April 14th Brooksville Split Event

[twistedwankel]

Bless you all for trying.

Boy was my old fanny dragging after this long day but we all had FUN doing it and the weather was great. Showered, took wife out to dinner and the heavy rains finally came at 8:15pm in Hernando Cty and quit in 20 minutes. I was particularly impressed by how few cones were being hit routinely compared to many past events. Those who followed Brian and at least 7 others in the path of OC all eventually learned of their mistake and had clean runs with fast times.

I'd like to thank the Academy AND Matt, Loren, Steve, Brian, Drew, Rob, Scott the hauling specialist of odd things, The Polczynski's in Tech, Ed (for helping pick up stacked cones plus hauling the trailer home) those that worked multiple jobs just so they could have FN runs in the afternoon and stay all day working with us more than carried their loads while paying for their pleasure. Everyone left the course just as clean as we found it too. Awesome.

I'm terrible with names but I tried to personally thank everyone earlier today as they pitched in and I noticed it. I get brain fade anymore after X amount of sun time.

I'll say this split event is probably "great" for the people who just take 4-5 runs and leave BUT it's grueling to get up way early to be there by 7am to start getting the course set up. Drew, Eric and Nils set up the course in record time because they knew what they were doing AND the cones were scattered all over the course from the T+T Saturday.

Maybe the following belongs in some other thread? Don't want to sound like ice water on a cat after my first ever Split Event that by all accounts was successful.

If anyone wants to start earlier for one more run they can be Chair of that event. Matt and I didn't get out of there until 5:30pm and so it makes for a long 12 hour day. And we both live 1/2 hour from the airport. If you want more runs we can just shorten the course AND make it less challenging so the times are shorter and fewer cones hit? That probably flies in the face of why people like running Airport courses. I personally was pleased we got 5 runs in one hour on a long course as were the folks who told me their opinions during the day. I had alot of help achieving that from Loren, et al.

Again thanks to all and to all a good nite.

Mayor of Dougopolous

[nathanwilliams617]

i think i was the only one that went off course in the morning event other than that i had a blast

Off course? Nah you were not alone...wait, you mean off road, because you did molest the grass pretty bad

[Jeremy]

I changed my mind about the split event. I didn't like going from course work straight into driving. And it's only going to get worse as summer rolls in.

[Native]

I will thank everyone again for helping out and making the event a successful one. I missed last month and was really looking for a good time and you all really delivered!

I shared my car with Drew, who was appropriately grateful, thanking me and then showing me how it's done. I think I have a better idea what I need to do to get a bit faster - hint: it has nothing to do with the car... So, thank YOU Drew .

This was my first split event and I really liked it. The format has more pros than cons, imho, which is just how a single event is...3 is a charm though so it will be interesting to see how SPC works out again in May.

[Solar]

Video processed! I guess I need to mount the camera a little lower on the side of my helmet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m6XNf6CrYjg

Eric, I want to thank you for posting that awesome video ! Had a couple friends over enjoying adult beverages and put you video up on the big screen. Two of my friends that were standing had to sit down, they were getting a little queesy lol ! Though I could watch that suspension angle all day, very cool !

[Greg]

Well I had the suck today....

Here, have some video of me spinning out and hitting cones with my gopro...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJy8d8ECX3A

[Vz28]

Good AM event, challenging course when trying to maintain maximum speed (I found 3rd gear instead of 5th! well, most of the time...) and kudos to those keeping everything running smoothly and on schedule. Left at least a second on the table but still learning the car. I probably should have helped out a little more with setup/cleanup. And maybe cleared out the first time Loren yelled at me

Nate - great improvement run after run!
Unfortunately I did not get to ride with anyone else.

Eva, I mentioned this to Doug yesterday - you both are welcome to ride with me or have me ride along or drive any time if it helps. I may not have the outright pace that others do but I have been practicing talking my passengers through my choices while driving the course at speed and it seems to work very well.

I would say (others may disagree) that there is certainly time to be picked up in the afternoon if the course is cleaner and has some rubber laid down but I will leave that to others to debate - if the event was fun then I am good

[Loren]

I'm not sure "laying down rubber" is a factor when only about 5 drivers are on race tires. When you have a bunch of folks running Hoosiers, then it can maybe factor in.

My thoughts on the course: As most airstrip courses, it was "slalomy", and rewarded the driver who could stay ahead of it. If you got behind, there was no way to be fast on it. If you did stay ahead of it, you were able to stay in the throttle a lot more (in a lot of cars, you could be full-throttle), and that's where the speed was. Beyond that, it was a pretty fast course, which is all well and good... but, going fast means that you must eventually slow down. It required you to NOT be too greedy with your braking points when transitioning from fast to slow. Overcooking a brake point would inevitably cost you more than you thought you might gain by carrying the throttle a little deeper. (trust me, it's exactly what I did on each of my last 3 runs in an effort to "go faster")

As I heard many people say, it was a fun and challenging course!

[AScoda]

As Steve mentioned, I co-drove with him today. I found some holes in my car that I need to stuff money into, and I didn't think my temporary fix was autocross-able.
Thanks again Steve. If I helped you go faster next time, I guess I'll have to get used to you beating me. I don't think my car would have had that time in it. While I may have pushed harder, I still sucked some too. I think I left a 47 out there on that last run. Still likely not quite enough to catch Charles's awesome run. Congrats on the "1" sticka!

[AScoda]

I changed my mind about the split event. I didn't like going from course work straight into driving. And it's only going to get worse as summer rolls in.

This can still happen in a normal format.

