FAST Duel 2015! Feb 28 @ Brooksville

[Loren]

It's time to start talking up Duel 2015!

Register Here!

For those who haven't done a FAST Duel, here's the deal in a nutshell:
A standard autocross course = a complete circuit. For the Duel, there are two starting lines, a half-course apart. Two drivers, no clocks. First one to reach their finish wins!

We've been doing this event for years under a few different names. Most recently, it's been called the FAST Duel, a name we're rather fond of. This year's Duel will be run just like the last one, except for the course. The event is run as a double-elimination tournament with groups of 8 drivers based loosely on their FAST classing. (some classes may be grouped together with the slower-classed cars being handicapped, and if there are large classes, they may be split)

Why do we call it a Duel? Well, historically, we always seeded the tournament grids with drivers based on their prior performance. That works well, but I had another fun idea. Why do WE need to create the grid at all? Why not just produce a seeded list for each bracket and then give the bottom-seeded driver his choice of opponents? And thus the "FAST Duel" was born! The lower-seeded drivers get to "challenge" their opponent to a duel! (and you can be as dramatic about that as you wish!)

You can dig around on the forum and find prior Duel event discussions, even some videos. But, what you really need to read are the 2015 FAST DUEL Rules
(this will just give you a good idea of how the whole thing works, and includes a FAQ)

And, of course, here's the new Duel 2015 Course

Now, much like the Endurocross, a good Duel tournament takes a lot of extra time and is a pretty inefficient way to do an autocross event. For that reason, it has to be a limited entry event. In this case, the entry limit will be 48 drivers. This event also requires a certain degree of autocross experience, since you'll be sharing the course with another car. So, novices are not permitted. For this event, "novice" means less than 3 prior autocrosses.

Due to the limited entry, and included event t-shirt, the driver entry fee for this event will be $63. You'll get a minimum of 3 practice runs, and 3 competition runs... and a bunch more if you're WINNING! And you'll get the unique experience of head-to-head no-clocks autocross, there's nothing else like it. And, of course, the World Famous FAST Lunch!

Limited edition FAST Duel 2015 shirts can also be ordered by event guests or even people who aren't attending. But, they must be ordered before Feb 20.

So there ya go. Get registered!

[twistedwankel]

what no guns?

[Loren]

More importantly, are you registered for the Duel yet?

[twistedwankel]

What? I don't get it.

Prosolo?

[twistedwankel]

What?

[Native]

8 entries?? What kind of Duel is that??? C'mon people!

[Loren]

Well, registration is now open to all experienced drivers. So, get in there and register, people!

[twistedwankel]

Wet t shirt contest?

[Professional_Slacker]

I'm too slow to challenge anyone. Plus I don't think I'd qualify for this anyway.

[aw614]

Would yall feel better if I entered the Crown Vic on AS Firestone wobblers? Or the RX8 with no torque?

I'm open to "co-drives" in FWD cars if yall have one of those?

These events are easily the MOST fun I've ever had with FAST.

You DO KNOW Loren is giving you one complimentary TShirt with that entry fee, right?

The Mayor

Damn, not sure if I am going to make this one, since it'd be three events in three weeks, or I'd be up it.

Been tempted to do one of your challenges by switching cars in the last three runs you posted about, although my RWD driving experience is lacking since I can count the types of rwd cars I've autocrossed during fun runs with one hand lol.

[Loren]

I'm too slow to challenge anyone. Plus I don't think I'd qualify for this anyway.

If you qualify for a Classic event, you qualify for the Duel. 3 events is all it takes.

Don't sell yourself short. You might not win your class (though you could... weird things happen at the Duel), but you can have some good battles and see how far you get. Winning is always nice, but this is about the experience.

And it's not like you'll be competing against the fastest guy in your class at the beginning. We create a seeded list of drivers for each class (or group... sometimes small classes are combined and large classes split... 8-car brackets) and the LOWEST seeds get to choose their opponents. So, if you're a low seed, you pick another low seed and you have a good chance at advancing to the next round. That's how it works.

But, even if all you did were practice rounds, the Duel is FUN! You look across the course at the starting line and SEE your opponent. No clocks, no looking at time sheets and numbers. Just look over there, and there he is looking back at you. When you reach the half-way point, you can look across the course again... and there he is! Is he ahead? Is he behind? It's often hard to tell. Did he hit some cones or go off course somewhere? You just don't know! Come around to the finish... there he is again... and you can see... you might just finish first! Or... maybe it's obvious that you won't? But, you still keep hammering away because you don't know if your opponent coned out or not! You can still win... even if you don't cross the line first. Happens all the time!

That is the Duel.

[rrath]

I'm in, because every race needs some big, slow contenders to beat on! Plus, at least 6 runs, the World Famous FAST Lunch®, but mostly for the shirt.

[Professional_Slacker]

I'm trying to decide.

[img]https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/ ... 9de9eea612[/img]

[twistedwankel]

What? A pro solo?

[Professional_Slacker]

I'm trying to decide.

Bring the one with the automatic!! Launch is as important as lunch.

so bring neither?


6MT does have Launch control, btw.

[Jamie]

That is the Duel.

The other thing about the Duel is that the absolute fastest guy doesn't necessarily win -- the consistently fast guy wins. In a regular event, someone can be all over the place, so long as they pull one good run out of the hat. You can't be that way in head-to-head competition -- make a mistake, and your opponent is past you...you're done. Be consistent and minimize your mistakes, and you'll beat folks (and advance further through the brackets) than you might think.

[Native]

You'll get a minimum of 3 practice runs, and 3 competition runs...

Remind me how this works - in a double-elimination, you run twice and lose twice, you are out. How does that bring 3 minimum competition runs?

[twistedwankel]

okay

[Loren]

You'll get a minimum of 3 practice runs, and 3 competition runs...

Remind me how this works - in a double-elimination, you run twice and lose twice, you are out. How does that bring 3 minimum competition runs?

In an 8-car double-elimination bracket, exactly two drivers will lose their first two and be out. The event will have six 8-car brackets, so this applies to a total of 12 people. Those 12 unlucky "two and out" will get a bonus "bye run" for their last run. We keep those drivers on grid during the final rounds to take their runs in-between the final rounds to allow for cool-down time for cars that need it.

So, they get their runs, and we don't waste time waiting for cars to cool down. Works perfectly!

[Professional_Slacker]

I'm trying to decide.

Bring the one with the automatic!! Launch is as important as lunch.

so bring neither?


6MT does have Launch control, btw.

So you can sit there and bounce it off a lowered launch rev limiter until you drop the clutch? Fancy. I fully intend to bring a stick (+ intuition of arm drop) now too but my 86AOD Stang was wicked fast at Duels - especially when given a car length staggered start from the faster cars as there was no slop in the driveline on startup.

basically that's how it works. you engage the launch control mode, mash the gas to the floor and hold it there. the car revs to about 6700rpm and holds. then dump the clutch and hold on to your lunch. 0-60 in under 4 seconds, and 0-120 in under 12. 100-0 in under 100ft.