(2009) Who Are We?

**mduhovich** · 06-19-2009, 08:43 AM

Hi,

My name is Maria.. I have a stock 325i e46. This is my 5th bmw (I believe I posted the pics of other ones somewhere under my gallery or garage..) and I have never had any other cars. I am a terrible autocrosser, just started this year after I totaled my husband's x5 4.4. I have 2 dogs australian shepherd/lab mix girl who is 3 years old and newfoundland boy, who just turned 11 months. Also my husband Alex autocrossed once and he is planning to do it again. Since his car is not allowed (manual x5), he is driving mine. After he got his sailing boat as his 30th birthday present, he became a Coast Guard Auxillary member. We are both engineers (I am in software, Alex is in computer/hardware)

See the pictures below (Katie, thank you again for the pics)

Kiesha

Kimmel (7 months on this photo)

**noelleslie** · 06-19-2009, 10:52 AM

"I am a terrible autocrosser, just started this year after I totaled my husband's x5 4.4."

Maria, I don't really think that is being fair to yourself. I've ridden along with you a few times. Particularly noticeable is your determination to be better (something I think your personality type will never be happy with even when you are first place) and your aggressiveness in that you seem comfortable putting the car through its places.

The things I saw you do were similar to what everyone complains about: understeering because of demanding too much from the front wheels.

For example, after driving through the showcase turn and returning through the double gate at the last autocross, there was a pointer cone that required a tight left turn afterward. It was a difficult turn since it was necessary to brake before the cone in a straight line, and hard due to the speed approaching it. You, like me and many others, had trouble there (to differing degrees).

We brake in a straight line to get 100% braking from the tires. If you turn at the traction limit for a turn, say 100% turn, you cannot accelerate at all without losing traction. So when you have a difficult turn like that one, many people try to brake late and throw the car into the turn... it would require 200% traction to make it. The car only has 100% and therefore ends up doing nothing, which looks like continuing straight-ish with a lot of noise and driver frustration.

Many people at that point feel they need to modify the car to "tune out" the "car's handling problems", ie. understeer when the tires (especially r-compound tires) would really just mask the problem and leave the driver committing the same errors.

I speak of this turn, because in my video of the day, although I did well, you can see my feet in it. I totally did this at that same turn. I was braking hard, but not slow enough to begin the turn in. I started anyway and understeered a bit as a result.. it wasn't horrible, but was not it proper form... I was not trying to trail brake, and did understeer too.

Your self criticism seems like it will last even when you finish first place.. it's a personality thing, but I feel it is not merited to the extent that you put yourself down as a "terrible autocrosser" or allude that maybe your driving caused you to crash a really nice X5. (sorry, I had to throw in "really nice" just kidding)

**Bob** · 06-19-2009, 06:49 PM

Originally Posted by RED//MSHOE

Hi my name is BOB HAUSMAN, i drive every BMW I can find at CRAZY RAYS junk yard, or any other car I can find on Craigslist...like my Turbo Miata with a Volvo intercooler. You can also see me run an "A" mod car that I built with left over BED FRAMES

I love the WOMENZ and they love me, especially Jason Becker's girlfriend she always says hi to me....

I am usually wearing jean shorts and a dirty white t-shirt....hey I do my own work. I refuse to dress like NICK RUBENSTIEN in dress paints, polo shirts, and sunglasses.

When I am not autocrossing I am usually on a cruise chasing all the young girls on the topless deck. There just shy.

I can't stop laughing...LOL!!!! I am sorry Bob! I couldn't resist!

Sorry guys my name is Jason Becker and I drive the "other supercharged imola Mcoupe". But I am Bob's protoge...LOL!

Don't make me embarass you with a bed-frame car! And I always go topless on the cruise ship, how was I to know it wasn't gender neutral?

**mduhovich** · 06-23-2009, 09:15 AM

Noel, thank you so much for these words. I actualy feel very encouraged now=)

By the way, I did 1 second better when I followed your advice about breaking earlier at that turn. Too bad that was my 4th run =(

I am definetely not going to modify my car until I am better at autocrossing.

**Zcruizer** · 06-23-2009, 06:57 PM

What Noel should have said is, "Ding, your now free to drive better around the country !"

**m3chaser** · 07-15-2009, 07:01 PM

Hey all,

My name is Jon Levesque (pronounced Laveck) and I drive a Silver 2000 M Coupe that has H&R springs and Bilstein sport shocks and struts, IE subframe bushings, and dual ear diff reinforcement. I also have 2 power mods including the M50 manifold and a catback exhaust.

I have only started autocrossing this year and have only gone to 2 events both being at Summit Point. I have a lot to learn, but man is it fun!

The first pic (thanks to Mrs. Katie Thayer) is of my car and actually the 2nd run ever for me doing autocross. That is Jonathan Thayer in the passenger seat graciously showing me the ropes.

The second pics is of me and my wife.

**slick230** · 07-16-2009, 06:45 AM

Hello, I am Joe Bennett and I'm a M3...

I drive the 2003 M3 vert in my signature, at the moment it has 31k miles and other than the wheels it is stock.

**vI6ious** · 07-17-2009, 03:26 PM

Anton Gocek
2000 328ci

**m3chaser** · 07-17-2009, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by vI6ious

Anton Gocek
2000 328ci

Your car =

**alexmarksthespot** · 07-23-2009, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by mcoupemindy

If it wasn't for autocross, I'd probably be racing lawnmowers.

hey... you may not know this about me but I've been driving a tractor since I was twelve. I'll take you in a tractor race any day.

Oh and by the way I'm Alex, Adam's other half and the reason Adam has started showing up on time, at least some of the time. I drive his car, but pretty poorly.

**hoyabmw** · 07-27-2009, 05:15 PM

I'm Kevin, former autox chair, and occasionally I'll show up in my E30 325i.

Originally Posted by alexmarksthespot

Oh and by the way I'm Alex, Adam's other half and the reason Adam has started showing up on time, at least some of the time. I drive his car, but pretty poorly.

Definitely Adam's better half, and don't worry--he drives it poorly too.

**mcoupemindy** · 07-27-2009, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by hoyabmw

I'm Kevin, former autox chair, and occasionally I'll show up in my E30 325i.

We miss seeing you around! Those aluminum wheels still holding up?

**hoyabmw** · 07-28-2009, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by mcoupemindy

We miss seeing you around! Those aluminum wheels still holding up?

yep, they're doing fine. I might make it out to 1 or 2 events later in the year, but it's been way to crazy this year.

**adam** · 07-29-2009, 09:56 AM

Originally Posted by alexmarksthespot

hey... you may not know this about me but I've been driving a tractor since I was twelve. I'll take you in a tractor race any day.

Oh and by the way I'm Alex, Adam's other half and the reason Adam has started showing up on time, at least some of the time. I drive his car, but pretty poorly.

LOL hi Alex!! Checking up on me huh =p

**darkfiber** · 08-07-2009, 03:59 AM

Howdy, I'm John. I'm Network/Systems Engineer in Fairfax. I drive the '07 M Coupe, just got it a few months ago. I've previously owned a '95 M3, '02 M3 SMG, and an '02 C32 AMG. This is my first year doing motorsports and want to try to do it as much as possible from here on.

If you ever want to chat with me my AIM is xd3usx.