Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches Northeast Finger Lakes, NY autocross school

Just registered for the school. Should be a blast. I'll be there in my T-red Contour, along with my cousin in a primer black old Miata. We're looking forward to it. Be the first time doing Solo type stuff in the Contour SVT, but not the first time doing Solo. Can't wait to see the purpose built LX!

Unfortunately, I have been called to work some overtime and can't make it this weekend. I'll be racing at Binghamton University next weekend, which should be a good site. Sorry I can't come out, but I just started this job and I have to do what I have to do, you know? At least I'm getting time and a half so I can get some new tires this year

Have fun, and take pics! If you've never run at Sampson, you're in for a treat.

So, school was awesome. It was freezing cold, but it didn't rain more than a few drops the whole day. Still managed to catch a nasty cold, that wind never stopped blowing. But the school was great, there was tech, and then about 45 minutes of instruction, then we started drills.

First drill was threshold braking, not much fun in an ABS equipped car, but worth the time to work on the pedal feel right at the edge. Next was the emergency lane change drill, that was a little more exciting, I found that I could drive in incredibly deep, very little braking, and just flick through, the Contour was real good at gathering itself up after the hard steering inputs.

Third was the skidpad test, roughly a 45 diameter circle which we would make a constant turn around, finding how much speed we could get away with before introducing understeer. The Contour defitnely has a nice lift-throttle oversteer, subtle, but available if you overdrive something a little. I, of course, only made left hand circuits, I didn't wanna take a chance on the oiling high-g right turn problem, even with an extra quart in the motor.

The last drill was the slalom. This was where the contour really surprised, it was very composed and quick through the slalom, my instructor even complimented the car, he was surprised when I told him it was all original factory suspension, just new springs a few weeks ago. Even when I'd start to accumulate too much speed, I could get back on the throttle some, and the rear end would play a little, but come back in line pretty readily.

After the drills, we put them all together in a course, that was a lot of fun. It was pretty fast too, there was a section where third gear was required for about 3-5 seconds. Lift throttle oversteer is much more prevalent at those higher speeds, but again, was desirable, and very nice and controlable.

It was a great school, the instructors were all very knowledgeable, and there was LOTs of seat time, as there was an instructor for every two cars. There was a new Subaru Legacy GT with full suspension and bolt-ons there, what a fast car. All, there was a purpose built '70 Chevelle, that was fun to watch. One girl even showed up in a rented Hundyia Sonata and pounded the piss out of it. It was a fun day, even saw three albino deer roaming the army base on the way in... that was a bit freaky.

The albino deer are almost always out there... We have a cottage probably 20 min from the army base and see them all the time... I would've been there if I didn't have to work...