Ron L and I are going to do an autocross this Sunday. If you are in the lower mainland area come on out and give it a try. It
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Ron L and I are going to do an autocross this Sunday. If you are in the lower mainland area come on out and give it a try. It
"even a Miata will do."
Zing.
Over to RonO.
Zing.
Over to RonO.
Well, not just a Miata... you need to be able to drive too...
Reminds me of something I witnessed a few years ago at an autocross. There's a guy in my car club that's simply just an incredible driver. He cleans up every year at the local autocrosses, and has won a few national titles in ESP.
One of the other guys he used to run against regularly is, at best, a pompous ass. This guy had talked a bunch of shops (I don't know how) into sponsoring him, and went about like he was the hottest thing on four wheels because his car had so many aftermarket parts that he got from his sponsors. He was beating pepole not because he could drive, but because he had the better car.
My buddy shows up just to watch, and finally says enough is enough. Borrows my (completely stock at the time) GSX, slaps some halfway decent tires on it, and beats the other guy's time by 4 seconds (on a 40 second course) his first run.
I got permanently hooked on autocross and road racing pretty much that day.
One of the other guys he used to run against regularly is, at best, a pompous ass. This guy had talked a bunch of shops (I don't know how) into sponsoring him, and went about like he was the hottest thing on four wheels because his car had so many aftermarket parts that he got from his sponsors. He was beating pepole not because he could drive, but because he had the better car.
My buddy shows up just to watch, and finally says enough is enough. Borrows my (completely stock at the time) GSX, slaps some halfway decent tires on it, and beats the other guy's time by 4 seconds (on a 40 second course) his first run.
I got permanently hooked on autocross and road racing pretty much that day.
I'd like to go, but 8 o'clock in the morning! If I don't come to compete I'll probably show up to watch.
On another note, I've been practicing my 'starts' on some lonely country roads, to get a feel of the car. Best starts are in second gear and around 2000 rpm. Just slip the clutch and go. Can't give it full throttle in second gear. Once I'm in third I can floor it, but even then the back end squirms a bit.
Ron
On another note, I've been practicing my 'starts' on some lonely country roads, to get a feel of the car. Best starts are in second gear and around 2000 rpm. Just slip the clutch and go. Can't give it full throttle in second gear. Once I'm in third I can floor it, but even then the back end squirms a bit.
Ron
That's what I said too Ron. 8am seems early, but at least it will still be cool out. See if you can make it for the day. We aren't trying to set any records, we're just going out to have fun.
Bruce, any chance we can clock off a 1/4 mile and do some drag racing? I'll bring my g-tech and we can play with that as well.
Bruce, any chance we can clock off a 1/4 mile and do some drag racing? I'll bring my g-tech and we can play with that as well.
Okay, I'll be there at 8:00. Some 1/4 mile times would be nice too.
I've never autocrossed before...do we need helmets?
Ron
I've never autocrossed before...do we need helmets?
Ron
Bruce says we need helmets and sunscreen, hats, we can wear shorts, water, a lawn chair. Food sounds like a good idea. I am trying to find one of those pop-up shelters I can bring.
A paint ball gun and maybe a few squirt guns sounds like a nice addition...
What did I forget Bruce?
A paint ball gun and maybe a few squirt guns sounds like a nice addition...
What did I forget Bruce?
A smoke mask? How is it out there? I read that Vancouver has a layer of smoke overhead from all the forest fires?
You got most of it. Maybe some tape to put a number on your car and a tire gauge if you want to adjust something.
Yes you need a helmet. Just a regular motorcycle one Snell 95 or newer. The club use to have a few loaners but I haven
Yes you need a helmet. Just a regular motorcycle one Snell 95 or newer. The club use to have a few loaners but I haven
I probably won't be able to come up with a helmet in time, but I'll still come out to watch.
Ron
Ron
Ron - find a motorcycle buddy and borrow his. :)
Ron: There will probably be loaner helmets there. You can ask at tech@vcmc.ca to be sure. If you are only coming to watch the first car won
Thanks Bruce. Looks like I can borrow (back, since it was once mine)a helmet from my brother-in-law. He lives in Richmond, so I'll just come in a bit earlier and pick up the helmet. It's a Snell 90...I hope no one looks.
Ron
Ron
OK, so Bruce Gordon and I are trying another autocross. It is this Sunday the 5th at Boundary Bay Airport. Anyone who is interested is welcome. We should be there by about 8am.
Ron O'Black?
Rick?
Angus?
