*TAPS* - Dog Track perfection - 11/3/18

[JasonS]

This course was fantastic. Hats off to Lauren for an awesome design/layout. Super fun and challenging. The "mini-corkscrew" was possibly the most fun single element I have driven. The weather was perfection, the people were awesome, and lunch was killer (THANKS SALLY!)

First time on my new RE-71s and wholly molly why did I wait. They feel so much more responsive than the rs4s. Can't wait to get them to Brooksville, with the addition of some much needed camber. This was my best result ever. Gotta love all-wheel drive at the dogtrack. Drew said he never got past half throttle, I was flat all over the place.. He still beat me

[markzeronine]

Great job Jason, too bad Drew did so well, kind of kills my no grip excuse. I'll still humble brag on my daily on Randy's old tires that I believe he was ready to throw away haha.

That course was so much fun, I could only imagine it would be perfection if it was clean.. oh well unfortunately we'll never know.

It does have me curious though, with one more of our regular locations gone and planes closing in on a breaking up brooksville runway, what will our future bay area autocross look like??

[Loren]

It does have me curious though, with one more of our regular locations gone and planes closing in on a breaking up brooksville runway, what will our future bay area autocross look like??

That's a damned good question. We keep batting around the idea of trying to buy/build an autocross facility. But, it takes a ton of money to do that. How much would you contribute?

Thanks for coming out and enjoying our last event at Tampa Greyhound Track! Great event all-around, but I'd by lying if I didn't say that every single event we've ever done there has made me nervous. And somebody nearly taking out the START lights on the 4th run of the day didn't help that feeling. But, it all worked out.

Results are up on the website, of course.

[JasonS]

I'd by lying if I didn't say that every single event we've ever done there has made me nervous. And somebody nearly taking out the START lights on the 4th run of the day didn't help that feeling.

I was sitting at the starting line when that happened. It definitely wasn't the most comfortable I've ever been seeing that car slide at me, especially with Dan B. in my passenger seat. Almost told him to remove his bad juju from my car...

[CaptainSquirts]

Damn Jason impressive. So what's the difference from the rs4 to the 71s?

[JasonS]

Better response for sure. Not sure on overall grip since it was the dogtrack. Then again, never been that close to ftd anywhere so...

[aw614]

I had a fun time with today's course, and really enjoy the lower grip level sites. It really changes how you have to approach things. I had issues on my first few runs not looking ahead and reacting late which hurt my time, but nailed a 33.205 for 3rd in M3 on my last run. It was interesting braking before the turn around, feeling like the car wouldn't stop, nor feeling like it would turn...

Looking at my videos from trackaddict and the 10hz gps receiver, it was interesting to see where I lost speed and where I gained speed, if the GPS was to be believed, somehow I was 5mph faster going to the pin cone area vs my second fastest run and the video also showed I was able to brake and complete the turn around much tighter and held my speed. I need to see if I can use the CAN outputs from my ECU to log instead of relying on GPS, since I no longer have OBD2 on my car.

Posted the gopro video on facebook, so I'll post the one with the GPS data. Excuse the course map on the video, somehow it thought I finished the course much earlier
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IW8gVSipaVM

Also I took some pictures of run group 2 today, here is the flickr link
https://www.flickr.com/photos/7995180@N ... 9923739932

[AScoda]

This site will surely be missed for it's "vast expanses of uber grippy real estate."

The grip level was "tremendous," which made the car "very controllable." So I was able to "put the power down" at any time. The "nice new asphalt" allows for a "wide variety of driving lines." I felt "very confident" mashing the throttle in the short straights.
As is probably a common theme, I have a love/hate relationship with this site. I typically finish well, but the day is almost always frustrating.

Fare well Dog track lot. You hurt so good.

[Native]

^^^

[ImpostorDan]

Whose cutting onions?

Actually, I'm going to completely miss that site and the antics had there. Today's course was really fun, was a good, but busy, day.

[Jamie]

It does have me curious though, with one more of our regular locations gone and planes closing in on a breaking up brooksville runway, what will our future bay area autocross look like??

That's a damned good question. We keep batting around the idea of trying to buy/build an autocross facility. But, it takes a ton of money to do that. How much would you contribute?

Made a dedicated topic for this...it's a deep subject with lots of history beyond just Tampa.

[JasonS]

I'm working on my photos from the event and have noticed a theme. A LOT of people have the ol' tongue out. Think I have counted 10 so far. I find that pretty entertaining.

Evidence will be up soon.

[Kshader]

Sucks to see a venue like this go. Low grip plus elevation change to upset the car makes this place a blast to drive, but with nearby curbs I can see as an organizer how it would be a little nerve-racking to host such an event. I say we do an “all-seasons only” event once a year at Brooksville so we can get our low grip fix

[280z-hab]

This was a really fun event as always. Well organized and executed really well. I had a buddy show up and he is going to get involved with FAST, probably at the next open in December. I had a great time and my new tires are really giving me a lot of confidence to put the Z into turns that I never would have thought possible.

But I was working the course on Station 3 during the first run group and saw so many really fast drivers do "the wiggle" at the two cones. There were a few stand-outs I tried to emulate. But I still couldnt figure out where I wanted to break, but ended up standing on them (no ABS) at the last cone in the wall and jumping back on the gas ham-foot style through the finish. Fun fun courses, 15 minutes from my house, and I will miss this site.

Thanks for the pictures, Andrew. I will pass a few of them on to the first and second owners of the Z...they always get a kick out of seeing how the car was brought back to life and in "retirement" in Florida!

[Native]

I'm really glad to hear that folks enjoyed the event and the site - it is nice to do something a little different now and then. And I'm sure that if something changes and the Downs decides to lease to us again, we'll be there, but I won't miss the site.

Big thank you's to everyone who helped and participated. Especially Sally for coordinating the awesome lunch, and to the crew who packed the trailer. Not one thing shifted on the way home!

And codriver-Bill - well done, sir! Kicked my butt and into the top 20.

[JasonS]

https://www.flickr.com/photos/134065939 ... 3199618895

PICTURES

Lots of photos but just the second run group and some randoms. Some edited some not.

[mymomswagon]

Loved the dog track change of pace but then... the curbs and unexpected guests.

Another event where my best run was my smoothest.

Thanks to all who made this a fun one

[markzeronine]

Thanks Jason!

[Carracer]

A great send off. PICTURES, Run groups 2, 3 and a little bit of 1.
https://flic.kr/s/aHskLKWjgU

Also, I think this might be the most documented event we have had in years. We have pictures from Jason, Andrew, myself and can't forget that small film crew.

[Carracer]

My best video of from the event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKT8YGlQePI
Couldn't figure out why I couldn't find more time but after watching the videos I just don't think I had the diff or the power to get much faster.