Ed Loh, SCC's editor, calls me. On a Saturday. "I'm supposed to get on a plane tomorrow for the Dunlop Drivers Cup Challenge in Virginia, and I just can't make it..." So you can guess what happens next. Seems I'm destined for a life of punishment.
In its second annual event, the Dunlop Drivers Cup is a competition that not only showcases a small selection of Dunlop's product line, but puts contestants (people like me and you), toe-to-toe in a variety of wheeled vehicle competitions. The idea is to find the best non-professional drivers. Contestants enter by completing three fairly simple steps. Answer a few questions, write a short essay, and include a photo.
The next night, I board the red-eye from Orange County, and land before sunrise in Newark, New Jersey. Then I take another plane to Greensboro, North Carolina. With my diet consisting mainly of take-out food, my exercise regime non-existent, and little time behind the wheel, I'm not feeling too ready.
At Virginia International Raceway (VIR), we're introduced to the instructors. Day one is to get acquainted with a few of the vehicles and courses, and we're off to a beautiful start on a sunny day (the first and last). We are divided into pairs. My teammate happens to be good friend Mike Monticello of Road & Track magazine and we choose the moniker Team Off Course, figuring if we said it ahead of time, it might not curse us. There are six individual competitions: Road Course, AutoCross, ATVs, Karts, SUVs and MotoCross.
ATVs
Equipment: Suzuki Eiger 400 (376cc) 4x4 Utility Quad, 600+lbs.
Course: Approximately 300 yards, moderately technical, mostly grass course consisting of `whoops', earthen mounds and drop-offs, obstacles such as logs, off-camber slow and fast sections, concluding with a huge (removed earth) ravine jump.
Scoring: Single competitor against the clock.
Most of the group seems to be swinging a leg over an ATV for the first time. Having owned a quad for several years in the late 80s comes in handy. The large, heavy machine makes it tough for such a tight and technical fast course. Representing the honor of SCC, I end the session sitting on top of the timing chart.
A short stroll down the hill from the ATV course is the kart track.
Karts
Equipment: Briggs & Stratton 5hp daily rental karts.
Tires: New Dunlop slicks.
Course: Plantation Valley Kart Track, 5/8-mile, 24-foot-wide paved circuit.
Scoring: Varied. Race, though lap times take ultimate priority/score.
Everyone reading this knows what fun karting is. It has been some time since I was in a kart, so getting reacquainted to the high g-loads takes a few laps. After a 20-minute practice session, I post the fastest time in qualifying. For the heat, we grid in timed order (me on pole). However, my lighter teammate, Monticello (by over 30 pounds) wins the heat.
SUVs
Equipment: Nissan Xterras
Tires: Dunlop Mud Rover
Course: Wooded, hilly terrain, later moved (due to wet weather) to an open field with huge dirt mounds and off-camber sections.
Scoring: Single competitor, against the clock with a targeted time window.
The first experience with the Xterra is through a tight, fairly steep, hilly, tree-lined course with varying surfaces (dry to muddy). It's a time-targeted event, in which competitors are penalized for:
a. Stopping on the course or reversing
b. Running off course
c. Hitting anything (a few sections have trees just inches the vehicle)
d. Completing the lap in more than seven minutes.
An instructor takes us slowly around to familiarize us. Then we are released with our teammate as co-pilot. Off-road racer Sue Mead hits a best time of a little over three minutes.
MotoCross
Equipment: Suzuki RM-125 (two-stroke) full race bike.
Course: Novice, approximately 100 yards.
Scoring: One timed lap.
Much like the ATVs, most of our group has spent little to no time on a motorcycle, much less a highly-strung 125cc long-travel suspended (read super-high seat height) motorbike. Fortunate again for SCC, I've spent most of my life on two wheels... though unfortunately very little off-roading over the last 20-odd years.With the course being mostly tame (a few small bumps and jumps), most of our group make it through, but stories surface that a few other riders missed turn one and took off straight through the field for hundreds of yards before stopping.Most impressive is (renowned race car driver/journalist) Denise McCluggage of AutoWeek.