clyde

tpryor took 3rd of 19 in BS at the Houston National Tour this weekend, beating out some very accomplished drivers. Results.

Can't wait to hear about it, Tim.

Congrats!

TybeeRX-8

For a first time out in a Nat'l, Tim and the RX-8 acquitted themselves quite well IMHO. .304 overall behind Heddrick's Boxster is nothing to sneeze at. It can only get better. Note that one run was 51+, really fast!!!:D

eccles

Awesome. Congrats, Tim!

Ike

Nice runs Tim!

I really expected more from Chris Fleming in the Forester, kind of disappointing. And someone tell that guy in the 125CC Shifter to go get some lessons and stop disgracing karters :p

tpryor

Thanks guys. I also don't think 3rd was too bad for the first National event, but it could have been SO much better.

Saturday, we had the new Hoosier A3S04's, and weren't sure about air pressures, predictability, etc., so we just took a shot. The car was handling OK, but we were convinced that we were giving it everything it had, and we were 5th to the group. We were beginning to wonder if we could be competitive at a National level.

After reviewing the data (from the GEEZ data acquisition box) at the hotel, we realized we weren't getting any more performance than with the "old" Hoosier ROADRACE compound! We knew THAT couldn't be right.......

So, we (OK, I) decided to see what the car had on Sunday. When I went out Sunday morning for the first run, the idea was to "over drive" the car, just to see what kind of stick we were dealing with, so I scared myself everywhere, but was the only car in the 51's on the first group. I also realized that I had been driving the car conservatively (I guess the roadrace compound had been imprinted), as the car felt absolutely planted during that run.

The second run, there was a down cone, but it wasn't THAT far out of the way so I decided to keep going. Unfortunately, that made my entrance into the lllooooong slalom (wall of death) a little "late" and it caused me to just "nick" one at the end - then the workers called me for the one I DIDN'T hit also!!! However, that run stood as the fastest run of the group, and would have put me comfortably in the lead.

So, time for a (reasonably) conservative run, right? That wire in my brain does not appear to be connected, as I went out and gave my all (I figure it's not a win if you didn't "earn" it), and (by all accounts) was 1/2 second or so ahead of the previous run, when entering the last corner, I BLEW IT!!!!

The last "corner" was a turn around over a "hump" in the road. The first cone was passed at an angle with the car "unloading" over the rise, and settling down (hopefully) for the final cone, leading to the finish. Of course, there was also a gate that prevented a wide line on the exit, AND you were also turning back over the "hump" at the second cone as well (a lot of understeer without proper planning).

ALL day, both days, I had been crossing the plane of the first cone, and as the car settled, I would start the rear end rotating over the rise. When I could "see" the exit, I would get back on the throttle (which will absolutely STOP a slide in an RX-8) and power out. Seems simple enough - I had done it 5 times to this point, right?

In my desire to PROVE I could be competitive (and to shut Ian up - another story), I entered the corner faster than I had all weekend, and (predictably) the slide was MUCH more pronounced (I almost spun), but I brought it (almost) to the exit and got back on the throttle at the designated spot.

Well, I was at more of an angle that I had been previously, and a MASSIVE push began (poor planning, not a car issue). I thought I could force the car back on the proper line, but it was not to be. It pushed SO far out that it forced me to slam on the brakes and make a 90 degree left and right (around the cone), then accelerate to the finish (in first gear - the previous finishes were at 5000 rpm in second). My co-driver just called it "ugly", and that was being polite.

All I had to do was duplicate the run previous (which I had easily done until the finish), and the RX-8 would have won it's first National Tour...........

Next time, we'll make sure the "nut behind the wheel" is a little tighter before we go out there. Seriously though, it seems the car will be competitive with the class, it just needs a little more development, and we need to be able to drive it a little better.

If I just had adjustable shocks...................

Thanks again for all the kind words and wishes. We'll get one pretty soon, I'm sure.

Imp

Excellent! Great writeup!

Not going to say much other than.... when at a National Event... ALWAYS stop for a downed cone for exactly that reason... if they didn't get it on the last car, and they notice it as you go by... you might get it (unless it was a case the worker couldn't get out there in time and KNEW you didn't hit it). The other half of it is... if the guy in front of you hit it, and wasn't penalized... it COULD have been his fastest run.

I can't stress that enough... stop for a downed cone and point it out. Then you'll get the re-run and have ANOTHER run on the course, which not many are able to do. :D

Great job tho!

Monique

Yes, Tim looked great out there!

I did the same on the cone before the gate to the finish. But I almost lost it. I actually spun on my 2nd run of day two which gave me a DNF. And since I'm still running street tires I couldn't grab well. Plus I'm very new to this so I basically went for the fun and the experience! And that I got!!

Here's a pic of Tim... hope you don't mind me posting a pic Tim.
And if I haven't told you already... Congrats!!! You did great!!!

As an autox newbie and fellow 8 owner / lover I hope to learn alot from you. It's quite obvious now that my 8 has the porential!

Okay, so I was going to post a pic. They're obviously too large to post. I'll try again later when I have a chance to edit or crop.

-Monique

Hassan

Great job Tim, It was good to meet you and talk to you for a bit. The car looked good out there. I did get to drive Monique's car for practice and it seemed like it has a lot of potential....

Monique

Congrats to Hassan who took FIRST place in SM!!! :D

Hassan

Thanks

Monique

No problem. I want you to know I'm very proud of you. You were awesome!!

Hassan

Thanks....

tpryor

Yeah, I forgot as well, but I watched a couple of your runs. It's pretty obvious you can drive, and I would like to add my congratulations as well.

Good Job!

eccles

Tim gets an honorable mention in the official event report on the SCCA's site.