Fastest driver on the planet competition, April 22 edition

[AScoda]

GO, MATT!!!!

Really fun course. Took some level of trust in the less than ideal surface of Dunellon to get through quickly. This location has become very interesting for course layouts. Some brand spanking new asphalt, some old Brooksville style concrete and some aging asphalt all in one location. If you are not sure it is worth the drive from the bay area, just do it. You will enjoy the challenge.

Things I saw on the drive back to Tampa: A truck hauling a civil war style cannon, a roadkill alligator on the side of the road, and a trailer tire that exploded into many pieces 100 yards in front of me. I deftly slalomed the debris, of course.

[Magooiii]

Fun fun fun. What a fun course.

[Loren]

Results are up, of course. I'll echo what has been said. Great course! Fun site!

Thanks to everyone for being a part of it.

I need to figure out how to make my car accelerate quicker without bumping out of M4.

Edit: No, wait, that's not right. "Quicker" implies that it's already quick.

[Carracer]

Great run Matt, you really set a great time on theRS4s.

As for Casey, top PAX and a win in the biggest class. I still can't figure out how you carried so much speed on the outgoing side. Enjoy it for now, I'm not letting it happen again

Pictures, thanks for the spotting Dan!
https://flic.kr/s/aHsmicA5LC

[mymomswagon]

I need to figure out how to make my car accelerate quicker without bumping out of M4.
:

no no no bad idea. you have the performance stuff down pat. Time to focus on esthetics: led's...or maybe a cool spoiler. Look quicker!

Great time! Weather cooperated, fun course, well-run, good company. Thanks everyone!

[ctsteege]

Enjoy it for now, I'm not letting it happen again

Thank you Phillip and I look forward to the challenge!!

I was really reluctant in making the trek to dunnellon but the track today was a lot of fun!! There is a surprising amount of grip in the old busting up asphalt. Will definitely make the trip again in the future. Especially if it leads to beating Phillip again. Need to figure out how to run quick at a POINTS event!! It was a great time today and as always a well organized event by great company. Thank you guys!!!

Here's my fastest run.
https://youtu.be/JWBfhZLZ6Ac

[Native]

Great time! Weather cooperated, fun course, well-run, good company. Thanks everyone!

Bill forgot to mention that he trounced his codriver by half a second.

[BigBlue]

What a fun event!

Every time I wake up for a Dunnellon event and face an hour and a half to a two-hour drive north, my mind always drifts to the "... is this site really worth it ..." place. Doubly so when your first choice of rides didn't get its brake pad shipment in time. Triply so when you couldn't mount up the running shoes on the backup ride because mother nature decides to do a Thor-inspired light show the night before the event. Eh.

But, I rolled out of bed and figured I'd go for it. Why not. Plus all the timing gear was in my trunk. I figured at least somebody would let me bum a drive in their car. Off I go.

Not only did one or two of the awesome folks in FAST let me bum a ride, but seven did. Yes sir, seven runs in seven different cars. What a cool way to spend a day.

First run, Sally let me take out her NB Miata. With some fresh suspension work too. What a fun car. The handling was better than I expected after having a few years of NB ownership myself. An all-around nice ride that I wished I would have taken a little later on in the heat. My first run is always my course walk so I know I didn't give the car the finish time it deserved.

Second up Loren gave me a go at the Mirage. If you know me, and you've seen that car, you know it was more like I put on a Mirage colored shirt than I actually got into a car. Three cylinders of fury, and a clutch that has all the feel of your lip after a visit to the dentist and a big shot of novocaine. Then I got it out on the course. Dare I say it? Yes, I will. It was nimble and sure-footed. I am sure I would find time in that car once I got past the fear of putting it on its roof. I might wish for a bit more power though.

Run number three I would say was the most familiar to me. Although, not by much. Dan E. let me jump in his NC for this one. He's gotten some coil-overs and some fat RE-71s on nice light rims now. The car was very good around the cones. It had a nice neutral balance. He's definitely getting it dialed in. Now if I can just keep him from flashing that ECU...

The fourth run was courtesy of Phillip R. and his S-2000. What a great ride. This almost felt more like my car than Dan's NC did. Between the power available and how it came online, this car is amazingly similar in feel to my NC. And hearing Phillip telling me to "get into it. It will take it." on the return side, I know I left some time out there.

My fifth trip onto the course was in Dave W's supercharged NB Miata. I had only driven this car one other time, but something about it always seems familiar. Maybe its the differential. When it comes to power adders, I do like the supercharger. The power just seems linear and predictive. I was able to get my best raw time in Dave's car. Sadly, I coned it away.

On run number six, I got a chance to try something completely new and different for me. Dan D. let me take a run in his Evo. It seems the way to drive a four-wheel drive car around the course is a tad different than the rear-wheel drive I am used to. Still, that is an amazing machine Dan has there. Way cool.

