Spring Nationals - May 25-28
Spring Nationals has come and gone, and what an event it was. A whirlwind of seat time, wrench time, and time spent with friends. There are two things that stuck with me, after the event was over. One is related to driving. The other, more important one, is not.
First, in relation to driving, while I feel I am making progress in the car, I am still over-driving. I need to slow down some. Or rather, need things to slow things down in the car some. I am not looking far enough ahead, which is causing me to carry too much speed into the corners, which causes me to get on the gas late, which causes... well, you get the idea. I had a sneaking suspicion that this was the case, during the past few events. However, due to their fast and flowing nature, it was hard to be sure. The somewhat tighter courses during the Tour really brought it to light, though, in my mind. Simple fix? Other than seat time, none really. Just keep driving. Focus on looking ahead, staying smooth, brake early and power out. That being said, I am not that far out. While I don't think any of the top drivers in the class had a really great run, besides Schenker on the East course, my times, in comparison, weren't too bad. Ended up about .5 off of McCabe, and .4 off of Aro. Close enough to feel okay about where I am, with the seat time I have in the car. And the results weren't too bad, either. 3rd place in both the Pro and the Tour, and I paxed a mind blowing 7th for the Tour as well. So, there is work to do on the driving front, but I already knew that was the case. However, I feel I have a better idea about what is holding me back, and how to go about fixing it.
Now we get to the cool story of Spring Nats. The people. Friday afternoon found us looking for a clutch setup, after a hard launch and a misdiagnosis. Matt went to make his first run of the afternoon on Friday, launched the car, and was greeted by a loud crack! That was immediately followed by the motor stalling. Matt tried to re-start it quick to no avail, and decided not to try again, just in case. Car pushed off of course, and to impound, we went through the possible scenarios. Matt got the car running, and tried to get it to move under it's own power, but said right after pick up, the clutch went mushy, and the car failed to move. Thus, we, and a few others came to the conclusion that the clutch was toast. Yay.
We went to work immediately, trying to find some kind of replacement for the 949 twin disk that was in the car. Knowing that we wouldn't find that exact setup, we went about finding some kind of full replacement. After googling, calling, and having friends and loved ones scour our garages for any pieces parts that might work, we had two options: A full on stock setup that John Becker had found, or Bill Schenker's OS Giken setup. That OS Giken setup would set the average joe back about $1500, if they were buying it new. We had no idea what Bill would want for it, so we were set to go the stock route. But, just out of curiosity, we inquired as to what, exactly, Bill would want to take it off his hands. To our surprise, and amazement, nothing. He said he didn't pay anything for it, why should he take money from us!? He simply wanted to see us up and running tomorrow, so we could have a good battle. That, my friends, is what true competition and sportsmanship is about. What a truly great guy. Alas, it was all for naught, as the issue had nothing to do with the clutch. Which we found out AFTER the trans was completely out of the car. At midnight. The issue? Broken half shaft. A job that would take a fraction of the time to fix. Great! Button the car up, and put in the new axle, right? Wrong. No spare axle. Dejected, we closed up shop, and planned to forfeit the next day, so we could put everything back together, find an axle, and repair that actual problem in time for the Tour.
That night, Matt and I concluded that we should work our assignments as scheduled, as we could possibly still trophy, and we didn't want to put an undue burden on the event staff. So, we got up the next morning, went to the site, and went about our work assignments as normal. Shortly after finishing, I got a call from McCabe. Something about Sue had called, Becker was at their shop, and there was no time. What? As Matt and I rolled up to the shop, we see that, minus the trans needing filled, and a few interior pieces needing put back together, the car was done! The trans was back in, axle replaced, and the car was ready to race. Becker had texted Sue at 5 in the morning, letting her know he was on his way with a spare axle, and would fix the car. The car he sold to her, and was no longer racing. He and Bob, Sue's husband, had spent the morning making sure the car would be ready for our morning runs. I don't think John, or Bob, will ever know how awesome I think they are for doing this. As I told them, I owe them a beer or fifty. And probably a steak. I still don't think that would cover it.