[puncturina]

As for you and Doug being rushed from co-driving in the same class... there are a couple solutions to that. First, you could just request (in the comments on your registration, so it won't get forgotten) to run in the session opposite your co-driver. (meaning one of you would run "out of class", which really isn't a big deal)

Yeah, with the new format, it would be convenient to do that. We never did it before, since running in different groups would mean working at different times and possibly delaying our departure. Doug often has to go to work after events. Anyway, we may split up in the future and stop picking up bad habits from each other.

[RacingHart71]

i think i was the only one that went off course in the morning event other than that i had a blast

You were not alone on the day though Ryan, I also did the deed in the afternoon, after removing my rear sway bar. Who knew the Brooksville site offered Rally Cross too?!!? This Auto-X is truly a bargain when it comes to experiencing the thrill of driving.

Since this was my first time at the BV site I didn't know what to expect. The veteran drivers were not kidding when they informed us newbies, that this site is faster and has much more grip. I loved the flow of the course. Like Loren stated, if you could stay ahead of the course in your head as you drove it was quick, but if you lagged just a little it would bite you.

What? The course must have gotten faster in the afternoon after we drove off all the gravel...No?

Could there really be that much gravel on the course after all the runs @ the test and tune? Unless you vets were Rally Crossing too, like this guys was...hehehe.

Ive never experienced a non-split even but I think it would lend itself to a much less rushed feel during the course of the day. What I do know is that I have a blast meeting new car guys and gals that love to drive their rides as much as I do mine.

Matt: It was cool to meet you (thanks again for the charge) and awesome to see your white GTI blast thru the last sections of the course.

Scott: Talking to you during my work stint made it not seem like a duty. I'll beg a ride with you next event so i can experience the car that keeps you come back to this sport.

Jamie: Thanks for the ride along. Playing co-pilot helps this newbie figure out this much faster than if he was left to continue to suck on his own.

Tim: Your skill in handling your WRX continues to amaze me. And the "tri-pod", is that an optional performance upgrade on the Subie?

Brian: Thanks for showing me what smooth driving can do to enhance the performance of a well sorted out 240sx.

Rob: Your experience with your FR-S is inspiring. Though I didn't get to co-pilot with you this event, due to work assignments, its was amazing to see how the small enhancements you've made in car and driver have enable you to lay down consistent times. Dude, you made the podium!!! (Drop me a PM.)

Loren: Thanks for letting me know that my car is not as well sorted out as it needs to be in order to put down respectable times. Your input in regards to your experience of both Brian's 240sx and my own are invaluable. It may be the one true weak link in the equation I can fix. In all seriousness though, its advise and instruction from you and others that make me wish for a newbie test and tune or at least a less hurried feel to the runs (which I realize is relative, because once its my run groups turn to go everything is a blur of fun and anxiety).

Thank you co-chairs for putting on a solid, safe and fun event. I didn't think it was possible for my love of driving and cars to increase...I have been corrected.

-Royce

[Jeremy]

I changed my mind about the split event. I didn't like going from course work straight into driving. And it's only going to get worse as summer rolls in.

This can still happen in a normal format.

Not if you have more than 2 run groups. Which is has been the case at every FAST event.

[Jeremy]

I also did the deed in the afternoon, after removing my rear sway bar.

Is that why you had to do your runs at the end back to back? This was not a test and tune. Please don't hold up the event for everyone else again.
If that was not the reason you were late to start then never mind.

[RacingHart71]

To avoid any issues with the what, how, and why I did my last two runs I will heed your advise going forward.

I will only say this in my defense: that my lack of experience (I'm slow, so me just being on the grid slows the event down for everyone ) and the fact that I "tried" to plant my car in the dirt 10ft off the runway played more into any sort of delay, as I was skipped without delay while I remove a mounting bolt on one side of the bar and was willing to skip my last run but was waved up to do another.

[Jeremy]

Delays from going off course, spin outs, car breaking, etc. are perfectly fine with me. That's part of the game.
I just don't like the avoidable ones, because people who are co-driving a car are busting ass to get all their runs in in the allotted time, so a single driver car should have no problem.

[Loren]

Just ran some numbers. Interesting results.

This event had a total of 91 entries and 12 guests. There were an unusually high number of late cancels and no showed... 20 in total. Net drivers was 71, and everyone who wanted to enter was able to.

With our previous single event format, we were limited to registering 65 drivers and 5 guests. If we had just half as many cancels, it would have been a 55 car event. (Which is fine with me) But, we would have left out 26 drivers and 7 guests because they would not have been able to register. (That means that over 1/3 of the drivers who ran this event would NOT have been there)

Just food for thought.

Sent from my LG-LS970 using Tapatalk 2

[twistedwankel]

Before I forget supplies:

The HAVES
5 cases of water (includes 1 in cooler)
3 cases various of soda in cooler + 12 packs (144) coke/sprite various in boxes (so you shouldn't need any for SPC other than cherry coke for Loren but he almost got FTD without one
Over 100 servings of snack packs and chips left (I doubt you will need more for SPC).
There should be enough gas in the generator for another event at Brooksville pretty full.
Looked like at least 1/2 a roll of garbage bags left.

The HAVE NOTS
Need blue and green painters tape. All gone.
More paper towels. Less than one left.
Might need some more batteries. Looked like only 10 left?
Not sure on the plaster board? Didn't see alot? There is a whole box of 64 colored chalk left unopened.

That's all I remember. It's getting foggy now.

[jmdoc66]

I have a ton of left over drywall I can cut up for marking around the cones if that's what you mean by plaster board. I'll bring a bunch to the next event.

[twistedwankel]

Royce came to the morning event and "actually volunteered" to do "any" worker assignments even tho' he didn't run until the afternoon.

No crybaby there!! A real gentleman who more than pulls his own weight.