[Houston] Autocross this Sunday (dec. 2)
11-27-2007, 01:50 PM
#1
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[Houston] Autocross this Sunday (dec. 2)
Starting January 2008 all autocross events will be limited to SCCA members only, so if you've ever wanted to push your car beyond it's limits around hellacious turns without the danger of harming your car or facing legal ramifications, THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO DO SO!!*
If you want to autocross, you will need the following:
1 - Driver's license
2 - Car
3 - $35 ($30 if you register online)
Yes, that's all. Autocrossing is really for everyone.
Determining your class
The B-Stock class doesn't mean you must be 100% bone stock. You are still eligable for the BS class if you have the modified/upgraded the following:
-- Front Sway Bar
-- Brake Pads
-- Rims (must be same size as stock, though)
-- Drop-in Air Filter
-- Cat-back Exhaust
-- Shocks (must be same ride height as stock, though)
-- Tires (Must be stock width, though)
Anything other than the specific mods I listed above - and I mean anything - even something as minor as a short shifter, highflo cat, or airbox modification, and you are no longer considered stock. You will then compete in the STB class.
BS people will run in the 1st heat (show up @ 7:30)
STB people will run in the 4th heat (show up @ 11:15)
If you want to run in a different heat, you may sign up for the X class. It's an unrestricted free-for-all class that runs in the 2nd & 3rd heats.
How to register in advance ($30)
1 - Goto this website
2 - Create an Account
3 - On the December calendar of events, in the cell for Sunday the 2nd, click on the registration icon (
) by the event labeled "Hous (AX)"
4 - Follow the on-screen directions
How to register on-site ($35)
1 - Show up @ 7:30 or 11:15, depending on which class you're going to run in.
2 - Talk to people in registration booth
PM me if you have any questions. Don't be shy or think your question is "stupid", either. I spent a year teaching people how to use their home PCs; my patience is infinite. As long as you don't ask the same question more than once, you don't need to apologize for "bothering me" with piles of questions; I'd be a fool to offer answers if questions bothered me.
If you want to autocross, you will need the following:
1 - Driver's license
2 - Car
3 - $35 ($30 if you register online)
Yes, that's all. Autocrossing is really for everyone.
Determining your class
The B-Stock class doesn't mean you must be 100% bone stock. You are still eligable for the BS class if you have the modified/upgraded the following:
-- Front Sway Bar
-- Brake Pads
-- Rims (must be same size as stock, though)
-- Drop-in Air Filter
-- Cat-back Exhaust
-- Shocks (must be same ride height as stock, though)
-- Tires (Must be stock width, though)
Anything other than the specific mods I listed above - and I mean anything - even something as minor as a short shifter, highflo cat, or airbox modification, and you are no longer considered stock. You will then compete in the STB class.
BS people will run in the 1st heat (show up @ 7:30)
STB people will run in the 4th heat (show up @ 11:15)
If you want to run in a different heat, you may sign up for the X class. It's an unrestricted free-for-all class that runs in the 2nd & 3rd heats.
How to register in advance ($30)
1 - Goto this website
2 - Create an Account
3 - On the December calendar of events, in the cell for Sunday the 2nd, click on the registration icon (
) by the event labeled "Hous (AX)"4 - Follow the on-screen directions
How to register on-site ($35)
1 - Show up @ 7:30 or 11:15, depending on which class you're going to run in.
2 - Talk to people in registration booth
PM me if you have any questions. Don't be shy or think your question is "stupid", either. I spent a year teaching people how to use their home PCs; my patience is infinite. As long as you don't ask the same question more than once, you don't need to apologize for "bothering me" with piles of questions; I'd be a fool to offer answers if questions bothered me.
11-28-2007, 03:25 PM
#4
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All you need in terms of "safety gear" is a helmet. Any helmet that's Snell approved on or after 1995 is acceptable, and so are motorcycle helmets.
If you're just going to "test" autocrossing out, I wouldn't worry about buying/borrowing one. They're really pricey (~$200 new) and the rentals at the event are free.
Post some pictures and some information about yourself and your car - I'm going to be at the event from start to finish (7:00 - 4:30) so I'll keep an eye out for you.
11-30-2007, 08:33 AM
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11-30-2007, 08:39 AM
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maybe thats better.
my car is completely stock, from what I know. It has kuhmo tires, (don't know if those are stock or not but there stock size)
me I just like to drive so i figured i finally put my skills to test. I'll probably come home with a couple of cones stuck under my car. immediate plans for my car right now include nothing, but maybe in a year i will start modding when I get a dd.
my car is completely stock, from what I know. It has kuhmo tires, (don't know if those are stock or not but there stock size)
me I just like to drive so i figured i finally put my skills to test. I'll probably come home with a couple of cones stuck under my car. immediate plans for my car right now include nothing, but maybe in a year i will start modding when I get a dd.
12-01-2007, 11:02 PM
#13
and wheres the location of this event
I looked and looked in above posts and dont see any link/etc for a location.
I did go to that site but first thing it wanted me to do was to register.
Sorry, I dont kiss on first date! I mean I dont just register on any site till I get a good look around.
TIA
I looked and looked in above posts and dont see any link/etc for a location.
I did go to that site but first thing it wanted me to do was to register.
Sorry, I dont kiss on first date! I mean I dont just register on any site till I get a good look around.
TIA
12-02-2007, 06:13 AM
#14
Jonathan
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12-02-2007, 07:05 AM
#16
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and wheres the location of this event
I looked and looked in above posts and dont see any link/etc for a location.
I did go to that site but first thing it wanted me to do was to register.
Sorry, I dont kiss on first date! I mean I dont just register on any site till I get a good look around.