So, in the course of one car issue, we had MULTIPLE people go well above and beyond what could ever be expected of them. And do you know what the coolest part of this is? You hear about this type of thing happening all the time. From small local events, to the grand daddy of them all, Nationals, you will hear of someone going out of their way to help another competitor. From offering co-drives when a car breaks, to staying up all night, helping a stranger fix their car. This is grassroots racing at it's best. This is what the solo community is. And this is why this sport is so much more than dodging cones.
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wow, so it has been awhile since I last posted. Honestly, I am terrible at keeping up with this kind of thing, which I am sure that is painfully obvious! This year, however, I feel it might be important. This year is bound to be an exciting, humbling, and immense learning opportunity for me as a driver. Which might prove entertaining for others. No promises, though.
I have switched cars this year, and will be running in a 1994 CSP Mazda Miata. Not just any CSP Miata, however. The Becker/McCabe/Eckles CSP Miata. Yeah, the one that has been driven to multiple National Championships. The one that was featured in Sports Car magazine. The one that John Becker built, from the ground up, into the amazing cone dicing machine that it is. I have always wanted to drive this car. Any time it was offered for a fun run, or for an event for whatever reason, I would jump at the chance. It was like being offered to drive your childhood dream car. I guess I have always looked at this car as the pinnacle of Solo racing. Now, I am not implying that it is the pinnacle of Solo racing, just mine. Then I heard Becker was selling it. I was shocked! But when I learned Sue was buying it, I was quite relieved. The car was staying local. But who was going to drive it? So, after meeting with Sue, here I am, co-driving with two multi-national champions, in a car I have always really, really wanted to drive. Amazing.
Now, after telling you all of that, I must also mention that making the switch wasn't an easy decision. Last year didn't end quite the way I had hoped. I ended up 6th at Nationals, well off the pace on the first day. I just couldn't get there. Not sure why. Lack of confidence in the car. Myself. Not sure. Either way, I didn't drive my best. So the performance was lack luster, to say the least. And to top that off, I was under the impression it was my last event in Bubba. Jon and I were pretty sure Andy and Teressa would be picking him up on their way to his next post, this spring. I walked into the banquet, that final night of Nationals, a bit depressed. Not simply due to my results and that the car would be gone, but what that signified. My co-drive with my best friend was coming to an end. As was running in a class with a bunch of people I have really grown to respect, and enjoy racing against: Kerry Coughlin, Andy Canak, Ian Baker, Darrin Madaffari, David Whitener, and his wife Kim, John Mensch, Hilary Anderson.... The list could, and does, go on. And that was only the group in STS. That doesn't even include the ST crowd! What a fun, and cool, group to race with. I would be leaving all that, behind. It was actually really depressing. Then Andy made the offer. We could drive Bubba again, this year. Wait, what? So now I have to choose between Bubba and the Miata?!
So, there I was. Choosing between a class that I loved, and a car I had longed to drive. A chance at unfinished business, or a new start. It really was a hard decision. It boiled down to not wanting to possibly lose the opportunity to drive the CSP car, if I didn't take it right then. I couldn't risk that. And while the Miata was local, and would always be here, Bubba would not. Also, Jon mentioned he wouldn't be co-driving, either way. He wanted to focus on Rally-X this year. But the final nail in the coffin, was driving the Miata at one of the last auto-x's of the year. It just felt like home. Having started off auto-xing in a Miata (in CSP, then SM2), it just felt right. The decision was made. It was time to make the switch. Thank you, again, Sue.
