08/14/2010 - Autocross Points Event #6

[Biggins]

Big difference between that and stepping out the rear. The drifting and doughnuts can easily get out of the driver's control which could result in unsafe conditions for the car and course workers. Yeah, any driver can loose control but why not minimize it by controlling the controllables since it is not necessary for ax? Just my opinion.

I'm all for safety, but who cares if we're sliding around: no harm, no foul... If I lose it or hit a cone somewhere on my run, I'm going to just drift the rest of the course if it comes too loose on me. No sense in trying to be smooth if I already blew it somewhere, might as well have some fun. I know I'm definitely not alone in thinking like that.

Nice driving Glenn, wish I could've stuck around to chat some more. See you all at Waldorf!

[flohtingPoint]

Damn, I was wondering what happened. I was looking forward to your runs after you put down that 39 on your first run. Sounds like the old "rolla" may be getting a bit tired!

Yea, it was less than pleasant. I looked at my situation in the paddock, saw I wasn't losing any fluid so it wasn't anything I could fix on the spot, which infuriated me more. For a while there I lost my s*&#. I was even pretty messed up when I got home as I noticed when I woke up that I ordered new wheels and C51 r-comps from tire rack for the Club Racing project MR2 last night after having a bit too much wine. If I have it my way, I may be driving that car the rest of the season. It wont be as fast as the Rolla, but it has less abuse on it logged.

[agreatham]

Another well-run event and great course. The tight section really pointed out where I'm weak and what I need to work on next. I can't wait for a bigger version at Waldorf and I hope we can get five runs there as well. Here's my video of all five runs:



If you want to skip ahead to my best run, click here.

Thanks again to AJ for helping me connect the elements. BTW, for the PA system, we need to choose a frequency that isn't being used. In my third run, you'll hear some sort of sports radio program but I was able to shut it off during the lane change element.

[m3chaser]

I am gonna guess who the drifter was, if I am right, he is a really nice guy with sick, sick car control. I have joked with him in the past that he can't turn off the drift. Usually he drifts through the course clean and is still fast. I think that if that is what you want to do, and can safely do it, fine, but it for sure is not the fastest way to autocross. If he ever turned the drift off, he would kill it. I am sure he did not mean to offend anyone.

I was working the course when the guy in the E30 M3 was racing. From my standpoint and the others I was working with I can tell you that we were not offended at all! He had complete control with the car and it was an absolute pleasure to watch him miss cones by centimeters while keeping the car in check. Outstanding driving and no harm no foul in my book.

[ozdenkm]

Dr. Oz Precision spinout

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJu_jlv7IEg

I was hoping for more smoke :-(

Had a great time! Thanks guys for putting on a good show!

[Highflyr777]

The guy that we're worried about was in a 3 series with his kids in the car. he blew a cone on the right hand side of the track on one of his last runs, then put his foot on it did a 360 took off between the concrete and then broke it loose with lots of smoke on the sweeping right.

If your refering to car 200 I'd just like you to know that I did not have any kids in my car. Also from looking at the videos that last run was my slowest run through the islands. I carried a lot more speed through the islands on my second run.

[SamB325es]

Wait, YOU are the cretin that made people nervous? HAHAHAHAHAAAAA. Nice job Wes. You are supposed to be a good example...

[Highflyr777]

yeah yeah I know....but in my defense the Continental tires I had on my car were the cause of my so called "drifts". By the third run they were so slick it was hard to keep from sliding the rear out. I'd also like to add that letting off the gas in a slide would have induced a spin since that is what I tried before I did my "360". I felt it was safer to stay on the gas and keep the car under control than to let off and spin out.

[m3chaser]

yeah yeah I know....but in my defense the Continental tires I had on my car were the cause of my so called "drifts". By the third run they were so slick it was hard to keep from sliding the rear out. I'd also like to add that letting off the gas in a slide would have induced a spin since that is what I tried before I did my "360". I felt it was safer to stay on the gas and keep the car under control than to let off and spin out.

Staying on the gas feels good.

[monsterM3]

I was the one with the e30 m3 that was sliding around everywhere. My tires were done so I knew I wasnt gonna get any good times in so I thought I would have some fun anyway. I have been doing this kinda stuff for years and wasnt trying to offend anyone or get anybodies panties in a bunch. If I was doing dounuts and spinning out everywhere I would see the concern. If you dont want to see me sliding and having a good time then feel free to turn away when I am on the course. I still ran a 41.6 sliding like mad btw.

[ronh21]

I was the one with the e30 m3 that was sliding around everywhere. My tires were done so I knew I wasnt gonna get any good times in so I thought I would have some fun anyway. I have been doing this kinda stuff for years and wasnt trying to offend anyone or get anybodies panties in a bunch. If I was doing dounuts and spinning out everywhere I would see the concern. If you dont want to see me sliding and having a good time then feel free to turn away when I am on the course. I still ran a 41.6 sliding like mad btw.

How did we get to the point where someone doing a little drifting feels like he's under attack?

I didn't see any problem with what you were doing, nothing offensive. There were some others obviously trying (with varying levels of success) to do what you were doing. Heck, I tried myself on my last run but couldn't break the rear free. There did seem to be a higher than normal amount of spins and tire smoke yesterday, for whatever reason. I think I'm gonna lay this one on Sam, for tempting us all with the huge sweeper.

And Jonathan, you're definitely a show-boater sometimes. Why not? You have a bad-a$$ boat to show. Have a blast. Just don't wipe out half the course during the first fun run of the day. It's not cool

[m3chaser]

I was the one with the e30 m3 that was sliding around everywhere. My tires were done so I knew I wasnt gonna get any good times in so I thought I would have some fun anyway. I have been doing this kinda stuff for years and wasnt trying to offend anyone or get anybodies panties in a bunch. If I was doing dounuts and spinning out everywhere I would see the concern. If you dont want to see me sliding and having a good time then feel free to turn away when I am on the course. I still ran a 41.6 sliding like mad btw.

I'm only offended that I don't have car control like that!

[irish44j]

Yeah, I needed to have bigger numbers. Next time I will actually come up with something legible from more than 5 feet away...

Also, anybody using a mount for a FlipCam? Preferences?

lol, I was just throwing random cars out there....I wasn't specifically talking about you.

Although I am happy to see that I am in your signature, the middle of the 5 course workers (and note to everyone - all 5 of us are standing up!)

[Claff]

Video of my best run, using our parsimonious camera system

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Reza6TtcXr4

Fun course but I was real skittish about going WOT in a lot of places, especially in the last third of the course. Not sure if it was the car or the surface but I had to do a lot of catch-up with the steering in places just to get in a straight line to start thinking of putting power down. I actually had more confidence driving my '90 at FedEx the next day, and that was four runs all in the rain. I must be intimidated by the Mazdaspeed's B0000ST.

[SamB325es]

I think I'm gonna lay this one on Sam, for tempting us all with the huge sweeper

Ok it was all my fault.

Maybe it was off-camber at the transition between walls, i dunno, but you really had to be patient and smooth to stay planted through the sweeper. If you had an abrubt transition or missed the turn-in the back end stepped out and it was game over. I enjoyed that driving aspect of it and it made it fun to watch.

Ben, you should come out more often, and I don't think I have ever seen you not drift through an autocross run. I don't think you can!