Where: Pennington Field, Bedford TX Central Drive & IH-121 When: Sunday March 21st For more info, http://autocross.com/texasregion/march212004.shtml It going to be the first event for the DFW season & would like to know if other F chatters plan on competing. Thanks, Will
Better have a WRX if u plan to be competitive Pretty awsome watching them eat everybody elses lunch last time I attended an auto-x
Yea, it was tough running against them last year in Houston. LOL!! I understand that that the SCCA is trying to pass an AWD class now but haven't heard anything from national yet. I'll be moving up to SM class ( I think) this year so I'll be running with more modified Hondas, Trans Ams, Miatas & just plan faster drivers. I looking forward to it.
Whenever my car finally arrives (its Stage 70 now), I plan to run in SM2... of course, unless I put a blower on it, it won't be competitive. But that's okay... I just love to take the car to its limits... and safely.
The RX-7 and I will be there as always. Next event after that: The National Tour in Houston April 3-4. Don't forget about the Equipe Rapide events either. Their first event was Feb 22 in Mineral Wells where we all knocked the rust off
There's no point. The 328 is classified in B Stock with the S2000, Mr2 Turbo, etc. Even if I had skills, it just wouldn't be competitive.
The Equipe Rapide events are much better. More runs if you do the PAX. http://www.autocross.com/er --- WRX is a great autocross car, but I held my own against Andrew Hahn in D Stock when I was still ax'ing. He's gone to nationals several years in a row too. I think at national level the BMW has beat the WRX most years. --- Only time I've seen a Ferrari do OK in AX was when someone took a 360 to nationals for ASP back in 2001 I think. I ran the 328 in an autocross a few years back and it's a pig.
Tillman, there's plenty of point to come out. My RX-7 is no match for the Z06 in SS given equal drivers, but there's more to it than a trophy. Improving your skills and chasing people with "better" cars is just as fun and intense. No fun in beating somebody you know can't drive, but lots of fun and room to develop in trying to beat those who can drive. I scare them every once in a while
Ahhh, but the point is NOT to win... its to drive your Ferrari at the limit! But I do understand how its not so fun to run in a class that you're "supposed to be" competitive in, when you're not. An alternative is to run in either the BMWCCA events or the PCA events... which have all their classing for BMWs and Porsches, respectively. All the non-club-marques get lumped into one or two classes... and then you don't feel bad, as 80% of the people there are mis-classed... they're all just there for fun.
Indeed... I just wish they did their events at other than Mineral Wells... I'm not a fan of the Mineralring... wish more would do TMS.
The lots at TMS are getting repaved this year; nobody is running on them although I believe the SCCA has arranged for some events INSIDE the track. I haven't gotten first hand explanation on that yet. I find it hard to believe we're going to run a Solo2 event on the roadcourse like the website says
Thanks for the info, I'll be out there & looking forward to see other F chatters out there as well. WH
Pennigton Field - Positives are it's close and good pavement. Negatives are it's tight. TMS - Positives are it's close and somewhat open space. Negatives are the pavement breaks up and you're better off following the swept line vs. your normal line. Mineral Wells - Positives are it's huge! You can have road course length runs and I've hit 4th gear! Negatives are it's a long ways away and the gravel there sand blasts your car bad. --- MW would allow you to be the most competitive in a Ferrari, if you're not worried about loosing paint.
I assume there's a safety checklist somewhere I can tech my car against before I go out there? I'll probably run out to at least watch. I understand the point of just using it as a learning experience, but I hate the target that is put on your back when you show up in an Fcar. I wouldn't mind being bad in a Toyota, but somehow it's different in the 328. Or maybe I'm just nuts. T
I've autocrossed at Pennington several times back in my British car days. They usually have a mandatory tech / safety check of all cars before you can get in line. Look for the old, original MINI's to be on only two wheels much of the time!
The tech is really simple. They'll see if battery is secured, throttle has good response, brake pedal feels good, wheel bearings not too loose, and loose objects have been removed from the car. Whatever they wouldn't like you can usually fix on the spot. I would be lying if I didn't say the old AX regulars love for newbies to come out in hot cars and get creamed. Some of the AX bunch can be tough because they know enough about cars to know what you have and they're really jealous they don't have it themselves. I think 75% of AX'ers would be club racers if they knew they could afford it. Sad thing is most don't realize how cheap SRX7 or SM racing is. Most put more money in their AX cars. Actually, I know they do.
Boy, that sounded like a shot from Rob Autocrossers are just like every other gearhead group I know: Overall they're a great crowd and are always willing to help whether they know you or not. When I first started my RX-7TT was one of the most feared cars and I got my butt handed to me on a regular basis by "slow" 10 year old 3 door Civics because the car doesn't win; the driver does. Plenty of newbs don't come back because their ego can't take the drubbing of getting beat. Plenty of them do come back because they realize the guys killing them must know something about driving they don't and enjoy the personal challenge of self improvement. It's like any other sport though: If you don't like it chances are you won't be good at it because you won't spend the time. I can assure you I will never be a great golfer. One evening at the driving range infuriated me enough to make me continue spending my "sports" time on the basketball court Autocrossers are usually car guys and so appreciate fine cars, but fine cars entered in an event do not automatically impress them; fine driving does. Luckily that can be done in a sh*tbox in many cases
I've never had anything but good experiences with AX'ers, but I showed up to 20 AX's in an old beat up BMW and not counting my first few times I did OK. Only once did I AX the 328. Most new drivers have a great attitude... "I suck, I know I do, can I ride with you?, can you watch my run?, how did you get faster?" Only drivers that really run into problems and usually don't come back approach their first AX with the wrong attitude. "I have a fast car and I've watched The Fast & Furious so I'm going to kick butt!". About then a stock 80's civic with female driver out runs them by 5 seconds and *poof* reality hits.
I'm forever learning so I never let myself get an attitude about it. I've been only doing this about a year & a half just want to have fun. BTW I do suck but hopefully I'll have a better year in 2004. WH
Ron your right on about the new people who show. This is my fourth season and in even my short time I can see a change in the "young" people who show up (I'm not too old yet; just turned 31). Their attitudes of driving seem more based on imagination than results. They spend more time convincing eachother how great they are while spinning every other run and they honestly don't want any help from anyone because that would require at least some degree of humility I imagine. When we were young we all thought if we could drive sideways without hitting anything we were great drivers. Then you go to a real event where people can drive and you find out you suck I'll admit I was not prepared for how poorly I did in the beginning, but it's fun. Our clubs recently have spent a lot of time discussing the topic of attracting and retaining new drivers. Is it us or them? We honestly aren't sure but we're trying to be accomodating to everyone.
The goal is for things to begin a little earlier this year; registration and tech close at 9am. There's a McDonald's across the street so come even earlier and fill up your tank http://autocross.com/texasregion/ Image Unavailable, Please Login