Fast forward to yesterday, April 22nd. That was my first event in the car on a nationals style/size course. Even though we were on well worn tires, the car simply blew me away. I had become so used to STS speeds, that the CSP car felt like it was capable of warp drive! The speed differential was intense. The smaller events I had done in the car thus far, simply couldn't prepare me for what kind of speeds the car was actually capable of. My first two runs were all "asses and elbows". I was over driving, to put it mildly. I heard there were bets on whether or not I would actually spin the car, at one point. On my 3rd run, however, I managed to smooth it all out, and run a decent time. But I was still off of Matt's pace by about .5 seconds, after he took his 3rd. On my fourth run, I found some extra speed on the back section that he and Sue said I was missing, and was set to put together a really solid run. Then I overcooked the finish, stepping the car way out sideways to the point of needing to back off, losing a bunch of time. Oh, and I had some cones. Either way, first "real" event was now over, and the learning has begun. Seems this will be a trial by fire, as I have only one other event to get acclimated to the car before Spring Nats!
So, there it is. The start... The beginning... And an end. Kind of bittersweet, really. No time to dwell, though. Now it is time to review some video. Need to see what I can learn from the tall alien in the red helmet.
I have switched cars this year, and will be running in a 1994 CSP Mazda Miata. Not just any CSP Miata, however. The Becker/McCabe/Eckles CSP Miata. Yeah, the one that has been driven to multiple National Championships. The one that was featured in Sports Car magazine. The one that John Becker built, from the ground up, into the amazing cone dicing machine that it is. I have always wanted to drive this car. Any time it was offered for a fun run, or for an event for whatever reason, I would jump at the chance. It was like being offered to drive your childhood dream car. I guess I have always looked at this car as the pinnacle of Solo racing. Now, I am not implying that it is the pinnacle of Solo racing, just mine. Then I heard Becker was selling it. I was shocked! But when I learned Sue was buying it, I was quite relieved. The car was staying local. But who was going to drive it? So, after meeting with Sue, here I am, co-driving with two multi-national champions, in a car I have always really, really wanted to drive. Amazing.
Now, after telling you all of that, I must also mention that making the switch wasn't an easy decision. Last year didn't end quite the way I had hoped. I ended up 6th at Nationals, well off the pace on the first day. I just couldn't get there. Not sure why. Lack of confidence in the car. Myself. Not sure. Either way, I didn't drive my best. So the performance was lack luster, to say the least. And to top that off, I was under the impression it was my last event in Bubba. Jon and I were pretty sure Andy and Teressa would be picking him up on their way to his next post, this spring. I walked into the banquet, that final night of Nationals, a bit depressed. Not simply due to my results and that the car would be gone, but what that signified. My co-drive with my best friend was coming to an end. As was running in a class with a bunch of people I have really grown to respect, and enjoy racing against: Kerry Coughlin, Andy Canak, Ian Baker, Darrin Madaffari, David Whitener, and his wife Kim, John Mensch, Hilary Anderson.... The list could, and does, go on. And that was only the group in STS. That doesn't even include the ST crowd! What a fun, and cool, group to race with. I would be leaving all that, behind. It was actually really depressing. Then Andy made the offer. We could drive Bubba again, this year. Wait, what? So now I have to choose between Bubba and the Miata?!
So, there I was. Choosing between a class that I loved, and a car I had longed to drive. A chance at unfinished business, or a new start. It really was a hard decision. It boiled down to not wanting to possibly lose the opportunity to drive the CSP car, if I didn't take it right then. I couldn't risk that. And while the Miata was local, and would always be here, Bubba would not. Also, Jon mentioned he wouldn't be co-driving, either way. He wanted to focus on Rally-X this year. But the final nail in the coffin, was driving the Miata at one of the last auto-x's of the year. It just felt like home. Having started off auto-xing in a Miata (in CSP, then SM2), it just felt right. The decision was made. It was time to make the switch. Thank you, again, Sue.
Fast forward to yesterday, April 22nd. That was my first event in the car on a nationals style/size course. Even though we were on well worn tires, the car simply blew me away. I had become so used to STS speeds, that the CSP car felt like it was capable of warp drive! The speed differential was intense. The smaller events I had done in the car thus far, simply couldn't prepare me for what kind of speeds the car was actually capable of. My first two runs were all "asses and elbows". I was over driving, to put it mildly. I heard there were bets on whether or not I would actually spin the car, at one point. On my 3rd run, however, I managed to smooth it all out, and run a decent time. But I was still off of Matt's pace by about .5 seconds, after he took his 3rd. On my fourth run, I found some extra speed on the back section that he and Sue said I was missing, and was set to put together a really solid run. Then I overcooked the finish, stepping the car way out sideways to the point of needing to back off, losing a bunch of time. Oh, and I had some cones. Either way, first "real" event was now over, and the learning has begun. Seems this will be a trial by fire, as I have only one other event to get acclimated to the car before Spring Nats!
