Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track My first event of the season...

Well, that's my excuse for my pitiful performance. Dead last in STS, and not by a narrow margin, either.

OK, so it's only my third event, ever, but come on.

Some observations:

This guy shows up in his brand new Sentra Spec V, for his first ever autocross, and kicks butt. Don't underestimate this car.

The course was pretty fun, with a couple of tight turns followed by fast sections, which meant that speed carried in paid off on corner exit. Torque was also a plus. My fastest run was the one where I discovered my shifter. Even biffing a couple of shifts, I knocked significant time off of the previous run. Definitely a skill to be explored further.

I experienced the dreaded TC ball-and-chain on my fourth run. Exiting a 180 followed by a sweeping left into a long straight, the left front tire lifted... I'm not sure, but I think the computer applied brakes and cut gas. It felt like a bog, but I'm pretty sure I had the revs right. I'm still reluctant to turn it off, though, because I'm worried about damage to the drivetrain caused by my abrupt technique. If I had taken that turn correctly, the TC would not have activated. If I'd had it off, the effect would have been similar, I think, if not worse, since the left tire would have been up there spinning. Of course, recovery might have been quicker. The problem wasn't activation of the TC, but the lingering application of its corrective measures after they had served their purpose.

Oh well, enough of my drivel. Just excited, and needed to tell the "There I was..."

And so was I. I didn't race, but I was there to cheer Roger on. I even got some video of his runs. Don't listen to him, it wasn't that bad!

Hopefully I'll have my 'Tour up before the next race! It looks like way too much fun.

I beat one by nearly 5 seconds on a .9 mile course at the last Auto-X. (my 75.1 to his 79.9)

We were both STS class.

I'm not too worried at all

Glad you had fun. It is a blast isn't it...

The best advice I can give you is to be smooth! Smooth & steady beats fast & powerful 9 out of 10 times.

A Spec V should have been in STX. In any case, this guy did really well. And you know what they say about the driver... Hmmm. Maybe I was driving the one you beat.

I don't know if smooth is my problem. Well, that's part of it. Anyway, people talk about going slow to go fast, but I just seem to go slow. Like I'm too tentative. I mean, 3 events and not one cone? Something tells me I'm far from the limit.

It's also very difficult to evaluate from inside the car. I mean, when I'm working the course, or watching, I can recognize when somebody is "on," but from inside the car, I have no idea. Shifty's tape should help. Learning in progress, here.

Hmmm. Hey Demon, any chance you'd wanna come to Kansas and coach me?

RogerB,
I see you are from Wichita, are you going to attend the Solotime Divisional event in Salina on June 29/30? I'll be there in the Miata running SM2. My local nemesis will be there in his turbo'd Miata so I'll get my butt kicked on concrete. :rolleyes:

Respectfully,
Andy Hohl

That's the MiDiv event? Or something else?

Either way, I guess it's a "no." June is pretty full already. This event on the 9th was a gift, since it happened to have moved from its original date, to one that worked for me.

I'd love to run up to a Div or Nats, one of these times, even if just to watch. Kind of tough, though, with weekends already so precious.

Good luck.