Dateline: Saturday 14 June 2003.

Stephen Magown, Matt Ritenour and Micah Jones pull up to the Mississippi state fairgrounds parking lot and an SCCA AutoX. I'm here to tell you that Stephen and Matt (but not Micah, because all he did was get a nasty sunburn) held the P-car banner high.

The course itself was fast, consisting of only 1 tight 180 and a couple of hairpins connected by some pretty high speed slaloms. Stephen was in boost quite a bit.

First up was Matt, running in B-Stock. He turned a best time of 55 seconds, which put him smack dab in the middle of a gaggle of performance cars, just a second or so shy of the resident Boxster and giving an S2000 a pretty good spanking on the majority of runs! All this despite nearly hitting the timing camera on his first run and getting a lecture (poor guy )

Stephen opened the eyes of quite a few people in his 951... I rode with him on the first time around. People had already seen Matt's car run, and they must've thought they were watching a 944NA. When Stephen came on boost, it was like the crowd was looking where they thought his car should've been, and had to keep snapping their heads to keep up There were a lot of open mouths.

Stephen managed a best time of 51 seconds despite a missed shift. He also nicked a cone on that lap, so he gained a couple of seconds there... but this run still put him squarely in competition with some of the fastest cars out there and matched the times laid down by a C5 vette and a WRX.

I should note, this was Matt's first autoX, and Stephen's second. I was going to run, but we won't discuss what happened Friday on the way to Steve's house, although it involved what I'm hoping is *just* a broken tranny mount I really wanted to run, but it wasn't meant to be, and I want to make sure my car is in tip-top shape before I venture out "amongst the cones."

The fastest time of the day was turned by a heavily modded 240SX with a time of 44 seconds. I never realized how small those cars were or how well they responded to suspension mods. I still wouldn't want one - but it was neat to see it put the screws to a TT Supra and the like.

There was one other Porsche in the running - an early 90s C4 that did a great job out there, running only a bit slower than Stephen's 951. An early 944 showed up as did another heavily modified guards 951 that belonged to someone on the lists... I just can't remember who right now.

Anyway, the next event is being held right here at Columbus AFB on the 21st... if you're in the dirty south, you need to stop by. I can't get Matt to erase his number and class off of his rear windows, so we might need an intervention of some sort.

And ask Stephen about his straight pipe.

Micah

 

90% driver

Around here in the NNJR region, the fastest 944 autocrossers are driving n/a's...

Actually, the fastest guy is driving a pretty much stock n/a on R compounds...

Well, there is one guy that drives a 951S in the mtro NY region with a little suspension work and R compounds that took FTD over some crazy cars, but he's an awesome driver.

 

Micah, that sounds awesome!! Good job fellas!

 

Oh man it was a blast, I wish we would have gotten there a little sooner. Any faster would have landed us in the slammer. I didn't have time to get my tire pressure adjusted accordingly and straight up forgot to adjust my shocks.

I've got a few issues to address before next weekend's autox. My left front brake keeps locking up under extreme braking. It's been doing that since the day I picked it up. I've changed pads and pressure bleed with ATE blue. Didn’t change anything

Next, I need to at least check the level of my gear box oil and probably replace it with some decent fluid. It was grinding every time I down shifted to 1st.

No need to ask about my straight pipe, read the thread here: <a href="http://forums.rennlist.com/forums/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=18;t=005565" target="_blank">951 + straight pipe = pick up truck (Need Muffler Advice) </a>

I really need to get new front tires, I’ve got the crappy OE Contental Contisports that came with my 2000 model 996 rims. I was forced to buy new rears a few months ago when I got a hole in the sidewall. Since I planned on upgrading to a better tire I went ahead and got the Yoko ES100’s. Now I’m running on a mismatched set, with the two Contis up front it is one seriously understeering turd.

 

Tell Matt to leave the number on the car and come to Birmingham for July 6th.

<a href="http://www.alscca.org/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid1055469394,90383," target="_blank">http://www.alscca.org/news/viewnews.cgi?newsid1055469394,90383,</a>

 

Well, guys I am glad it went well. I couldn't see driving 2.5 hours through the rain for 5 minutes of fun... Funny how being a pilot makes you think yellow and red on the radar is bad.

Bryan: Are you coming to Columbus for the AutoX next week? We should have a number of P-cars in attendance.

Matt: Can you wipe the grin off of your face yet?

 

That was friggin awsome! It was definatly worth the trip, even through the rain. Actually it was worth the trip just to see the garage that Steve's dad owns. Lifts, tools, and cars as far as the eye can see. Still, I was interesting to see a couple Mazda's and Corvette's wipe out and pull a couple 360's. I've never seen crowds scatter so fast before. Now i'm just looking forward to looking forward to the event here at the base on Saturday. Hopefully Micah will have his tranny mount fixed in time so he can experience the thrill too. <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" /> <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

Matt (addicted to Auto X) <img border="0" alt="[burnout]" title="" src="graemlins/burnout.gif" />

 

I did my first one in may - was an SCCA event with a very tricky course. The S performed extremely well - but I sucked. There were no other 944s or 911s there at all, just a few Boxsters. Several 350z's there - awesome cars. I also have a new-found respect for modded Nissan Pulsars. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Eek!]" src="eek.gif" />

 

Nice 944's teaching lessons

 

Micah and Matt, long time no talk! Sounds like you guys are having some fun in the south. Keep them '44s "representin". Micah, I've got one good tranny mount in my garage, but it's for an early car (early cars take two). Sorry.

Dale.

 

Joel,

Unfornunatly the car isn't ready for an auto-x yet and I have to work. If it wasn't for work, I'd go yet to watch.

 

<img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

 

I find the s2 to be the best car on the AutoX for the 944 pack. Just because its got way more low end and is easier to control.

 

Bryans951, I was looking at the Alabama SCCA site it looks like you guys have an autox next Sunday. Is that correct?. If we were up to the drive we could do ours on Sat and yours on Sunday. It doesn't take me long to get to Birmingham from here.

 

I did my first autoX on June 1st. What a blast!!!
The people that set up the course came from a F1/ cart background and so the course had almost no straights, all tight and twisty, so the 951 couldn't really open it up. I took third in the B-Improved class, I got beat out (1st & 2nd) by a husband/wife team in a HEAVILY modded new SVT Mustang he said he had about $60k into it, so I didn't feel too bad being beat by a Mustang.
With such a tight course I never did get out of second, I was in 1st 85% of the time, which was fun for the oversteer.
FTD was 69.56 which was done by a tube frame Fiero with a hotrod V-8 motor, he just barely beat Vern with his 914/6RS (RS= 73' 2.7RS motor) by a .05 seconds.
My best time of the day was 74.34.
I'm hooked!!!!!!!