So, there it is. The start... The beginning... And an end. Kind of bittersweet, really. No time to dwell, though. Now it is time to review some video. Need to see what I can learn from the tall alien in the red helmet.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Annd, we're back.
It has been a long time, since I last contributed to my blog. The off season has been slow and cold, but not completely uneventful. Let's get you all up to speed.
GT Academy
I did make it into the top 32 for my region in the GT Academy. I did not, however, make it into the top 8, for the chance to go to Orlando. Which, honestly, didn't surprise me, as there were definitely some quick drivers in that competition. And, from the rumors I have read, some of them were professional racers! The event wasn't all roses, though. It was mired by cheaters and course cutters, that caused numerous course changes, and the cancellation of one round altogether. I think Polyphony learned from this event, and the next Academy here (if there is one) will be a much better contest as whole.
A new CAR!
I hope you read that in Bob Barker's voice. Anyway, I also picked up a new car. It is a 1998 BMW 328is. The intention is for it to be a daily driver that I can run in STX competitively, within the next few years. I have had the car for a couple of months now, and have really enjoyed it thus far. Car came with a bit of work already done, which will save me quite a bit of money and effort in the long run. (I don't have to do the bushings!!! YAY!!) I am hoping to be competitive within the division next year in it, with only a few, slight, mods. Then, maybe, nationally competitive the year after that. Will be a slow, but fun process.
I wanna go FAST!
I took the new car to the first auto-x in the region to get an impression of where the car is at right now, and was quite pleased. My lines weren't perfect and the car was on "High performance" all-seasons, but it was nice to get out again and shake the cobwebs off! Car ran well, and posted much better times than I would have thought with it's current setup. (Only .3 seconds off a well prepped STR S2000 with a pretty good driver!) My good buddy David C. let me me borrow a Go Pro for the event, so I got some video of the car in action.
The season begins for real.
Two weeks later there was a two day event down in KC. Saturday was a test and tune day, and Sunday was the actual event. Time to unleash Bubba. Jon and I loaded Bubba up on a the borrowed trailer (thanks Mark!!!), and headed down early Saturday morning. You could tell the season had officially begun. The "your mom" jokes were flying, I was being my normal, sleep deprived wacky self, and everyone was in high spirits. Man, it was good to be back racing again. Jon and I finally got to ride with each other for the first time since we started running Bubba on Sat., and it was enlightening for both of us I think. We each noticed some things the other could improve on from riding along, as well as from the videos we got (thanks again, David C.!!). Speaking of videos, here is one of my runs from Sat:
Juuuust a bit faster than the BMW, at this point. Ended up paxing 2nd at the test and tune, as well as the event on Sunday. Sunday, I was only .091 off the top pax time! I had two runs that were faster, that would have probably landed me the top pax position, but had a cone on each.
Besides those small things to work on, Jon and I have also learned the value of video at that last event. Thus, we have decided to take some of the race budget, and allot it to getting a Go Pro of our own. I promise those future videos will find their way here, after each event.
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!
This upcoming weekend I am the event chair for our local event. I have the basic course laid out, and it should be a riot! I plan on getting some more runs in Bubba, as well as being the typical "car whore" that being the event chair affords. Hoping we can, once again, borrow a Go Pro to get some more video of Bubba in action, as we won't have ours just yet. Either way, look for an update next week about the event, and a basic calendar of the events we plan on attending this season.
