July 16-18: Learn car control... and feel your Ferrari at the edge... | Page 3 | FerrariChat
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July 16-18: Learn car control... and feel your Ferrari at the edge...

Discussion in 'Texas' started by Brian C. Stradale, Jun 24, 2004.

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  1. WJHMH

    WJHMH Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #51 WJHMH, Jun 28, 2004
    Gerry Terranova has been a tremendous help to me setting up the Integra for autocross. BTW, he won STX class at the last SCCA TMS event, I thnk his time was somewhere around 56.XXX. Not bad for a Honda Civic. I'm still trying to learn as much as I can from people like this.
     
  2. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

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    #52 TigerAce, Jun 28, 2004
    Brian,
    I applied & submitted the check on Friday. When will I know that we get the date we applied for? Does Gerry sent out confirmation?
     
  3. Prova7

    Prova7 Formula Junior

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    #53 Prova7, Jun 30, 2004
    The Evolution schools are the best driving schools around. They are not expensive compared to a track day and you will actually learn to DRIVE rather than lap around a track safely. Highly recommended; best money you will spend.

    The instructors for this event are absolutely top notch. Don't make the newb mistake of wondering what kind of cars these guys drive; I assure you they will be nearly untouchable in any car you place them. Always humbling to have a guy who's never been in your car just get in and drive faster than you. That's when you realize you can learn from these guys...

    I've done Phase I, II and III. I may signup for the Challenge...

    Brian I missed the TMS event while I was in Philly. Are you the 360 that I heard was "smoking tires and bashing cones"? :)
     
  4. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #54 Brian C. Stradale, Jun 30, 2004
    Definitely!


    I'll be at the Challenge... I think there's still a few spots left.


    Well, I was the only Ferrari... so I suppose that was me. But I only took out one cone in 3 runs... not exactly bashing them. I also must have grazed a cone on my first run... picked up a cone mark, anyway. Smoking tires? I did power-slide around the last sweeper on one run... but I couldn't hold it the whole way as it was decreasing radius... so, it ended up costing me a bit of time. Had fun though. :D

    Or are you talking about the Evolution schools a couple years ago? I did some major cone bashing with my Modena! For example, I decided to try to take the last slalom in the Phase 3 course as fast as my instructor did... to do that I knew I'd need to be right on the cones... so, I just went for it... clipped every one of the cones, I think! ;) I was fast though!
     
  5. jakermc

    jakermc Formula 3
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    #55 jakermc, Jun 30, 2004
    I'll mail my registration for Phase I class on Saturday. If I run with track tires I'll need to order a new set of RA-1 as I don't think my current set will make it through the day. Alternatively I could run with my street tires, which have a lot less grip and are narrower. If my goal is to improve my track driving, is it important to run with my track tires at the class so the set-up is the same as when I am on the track?
     
  6. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #56 Brian C. Stradale, Jun 30, 2004
    You can benefit either way. However, given your goals, I'd go with the track tires ... it will allow you to pick up a much better feel of them as they are pushed beyond the limit. Either way you can work on the skills of finding the limit and easing back when you get beyond the limit... but that's a lot harder on R-compounds (since they "lose it" less progressively and with much less audible cues)... and if that's what you'll be using on the track, then...

    I'd get the seat time in your track setup.
     
  7. Prova7

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    #57 Prova7, Jul 1, 2004
    That info came second hand. I figured it wasn't as bad as described :) All's I know is I won't miss the next one October 24.
     
  8. rob lay

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    #58 rob lay, Jul 1, 2004
    I AX'd the 328 once at Pennington field. It was slow as hell. A couple seconds off my 325is setup for DS. Pushed like hell, all the way into a couple cones one run (cones are always the drivers fault though, no matter how the car is driving, the driver needs to adapt). People see a Ferrari at AX and it's a little hard to impress anyone. They already expect the car and driver just to dominate. That's usually a loose-loose situation because those that really know, know that a Ferrari is awful at AX. Any grocery getter can beat it at the AX. Driver wise, most good AX'ers with a Ferrari know better than to actually AX a Ferrari because of the car. There are probably many drivers out there with Ferraris, but you would never know as they're laying some whoop ass down in their Miata or Z06. Brian and that 360 that was on podium at nationals a few years ago are maybe the only exception.

    Here's the pic, I just noticed I was running AS, was that before the reclass several years ago or is the 308/328 in AS and not BS?
     
  9. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #59 Brian C. Stradale, Jul 1, 2004
    Yeah, Pennington is a nice surface... but really, really small... so, short and slow.


    Yep... and because of that perception and the huge minority that they are, they are classed horribly as well. SCCA Solo2 is definitely tough with a Ferrari. In our area, I recommend the BMW CCA autocrosses... fewer cars, more runs, and most of them know how much better their cars are for autox.

    The PCA ones are also good... they are into high speed, wide open courses. In fact, they have "Time Trials" or "TTs" that are so much more open that they are truly a cross between autocross and track. Those would be AWESOME events for newcomers, except for one thing... they are almost always held at Mineral Wells and the surface there sucks! If you have an immaculate paint job, stay far away.


    Curt actually won ProSolo Nationals in ASP with that 360. Unfortunately, he opted for a different ride the next year.


    Yes, when the Z06 came out, they rotated most of SS down into AS and then about half of AS down into BS, and so on. Major shuffle. And yet even though the Z06 was better than the 360 (let alone the 355) at autocross and dominates SS, the prevalent fear of Ferrari still kept them from allowing 355's and 360's from running in SS. Sad, really.
     
  10. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #60 Brian C. Stradale, Jul 6, 2004
    Gerry just sent out email confirmations for each school that you registered for. If you did NOT get the notice and were expecting one, let me or Gerry know.

