Re: i've got a bit to learn...

[audidudi@delphi.com (Jeffrey J. Goggin)]

>Having never partaken in such an event, I deferred to Jeff's suggestions on
>run group (there appears to be some choice.)

Normally, the local chapter offers a novice class for people who have run
less than 3 events but didn't for this event since it wasn't part of a series.  

>The track had a 90 degree right turn to enter (get to 2nd gear, keep it
>there), with the start lights after this first turn.  on the gas,
>immediately hit another 90 degree rt turn,

If you did it right, there was only *one* 90 degree rt turn here... ;^)

>Three runs total, about 6 run groups with as many as 22 or so cars.  Jeff
>likely took GS with a 41.645, within striking distance of SS (Corvettes, 8
>cyl Camaros & Firebirds) in the 40-41 second range.

It looks like I ended up 3rd in the Pro class (indexed using the PAX factors
to handicap the various classes) and 3rd overall out of 110+ cars ... not
too bad but not my best, I'm afraid.  Driving at night -- even under lights
-- makes Solo II a real adventure!

>TTON was a National Champ driven-440 with a lawnmower engine and rubber
donuts for a
>suspension, at 34+seconds.   (my times not to be discussed, though under 50
seconds).

The "lawnmower engine" is actually a highly tuned snowmobile engine and the
car is an F-440 ... Chuck Voboril won his class at the National Championship
last year and looks to be the favorite again this year.  There's a lot of
trick stuff on this car even though it's pretty crude by comparision to
other formula cars because of the class rules...

BTW, Linus is too modest about his times ... he was WELL under 50 seconds as
I recall his best was in the mid 46's.  He appeared to have a good grasp of
the line but needed to put his foot in it a bit more ... I suspect he was
just being kind because it wasn't his car.  :^)

>Comparison with club track days:  Unlike a road course, you can't practice
>for each corner--those three runs are it to get it right!  The transitions
>are much quicker from one corner to the next and everything happens much
>quicker than on the track.  Great bang-for-the-buck:  For $25, you can't
>have this much (legal) fun in a car!

Because of the extra cost of renting construction lights, the entry fee for
this event was $25 ($20 if you entered by mail instead of at the site).
Normally, our local entry fee is $15 and you often get four runs instead of
three ... time-only entries are also available for $10 extra and "fun runs"
are often available after the event is over for $1 each.  Generally, $25
will get you anywhere from 6 to 8 runs instead of just three ... also,
during day events, courses tend to run in the 60-second range.
Unfortunately, the need to light the course with just four lights kind of
limits that at night...

If anyone would like more info about autocrossing, check out my piece for
Audicar at www.audicar.com or get in touch with me directly...
______________________________________________________________________
    _                _
   / |      _| o    | \       _| o   Jeffrey Goggin
  /__| | | / | | __ |  | | | / | |   audidudi@delphi.com
 /   | |_| \_| |    |_/  |_| \_| |   http://people.delphi.com/audidudi
______________________________________________________________________