GT Academy
I did make it into the top 32 for my region in the GT Academy. I did not, however, make it into the top 8, for the chance to go to Orlando. Which, honestly, didn't surprise me, as there were definitely some quick drivers in that competition. And, from the rumors I have read, some of them were professional racers! The event wasn't all roses, though. It was mired by cheaters and course cutters, that caused numerous course changes, and the cancellation of one round altogether. I think Polyphony learned from this event, and the next Academy here (if there is one) will be a much better contest as whole.
A new CAR!
I hope you read that in Bob Barker's voice. Anyway, I also picked up a new car. It is a 1998 BMW 328is. The intention is for it to be a daily driver that I can run in STX competitively, within the next few years. I have had the car for a couple of months now, and have really enjoyed it thus far. Car came with a bit of work already done, which will save me quite a bit of money and effort in the long run. (I don't have to do the bushings!!! YAY!!) I am hoping to be competitive within the division next year in it, with only a few, slight, mods. Then, maybe, nationally competitive the year after that. Will be a slow, but fun process.
I wanna go FAST!
I took the new car to the first auto-x in the region to get an impression of where the car is at right now, and was quite pleased. My lines weren't perfect and the car was on "High performance" all-seasons, but it was nice to get out again and shake the cobwebs off! Car ran well, and posted much better times than I would have thought with it's current setup. (Only .3 seconds off a well prepped STR S2000 with a pretty good driver!) My good buddy David C. let me me borrow a Go Pro for the event, so I got some video of the car in action.
The season begins for real.
Two weeks later there was a two day event down in KC. Saturday was a test and tune day, and Sunday was the actual event. Time to unleash Bubba. Jon and I loaded Bubba up on a the borrowed trailer (thanks Mark!!!), and headed down early Saturday morning. You could tell the season had officially begun. The "your mom" jokes were flying, I was being my normal, sleep deprived wacky self, and everyone was in high spirits. Man, it was good to be back racing again. Jon and I finally got to ride with each other for the first time since we started running Bubba on Sat., and it was enlightening for both of us I think. We each noticed some things the other could improve on from riding along, as well as from the videos we got (thanks again, David C.!!). Speaking of videos, here is one of my runs from Sat:
Juuuust a bit faster than the BMW, at this point. Ended up paxing 2nd at the test and tune, as well as the event on Sunday. Sunday, I was only .091 off the top pax time! I had two runs that were faster, that would have probably landed me the top pax position, but had a cone on each.
Besides those small things to work on, Jon and I have also learned the value of video at that last event. Thus, we have decided to take some of the race budget, and allot it to getting a Go Pro of our own. I promise those future videos will find their way here, after each event.
Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!!
This upcoming weekend I am the event chair for our local event. I have the basic course laid out, and it should be a riot! I plan on getting some more runs in Bubba, as well as being the typical "car whore" that being the event chair affords. Hoping we can, once again, borrow a Go Pro to get some more video of Bubba in action, as we won't have ours just yet. Either way, look for an update next week about the event, and a basic calendar of the events we plan on attending this season.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
It's decision time, and we get GT Academy!
Decision Time
It wasn't easy. I had two great prospects for next year before me. One was the STS CRX I drove this last year, the other was a F125 shift kart. Both had their selling points, and both sounded like a ton of fun. But, alas, I could only choose one.
So many factors went into my decision. Costs, and my chances to do well were, of course, high on the list. One would give me experience in a class/vehicle I have been wanting to try. The other would allow me to be in the same class/car two years in a row for the first time in 5 years. As I weighed the two, one thing kept coming to mind: What if? Sure, you can play the what if game either way. However, I knew that if I ran the kart, I would always wonder if I could have matched, or bettered, this last year's results. Thus, CRX it is! So.... now what?
