October 5th post event

[jmdoc66]

Looking good Ricky, I hear those tires making some noise, sounds like you're "pushing harder", nice! Can't wait to see results.

During the third group, I watch Rick wiggle the first cone in the slalom 3 times. I was amazed at how close you got to that cone each run with your passenger rear tire. Good job!

As for runs....If only the 10th run counted. 49.664 with my fat car.

Great day all around.

[jmdoc66]

And thank you Paul for letting me flog your car.

Let's see if we can get together at the Oct. 18th event and I'll help you 'dial' in your car so its a little bit more predictable, and I'll let you run my car a couple times after I dial it in.

Give me a call at your leisure at 727-599-6709 so we can have a quick discussion on the subject.

Mike

[nathanwilliams617]

As for runs....If only the 10th run counted. 49.664 with my fat car.

Great day all around.

Oh my goodness Mike I was already floored by your recorded time of 50.438, but you actually ran a 49.664?! Smh

And I'll let you run my car a couple times after I dial it in.
Mike

Dial it in?! How much more can you dial it in... wait, don't answer that. As I attempt to catch you and Ms Shelby this is very unnerving. Lol
Seriously though Great Job man!

[Loren]

Here's a run by a novice having a blast!

I watched this casually last night without much thought. I just watched it again and see a lot of places you could be faster. Your driving line is pretty good overall, you're just not leveraging what your car has lots of: TORQUE. While there were some tight parts of this course that tried to balance it out, this was a "power course". Stand by while I pick your run apart.

Watch your video and follow along...

After you cleared the third slalom cone (the first one after the two with pointers) you should have been accelerating past the next two cones before slowing (tapping the brake) to set up for the tighter end of the slalom and the Chicago box. What you appear to have done is driven the slalom as if it were evenly-spaced and pretty much coasted through the whole thing. Probably a tenth or two left there. Not a lot, but some.

Coming out of the Chicago box, you're way late on the throttle. You hit it at the exit cone. Should have been on it back at the apex cone. Doesn't sound like much, but for any significant acceleration run, the earlier you start, the more speed you'll reach before having to brake... it's that max speed before braking that will cut significant time! Another tenth or two there... very likely more than that.

After the slalom, you slowed for the wiggly bit and got through there just fine. A little bit of tire noise tells us that you probably would not get through there much faster. Smooth, on line, and in control. Good.

Then the big left-right sweeper. This is the biggest place you could have used more throttle. Right at about 19-20 seconds. If you were set up to slightly late apex that cone, you could have been on the gas from there all the way through the right-hander (in your car, maybe not "full throttle" up to the right-hand apex, but at least on the gas and rolling to full throttle right before the apex) to your braking point for the turn-around. It was all about being on the right line (late apexing both the left and the right) and confident. You'd be pushing the car hard enough if you did it right that losing confidence and "chicken lifting" would have caused a spin. But, as long as you stayed in it, there was plenty of room to make it around the apex of the right-hander and clear the left side of the green double-coned gate. This was the single fastest place on course, so I'm gonna say you left at least 3/4 of a second here, probably more than a second.

Your line through the turn-around was too tight. Not a lot of people noticed, but that "pin cone" was placed one block to the left of center, so there was more room on the right than on the left. You really benefited from taking a wide entry, like 4-5 blocks (50-60') to the right. You were 2 blocks (25') to the right and sort of early-apexed the cone. A wider entry would have allowed a later apex. On the exit side, you were 3 blocks off of the grass, which means you were 2 blocks off of the cone... so, you were 50' off of the cone entering and exiting... 50' radius turn.

When I drove it, I was probably 60' off on the entry and at least 35' off on the exit... meaning my turn radius was nearly 100'. Do the math... who had more exit speed? And that exit speed led into one of the longest straights on the course.

So, you easily lost at least another half second on the turn-around.