Finally, for run number seven Matt let me take a quick go in his turbo NB. I have driven this car before, but it is obvious that there have been some serious improvements made. It's also obvious that Matt is far better at using those improvements to go fast than I am. This is just further driven home by his fresh and shiny FTD sticker. Way to go Matt!

So thank you Sally, Loren, Dan, Phillip, Dave, Dan, and Matt! You all contributed to one of the more interesting autocross days I have had in a long time. The key will be in the ignition anytime you want to take the blue bomber out for a dance around the cones.

And thanks to all the cool and awesome people of FAST! You all contribute at every event to the what is hands down the best autocross group in Florida.

See you all on May 5th.

[Loren]

So, here's what 35.3 looks like in a Mirage. I'm still blown away that it took me 6 runs to match what Philip did in my car with one run.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYVBa2bUZBw

[CaptainSquirts]

Whew what a day. I was beat by the time I got home. Looks like Bill is closing the gap between him and you Loren, better hurry with the extra caster!

Here is my run. Issues with my run looks like I could've stayed tighter on the slalom and go a little less far out on the turn around.

P.S great job on the making it to the 33's Casey!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8il6l58qjyo

[mymomswagon]

Looks like Bill is closing the gap between him and you Loren, better hurry

Tires helped. That said, my theory is short courses like Dunnellon give fewer opportunities for the less-experienced to screw up against their experienced and skilled opponents. Will manage my Brooksville expectations accordingly

[Loren]

I should have the caster mod done this week. Hardware has arrived. I don't expect that it will make the car faster. It will just feel a little better.

You know what I miss? I miss "the bet". The first person that I regularly co-drove with was Jeff "Treekiller" Lloyd. Jeff had enough of an ego (and sense of fun) to instigate the co-driver bet. "Loser buys dinner." Best food is free food, especially when you earned it with your driving prowess!

[ImpostorDan]

So this is genuinely the first event where I felt like I had a shot at FTD. I obviously didn't... but it's easily the closest I've come.

- At the heart of it, I'm at a cross roads now on how to structure my runs. I've typically been playing it semi safe for a clean run and then exploiting the limits once established; dare I say that I'm considering somebody else's go for everything and reel it back in approach...

[Rawkkrawler]

Fun course with some great people, and the weather even worked out! Best i could manage was this 34.6 run. Philip wants me to use the brakes in some different places, tough even getting used to brakes when compared to the Cobra. To be honest, i had a whole list of excueses and brakes wasn't one of them, going to be adding it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FKRmlB13FA

[ctsteege]

Philip wants me to use the brakes in some different places, tough even getting used to brakes when compared to the Cobra.

BRAKES?? In a Porsche?? All you need is tires and that thing should stay wherever you put it, without having to throttle it like the cobra. What does Phillip know about Porsches? Brakes are what lost him this event!! LMAO!!

And Loren. That sounds like a ton of fun! I am down for a competitive co-drive whenever. My car, yours, or we get a rental and have a bunch of people do one run in it winner take all.

[Loren]

And Loren. That sounds like a ton of fun! I am down for a competitive co-drive whenever. My car, yours, or we get a rental and have a bunch of people do one run in it winner take all.

This was a season-long co-drive arrangement. That's what made it fun. We were close enough that it was a toss-up as to which of us would win, and we would either grab dinner after each event, or hit up FAST Monday. Good times.

[twistedwankel]

And Loren. That sounds like a ton of fun! I am down for a competitive co-drive whenever. My car, yours, or we get a rental and have a bunch of people do one run in it winner take all.

This was a season-long co-drive arrangement. That's what made it fun. We were close enough that it was a toss-up as to which of us would win, and we would either grab dinner after each event, or hit up FAST Monday. Good times.

Whoa. I'm the "lunch guy". No problem. The Mayor can hand you your lunch any time.

Our wives will ride with us. My wife will tell you suck. What will your wife say? hahahahaha

Are we on? Any car any place. I have 3 cars. I've raced them all with my wife in them AND so has everyone else.

The Mayor

[Loren]

My wife will say "have a good time, I'm staying home".

Ya'll are missing the point here. I'm not looking for a one-time bet. I was just lamenting the ongoing bet that I used to have with a co-driver. If I get another co-driver, I might offer up the same bet. Presently, I'm not looking for a co-driver.

[twistedwankel]

But now I want a co-drove with both of you. Damn.
Do I get to pick where lunch is? Do I have to provide the car? Done. Been there done that bought the t shirt.
Can I invite Saroya? Or Ben? Or Phillip?

[Loren]

You haven't driven the Mirage yet. You know, if you'd come to Classic events every now and then...