Now it is time to start planning. And start tweaking. There is weight that can still come out of the car. And the car needs a thorough going over. Also need to figure out what events to attend. While my co-driver Jon Simmons will be with me for all the big local events, I have a feeling I will be on my own for some of the events out of town. I will be going over all of this, as parts are acquired, and schedules are release
GT Academy
Found out this week that the US is getting GT Academy. This is an event, using the PS3 game Gran Turismo, where one person can "play" their way into a real racing car. This has been going on for a few years in Europe, but US participants have never been allowed in. Well, we (US participants) were allowed to compete in the last one. However, the top driver, instead of getting to actually race, got tickets to the Indy 500. I gave it a shot for awhile, but quit early on. Still ended up 27th, which would have been good enough for the 2nd round of the new event, as they are taking the top 32. In said 2nd round, the 32 drivers square off, head to head, with the 16 winners moving on to the "Boot camp", where you drive actual cars and go through other various drills. Winner? Yup, gets to join a racing time for an endurance race in April. In Europe. I may not win. I may not even get into the top 32. I am just stoked to have the chance! Wish me luck!
It wasn't easy. I had two great prospects for next year before me. One was the STS CRX I drove this last year, the other was a F125 shift kart. Both had their selling points, and both sounded like a ton of fun. But, alas, I could only choose one.
So many factors went into my decision. Costs, and my chances to do well were, of course, high on the list. One would give me experience in a class/vehicle I have been wanting to try. The other would allow me to be in the same class/car two years in a row for the first time in 5 years. As I weighed the two, one thing kept coming to mind: What if? Sure, you can play the what if game either way. However, I knew that if I ran the kart, I would always wonder if I could have matched, or bettered, this last year's results. Thus, CRX it is! So.... now what?
Now it is time to start planning. And start tweaking. There is weight that can still come out of the car. And the car needs a thorough going over. Also need to figure out what events to attend. While my co-driver Jon Simmons will be with me for all the big local events, I have a feeling I will be on my own for some of the events out of town. I will be going over all of this, as parts are acquired, and schedules are release
GT Academy
Found out this week that the US is getting GT Academy. This is an event, using the PS3 game Gran Turismo, where one person can "play" their way into a real racing car. This has been going on for a few years in Europe, but US participants have never been allowed in. Well, we (US participants) were allowed to compete in the last one. However, the top driver, instead of getting to actually race, got tickets to the Indy 500. I gave it a shot for awhile, but quit early on. Still ended up 27th, which would have been good enough for the 2nd round of the new event, as they are taking the top 32. In said 2nd round, the 32 drivers square off, head to head, with the 16 winners moving on to the "Boot camp", where you drive actual cars and go through other various drills. Winner? Yup, gets to join a racing time for an endurance race in April. In Europe. I may not win. I may not even get into the top 32. I am just stoked to have the chance! Wish me luck!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Ode to 2nd gear.
The change was succinct, powerful. I'm on a different plane now. I won't be here long, but I'll be back again. It'll come around again. The change sent my soul sideways. I can feel the lack of grip. It'll take some moderation to get things in line again. Make things fine again. Another change is imminent. Am I ready? Everything's in motion, pause.. snik. And I'm gone again. Good bye my friend.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
What is this autocross thing you do, anyway?
No matter how much it baffles my mind, I am quite sure there are a few of my friends/followers that have never heard of, let alone been to, an auto-x (autocross). And even if you have heard of it, you might not know exactly what it is, or what goes on. Most know it involves cars, but that is about it. And simply telling someone what I do on the weekends can be quite... interesting. "It's like a roadcourse. But with cones. Setup in a parking lot. And you don't race the other cars physically, it's all time based." To which I get a lot of blank stares, and, "Ahhh, ok."
So, I am now going to attempt to as'plain it better. My above statement remains the same. It is a time based competition, in which a vehicle will navigate a series of cones making a temporary course. Those cones dictate where you go, and if you hit one out of its box, you get a 2 second penalty. Each course has a start and a finish, and will involve a series of maneuvers that test a driver's skill, as well as the car's performance. While power is a plus, this type of event rewards handling and lightness. Generally. A typical course will take about 60 seconds to navigate, and will generally not allow a car to reach speeds above 60ish mph. At least in the highest stock classed car. At any given event, you will get, roughly, 3-6 runs to get your best time. If the event is a two day affair, your best time from each day will be added together, giving you your overall time.
