Apr 24 - Brooksville

[buddy bodean]

Alexis and Jamie:

I can't find my post on the subject but I hope you have adjusted the grid template to reflect the change the airport made to the length of the course. It is now 7 or 8 blocks (+/-200') shorter than we originally had. I know that Loren asked me to document the change but I am not sure that the template got updated to reflect this.











G+more lower = E2

[Rosko]

We're at 72 people on-site right now. I'm not going to change the MAE announcement that close to the limit, but I will fill those last three slots with either drivers or guests in response to e-mail requests -- send 'em to info@wedrivefaster.com. If anyone cancels from the current list, the space will open up on MAE, so late-comers keep an eye on the entry list.

I sent a message to info@wedrivefaster.com, but it bounced. I sent another one to info@wedrivefast.com, and it did not bounce. Please let me register, Jamie! I can't believe it filled so "FAST"!

Thanks to Chris for the warning message.

I guess we're back to the days of registering on day one.

[WAFlowers]

Bill Flowers -- taking you up on your offer to tow the trailer!

No problem.

[jdr_racer]

Course Map....Please....pretty please w/ sugar on top

Can't wait for this event!!!

[Native]

We're at 72 people on-site right now. I'm not going to change the MAE announcement that close to the limit, but I will fill those last three slots with either drivers or guests in response to e-mail requests -- send 'em to info@wedrivefaster.com. If anyone cancels from the current list, the space will open up on MAE, so late-comers keep an eye on the entry list.

I sent a message to info@wedrivefaster.com, but it bounced. I sent another one to info@wedrivefast.com, and it did not bounce. Please let me register, Jamie! I can't believe it filled so "FAST"!

Thanks to Chris for the warning message.

I guess we're back to the days of registering on day one.

the email address in Jamie's post has been corrected. info@wedrivefast.com is the right one.

Registration did fill up quickly this time - it'll be interesting to see if that continues in the future...

[AScoda]

Too all :
Please stop begging for course maps to be posted.
Many of you are new to autocrossing and your enthusiasm is wonderful. We try hard to be as accomodating to newcomers as we can, but....
So everyone knows, this is the only autocross group that regularly posts a course map in advance. Others might do it occasionally, but the vast majority of autocross events do not involve any knowledge of the course layout before the morning of the event. Its part of what autocross is, it's part of the challenge.
So IF the designer or event chair wants to post a course map ahead of time, even if it is only be the day before the event, you should feel grateful. Most course designs are not even finished two weeks before the event and certainly should not be expected to be posted that early, if at all.

[Jeremy]

POST THE COURSE MAP!!!!

oh wait, nevermind, I have a copy sitting right here, suckers. Yellow_Colorz_PDT_08 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_08 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_08

[shakedown067]

oh wait, nevermind, I have a copy sitting right here, suckers. Yellow_Colorz_PDT_08 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_08 Yellow_Colorz_PDT_08

Well, that explains a lot...

[Jeremy]

You young whippersnappers don't know how good you have it. When Loren started autocrossing computers hadn't even been invented yet, they were drawing coursemaps on papyrus.

[Loren]

You young whippersnappers don't know how good you have it. When Loren started autocrossing computers hadn't even been invented yet, they were drawing coursemaps on papyrus.

Yeah!

Wait... what???

You know Jamie has been autocrossing longer than I have!

[jdr_racer]

I think all organizing/sanctioning bodies should post a track map before each event. I ran a SCCA event last month as well as the FAST event and the SCCA did not post a track map until the day of the event. That is one thing that stood out to me about the FAST group, was that maps were posted ahead of tim. I think it's a nice courtesy, and allows people to plan their attack before the day of the event. Course maps are a crucial elment not only in autocross events, but also road racing as well. Just because other organizing/sanctioning bodies don't, mean we should just follow.

Why wouldn't someone want to post a course map? I don't see what the big deal is? Is there some rule about it??

[Loren]

Course maps are a good thing. They allow people to mentally prepare. Not such a big deal for us old-timers, but we try to keep this club as novice-friendly as possible, and course maps help.

