Brooksville Awesomeness Dec 3rd

[Blue_Heron]

Yeah... about that layout... I was the course worker for the first run group of the morning for station 2, right at the crossover. That group had red flags and reruns while we figured out the flow. It was a rough beginning and it had me worried to run my group! The second group went smoothly through. Once I got on to driving, the course was great. It definitely was not as straight line fast as some people thought it'd be, which I always appreciate

Yes, there were some bad starts in the first morning run group. I was the starter, so my apologies to the folks at stations 2 and 6. I wasn't sure how to time the release with the crossover, so I talked to some more experienced folks before we started. Basically, you had to wait until car 1 was at the turnaround and then release car 2. After that, you had to release after each car finished to make sure they didn't take out any cones at the wall just before the lights. What we didn't anticipate is that a very fast car following a very slow car would close the start window, and you would then have to wait until the course was clear before starting the next car.

Unfortunately, I immediately turned my attention to staging the next car after each release, so I didn't see this happening. As a result, it happened a few times before I realized what was going on. Once we had it figured out (with a little coaching from Loren) things went smoothly, and we were able to brief the starter for the second group so he wouldn't repeat my mistakes. My thanks go to the folks at stations 2 and 6 for averting disaster while we figured it out.

Dave

[Loren]

I feel good when I enter the slalom but mid way through I feel like I lose my rhythm and the line and it goes to hell. I might be trying to carry too much speed through there and with my cars weight and stock suspension I just lose the line. Looks like I need a lot more slalom practice.

Couple more interesting things about this course. As mentioned, the two option boxes were mostly mental exercises. Not difficult, and could potentially be driven either way. And slalom wasn't truly optional. (the benefit of making it "optional" is that course workers don't have to fight with setting up pointer cones, and nobody gets called off course if they get it wrong)

Two more things that some might not have noticed. The "trick" on this course was that there weren't a lot of tricks!

The turn-around was inspired by Jamie's comments last month. "Loren's turn-arounds always have trick apexes" (or something like that), which is generally true. This one was a classic textbook 3-apex "perfect circle" kind of turn-around. Which, of course, is a trick in itself because racing line theory dictates a line that is quite different from that. I myself got caught out by that until my last run. Last run I made myself carry speed DEEPER into the turn-around, braked super-late, and effectively made an egg out of the turn-around. That got me a late apex on the 3rd apex, on the gas earlier, and made the zig-zag into the slalom easily without lifting. That little bit of extra time I spent traveling 45 mph instead of 25 mph on the entry side showed in my time. VERY tricky turn-around, even though it was specifically intended to NOT be!

And the slalom was 100% no-tricks. It was a perfectly straight 5-cone evenly spaced 62-foot slalom. The trick there is that if you did it right, you entered it at almost terminal velocity. You couldn't accelerate all the way through it. You had to know to back off at a certain point to get through the middle of it without getting behind. And then if you were LOOKING AHEAD enough to spot your line past the last slalom cone, you could be full throttle as you passed the 2nd-to-last slalom cone. While it was NOT a decreasing spaced slalom, the entry speed made you almost have to drive it like one.

Autocross is fun. Even the "simple stuff" is full of little details.

[Loren]

Season Points have been updated. Things are starting to get interesting, but with 3 drops for the season, we've only just gotten to the point that every driver's best finish of the season is the only one that counts... so, really... this is where the season REALLY begins!

[Kdub085]

Here's my best lap of the day, placed 11th in M2.

https://youtu.be/htlsqy1nak

Thanks for sharing. Wow you sure short short shifted that start. Would have thought you'd been flat out and hard braking on the final approach to the most evil finish.

Well done. Next event 10th. Think about the 17th in the Fastiva.

lol yeh tuned hot hatch in 1st gear w/ FWD & 330+ foot pounds of torque = a lot of wheel spin!! I dunno if I'd benefit from winding out 1st gear or just keep shorting it and hammer second

I wish I had a little more confidence and gone flat out to the end. I'm still fairly now to all of this, but I'm giving it the ole college try!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Jamie]

Season Points have been updated. Things are starting to get interesting, but with 3 drops for the season, we've only just gotten to the point that every driver's best finish of the season is the only one that counts... so, really... this is where the season REALLY begins!

S4 is going to be a furball this year....

[JasonS]

Looks like I'm tied with Eva for 2nd in S2 and just 1 point from 1st. Rookie season going way better than I ever hoped. Though I did notice that the S2 leaders have significantly less points than most other classes so I'll take that with a grain of salt.

[ImpostorDan]

Season Points have been updated. Things are starting to get interesting, but with 3 drops for the season, we've only just gotten to the point that every driver's best finish of the season is the only one that counts... so, really... this is where the season REALLY begins!

Are drops inclusive of missed events and low score events; or just scored events?

[jmdoc66]

Yes, there were some bad starts in the first morning run group. I was the starter, so my apologies to the folks at stations 2 and 6. I wasn't sure how to time the release with the crossover, so I talked to some more experienced folks before we started. Basically, you had to wait until car 1 was at the turnaround and then release car 2. After that, you had to release after each car finished to make sure they didn't take out any cones at the wall just before the lights. What we didn't anticipate is that a very fast car following a very slow car would close the start window, and you would then have to wait until the course was clear before starting the next car.