    If you're still on the fence, there are still spots available... as few as one spot in some of the schools, though. I think Sat Phase 1 and Sun Phase 2 still have several spots available... so those may end up getting you even more runs (if they end up with a few open spots).
     
  11. TigerAce

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    #61 TigerAce, Jul 8, 2004
    Sorry Brian, I missed this thread till now. I did get 3 e-mails from him (2 confirmation, 1 correction)

    BTW, do you wanna go to the place together on Sat?
     
  12. Speed Racerette

    Speed Racerette Formula 3

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    #62 Speed Racerette, Jul 9, 2004
    Quick question-

    My car is at Norwoods getting the thumbs up for next week's event....they asked me if I had a tech inspection form they needed to sign off on.

    Does this event require a form?

    Thanks,

    Frances
     
  13. Prova7

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    #63 Prova7, Jul 9, 2004
    No. They will do a check there to be certain you have no obvious troubles. If Norwoods is going over the car for you then I'm sure you are all set.
     
  14. GrigioGuy

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    #64 GrigioGuy, Jul 11, 2004
    I just got my numbers and thought they were nifty.....

    I'm easily amused :D

    The car's happy, with a brake fluid flush, a tranny fluid change, and a no-longer-sticky throttle cable. Heck, I might even wash it before the event...
     
  15. TigerAce

    TigerAce Formula 3

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    #65 TigerAce, Jul 12, 2004
    I don't have this number thing taken care of yet.

    How do I pick numbers? Any number I want?

    BTW, Tillman's plate looks good, maybe he'll let me use it???
     
  16. Speed Racerette

    Speed Racerette Formula 3

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    #66 Speed Racerette, Jul 12, 2004
    Yoshi-

    Don't sweat the number thing...they can make one up with tape if you don't have one (which is the way I'm going since the magnetic numbers won't stick on my car anyway).

    Frances
     
  17. GrigioGuy

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    #67 GrigioGuy, Jul 16, 2004
    I'm exhausted, beet red, and had a blast.

    Longer writeup later. Yoshi, Frances and I invaded the autocross world and made out OK. Here's some pics of the day for now....
     
  18. TigerAce

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    #68 TigerAce, Jul 17, 2004
    Had just great time! I still cannot sleep thiking of what could be done better at the course.

    Thank you very much for your pics, Tillman!
    I never seen my car in action. All pics are on a parked car, so now I have something to prove that I do drive 355.
    Very nice touch for the last pic where we were leaving the place.

    Thank you very much for taking care of me, Frances. I was totally lost there (my first try, I created my own course driving around, across, over the original course...)

    Instructors were friendly, and most classmates mingled & shared good time. If this was done w/in 20 miles of my home, I may switch from playing golf!
     
  19. Speed Racerette

    Speed Racerette Formula 3

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    #69 Speed Racerette, Jul 17, 2004
    WOW! We had a blast!!!! What a day. I think I was asleep seconds before my head hit the pillow.

    Learned a lot, laughed a lot and met some new friends too. Thank you Tillman for bringing the canopy...we would have been crispy critters without it. It was smoking hot out there. It would be great to do this again when the weather cools down a bit.

    Thanks Brian for getting us motivated.

    Yoshi-glad you found your way around the course. At least no one's lives were in danger unlike my first run where I THOUGHT I was on the course! :)

    Let's do it again!
     
  20. Prova7

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    #70 Prova7, Jul 17, 2004
    Nice to see everyone had a great time while hopefulling learning some new skills they didn't know they had. If the bug has bitten you there are plenty of local clubs that autox every weekend; head over to www.autocross.com and check them out.

    The two largest local clubs are the Texas Region SCCA at www.autocross.com/texasregion and Equipe Rapide at www.autocross.com/er

    Most of these events are held at Pennington Field in Bedford; a nice clean concrete surface. We also have events in Mineral Wells and at Texas Motor Speedway. Next event is at Pennington Field July 25th.

    LOOK AHEAD!! LOOK AHEAD!! LOOK AHEAD!! :D
     
  21. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #71 Brian C. Stradale, Jul 17, 2004
    Great pics, Tillman... I'd have loved to have seen you three in action... unfortunately, I was at FoD (errr, Boardwalk Ferrari) getting new pads on the front... so that I could go have fun at the schools this weekend.

    Indeed! Normally they hold it in March... I think Gerry is targetting April for next year... the ideal time for it. Circumstances prevented April this year.

    As for autocrossing in general...
     
  22. Brian C. Stradale

    Brian C. Stradale F1 Rookie
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    #72 Brian C. Stradale, Jul 17, 2004
    Yep, I switched! And the Pennington Field autocrosses ARE close to your house. However, since Ferraris like big autocrosses more than small autocrosses, keep an eye out for autocrosses at TMS... nice big parking lots... or sometimes on the road course. TMS (Texas Motor Speedway) is not too far at all.
     
  23. WJHMH

    WJHMH Two Time F1 World Champ
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    #73 WJHMH, Jul 17, 2004
    Wow, looks like everyone had fun. I really wanted to attend this event but I haven't finished setting up my car also a lack of $$$ & time lately. I'll be at Pennington Field next week, I really think my car does better on that short course. I hope to see some folks from F Chat there.

    BTW, GREAT PHOTOS!:D
     
  24. GrigioGuy

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    #74 GrigioGuy, Jul 17, 2004
    Yeah, it was a blast. At the end of the day, though, I'd still be running B Stock against the S2000 and the Mazdaspeed Miata. WAHOO, dead last every time :( Worse yet, if I hot rod it at all, the 328 goes into A Street Prepared against the AWD Porsches and 360s

    I know that part of the thrill is becoming a better driver, etc., but still, one does hope to compete...
     
  25. GrigioGuy

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    #75 GrigioGuy, Jul 18, 2004
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