Having the course map ready and reviewed by an experienced course marshal well in advance also helps us to get a course set up quicker, and with fewer on-site corrections, and gives us more consistent quality courses. It's win all around. No reason to not do a course map, and no reason to not make it available as soon as it's ready.

That said... it does get old to see people whining for it before every event. If the event Chair has his (or her) stuff together, they'll have a map ready, and they'll post it. Sometimes people don't have their stuff together. Sometimes it's not even their fault! Things happen.

Be patient.

[jdr_racer]

Very well put Loren!!!

[Alexis]

I started working on the course design weeks ago. It got finalized last week. Begging is not attractive. It's in Jamie's hands to post it. I didn't even get to see a course map before I ran in March (which explains why I made up my own course during my first run at watercross).

[Jamie]

...I hope you have adjusted the grid template to reflect the change the airport made to the length of the course.

Same template, but I told Alexis not to use the last 10 blocks, so it should fit.

You young whippersnappers don't know how good you have it. When Loren started autocrossing computers hadn't even been invented yet, they were drawing coursemaps on papyrus.
Yeah!

Wait... what???

You know Jamie has been autocrossing longer than I have!

We didn't bother with course maps...just beat down a path across the prarie and followed it. Pylons were piles of rocks. (That's not entirely a joke -- when I started, it wasn't unheard of to run in parking lots and let the island curbs form one edge of the course. Yes, cars sometimes hit them....)

Loren's right -- if Alexis hadn't been so eager she started the course design last month (!), and done such a fine job it didn't need much adjustment, it would be at least another week. If I'd been doing it, I'd have started tinkering about the time I sent in the entry list, so it wouldn't have been checked until the night before! I'll get around to sending in the course map for posting this week -- don't have the access to do it myself.

Meanwhile: one crossover, and an easy finish, not necessarily in the same place.

We've now hit the 75 person limit -- can't take anyone else. If drivers drop out, it'll be visible on the MAE list. If anyone's guest decides they're not coming, please PM me or send a note to info@wedrivefast.com (got it right this time!), and I'll let everyone know there's an open spot.

[jdr_racer]

[quote="Alexis"]Begging is not attractive. quote]

Neither is teasing us Yellow_Colorz_PDT_06

[Spin Out]

I went to an autocross last weekend where they used a hand held stop watch for timing.
Later on I was kidding with an "old timer" that in his day they must have used hour glasses,
and on close calls counted the number of grains of sand.

On the subject of course maps. It you get one, even one day ahead of time, give that crew a big thank you.
When I design a course I really can not put out a course map ahead of time because it always changes.
You have to test run it for safety and flow. And a lot of the time, the sketch simply does not work well it the real world.

[Loren]

You have to test run it for safety and flow. And a lot of the time, the sketch simply does not work well it the real world.

This is why we have experienced folks review the course map beforehand. We still end up making minor tweaks, but very rarely is it anything that "invalidates" the map. Moving a gate or a slalom cone a couple feet one way or the other, adding pointers, little things like that don't really diminish the effectiveness of the map. As long as you don't add or remove elements, the map is still good.

Maps make novice (and not-so-novice) instruction a lot easier, even if the map isn't completely accurate. To be able to point to the map and say "you can make some improvement right here" rather than relying on the driver's memory and your ability to describe where the turn in question is, that in itself makes a pre-printed map worthwhile.

[shakedown067]

Never really thought about it being a luxury to have the course map ahead of schedule but it's nice to know. I may try to refrain from looking at the map before the event. Of course there is a big reason why I like doing course setup...you get to really study it before you even first walk the course. 8)

[Alexis]

Begging is not attractive. quote]

Neither is teasing us Yellow_Colorz_PDT_06

Not gonna touch that with a 10 ft pole Yellow_Colorz_PDT_43

Thanks, Jamie. I attacked my course design with a vengeance. I knew what I wanted. Regardless, it's going to be a fun course. Getting it 2 weeks ahead of time is a massive luxury.