There are quite a few classes that compete. From stock to a purpose built, anything goes A-Mod car. Generally, there is a class for almost anything someone can show up in. As long as it meets tech, which is primarily worried about safety issues. To give you an idea, here is a few different cars, and their respective classes:
Now, obviously, these are not all the classes. But it shows the basic break down. All the classes generally start with a letter that designates which group the car itself should run with, then the further narrows it down by whether it is stock, or "street" prepared, and so on. There is also a street tire class, shifter kart class, kart class for kids.... and the list goes on. Basically, show up in something, and the SCCA is bound to have a class for it to run in. Even your grandmother's Grand Marquis.
As for the courses, they will always be new. You, typically, will never run the same course twice. And that is what makes it so special. When you get to the site, you have never seen the course before. You have never driven it before. Your only recon is walking the course. While doing so, you are picking out what you think will be the fastest way through the course, where you think your braking points will be, how a certain maneuver is going to effect the car, and so on. Then you get your 3-6 chances to nail down your fastest lap. Quite the challenge. And, quite fun.
So, how about a video to show you what it looks from inside the car? This video is of my friend Matt McCabe, in the CSP Miata you see in the picture above, on this years Nationals East course. Matt finished 2nd in class.
So, there you have it. I hope that helps you understand what it is I, and other car crazed individuals do with our weekends. However, I guarantee that having it explained won't help you fully grasp why we love it. For that, you will have to go to an event. Go and watch. Go and ride. Or, best yet, go and try it. Only then, will you fully grasp why we keep coming back for more.
So, I am now going to attempt to as'plain it better. My above statement remains the same. It is a time based competition, in which a vehicle will navigate a series of cones making a temporary course. Those cones dictate where you go, and if you hit one out of its box, you get a 2 second penalty. Each course has a start and a finish, and will involve a series of maneuvers that test a driver's skill, as well as the car's performance. While power is a plus, this type of event rewards handling and lightness. Generally. A typical course will take about 60 seconds to navigate, and will generally not allow a car to reach speeds above 60ish mph. At least in the highest stock classed car. At any given event, you will get, roughly, 3-6 runs to get your best time. If the event is a two day affair, your best time from each day will be added together, giving you your overall time.
There are quite a few classes that compete. From stock to a purpose built, anything goes A-Mod car. Generally, there is a class for almost anything someone can show up in. As long as it meets tech, which is primarily worried about safety issues. To give you an idea, here is a few different cars, and their respective classes:
H Stock
C Street Prepared, or CSP
X Prepared
A Mod
Now, obviously, these are not all the classes. But it shows the basic break down. All the classes generally start with a letter that designates which group the car itself should run with, then the further narrows it down by whether it is stock, or "street" prepared, and so on. There is also a street tire class, shifter kart class, kart class for kids.... and the list goes on. Basically, show up in something, and the SCCA is bound to have a class for it to run in. Even your grandmother's Grand Marquis.
As for the courses, they will always be new. You, typically, will never run the same course twice. And that is what makes it so special. When you get to the site, you have never seen the course before. You have never driven it before. Your only recon is walking the course. While doing so, you are picking out what you think will be the fastest way through the course, where you think your braking points will be, how a certain maneuver is going to effect the car, and so on. Then you get your 3-6 chances to nail down your fastest lap. Quite the challenge. And, quite fun.
So, how about a video to show you what it looks from inside the car? This video is of my friend Matt McCabe, in the CSP Miata you see in the picture above, on this years Nationals East course. Matt finished 2nd in class.
So, there you have it. I hope that helps you understand what it is I, and other car crazed individuals do with our weekends. However, I guarantee that having it explained won't help you fully grasp why we love it. For that, you will have to go to an event. Go and watch. Go and ride. Or, best yet, go and try it. Only then, will you fully grasp why we keep coming back for more.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
That didn't go as planned.
