The Old Girl can dance

[Kent McLean]

Well, a slow dance, but she dances just the same.

Thanks to Lee Levitt and Jim McElroy for announcing the SCCNH's
autocross and Audi Challenge today at NHIS in Loudon Cow Hampshire.
It was only 10 miles from my apartment, so I just had to go. There's a
first time for everything. My only concern was breaking something on
my 200TQ and having to call AAA.

I got there early, registered ($25 for non-members) and walked the
course 4 times before running it. At the drivers' meeting, they explained
that each run was two laps. All right. There were two rules. 1) Have fun.
2) No belly aching. This is my kind of autocross.

I was in the first group, the Audi group. I borrowed a too-small helmet
that hit the roof. Sucked it up. At the starting line. 3-2-1 Go!. The
course was tight and narrow. My 200 TQ seemed so big. But I managed
to work my way through it. I used only first gear the first lap, and
managed 2nd gear twice in the second lap. I didn't hit a cone. I was
quite pleased with my slow self.

Soon after I finished, the runs stopped and a long caravan of cars went
out to parade around. During the lull in action, I asked the time keeper
how I did.  "You DNF'd. You went off course too many times." Huh? I
thought I was perfect. Went out on the course to talk with the corner
workers. "Oh, yeah. You came out of the first turn and missed three
gates."  I missed a few others later in the course.  So many others did
the same thing that they let them drive the course. I missed that part;
I was parking my car after my run.

Second run of the day was much better. I stayed on course. Time:
2:28.70. That's an awful lot of driving. I was disappointed we only got
in two runs, but I've seen reports of other courses that might have
three runs of 45 seconds each. So time-wise I was ahead of the game.

I spent about 6 hours at the course. For 5 minutes of running. But
there was lots of sociallizing. Met Lee with his S6 Avant, a guy from
Vermont with a black '91 200 TQ Avant (Dave?) who was also a first
timer, and a guy from Portland Maine (sorry, didn't catch his name)
that was running a 2001 Jetta 1.8T. The Blethens were out in force
with their stable of Audis. And it was fun to see a Porsche 914 with
a big V8 in its tail, an old Datsun 510 that ran very well, an ugly Chevy
Blazer (!) that ran like stink and sounded great, plus a gaggle of
Hondas and Miatas.

I had a great time. Unfortunately, it was the last autocross of the
season.  Some of the drivers said that there are ice races on Newfound
Lake in the winter. I can't wait for the cold and snow. (Did I say that?)

Autocrossing a Type 44 -- try it, you'll like it. Just don't expect to
win anything. At least, not if you drive like me.

Kent McLean
'89 200 TQ, "Bad Puppy", "#105"