The Central Pennsylvania Region of the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) will be holding its Fall Challenge #3 Sunday at the Mid-State airport located near Phillipsburg.

This event marks the third contest this season with a fourth contest the following Sunday, the last of the season.

A mandatory driver's meeting for a walkthrough of the course will be held at 10:30 and the first car will race at 11:00.

The race is divided into different classes based on the ability of the driver, and the specifications of the car according to Toby Mordkoff, Associate Professor of Psychology, and SCCA racing member.

He says the race will be on a closed circuit course with one car racing at a time. Each car gets timed and the times are compared to reach the winner.

For beginners there will be five competitive races for which the time will count, and five non-competitive races in which you are just racing and not competing.

Mordkoff said that new drivers will be competing in the Street Tire Novice class or STN.

These cars include your typical Hondas, Nissans and Volkswagens that have street tires and no major modifications.

Street tires, Mordkoff said, are those tires with 140 tread wear or less. He said once the car has been modified substantially and the tire exceeds this tread wear, the car must be in a higher class.

Mordkoff summed it up best when he said, "There are not many chances to go throw your car around and be completely legal and safe. You also become a better driver on the road through this experience."

Bryan Smith, the Assistant Regional executive of the Central Region club, said, "Anyone can be a member, from young adults competing in go-karts, to adults with a car."

The club is looking for new members all the time, said Smith. He says it is "all about having fun." He has been involved since he was a little kid when his parents were members of the club and it was affiliated with Penn State.

It is no longer affiliated to Penn State, but is nonetheless a great environment for having fun and racing your car. Smith stresses that, "No experience is necessary and pretty much anyone with a car can come out and race."

One racer who has gotten "hooked instantly," Mordkoff said, is Penn State student Ryan Springer.

Springer has just competed in his first competition this fall, and said he is "hooked already."

He enjoys the sport because, "Not only do you get to learn a lot about cars, but you improve your driving skills as well."

Gates open at 8 a.m. with registration running from 9-10:30. The fee is $20 for non- SCCA members.

For more information about this organization, visit its website at, www.scca-cpr.org.