You did a good job of managing the "kink". But, if you'd have gotten to the right even just 3-5 feet earlier, and gotten all the way toward that wall on the right, you could have late-apexed the entry cone, carried slightly more speed through the turn, and the kicker: gotten on the gas earlier on the exit. There's at least a couple tenths there. (don't feel bad, I'm certain that this was one of the places I never got right, either)

You got through the S turns leading to the finish pretty well. Could have been faster by "staying ahead of them" a little more. Get a little wider (just a little) before the apex of each one so that you're late-apexing it, and try to hug the last cone on each of the walls. Keeping up with that through all of them would have allowed you to be on the gas earlier for the blast to the finish. And what's with the double hit of acceleration at the finish? You should have been ON IT 100%. It's those weird little lifts in odd places that cause spins! Keep "weight transfer" in mind anytime you make a significant throttle change. So, at least another half-second through the esses and the finish.

Grand total... probably on the order of 2.5 seconds you could have been faster on this course without getting too fancy, just driving a slightly different line and using the right pedal more. That would have put you in the low 53's or better.

Now you know what to do, make it happen next time!

[jmdoc66]

The sad part about the 49.6 run was I know I could have shaved off another tenth or two at the turn around. Even with 10 runs I never really figured out how to not over cook that turn around. Always went in too hot.

It was a great course. Good for us V-8 cars. But, I didn't find anywhere on the course wher I wanted more horsepower. I was right on the edge where I still had to feather the car to keep it going in the direction I wanted it too.

The 'sweepers' at the end of the course were great! I love courses where the limiting factor is the drivers 'fear' comes into play. I had to talk myself out of tapping the brakes each time.

I think this course is in my top two favorites of all time.

The 'Loren slalom', (^2^2.5^2.5^2^2 Chicago box) was a challenge.

With another 100+ horsepower on tap, Paul's car was a hand full.

I have to keep improving otherwise, a certain white G8 will sneak by me. Nate, your improved skills have been noted.

[lddavis91]

It was a great course. Good for us V-8 cars.

Everybody keeps saying that, yet after 5 runs in a monstrously powerful Mustang I hopped in a Miata with < half the power and immediately went faster. Hmmmm

It was indeed a great day, thanks again to Paul and Matt for letting me flog their cars. Best part was beating Drew in a Mustang.

[AScoda]

After how many runs? I only did 3. And one was backwards.
Did we kill those tires yet Paul?

Les, head to head in the solo V!
I'm willing to make that sacrifice for the sake of competition.

[rrath]

During the third group, I watch Rick wiggle the first cone in the slalom 3 times. I was amazed at how close you got to that cone each run with your passenger rear tire. Good job!

Wow, I had no idea. Maybe chalk this one up to Doug's feedback on the skidpad earlier in the year, helping me figure out my actual vs. perceived distance on the passenger side.

I watched this casually last night without much thought. I just watched it again and see a lot of places you could be faster.
Watch your video and follow along...

This is brilliant. Thanks for taking the time, Loren. I followed along with the video and think I understand all of your points. I'm going to run through it a few more times to let it sink in.

And what's with the double hit of acceleration at the finish?

Ah, yes. The "Push harder. Aaaaaaaaahhh!!Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!Aaaaahhhhhhh! Philosophy":
"I should push harder."
"Aaaaaaaaahhh!!Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!Aaaaahhhhhhh!"
"I should let up a bit."
"Quit being a pussy!"
"I should push harder."

You know, I think I need a new philosophy.

[Carracer]

Ah, yes. The "Push harder. Aaaaaaaaahhh!!Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!Aaaaahhhhhhh! Philosophy":
"I should push harder."
"Aaaaaaaaahhh!!Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!!Aaaaahhhhhhh!"
"I should let up a bit."
"Quit being a pussy!"
"I should push harder."

You know, I think I need a new philosophy.

"If in doubt, flat out" - Colin McRae
I'm sure this applies to autocross...

[vonquik]

My son Sean wanted me to post his video from his two fastest runs. It is a combo video of his 47.334 and his 46.903 with a +1 where it got a little tail happy at the end of the first slalom... From what we see the 4/10's equated to about 35-feet difference!

Terry

https://www.dropbox.com/s/n3kyzy39bulrf ... e.mp4?dl=0

[Loren]

Holy CRAP that car accelerates quickly! 20 to almost 70 in something under 4 seconds. 35-65 in 3 seconds for sure.

3 instances of that on this course makes me feel pretty comfortable being 4-4.5 seconds off in a stock Miata.

BTW, math says that .4 seconds at 60 mph is exactly 35.2 feet.

[friskyflea]

Holy CRAP that car accelerates quickly! 20 to almost 70 in something under 4 seconds. 35-65 in 3 seconds for sure...

