Da Groj

What, no post-event thread? Slackers!

Results are up: (they were posted before awards were handed out, I just forgot to tell anybody)
http://drivefast.org/results/results-archive/

This event was a resounding success! We'll make a few minor tweaked before we do it again... but we will surely do it again!

Thanks to everyone for coming out, having fun, helping us pack up, and everything else. Where's all the video? Where's all the photos? Where's Phillip's explanation of how he drove my car so freakin' fast?

Here's one of the short videos that I took. Sorry, I put it on Flickr because I don't seem to have the YouTube app on my phone right now. (thought I did... don't feel like messing with it right now!)

Need better video ! I bet it was really fun, glad to hear that it sounded like a success !

What a fun event! I still can't believe I have an FTD sticker Big thanks to Loren for letting me drive his car. It has now spoiled me.

More pictures and video will be coming later today, I decided I would try a bit of editing this time.

I couldn't find any pace in the practice session, I was bad in the first slalom and all over the rev limiter for ~25-30% of the course and every time I tried "3" it felt like it was WAY to tall. Well, as it turned out, my 3rd gear shift was actually a 5th gear shift... I found this out on my second night run by accident

I rode with Josh and noticed how he was doing the first 4 slalom cones a lot better than me. I was lifting in the wrong spot and not keeping close on the left side of the car. I copied him as best I could and it felt fast.

After sorting all that I was deep into 3rd gear and was almost full throttle to the turnaround on my last runs. I lifted a tiny bit at station 2.

When I came to the turnaround on my 29.9 run I hit the brakes just after the cones before station 3. That was the first time I was a little scared driving at an autocross. Actually that was also the fastest I have ever been up to at an autocross. The rear of the car felt like it was on ice. I finished braking at about 15 feet before the apex of the turnaround and let the car roll for a few feet then it was full throttle again.

I lifted a bit but not much in the next section, I did my best to make sure that when the slalom opened up I was on the line so that I won't need to lift. I found the rev limiter again but it didn't matter as I was braking early for the element with the yellow cone wall. I think this is how I made a lot of time. By braking early and hard I was full throttle at the yellow cone wall and stayed that way until finish and I hit the rev limiter again as I crossed the timing lights.

I't is amazing how much fun I had all day, it was the most fun I have ever had at an autocross and that wasn't even including the driving Big thanks to everyone that organized this great event.

Yeah, that was epically cool! Was worried I mounted my camera too low on my helmet, so my videos suck, but here is one from the night edition. Waiting on my day video to process. YouTube is slow today. The car is finally setup they way I like it, so now I've just got to get used to being able to put the hammer down. Left quite a bit out there yesterday. Need more seat time, but I'm working on that.

http://youtu.be/LogtZBYXDvk

https://youtu.be/SE6ZUYUkohM

Was an awesome event, I'm pretty happy with what I was able to lay down. First event in basicly 6 months and first event with the turbo.

I was 6th overall and the only one who I felt shouldn't have beat me was Phillip but I'm sure tons of people were upset by his stellar performance.

Once again Phillip amazing driving yesterday you got mad skills.

Can't wait to see all the pictures and videos from the event.

My fastest day run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_i-vGAKrb70

My fastest night run
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvzwQXfVD4U

And the spin I had on my first run at night, wasn't too happy about it b/c I was just worried where I would end up and if anyone was going to be nearby...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJbwpBLcvgI

Pictures! As with all the pictures I post here, feel free to use them if you like them.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/133057342@N05/K7rRtE

Unfortunately many of the images ( about 2/3s ) didn't turn out but the ones that did work out I think look nice.

This was quite a lot of fun. 'grats to Philip on FTD, and thanks for the photos! Event ran pretty smoothly as far as I can tell. Thanks to all who stayed late to load up and clean up.
Doin' it in the dark:

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

Somebody needs to lay Johnny's jam over a night compilation video!

Oh, wow! Some of those long-exposure shots with the taillight trails are really cool.
Video of Ben's launch in Andy's car.
https://youtu.be/xxDgsIGbzNg

Carracer wrote:Pictures! As with all the pictures I post here, feel free to use them if you like them.
https://www.flickr.com/gp/133057342@N05/K7rRtE

Great photos! Love the long exposure shots.
This one is just fantastic!

As usual, I got my folding chair out and left it. Anyone pick up a blue Coleman folding chair?

I don't know what color it is, but someone told me that a folding chair got stuffed into the trailer.

Loren wrote:I don't know what color it is, but someone told me that a folding chair got stuffed into the trailer.

Cool, hopefully that's mine, it's a pretty nice chair.

I thought it was your chair les, it's in the trailer.

That was a great way to spend an evening. It ranks up there as one of the funnest ways I can think of to enjoy a dark night under the stars.

Philip was on fire! He really put on a show. And he takes awesome photos too? That guy has got some talent.

Thanks to all who worked this event. The course workers did a great job and really stepped up to task after dark. Everyone that stayed and helped load the trailer gets two thumbs up as well.

Looking forward to seeing everyone in a couple weeks at Tampa Bay Downs. Rock on!

Loren wrote:Where's Phillip's explanation of how he drove my car so freakin' fast?

I've ridden with Philip in my borrowed car. He drives until the passenger's balls scrape the pavement. His balls never leave his hand.

Yah, Phillip. Balls-deep. Seriously, fantastic driving Phillip, and the tail-light photos are most excellent (all the pix are, but particularly those).

Big thanks from me to Andy, John, Brian, Ron, Ben and several others who either helped or offered to when my car croaked. A T off the thermostat housing gave way, which was repaired onsite the next day:
There's six different fittings there - Rube Goldberg can eat his heart out! Made it all the way back to St. Pete and didn't leak a drop.


As for the event, smooth as smooth can be. Fantastic cooperation from everyone, the course was marvelous - one of my favorites in a long time (and driving it in John's car, even on "plain ol' tires" was a joy - wonderful car John)! The night aspect worked out pretty much as planned - very pleased overall!

Great to see the event went well. I would have loved to be part of the inaugural event but had company in town from the UK all week. Back to normal now and looking forward to getting back in action at Tampa Bay Downs next weekend. Maybe I should do a run with my eyes closed to make up for missing the night event
Hopefully my calendar won't be so crazy next time we do a night event so I can join in the fun.

Dan