Recap of the 2024 St. Louis CAM Challenge Autocross

Last week, the thrill of autocross took over the Family Arena in St. Charles, Missouri, with the 2024 St. Louis CAM Challenge event. Competitors in various classes including CAM (Classic American Muscle) and others like XA/XB and Club Spec battled it out on the asphalt for top honors in both class competition and the challenge rounds.

How the CAM Challenge Works

The CAM Challenge follows a structured format:

• Saturday Morning & Afternoon Runs: Each car in classes like CAM-C, where I competed, gets 3 attempts in the morning. Due to time constraints and weather issues onsite, the afternoon runs were reduced to just 2 attempts per driver. The best times from these runs are combined for the class competition.
• Sunday Qualifying & Challenge Rounds: Another set of 3 runs on Sunday morning determines who makes it to the challenge rounds in the afternoon, with the top performers moving forward.

My Experience in CAM-C

Driving the Solo Performance Specialties 2012 Mustang GT, I started strong. Despite a cone penalty which invalidated my potentially leading run of 42.178 seconds on Saturday morning, I finished in 5th place with a clean 42.938 seconds.

The afternoon session showed significant improvement, despite being shortened. I clinched a 4th place finish in class with a clean run of 41.832 seconds, overcoming previous cone penalties and positioning myself well for Sunday’s challenge.

Sunday’s Strategic Runs

Qualifying on Sunday was crucial. I led with a 41.831 on my first run and opted out of a third run after a slightly slower second attempt, saving the wear on our Bridgestone tires. This decision paid off, securing my place in the top 16 without additional risk.

Challenge Rounds: The Fight for the Top Spots

In the elimination rounds, efficiency was key. I managed a 41.914 in the first round, advancing without taking a second run. The format shifted in subsequent rounds, with each driver getting only one chance to make their mark.

In the second round, I clocked a time of 41.434, which was not as fast as I hoped, but it was enough to move me into the final round. Dave, Mike Leeder, and John Ward also advanced with impressive times.

The High-Stakes Final Round

The final was intense. An error in the first right-hand turn after the slalom led to a cone strike and a critical decision to ease off to preserve the tires for Dave’s run. Although I finished the course leisurely, ensuring no additional strain on the car, the final round did not go as planned, and I did not actually complete the course correctly, which should have resulted in a DNF, but it was not called in.

Top Performers

In the CAM-C Challenge, Mike Leeder took the top spot, followed by Dave Whitworth and John Ward. On the ladies’ side, remarkable performances were seen from Beth Whitworth and Cindy Duncan in the CAM-Ladies challenge, with Beth taking her first challenge win in an inspiring display of skill and determination.

Conclusion

The 2024 CAM Challenge in St. Louis was a memorable event filled with competitive spirit, strategic driving, and communal support among autocross enthusiasts. Congratulations to all participants, especially to those who reached new personal bests and to Beth for her outstanding achievement.

Event Photos

I have posted all the photos I’ve published from the event over on SmugMug, you can purchase prints or digital downloads there. Unfortunately I was only able to shoot Heats 2 and 3 due to running in Heat 1.

Fastest Run Videos

Here is Chris Hammond’s fastest clean run for the weekend, Sunday morning:

Here is Dave Whitworth’s fastest clean run for the weekend, also Sunday morning:

And another camera angle of those two runs, placed side by side: