June 2011 Event

[shakedown067]

Yeah, I "kind of" figured that, but can't say it was totally obvious to me. The money part was totally a joke. My car is just fine the way it is. This is a HUGE reason why I'm getting rid of the Kumho 710s though, they allowed me to drive bad, and I knew it. Hopefully I'll be back into the routine of running and can find my groove again. Thanks for the input!!!

I've run through Jeremy's video about a dozen times. I certainly saw a couple of areas I was off...I guess I need to watch it a few more (dozen) times. Oh, and need....more....seat....time. LOL

[Loren]

The places where you had to really struggle to get the car where you needed it (like about 2 turns before the finish) can all be taken back to being "late" 1-2 turns earlier. Braking or lifting WAY earlier to allow for better placement back there will, in turn, allow for better placement where you really need it.

A good example was Steve's decreasing-distance slalom. For those of us on street tires, if you tried to accerate through it, you were fine right up until you ran over the last cone. But, a slight lift at the second cone to scrub off just a little speed would allow you to be back on the throttle as you apexed the last left in the slalom and at full-throttle as you neatly passed that last cone.

Looking ahead is only half the battle. You have to THINK ahead.

[shakedown067]

Funny, that's exactly what I told Sean when I rode along with him in his Stang. I was probably trying too hard, and like you said, just not thinking far enough ahead. I even (thought) I knew how to take the slalom, I was even looking forward to it, but yet I don't think I ever hit it right. I know I was late getting on the throttle coming out it for sure. More that I think about it, I never did properly go through the run in my head like I usually do after a run. I guess I never got my head in it. Will have to work on that for September.

[Loren]

I've never been one to memorize a full autocross course unless it's a really simple one. I just rely on looking ahead and remembering the "tricky parts".

Like this course was mainly "set up far left for the box turn, enter slalom on right, lift at second cone and power out, set up and lift before entering the short slalom and power through it, don't brake too much for th turn-around, flow through it, try to stay far enough ahead of things to keep the throttle down all the way to the braking zone at the far end of the return side, brake early and gently while bending left to get a good late apex on the right to properly set up for the hard left, power through the finish"

Really only 7 things for me to remember on the whole course.

[shakedown067]

I would say I normally have the entire course, even longer ones, memorized by the second run. Probably a bad habit, but it really just happens. When going over the previous run, I usually try to find three key spots (more or less depending on length) to adjust or fine tune. Kind of like what you just mentioned. I plain ole just didn't do any of what I normally do. Was probably too excited to just be behind the wheel again. Hey I had fun, and that's what I got, a fun run. Gotta get back to my routine for September though...and still have fun! Thanks for hashing this out with me Loren. I think I'll have massive improvements next time out.

[garage west]

See, that's the difference between a good driver and a goof-off such as myself. For me the thought process is something like,,"Go that way really fast. If anything gets in your way, turn."
I haven't learned to think critically about what I'm doing out there because I'm still mostly overwhelmed by what I'm doing out there.

[wbeers690]

John.. i thought it was that you were blinded by that shiny hood so you had to drive with an eye patch

im still working on getting braking points just right and being able to go faster through some turns.. i often second guess myself, lift, then im really up shits creek cause that a lift turning my car means oversteer time

[Loren]

im still working on getting braking points just right and being able to go faster through some turns.. i often second guess myself, lift, then im really up shits creek cause that a lift turning my car means oversteer time

Your video was similar to Eric's. There were a few places where being off-line caught up with you. Hard to tell exactly how close to the cones or how good your apexes are with your low front camera angle, though. (I noticed that it's good for watching sexy legs go by)

One of the hardest things to learn is that whole "slow down to go faster" thing.

[garage west]

Haha! I'm intimately familiar with snap oversteer, Bill. See my "that guy" video for evidence. The shiny hood is to blind the course workers so they don't see my penalties.

[shakedown067]

One of the hardest things to learn is that whole "slow down to go faster" thing.

Funny, I was much better at it when I had skinny front tires...I find autocross is like Super Fast Golf. It's all a mental game, that you can never really master, but can be very good at it. And when you have an off day, all hell breaks loose. Literally in some cases.

[wbeers690]

i was pretty close.. it was early on that i had the lifting prob cause the track was giving you lots of confidence then making you worry you were going to fast.. on my fastest runs i would just try to stick with it and the car kinda fought through it.. the back turn around was the biggest " slow to go fast" section.. after almost taking out the wall and then pushing way wide out of it i figured that out

[yamaha731]

I dont know who was throwing cone's in front of Chris's car but thank you.

I had a real hard time with the last 4 turns never felt right. I think thats what kept me from finishing a little higher

[Loren]

I had a real hard time with the last 4 turns never felt right.

See discussion above. (I watched your video last night, too!) You botched the left because you didn't slow down and set up for it. Once you've blown that one, the last two apexes are nearly impossible.

[shakedown067]

Funny, just noticed the first video I posted was one of my slower times. I posted the wrong video (just updated the link). My fastest time of the day video is even more out of wack and therefore further proving your point Loren. LOL.

[muddy]

Looking at the results, it looks like Michael Streeper's fastest time is wrong. He has several runs faster than the one that is listed as his fastest. That would bump him up to 2nd in R and 5th overall.

[BigBlue]

Muddy, could you let me know what you're seeing? I see Michael's fastest time on his last run at 46.982, which is what is reflected in the results. He did have a faster raw time in his fifth run at 46.383, however on that run a cone was indicated making the adjusted time 48.383. Everything else that I see is 47 seconds and above.

If something is getting goofed up there, I'll get it fixed, but from what I'm seeing the results are good. I checked the original Axware file and it reflects the same as what is posted.

Also, let me apologize for the delay in getting the results up. I thought I sent them Saturday evening, but it turns out if you don't actually hit the 'send' button, nothing happens.

[nc4me]

I dont know who was throwing cone's in front of Chris's car but thank you.

No one throwing cones, just bad driving. I was trying to make more time on a part of the course where I shouldn't have. It cost me three runs. I had 2 legitimate offs from over driving, the other DNF's were from me coning and bypassing the course in frustration at my own stupidity.

[muddy]

Muddy, could you let me know what you're seeing? I see Michael's fastest time on his last run at 46.982, which is what is reflected in the results. He did have a faster raw time in his fifth run at 46.383, however on that run a cone was indicated making the adjusted time 48.383. Everything else that I see is 47 seconds and above.

You're right. I misread the times.

[Loren]

You're right. I misread the times.

[Native]

Fresh Season Points get 'em while they're hot!

Thanks, Jeremy