Who is the Sports Car Driving Association (SCDA)

This past year GR Performance Parts has been privileged to enjoy many track days. Our staff have been able to sample events put on by the SCCA, NASA, and the SCDA to name a few. We hit a record 30 days on track across the different organizations. Of course, there are more organizations out there and more track experiences to sample but the SCDA puts on a top tier experience.

Who is/are the SCDA?

What makes the SCDA standout are the people who run it. It is not a large organization like the SCCA where at times you can feel lost as a beginner and yet it is more advanced than NASA and can benefit a more experienced level of drivers.

The SCDA is run by President Elivan Goulart. To list all of his race wins and racing accolades would take quite some time. For an overview see the Staff section in the “About SCDA” section of their website https://scda1.com/staff/. However, if we were to name a few his 2001 & 2002 Formula 500 SCCA Runoff wins, 2011 Spec Miata Runoff win, 2011 SCCA President’s Cup, and his 2016 Pirelli World Challenge Win in TCA are a few to name. Elivan is a 3^rd generation racer so you can say it is in his blood. He continues to race in Spec Miata and occasionally received invites from racing teams. For example, he found his way into a Nissan Z racing in the SRO GT class this year. All of the connections that Elivan has made over the years of racing makes him the perfect candidate to lead an organization such as the SCDA. He is a wealth of knowledge and committed to putting on fun, educational, and safe DE days.

Sarah Goulart is the smiling face you will see first thing in the morning when you show up for registration at an SCDA event. She is the Vice President of the SCDA and manages the schedule and registration at events. Sarah can answer most logistic questions such as time to arrive, where to go, and what to expect. She also knows track specific information such as amenities, trailer drop off, and more. Despite all of the difficulties and stress that can be involved when putting on an event Sarah is always calm and collected. She is always happy to assist. She makes a wonderful queen of the SCDA.

It should come as no surprise that the SCDA environment and nurturing parents such as Elivan and Sarah produce one of the best young drivers of the next generation. Ethan Goulart has already achieved so much in such a short time in the sport. He started out in karts just like his faster before him and younger brother Nolan who will no doubt be a skilled nut behind the wheel if he so chooses. Ethan’s most recent accomplishment is becoming the youngest driver to ever win the SCCA Runoffs this year at Road America in Spec Miata. He is thrilled to have won the race but even sweeter might be that he had to beat his dad who came in 4^th so close to the podium to do so. Ethan has been a 2 time invite for the Mazda Motorsports shootout, once in Spec MX5, and most recently in MX5 cup. Despite not winning either he still gained wonderful experience. Ethan’s dream is to race in IMSA. This year saw his debut in the GR Cup series and several Hoosier Super Tour Spec Miata races. In 2025 he plans to run an entire season of GR Cup and make a run at the championship. He also plans to continue his spec Miata racing and defend his title at the 2025 SCCA Runoffs. Ethan can be found at SCDA events and is a coach who is experienced beyond his years. I continue to be surprised by his skill and how he can teach me things, about driving tracks that I have been lapping for years.

To complete the SCDA’s SCCA Spec Miata Runoff trifecta we can’t forget about Jonathan Goring. Jonathan won the SCCA Spec Miata Runoffs in 2015. He is the classroom instructor for the SCDA and data reviewer. Jonathan also does the track walks with all the drivers before rubber meets the road. We have found Jonanthan’s classroom to be the most educational across all organizations we have participated in. Jonathan is willing to dive into data and video to get all drivers up to speed and performing to the best of their ability, while staying safe and driving within their means.

We also have to give a big shout out to all of the other staff that have not been mentioned. It really does take a village to put on the caliber of events that the SCDA does. Instructors, tech inspectors, and grid/pit control thank you for all that you do.

What sets their track organization apart

Why would you want to do an SCDA DE day over another organization? The answer is simple, better levels of instruction. Let’s compare the SCCA for example to the SCDA. The SCCA has instructors and people to help you learn the track but they do not have coaches and no TT group coaches do not count. Nor are all coaches created equal. An instructor rarely fills the job of a coach but there are exceptions. The SCCA has many fast and skilled drivers but not a fantastic framework to get you fast or as fast as you can be when you already are “fast”. The SCCA does have more racing than the SCDA so each forum has its pros. This problem is also echoed in NASA where they are quite good at entry level instruction but that level of instruction plateaus as your skill level increases. The SCDA is run by professionals and yes 99% of the time they are faster than you and yes, they know why you are slower. If you have been driving for a while and you are what most would classify as advanced or skilled then come to the SCDA and discover how much more you have to learn. For example, I have been driving for years at this point and am what some organizations would call advanced but I come to the SCDA and I learn that I have so much more to go. Doing the same thing over and over is a sure way to get the same result so if you are happy with your performance and speed as is then by all means continue that but if you want to go even faster and improve you need to come to the SCDA.

Another stand out feature of the SCDA are their track walks. A track walk is an opportunity for a driver to learn things about the track that you would normally not see from the driver seat of your car at speed. Jonathan goes over imperfections in the pavement, permanent markers/references, as well as camber changes in the track and easter egg ways to eek out the maximum pace using the track features to your advantage. Jonathan is also deliberate in covering how different cars approach the same corners and different approaches to corners. The SCCA allows track walks but they are never instructed by a professional.

The track walk segues into your first session on track where you get to explore some of those aspects discussed on the track walk. In the first classroom session Jonathan likes to critique a video of him or an advanced driver lapping the track. Drivers then have the opportunity to replicate that lap on their next session out. Participants are then encouraged to bring their video and data to Jonathan for further review throughout the day. I have found seconds of time at tracks that I have been going to for years with Jonathan’s assistance. Do away with the cookie cutter download meetings after a session and make the classroom worth the time.

We also find the crowds to be on the smaller side and the SCDA do not over load a session with too many cars. The week day events can see lots of open track time depending on the turnout. The organization is also very committed to providing the track time that you paid for. There have been several instances where they have kept the track open due to fog delays or other setbacks.

Why we will keep on coming back

We have found a “home” track organization in the SCDA. They align with our philosophies and provide us with an upper-level experience from which we can learn. It is safe to say that we will continue learning from the SCDA for years to come. If you are a racer, recreational DE driver, or TT participant there is something for you to learn and improve on here. We will continue to come with an open mind and a willingness to learn and see where the journey takes us. If you are a GR owner come and join us on track with the SCDA, you will get $50 off your first track day.