first auto-x.....

[glen.powell@smc.com]

  Well, ran my first (of the '95 season) autocross last Sunday
  at Sam's Club in Concord NH, sponsored by SCCNH,
  Sports Car Club of New Hampshire. Classing is radically
  different from what I know with SCCA. The primary parameter
  is tires, compound and size, not HP/Lbs and chassis/engine,
  like in SCCA. The '84 4000Q moved from the "slowest" SCCA
  class, H Stock, to the fastest SCCNH class, M1, based on the
  fact that I had RSIIs in 205-55-14. All non-OEM-type compound
  tired-cars go into Modified classes, 70s in M3, 60s in M2 and
  50s, including 55s in M1. So I moved from the "slowest" class
  into the "fastest" class, without the benefit of any modification
  whatsoever! It was an interesting day to say the least!
  I ended up competing against RX7s, MR2s and BMWs
  instead of the usual overweight sedans and Celicas, etc.

  Times were running in the 46-50 second range for most
  cars on the small, tight, two-lap parking-lot course.
  I improved steadily after my long absence from a high 45.x
  on my first run down to a 45.07 on my third. Competition was
  close when I finally checked my times for the first time after
  my third run. I managed a 44.70 on my fourth and was VERY
  pleased with the >0.3 sec improvement over my third run.
  Oh, picked up two cones on that first run too.

  I was shown-up by a BMW 325iX, only to find out that he
  had a Dinan turbo kit worth 300HP to my measly 115HP.
  This BMW was way cool! Not only was it AWD and
  turbo-powered, it sported a 'glass M3 body kit as well.
  Definitely the ur-Quattro wannahbee of BMWs!
  Pretty sharp car and well driven. As it turns out, the guy
  that beat me was not the owner, he was driving a
  Formula open-wheel car and drove the bimmer as
  a second car. He also took FTD in the bimmer, besting
  his time the Formula car! So the guest BMW driver took
  1st in M1 and FTD in the Dinan-turbo-M3-body-kitted-325iX,
  I took second in M1 and the owner of the bimmer
  took third. All in all a very rewarding and fun first event
  of the non-season for me.

  SCCA will be running an event at NH Voc Tech in Concord
  on Sunday, July 30th. I'll be running this event as well,
  though I might bring the Blue Dinosaur ('73 RA-IV 455HO T/A)
  out of hibernation and give it a try, depends on the weather.....

  :)

  JHFN       (just havin' *FUN* now),

  -glen