TIA
I looked and looked in above posts and dont see any link/etc for a location.
I did go to that site but first thing it wanted me to do was to register.
Sorry, I dont kiss on first date! I mean I dont just register on any site till I get a good look around.
TIA
FWIW - www.dlbracing.com doesn't have anything to look around at, except a calendar and registration details. If you don't sign up, you can't register.
12-02-2007, 08:28 PM
#19
Jonathan
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12-03-2007, 10:25 AM
#21
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Here's an overview of the autocross (less wordy than last time)
TNTMST -
He scares me.
He's got an automatic.
He's only had the car a few weeks.
He's never autocrossed before.
...and he didn't get last place...
I rode shotty with him all 4 runs. A little sluggish off the line on all four (autos are hard to launch). Other than that, he ran the course about as solid as one would expect from a 2nd or 3rd timer... which given his newbie status was pretty damn shocking. Other than his lack of agression, he really didn't do anything wrong. His lines were solid, his eyes seemed to be in the right place, and by his final run he seemed comfortable with the width of the car and "kissed" a few cones in the slolam.
It would have been nice to hear some tire squealing, but I guess that comes with experience - my first time out my tires were silent as well. I really hope to see him at future events. For the sake of all AT owners, I'd really like to see this guy put all the MT trash-talkers in their place
CrzTrtlDck -
Another newbie that did better than was expected. Out of all the RX-8s that ran B-Stock yesterday (and there were quite a few), he had the lowest times. One of the guys he beat has been autocrossing 4 or 5 times before, so it's a pretty braggable achievment.
His lines weren't as solid as they could have been, but a little aggression (& familiarity with the car) can go a long way. Of the 3 times I rode shotgun with him, he didn't seem shy at all. He pushed it a lot harder than one would expect from a first-timer (without losing control, that is). Once he learns to be a little less shy with the pedals (both of them), we should start to see some real excitement.
Not to say that his runs didn't get my blood flowing - I know on his second run I left an imprint of my hand on the passenger door handle as we hurled though the final slolam.
Myself -
Even with all my cheating (riding shotgun 10 times before my run), and my MS suspension, I still couldn't take first in my class
I was in first place after my 3rd run, but Amita is a phenomenal driver and blew me out of the water by the end of the day... like she always does... in her bone-stock BMW D:
While I might not have won anything for best times, I definately won the "Most Dramatic Finish" award for the day. I came into the final slolam WAAAAAAAY too fast and the backend went out about 20 degrees to the left...
...then 40 degrees to the right...
...then 80 degrees to the left...
...at which point the slolam was over and I had to make a hard right turn to the finish line. Since I was already facing the right direction, I decided to stop counter-steering and just let the car straighten out...
...it didn't straighten out.
The last 3 or 4 seconds of my run were done with the car traveling 70 or 80 degrees relative to the direction it was facing. Through some miracle of God I manged to cross the finish line and straighten out just moments before plowing through the timing devices.
Crztrtldck was riding shotgun with me at the time and can testify that it was a drift of F&F proportions. Somehow, it was my 2nd best run of the day :/
TNTMST -
He scares me.
He's got an automatic.
He's only had the car a few weeks.
He's never autocrossed before.
...and he didn't get last place...
I rode shotty with him all 4 runs. A little sluggish off the line on all four (autos are hard to launch). Other than that, he ran the course about as solid as one would expect from a 2nd or 3rd timer... which given his newbie status was pretty damn shocking. Other than his lack of agression, he really didn't do anything wrong. His lines were solid, his eyes seemed to be in the right place, and by his final run he seemed comfortable with the width of the car and "kissed" a few cones in the slolam.
It would have been nice to hear some tire squealing, but I guess that comes with experience - my first time out my tires were silent as well. I really hope to see him at future events. For the sake of all AT owners, I'd really like to see this guy put all the MT trash-talkers in their place
CrzTrtlDck -
Another newbie that did better than was expected. Out of all the RX-8s that ran B-Stock yesterday (and there were quite a few), he had the lowest times. One of the guys he beat has been autocrossing 4 or 5 times before, so it's a pretty braggable achievment.
His lines weren't as solid as they could have been, but a little aggression (& familiarity with the car) can go a long way. Of the 3 times I rode shotgun with him, he didn't seem shy at all. He pushed it a lot harder than one would expect from a first-timer (without losing control, that is). Once he learns to be a little less shy with the pedals (both of them), we should start to see some real excitement.
Not to say that his runs didn't get my blood flowing - I know on his second run I left an imprint of my hand on the passenger door handle as we hurled though the final slolam.
Myself -
Even with all my cheating (riding shotgun 10 times before my run), and my MS suspension, I still couldn't take first in my class
I was in first place after my 3rd run, but Amita is a phenomenal driver and blew me out of the water by the end of the day... like she always does... in her bone-stock BMW D:While I might not have won anything for best times, I definately won the "Most Dramatic Finish" award for the day. I came into the final slolam WAAAAAAAY too fast and the backend went out about 20 degrees to the left...
...then 40 degrees to the right...
...then 80 degrees to the left...
...at which point the slolam was over and I had to make a hard right turn to the finish line. Since I was already facing the right direction, I decided to stop counter-steering and just let the car straighten out...
...it didn't straighten out.
The last 3 or 4 seconds of my run were done with the car traveling 70 or 80 degrees relative to the direction it was facing. Through some miracle of God I manged to cross the finish line and straighten out just moments before plowing through the timing devices.
Crztrtldck was riding shotgun with me at the time and can testify that it was a drift of F&F proportions. Somehow, it was my 2nd best run of the day :/
