UMI Performance Autocross Challenge 2019

This was the 3rd time UMI has hosted an Autocross Challenge and the second time at UMI Motorsports Park in Clearfield, PA. This facility is UMI’s private test track and racing complex that allows them to host events on the weekends and test cars during the week. This event was all day Friday and Saturday and full of autocross racing from sun up till sun down. At the end of Saturday there was over 1200 runs completed between all the competitors!

The Track

Just like a traditional race track, racers lined up on pit row waiting for their turn on the course. Racers started on the main 5/8-mile oval at the end of what is normally turn 4, but heading backwards towards turn 3. There was a series of twists and turns before going through a Chicago box. A quick jaunt down the backstretch then would have to hit the brakes and make a hard right turn into the infield where there were a slew of challenging corners to complete. After completing that it was back out onto the main oval before crossing the finish line at the end of turn 1.

Weekend Full of Fun

The weekend kicked off Thursday night with an open track night and Jerry’s Chicken On The Curve for dinner. Friday was racing all day long followed up by dinner at UMI Performance where they opened the doors for everybody to see their operations. Saturday was back to racing all day followed by awards shortly after.

UMI Performance Autocross Challenge 2019 (42 of 84)

Being an autocross race, it’s always going to be competitive. They had four different classes at this race: Two Seater, Late Model, Mid-Muscle and Vintage. The winners from each class were handed a golden ticket to next month’s event, the King Of The Mountain shoot-out under the lights with a $10,000 grand prize on the line. Some of the racers already had been invited to the event, so the ticket would be available to the next person.

It’s All For Charity

The best part of the weekend besides the awesome racers and facility was the money raised for charity. Throughout the weekend there was a bake sale going on along with Chad Reynolds on the mic raising money in his “swear bucket” for those who used profanity. The end result was that over $7,000 had been raised within two days to support ALS and the Emily Whitehead Foundation. That was amazing!

Check back regularly for dates for the highly anticipated 2020 Autocross Challenge. The 2019 event sold out in less than 5 minutes, so be ready!