05/15/2010 - Autocross Points Event #3

[SamB325es]

AJ I would like to request that you change your camera angle, I would like to see your steering inputs. You are very cool about helping other drivers, and that might give some more clues to your voodoo.


Thanks to everyone for the favorable comments on course design!

[mcoupemindy]

Despite being a short course, I have to say it was probably my favorite ever. It flowed really well. The last time we drove there in dry conditions, I had my worst result ever. This time I handled the surface better. I wish I could have hung around to see others take their shots at it, but a couple of us took off to play in the NCC golf outing.

I'm glad my second best run would have also held up for the T2 win, because something still seems not quite right about the first run. I don't believe I was off course and the run felt great, but 37.150 is just such an outlier I have to wonder if something was wrong with timing on that one.

Todays course would have been great for fun runs. Sorry I missed that, but maybe we can cook up a course a little something like this for the test & tune in a couple weeks

I'm pretty sure you went off course on that hard jog to the right on your run. I can't verify however. That time is such an outlier.

[mcoupemindy]

Any idea why I have an off course for my first run? I definitely did not go off or hit any cones, have video proof. My first run showed on the clock with a 39.8xx. I'm sorry, I'm just very picky when I get called off course because I haven't had one in years lol

Post in the results correction thread please. It's an obvious error and we'll get it fixed.

[civicexracer]

AJ I would like to request that you change your camera angle, I would like to see your steering inputs. You are very cool about helping other drivers, and that might give some more clues to your voodoo.


Thanks to everyone for the favorable comments on course design!

Yeah I can do that. I'll put it on the driver side rear window looking in. It'll give a good view of the steering wheel and also the course. Hope I remember to do that for next event lol.

Post in the results correction thread please. It's an obvious error and we'll get it fixed.

Ah forgot about that thread, will do thanks!

[ronh21]

I'm pretty sure you went off course on that hard jog to the right on your run. I can't verify however. That time is such an outlier.

I thought maybe that was it too, but I'm not sure how I could have messed that up without going to the wrong side of a triple pointer. How does something like that get missed? I leave the camera at home for one event, and this is what happens It doesn't really matter though. We can kill that time if you want. Adam gets FTD and I still win T2.

[mcoupemindy]

I thought maybe that was it too, but I'm not sure how I could have messed that up without going to the wrong side of a triple pointer. How does something like that get missed? I leave the camera at home for one event, and this is what happens It doesn't really matter though. We can kill that time if you want. Adam gets FTD and I still win T2.

Many people went to the left of the triple pointer their first run. Who knows!

You can have the off course that AJ wants removed from his!

[agreatham]

I thought maybe that was it too, but I'm not sure how I could have messed that up without going to the wrong side of a triple pointer. How does something like that get missed? I leave the camera at home for one event, and this is what happens It doesn't really matter though. We can kill that time if you want. Adam gets FTD and I still win T2.

It's easy to miss. Here's a video of other people's runs viewed from the check-in tent:



If you look at Jonathan's last clip (it's at around 2:08), he knocks down the right cone on a gate with his left wheel and the worker only calls a plus one.

[EDIT: turns out he actually stayed on course by hitting that cone, he would have been off course if he didn't hit it]

[agreatham]

You can have the off course that AJ wants removed from his!

What is that, some sort of double-entry autocross accounting?

[mcoupemindy]

It's easy to miss. Here's a video of other people's runs viewed from the check-in tent:



If you look at Jonathan's last clip (it's at around 2:08), he knocks down the right cone on a gate with his left wheel and the worker only calls a plus one.

Oh ... I'm glad to see that!

That is the CORRECT call. I overshot the gate and intentionally hit the cone to not be marked off course! Yes - thank you courseworkers for making the right call! The incident is at 2:14 if you'd like to review.

Thanks for posting the video - love the one that I got a bit out on.

Jonathan

[agreatham]

That is the CORRECT call. I overshot the gate and intentionally hit the cone to not be marked off course! Yes - thank you courseworkers for making the right call! The incident is at 2:14 if you'd like to review.

I see, so if you didn't hit that cone then you would be off course? By hitting the cone, you were still "inside" the gate ...

[mcoupemindy]

I see, so if you didn't hit that cone then you would be off course? By hitting the cone, you were still "inside" the gate ...

Correct! Although we all know that I was just carrying too much speed and hit the brakes way too late.

[mcoupemindy]

What is that, some sort of double-entry autocross accounting?

Dr. Ron's Off Course Expense 1.00
Cr. AJ's Off Course Expense 1.00

(If you don't understand, you're not an accountant!)

[KatieT]

Pics are up! Remember that any profits go back into the autocross program. You can also leave comments or rank the pics as you like. Let me know what you think!

~Katie

[turbosporttsi]

Here's a vid of my 3rd and fastest run (39.995). It's the one and only run that I got the 3-2 downshift even remotely right heading into the sweeper. As it turns out, shifting well > missing gears > riding the limiter.

Pardon the wind noise. I have a well-protected external mic on the camcorder, but my little in-car camera picks up the wind noise and I cannot disable sound in the PiP window quite yet.

[Claff]

The good things are the following: (1) you will certainly see third on many of the SCCA courses, and it is undoubtedly better to practice that here than there; (2) most seasoned drivers have experienced the "out of placeness" of the 3rd shift and subsequent downshift because it is less common in autocross. The cool thing is that when you get it, it is one of the coolest feelings ever; (3) you are a very good driver, and should not succumb to the transient frustrations that we all encounter when at the different plateaus of development. This year has been a 3rd gear year. 3rd gear at SCCA, 3rd gear at Cumberland, 3rd gear at Summit Point. Just practice when you are out driving around on a back road going from 3rd to 2nd while saying the ABC's backwards or something to distract yourself. You are the type of proficient and safe driver that we want to at our events, so just because you are developing as a driver, and Summit Point is a challenge, should not restrict you from coming next month. It really is a great place to learn a lot of things that cannot be learned at conventional venues.

Overall, I understand your frustration, but I also bet that if you bring the same Miata back next time, after rehearsing the shifts, that you will feel more rewarded for your hard work.

First off, to clarify, my iffyness about returning to Summit Point is not due to the track or 3rd geariness, but more scheduling. I work nights and many weekends I have to work Saturday nights, so going to an event 2 hours away means losing a lot of sleep and heading into a night of work that makes me cranky. This weekend I had to work Friday night so I went to SP on no sleep and actually did pretty well. Started really feeling it on the ride home but I brought a cooler full of NOS and Pepsi and that got the job done.

Otherwise, I'll run with anyone anywhere as long as it doesn't leave me a mess for work.

The MSM is not my primary autocrosser. This year for SCCA I'm running my 99 Miata in STR and I run the '90 in my sig in STS with Autocrossers Inc. Haven't needed 3rd gear in either yet this year although I came awful close to the limiter last time out with SCCA. I take the MSM out to BMW for a change of pace and to make sure everything in the fleet gets a little exercise... well, that, and I can't compete with AJ in X4 so I bring the car that fits into X3.

Anyway I just wanted to make sure that my earlier sentiments were not being read as frustration or complaints. I'm very much looking forward to trying SP again, with the only real concerns being my ability to work it in with my work schedule, and whether I'd do better if I brought one of the other cars cluttering up the driveway.