AUTOCROSS!!! Points Event Number #3 May 18, 2008

[magilson]

^^^ Well said. IMO it was the the best course I've driven all year (even though I really liked Jim's at event 1 and the last one that Chris made.)

I wouldn't mind you being the official course designer

If I'm going to third on the course it means it was faster than recommended by the SCCA. We did it on the Mid-Div lot which is huge, but on ours I think we'll need to be careful with that kind of speed. Other than that it was a lot of fun!

[The Huff]

I too, thought it was the best so far. I loved the higher speeds. It would have been even better if 3 ridiculously fast guys in ESP would have stayed home. Then I would have taken first in ESP:evil: LOL Thanks for the ride Opie, That was the biggest rush I have had in a long time.

[Ironhead]

Speaking of ride alongs.... does anybody know who rode with me on one of my later runs?

He was pounding the imaginary passenger brake pedal quite vigorously, especially in both directions through the fast backside slalom.

His foot flailings were sufficiently frenetic that I almost aborted the run, thinking perhaps a rather large arachnid had taken up residence under my right side floor mat.

[JimR]

I think everyone knows my opinion on pivot cones because I complain everytime I see one on a site wide enough to accomodate a more graceful 180 degree direction change. They're painful in many cars, and don't reward much skill or line choice beyond a well-executed downshift to first and use of shortest distance. That, and they're a course element that unbalances classes where relatively competitive cars have completely different power/drivetrain configurations.

That said, I was thoroughly entertained by all the rest. The Ducks moonscape is a hard place to lay down variety and fun stuff anymore, and that was fresh and fun.

It was also essential seat time for the Salinas and Newports of the Solo world. Both the MiDivs this year, too. SSS may balk at the speeds, but you won't go anywhere but backwards unless you learn eyes-forward, slow-hands driving in high-speed transition. I will also take the shifting exercises. I had gotten complacent left-foot-braking cars that rarely run out of second, and recently had to get up to speed mentally to dance the pedals on shift-happy cars like the MR2 and six-speed Miata on third-gear courses.

[budweeks]

That is hilarious. When I took driver's training in 9th grade, the car I used actually had a passenger side brake pedal. As I remember, it was only used once when I missed a stop sign. Good thing your car doesn't have one. Good thing my car doesn't either because my wife would use it from time to time.

Bud

[JimR]

My driver's ed coach was a coach, and the passenger side pedal was in full effect on our awful, awful Buick.

Mainly because he was busy chomping sunflower seeds and reading the sports page of the newspaper, and would forget to take his foot off the passenger brake.

For the uninitiated, a ride on an autocross run is pretty intense and confusing. New passengers are either scared or amused that we can offer color commentary at speed.

Me: "Whoops, a little late on the brakes there. We'll ease back on the throttle..."
Passenger: [death]