Unfortunately, I immediately turned my attention to staging the next car after each release, so I didn't see this happening. As a result, it happened a few times before I realized what was going on. Once we had it figured out (with a little coaching from Loren) things went smoothly, and we were able to brief the starter for the second group so he wouldn't repeat my mistakes. My thanks go to the folks at stations 2 and 6 for averting disaster while we figured it out.

Dave, I've played starter a few times and I'm glad I was introduced on much easier courses. You had to watch the crossover, be careful not to trip the start/stop timers at the same time and compensate for faster drivers going after slower drivers. That's a handful for any starter. You did well. Once the kinks were worked out, the rest of the runs went great without incident.

[Loren]

Are drops inclusive of missed events and low score events; or just scored events?

Classic events are not included, only Open events. If you didn't attend an event, you scored zero points for that event.

[twistedwankel]

Are drops inclusive of missed events and low score events; or just scored events?

OR 12 - 3 = 9 events that can count to allow you to miss 3 events due to important things like weddings, vacations, or an occasional hangover or broken car?

A person who only shows up 5 times and wins will have 45pts and really hard to beat that winner. Dan, if you were in my class we'd just play rock, paper, scissors 9 times and call it a season.

[Loren]

We don't do an Open event for points in August. Only 11 events in the championship.

Doug, would you check your tire pressure between every round of Rock, Paper, Scissors?

[twistedwankel]

We don't do an Open event for points in August. Only 11 events in the championship.

Doug, would you check your tire pressure between every round of Rock, Paper, Scissors?

CRAP only 8 Rock, Paper, Scissors? I'll have to give them their money back next event. Thanks. Hope the market stays high for one month.

[dbeng]

Late to the party, but had an absolute blast at this event. Really enjoyed the challenges of the course, although I must apologize to the course workers at the final left hander for getting behind on two runs and taking out the cone wall on the outside
Both runs only showed 2 cone penalties but it sure sounded like more as they went rattling by! I only got one decent clean run, but was really pleased with my time. A fourth place finish is as good as a win for me with Jamie, Philip and Jason all ganging up on me in their Miatas

[jstocktpa]

Tires chirping. Brakes heated. Exhausts blaring. A two crossover course that is both fast and technical. Man and machine both challenged by whether to go left or right on the edge of controlled chaos. Eyes seek the fastest line. Attack the back is the mantra, but if you're late the course will make you pay. Comradery. Respect. Competition. Speed. Inherent addiction. I shall again tighten my grip on the wheel, pushing ever harder for one less second. I had a blast at my first event. I thank the organizers for all of their hard work and I look forward to running again.

[dbeng]

PICTURES!

Philip, great job with the pictures. The course layout combined with the clear skies and position of the sun created perfect lighting conditions that you really took advantage of to take some fantastic action shots!
My new wheels look rather good if I do say so myself, and the picture of Joes Z3 in full powerslide action really captures the action. (Even though Joe is not behind the wheel at the time).
Thanks for keeping the great pictures coming
Dan

[friskyflea]

Yesterday was a bit of a blur. As usual, the FAST Faithful are the best bunch of people to speed through a weekend day with. Several of our novice drivers commented on what a welcoming & friendly bunch we are, and I second that! Competitiveness and collegiality nonpareil
That said...
Holy crap! I just looked at the actual result sheets HOT DAMN!!! *the Frisky Flea scurries to the freezer and cracks open the 2nd pint of Pralines N' Cream* I need to learn to clear my mind more often and reliably of the junk from the workweek. I'm glad I have video of the runs because I can't remember details much. I do recall getting out of the car after the first run and feeling a bit queasy - it was such a rush.

Can't top that - even with whipped cream and a cherry.

If there's an award for most conservative first time doing autocross.... I think I nailed it.

You made big leaps with each run. The last one you started figuring out when to begin turning as you where doing so simultaneously with me telling you to turn ie- not reacting to my telling you but acting on your own. What Loren was alluding to is that just trying to go fast without having the right line will only get you so far. It is easier to learn to both pick & drive the right line if you are going slow: you can always add speed later. I practice my racing lines pushing my shopping cart... takes me forever to buy groceries 'cause I have to backtrack so often and I can't run over other shoppers, but you'd be surprised at what can be learned at slow speeds. Unlearning bad habits takes longer than learning new ones.

[friskyflea]

PS - There's 2 DNS that are "place holding nulls" (to quote one of Ron's daughters at age 5). Are they Honorable mentions or Axware print report glitches?

[Loren]

Glitches. I pinged Ron about it last night, but haven't heard back from him. We'll get it fixed eventually.

[RedBRZ80]

Season Points have been updated. Things are starting to get interesting, but with 3 drops for the season, we've only just gotten to the point that every driver's best finish of the season is the only one that counts... so, really... this is where the season REALLY begins!

Are drops inclusive of missed events and low score events; or just scored events?

Hopefully we get some steady S1 folks out... Nobody has made all 4 events

[JakeB]

You made big leaps with each run. The last one you started figuring out when to begin turning as you where doing so simultaneously with me telling you to turn ie- not reacting to my telling you but acting on your own. What Loren was alluding to is that just trying to go fast without having the right line will only get you so far. It is easier to learn to both pick & drive the right line if you are going slow: you can always add speed later. I practice my racing lines pushing my shopping cart... takes me forever to buy groceries 'cause I have to backtrack so often and I can't run over other shoppers, but you'd be surprised at what can be learned at slow speeds. Unlearning bad habits takes longer than learning new ones.

Thank you for all of the help.
I'm looking forward to going to the next FAST Open.