Hey guys Just thought I would pitch out the question as I'm sure you guys know best. I'm moving to Tampa, well more specifically Clearwater in August and was just wondering what the rotary scene is like down there? Any tracks close by? And how is the City itself if anyone knows? Really looking forward to the move and more importantly, no more winters!!! Anyways any info you guys can throw out there would be great... Thanks!

 

theres tamparacing.com i think thats the website. i dont know about tracks. i havent seen any other rx7s in the area. im the only one in bartow as far as i know. nice 7 though, if only i had the money to work on mine

 

Clearwater is a very beach orientated community city to live in. If you were planning to work in Tampa you will love the traffic going from pinellas to hillsbrough . Their are tons of rx7s in the tampa area. And stay away from tamparacing.com its filled with a bunch of jokers that don't know **** about anything. Not many people are on rx7club though. But you can't drive down a street in tampa without seeing a 1st/2nd/3rd gen. Just alone in the New Tampa area their are 4 FDs that I know off.

Then kind of sorry to say it. But their is a huge Putero Rican 1st gen following here in Tampa as well.

As far as tracks go you have a couple choices.

Lakeland - 1/8th mile dragstrip
Bradenton - 1/4 mile dragstrip
Gainesville - 1/4 mile drag strip and road course
Brooksville airport - Autocrossing
Sebring - Road course

 

The closest track around Clearwater is Sunshine Drag Strip in Clearwater..1/8 mile...

You will love it down here, compared to up north..the girls here,. out number guys like 20 to 1...Clearwater Beach is the best clam hunting grounds around..

 

I didn't mention that one. Because I had heard the owner had sold the land already.

 

Watch out for Buddha...he'll pretend he is your friend and then buy a 3rd gen before you! =)

No more wedding in Hawaii (or California) for you buddy! =)

GG

 

Its amazing, I can feel the love all the way from Gainesville. Don't let this ogre scare you.

 

thanks guys for all the pleasant responses, looking forward to the move. Do you have smog testing there?

 

No smog test in Florida. Another plus for the Sunshine State.

But there are no safety inspections either. So you can never be sure how good the brakes are on the car behind you.

 

Clearwater is full of -7s, and other rotaries, use to have a pretty good club (RX-7 Club of Florida, then became MRCCFL), in the central florida area that would meet in different areas till mismanagment, politics, and ego drove it apart, people are still here and active, just tend to ignore the forums because of bad taste left from before... PM me and I can help you find them.

There is Landon303 that does organize some stuff and Chris___ (can not remember his user), on here that organizes a get together every other month or so at different area parks...

There are a couple good Mazda shops and several helpful private people that do good work in the area as well...

If your into road course racing (SCCA, which Central FLorida is in the top 3-5 largest region in the country, Grand Am, club type track events, etc), Sebring Int'l Speedway, Daytona, Moroso, Homestead are relativly close by...
Drag racing (see post #4)...Oh, Sunshine speedway has an extented contract for the next 2 years if I remember right from the last time I was there (know the announcer), the county has a hold on road construction plans because of money is the rumor I heard from another source. Bracket racing Friday nights and Test-tune Wensday night, and if you are into Shine & Show there is pretty much a car show any night somewhere in Pinellas county...

AutoX - something going on every month in the TB area

Yes, pretty much great driving weather here year around, and unlike up there, if it starts to rain here, just wait a few minutes or just drive over to the next block and you are out of it... : )

Geez starting to sound like a chamber of commerce advertisement...

 

Whats there plenty of people in the rotary scene in Tampa. For one, Mazsport is locacted in Tampa. Secondly, you should check out rotary4life.com, its their local forum. No smog in Florida, thats the best part!..next to the ladies! I look forward to meeting you sometime.

 

Maybe I come from a crappy town (No.VA) but the rotary scene here is awesome. Everyone loves RX7s and rotary engine cars, I think the puerto ricans are to blame for this I get compliments about my car like everywhere I go. Sebring and Gainesville are popular tracks for HPDEs. Chinmotorsports.com does track days in the area. Here:
(CFR) Central Florida Region SCCA- www.cfrsolo2.com
(MSCC) Martin Sports Car Club- www.martinsportscarclub.com
(Chin) Chin Motorsports- www.chinmotorsports.com
(NASA) National Auto Sports Association www.drivenasafl.com
(SAFE) Safe Motorsports www.safemotorsports.com

I don't know how different Tampa is but up here in Orlando theres an autocross pretty much every weekend. The only downside is the rain and the straight/flat roads. The cops here are really chill, don't speedtrap very often, don't care about stupid exhausts and dumb stuff.

 

The scene is OK down here. I haven't been involved in it too much lately, but there are plenty of rotaries around. Like others have said, there are a few drag strips and also a few places to autocross within an hour drive.

As GORacing said, we used to have a good club, but it fizzled. I haven't really talked to many of the more active members lately, but I'm sure they are still around.

 

^Is this the same jerry from MRCCFL? I haven't seen you since the road rally back in 03

 

That's me. The one and only.

And you would be? Can't really tell just from the car and age in your profile. But once you give me a name, I'm sure to remember.