Anyone from Washington want to come up and give this a try?
It should be a lot of fun as this is probably the closest any of us will get to road racing. Might as well find out what your car will do!
Ron
Ron O'Black?
Rick?
Angus?
Anyone from Washington want to come up and give this a try?
It should be a lot of fun as this is probably the closest any of us will get to road racing. Might as well find out what your car will do!
Ron
Ron and Bruce
I was going to email you two, but I'll just post here instead (although, sob, sob, I'm minus a yellow happy face).
I'm not going to be able to make it, as my baby is still in the shop (yes Ron, since the Mission raceway fiasco). I'm getting a Ford T-Bird rear differential installed....so, no more blown 'U' joints and 70 mph cruising at 2000 rpm! My mechanic says that I'm lucky that the driveshaft didn't break at the front. If it had, the drive shaft would have dropped and embedded itself in the track, and I would have become a 'flying' Miata! What the heck...how much damage can you do at 85 mph?
Anyways, wouldn't it be funny if I got my Miata from the shop today (Friday) and then blew something while auto-crossing on Sunday....I can hear the speedster owners laughing alreadyn (no comments Bob)
If it's a nice day I may drive out (in my Ranger) to watch.
Ron
I was going to email you two, but I'll just post here instead (although, sob, sob, I'm minus a yellow happy face).
I'm not going to be able to make it, as my baby is still in the shop (yes Ron, since the Mission raceway fiasco). I'm getting a Ford T-Bird rear differential installed....so, no more blown 'U' joints and 70 mph cruising at 2000 rpm! My mechanic says that I'm lucky that the driveshaft didn't break at the front. If it had, the drive shaft would have dropped and embedded itself in the track, and I would have become a 'flying' Miata! What the heck...how much damage can you do at 85 mph?
Anyways, wouldn't it be funny if I got my Miata from the shop today (Friday) and then blew something while auto-crossing on Sunday....I can hear the speedster owners laughing alreadyn (no comments Bob)
If it's a nice day I may drive out (in my Ranger) to watch.
Ron
Come on Ron, race that Ranger! Or better yet, the single cab.
Ron
Ron
I would love to come up and do an autocross, but I still have a lot of bugs to work out. Maybe next year.
Bruce and I did the autocross Sunday. It was a perfect day. Slightly overcast and only 20 cars showed up. We had done 6 runs each by noon.
We don't have final times yet because we don't know what our penalty points were for each run, but I think Bruce beat me by about 2 seconds. Of course he has lots of autocrosses under his belt where I have none, his car is setup specifically for autocross where mine is not. By that I mean his car is about 6" lower than my car, he has low profile tires that are stickier than mine, and his car is geared specifically for autocross....that's all the excuses I could come up with on short notice.
We got a fair bit of video, both from in the car during runs, and from the sidelines. Too bad I can't compress them enough to post them.
I found that with my car, it was OK through the slalom sections, though a bit slow to respond and the large steering wheel doesn't help. Through the sweepers, it pushes a bit, but if I keep on the throttle is makes a nice smooth transition to slight oversteer. Very predictable and very controlable.
6 runs on the course is took about 5000 miles worth of driving off the tires. I also found my neck was getting sore from all the g forces on my helmeted head. No breakages and no rain made for a great day.
BTW, the cars that spun the most? Miatas.
We don't have final times yet because we don't know what our penalty points were for each run, but I think Bruce beat me by about 2 seconds. Of course he has lots of autocrosses under his belt where I have none, his car is setup specifically for autocross where mine is not. By that I mean his car is about 6" lower than my car, he has low profile tires that are stickier than mine, and his car is geared specifically for autocross....that's all the excuses I could come up with on short notice.
We got a fair bit of video, both from in the car during runs, and from the sidelines. Too bad I can't compress them enough to post them.
I found that with my car, it was OK through the slalom sections, though a bit slow to respond and the large steering wheel doesn't help. Through the sweepers, it pushes a bit, but if I keep on the throttle is makes a nice smooth transition to slight oversteer. Very predictable and very controlable.
6 runs on the course is took about 5000 miles worth of driving off the tires. I also found my neck was getting sore from all the g forces on my helmeted head. No breakages and no rain made for a great day.
BTW, the cars that spun the most? Miatas.
Sounds like fun Ron! Were there any MR2 Spyders out there? I rode through a few runs with one set up for it. I also made a few runs in it myself... first time ever at an autocross.
I'd like to see more pics.
Jim
I'd like to see more pics.
Jim