Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track SVT Focus kicked tail (out?) at Detroit Memorial Day autocross

OK, you guys have been holding out on me. Maybe it was the embarrassment of losing to both an SVT Focus and a couple of Grand Am drivers, but I see Detroit region ratted you out by finally posting the tell-tale results of the Memorial Day Detroit autocross.

The SVT Focus dominated the G Stock-Street tire category and no SVT Contour in any of the classes was even close. The SVT Focus time, with probably a ringer driver from Ford, beat the second place Protege MP3 by 1.4 seconds, and rest of the field by 2 seconds and more. It's 95.656 time compared favorably to National driver Steve Couture's Neon ACR time of 90.711. When you apply the "3 second per minute course" rule for autocross tires, the Foci would have been 4.5 seconds faster had it worn race rubber. That still would have left it about a half second shy of Couture, which ain't bad on such a long course.

Of course, I could not resist "bench racing" and applying times of Todras and Steve Grzesiak (screen name?) as the benchmark. They were both consistent between results at SZ and Detroit. Their times led me to project an averaged time of 96.179 if I had run. Or if I use Couture's time instead, it yields 95.051. Adding more comparison using Super Stock Corvette drivers Bill Rietow compared to Mark Sipe (finished 13th and 10th respectively at 2001 Nationals)and then applying that ratio between me and Sipe, yields a 92.477 time with autocross tires.

Oh well, back to drawing board...actually going to negotiate a price on a stripped 5-speed 3.5SE Altima RIGHT NOW!! Wish me luck. It may or may not be faster than the SVT Contour for autocrossing, but I guess we will find out. I just can't picture myself driving a Neon ACR or Celica GT, and all the D Stock contenders are either too expensive (IS 300,330i,S4), or too small (WRX/RSX-S), or too old (Integra Type R).

yes, it's that damn good

I Google-searched using the SVT Focus driver's name and SCCA and found out he finished 4th in 99 at a Divisional event driving a 96 Mustang Mystic so there may be a Ford connection.

I test-drove a stripped Altima 3.5SE yesterday and found it very comfortable, almost too comfortable for my tastes, but it feels no bigger than the Contour which is nearly identical in width, but has a 4 inch shorter wheelbase. Even the automatic feels as fast as the SVT Contour, although I definitely could see why there was a Car & Driver road-test lag between 0-60 time and 5-60 time.

The car comes with impressive standard features that include A/C, power windows, locks, mirrors, driver seat, cruise, and trip computer. It has a huge back seat and trunk which is a big plus and has a 20 gallon fuel tank which may contribute to the higher curb weight. I did not corner it hard, and feel that the 17 X 7" wheels when mounted with 225/45 or 235/45 good tires will stick much better than the stock 215/55 Bridgestone Turanzas.

I signed on the bottom-line, awaiting delivery on Monday of the 5 speed from Jacksonville, FL. I will believe it when I see it, but overall, without a trade-in, it was the easiest car purchase experience I ever had. I knew the salesman already, but the sales manager was a good guy, too. Price was around $22,080 plus tax for a financed $23,100 for 5 years at 5.25% through my credit union. My daughter inherits the SVT Contour so she can soon start working in my store when she gets her license in a month. So I guess I will soon be "driven" and joining "Creature" over on the Altima boards as well as here.

Sorry, I can't make the National Event in Dallas. I know you all will have a great time.

What was the SVT Focus driver's name?

Keith Knudsen, I'll post website for results in a second.
http://www.detroit-scca.org/schedule.asp?pg=1

I just wanted to add a few things to this thread. What those statistics don't show is the course layout. This course was huge, and really did not lend itself to the Contour. From my experience, our car handles 90s well, but 180s poorly. Transitions are a bit slow, too. It does go like stink and brake very well. The focus, on the other hand is very nimble, and seemed to thrive on this course. In no way am I trying to detract from the great showing Keith put on, and I congratulate him on his well earned victory. I just wanted to point out something the results can't relate to one who was not in attendance.

On a side note, I am going to cry about that event. I hit a deer on the way to this event and pretty much annihilated my car. It wasn't totalled, but it did nearly $7000 in damage. Needless to say, I was not driving my car in the event. I was given the keys to a 95 Nissan 200SX SE-R, and let loose on the course. As you can see by my times, I put in a piss poor showing. While the SE-R is a great car, it handles nothing like a 'tour. I beaned cones and DNFed all day long. I think my vision was skewed when I was beaten in the face with the airbag. Basically, I just drove very poorly that day.

Wow, Mark. Sorry to hear about the car. I noted your 2 preliminary DNFs and the 99 second time with some cones, that forced you to settle for the slower clean time. Great job in a car you never drove before. But I think it also illustrates what Larry MacLeod already knows. His 200SX finished 20th at Nationals in E Stock and would fare even more poorly in the new combined class. The car probably belongs in H Stock.

As for results not being transferable, you will note I compared using two other SVT Contour drivers. When you use the methodology I illustrated earlier in another post, dividing the longer time on this course vs, the shorter time on the SZ course for both Todras (who drove very well BTW, a respectable 10th out of 27) and Grziak and multiply that figure by my SZ time it creates an apples to apples comparison. Surely you don't believe that a one second margin of advantage on a 24 second course equals a one second advantage on a 96 second course. Note that the Detroit area course was exactly 4 times longer (timewise) meaning a 1 second advantage equates to a 4 second advantage on the longer course.

I agree with your central premise that there is not yet conclusive proof that the SVT Focus is that much faster (if any) than the SVT Contour. I found another Divisional event where Knudsen finished 2nd behind Chris Lindberg, and exceptional autocrosser who drives Cobras and Bullit Mustangs exceptionally well...and works for Ford. Knudsen is an exceptional driver if he could get as close as he did to Lindberg at the Divisional. BTW, I attended Divisional events at Sebring, FL, Road Atlanta, Talladega, Macon Georgia and here in Ozark over the years...so I think I'm a bit familiar with long courses and strong competition. Whether the first and third in the Southeast Division in two different cars was earned in more than just points is debatable. What is true, is that I am consistently fast on every course I ever run on. Maybe I'm not a National caliber competitor yet or ever. But I don't draw inaccurate or unfounded conclusions about my driving ability. I can walk the walk, and have the ego to prove it. I need G.H. Sharp to visit Wiregrass Region and give me the butt whoopin I deserve.

EDIT: Oooops, as they used to say on Saturday Night Live, "Never mind." I took The Mark's last sentence in the first paragraph in his post above mine out of context. I thought he was saying that you cannot relate results from one event to another. I now see the correct context and apologize for getting a tad miffed.