I can haz some torque, pleeeez...?

I went over all my videorecoded runs and, watching the other 2 posted, I know my foot was hard on the floor in the segments of the course where it should have been. That's a consolation


S-

[Loren]

I went over all my videorecoded runs and...

And you didn't share them with us!

[ExecutiveHydra]

My car has too much horsepower for AutoCross. Drew should sell me his car. Just saying

[friskyflea]

I went over all my videorecoded runs and...

And you didn't share them with us!

This took some work; some had too much French in them, or music, or singing... but I cobbled together the 2 I felt best after. So as per your request, 2 Run Command Performance. Apologies for the louder music in #2; it was a fun run and I cranked up the tunes, so it makes it hard to hear the engine in the playback. I hear it perfectly fine while I drive as my left ear is away from the speakers and close to the open window.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sd4jbh7xx6wdw ... 4.avi?dl=0

Soraya

[Loren]

What have you got for tires, Soraya?

[friskyflea]

What have you got for tires, Soraya?

Ummm... heat-cycled out Yokohama Advan Neova AD08Rs... they've got about 16-17k on them, including about 20 AXs.

Getting new sneakers this Saturday - going to Hankook's R-S3s... I loved the AD08Rs especially in wet roads: that is the reason that I bought them because I had to drive on them daily until I could buy an extra set of wheels, which I have now.

If you are just asking about tires does that mean that my line actually didn't suck eggs?

*waiting with bated breath before breaking into my happy dance*

Soraya

[Carracer]

I went over all my videorecoded runs and...

And you didn't share them with us!

This took some work; some had too much French in them, or music, or singing... but I cobbled together the 2 I felt best after. So as per your request, 2 Run Command Performance. Apologies for the louder music in #2; it was a fun run and I cranked up the tunes, so it makes it hard to hear the engine in the playback. I hear it perfectly fine while I drive as my left ear is away from the speakers and close to the open window.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sd4jbh7xx6wdw ... 4.avi?dl=0

Soraya

I think we ran similar times. It's cool to see how you did the run. I used a slightly different line on the way back from the turn around after the "kink".

I'm curious what camera you used to film it?

[Loren]

If you are just asking about tires does that mean that my line actually didn't suck eggs?

*waiting with bated breath before breaking into my happy dance*

I think your lines were pretty good. I just wasn't sure if you were overdriving the front tires in a few places. Well, you were... I just wasn't sure if it was due to the tires or not. For your last event on a set of old tires, I'd say you were doing okay.

The kink is the one place I'd suggest thinking harder about. (and to a slightly lesser extent, the turn-around) Your car is very much a momentum car. You should do everything within your power to maintain that momentum because once it's gone, it takes a LONG time to get it back. That means lines that are sometimes wider than might seem optimal (like in the turn-around), focusing on "flowing" through tight elements, and scalpel-like precision.

I'm not saying it's easy, but when you get it right, people will say, "how the hell does she drive that freakin' FIT so fast???"

[friskyflea]

As it turns out, most of the French was spoken at The Kink, so I was trying to fine tune the right element; just some runs less successfully than others. You just won't get to see the really sucky ones (or the colorful language that accompanied them). In the turn around I did do some wider, sweeping turns that may have been faster: I haven't as of yet parsed out those segments to compare which line worked best for the car.

Angela beat into my head the concept of a momentum car, and mentioned a guy in the Dixie circuit who AXs a more recent model year Fit, whom I have yet to meet, but have christened "No Brakes Mike" because, from Angela's description, he uses the brakes less frequently than his turn signals.

Carracer - the camera is a Drift; quite the older model (720p, non HD). I've had it for years because it is particularly well suited for helmet use (I use it on course when eventing my horse). It comes with temporary & permanent helmet mounts, and you can buy a suction cup mount for the dash or the windshield. It comes with a wrist remote that you can use to start and stop the recording with; tremendously useful on horseback when you don't want to be fumbling with controls by feel since it means taking one hand off your reins on a horse that is already hyped up to start on course. You can probably pick up an older one like mine on EBay for a song, even one of the earlier HD models http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/8 ... amera.html, or you can go for their newer ones http://driftinnovation.com/products/.

The FriskyFlea breaks out into her Frisky Dance...