."
Find out more, including membership or ride-along fees, at http://www.crscca.com/CRSCCA_Home.html. Registration forms can be found at http://www.motorsportreg.com/.