Time for another update. Last time, I mentioned how I was heading to KC to take my 2nd test drive in my friends Shawn Hill's kart. Well, I did. And, as the title suggests, it didn't go as planned. Basically, I sucked it up on all my runs. I can now say, with certainty, that a kart is the must frustrating thing I have ever tried to drive. It isn't the speed, the grip, or the shifting. It is all of it. In little doses.
If a car is an airplane, then a kart is a spaceship. Completely foreign, even though it is built to do the same thing: fly. The speed is instant, and intense. The grip is other worldly. And, then, you add in shifting. Lots of it. I think that was the part that really messed me up the most. Karts use a sequential gear box, like that of a motorcycle. There is no pattern. Pull toward you to shift up, and away from you to shift down. Easy, right? Well, now do that once or, at times, twice a second while navigating a sea of cones, looking ahead to see where you are gonig, while trying to gauge the limit of the grip available. Now try to remember what gear you are in. Not that the specific gear is entirely important. But I found myself not shifting down enough gears in some corners, and trying to shift down one too many in others. The former will leave you bogging out of the corner. The later will spin you. Quickly, as I found out.
However, as frustrating as it is, it is also a blast. Glorious power slides, small crests causing all four wheels to come off the ground, and acceleration just short of a jet fighter on take off, will leave you with a $#!% eating grin on your face. And I know as I acclimate myself, it will become less frustrating. But there is the rub. How long will it take to acclimate myself? I get one year. Actually, I get about 6 months. It has taken Shawn 2 years to get to where he is at, and he says he still has a ways to go. I love the challenge aspect of it. That has major appeal to me. However, I have a ride in a vehicle that I know and have done well in, with just one year of seat time, available to me as well. I can't help but imagine what another year of seat time can net me.
So the plan is to run the kart once more this year. I don't plan to figure it out. I certainly don't plan to set FTD (fastest time of day). What I want however, is to see if I show signs of progress. Did I get better? And, if so, by how much? Was it a baby step, or was it a leap? Once I can see if I am improving, and by how much, then I think I can finally make my decision. And, honestly, either way I can't lose. Both options are great opportunities, with people I enjoy. I can say without hesitation, that it is a blessing to be in this predicament. So thank you, to everyone involved for the opportunity, for your graciousness!
If a car is an airplane, then a kart is a spaceship. Completely foreign, even though it is built to do the same thing: fly. The speed is instant, and intense. The grip is other worldly. And, then, you add in shifting. Lots of it. I think that was the part that really messed me up the most. Karts use a sequential gear box, like that of a motorcycle. There is no pattern. Pull toward you to shift up, and away from you to shift down. Easy, right? Well, now do that once or, at times, twice a second while navigating a sea of cones, looking ahead to see where you are gonig, while trying to gauge the limit of the grip available. Now try to remember what gear you are in. Not that the specific gear is entirely important. But I found myself not shifting down enough gears in some corners, and trying to shift down one too many in others. The former will leave you bogging out of the corner. The later will spin you. Quickly, as I found out.
However, as frustrating as it is, it is also a blast. Glorious power slides, small crests causing all four wheels to come off the ground, and acceleration just short of a jet fighter on take off, will leave you with a $#!% eating grin on your face. And I know as I acclimate myself, it will become less frustrating. But there is the rub. How long will it take to acclimate myself? I get one year. Actually, I get about 6 months. It has taken Shawn 2 years to get to where he is at, and he says he still has a ways to go. I love the challenge aspect of it. That has major appeal to me. However, I have a ride in a vehicle that I know and have done well in, with just one year of seat time, available to me as well. I can't help but imagine what another year of seat time can net me.
So the plan is to run the kart once more this year. I don't plan to figure it out. I certainly don't plan to set FTD (fastest time of day). What I want however, is to see if I show signs of progress. Did I get better? And, if so, by how much? Was it a baby step, or was it a leap? Once I can see if I am improving, and by how much, then I think I can finally make my decision. And, honestly, either way I can't lose. Both options are great opportunities, with people I enjoy. I can say without hesitation, that it is a blessing to be in this predicament. So thank you, to everyone involved for the opportunity, for your graciousness!
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