My first autocross and a great P-car weekend! (long)
06-02-2003, 10:46 PM
#1
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
My first autocross and a great P-car weekend! (long)
This past weekend, my hometown had a weekend of P-cars and Corvettes in autocross, road rally and show. I have never even SEEN an autocross course before, let alone drive on one. I dismissed autocross as no real fun and something for Honda Civics and the like. Friday night was an “under the lights Porsche-Corvette shootout” The Steel City Corvettes and the Chesapeake Region PCA came to town. The course was 9/10 mile with two 1500ft. straights. I got to the event really late, but got to see Dennis Howard’s (well, his wife’s) 996 TT win the event hands down with a 71.357. The car lifted the front wheels at the start and ran the course so smooth, it was a sight to see. Wayne Jackson had the fastest Corvette with a time of 76.242. Among the A-list of P-car drivers were Noel Hall, Rob Gordon and Tim Eisel. Bob McCLure (who is a very nice guy and fun to talk with) ran his 93 Corvette at 78.012
There was some other Autocross fun Friday with Wayne Jackson’s Panos Lemans LMP950, Mike Jeffereys’ FC2000, and a 1988 Swift SE3 F2000 owned and driven by a very cool guy named Fred Schroeder VI. (the Swift had the lowest time at 70.063).
Since there was an autocross event in my hometown featuring P-cars, I figured, WTH, I’ll try the Sunday open autocross. I had asked on this board for some folks to join me, no takers.
Well, y’all missed some real fun! Sunday’s course was 7/10 mile with one 1500ft straight. There were about 40 entrants. Everything from the Swift, the 996 TT, to a “ricer” Neon (who’s driver missed the first shift on his first run and blew up the engine. He ran the course, smoking like Tarek!! The car was pushed from the stop-box and flat-bedded out later that day).
Rob Gordon in his Autocross-prepared 914-6 eeked out a lower time than 996 TT by 2/10sec.
There were three groups, but no classes. It was a hodge-podge in each group. The serious runners were turning 41’s to about 46’s. The high end times for novice’s in bad cars was 60’s and even one 70 (I thought the guy might have been lost and wandered onto the course looking for Denny’s or something (?).
I had read Beth’s autocross thread and took the advice found there. I turned a 55, two 53’s and a final run of 51. My highlight was on my final run, coming out of a slalom, turning towards the stop box sideways at WOT. I held full throttle and crossed the timeline sideways, straightened the car in the stop box, stopping it without hitting any cones. I was laughing my as$ off. The stop box crewman said “well, you got your money’s worth out o that turn!”. I asked if there was a penalty for coming into the stop box backwards and stopping (which was a serious option I had considered) and he said “no, just don’t’ hit any cones”.
Fred Schroeder gave me positive complements regarding my driving as a “first-time” autocrosser. I told him that I was using the same strategy I use to get to the empty parking place at Walmart.
Bottom line- I had a blast. I’m hooked. I’m going to Aberdeen, MD on Father’s day to participate in a Chesapeake PCA autocross event details here:
<a href="http://www.pcachs.org/autocross/autocrosshome.html" target="_blank">Chesapeake PCA autocross event</a>
If you haven’t tried autocross, you should. It’s serious fun. It’s like driving a 300(ish) HP go-cart. Eric D!!! are you reading this!!! Come to Aberdeen!!!
There was some other Autocross fun Friday with Wayne Jackson’s Panos Lemans LMP950, Mike Jeffereys’ FC2000, and a 1988 Swift SE3 F2000 owned and driven by a very cool guy named Fred Schroeder VI. (the Swift had the lowest time at 70.063).
Since there was an autocross event in my hometown featuring P-cars, I figured, WTH, I’ll try the Sunday open autocross. I had asked on this board for some folks to join me, no takers.
Well, y’all missed some real fun! Sunday’s course was 7/10 mile with one 1500ft straight. There were about 40 entrants. Everything from the Swift, the 996 TT, to a “ricer” Neon (who’s driver missed the first shift on his first run and blew up the engine. He ran the course, smoking like Tarek!! The car was pushed from the stop-box and flat-bedded out later that day).
Rob Gordon in his Autocross-prepared 914-6 eeked out a lower time than 996 TT by 2/10sec.
There were three groups, but no classes. It was a hodge-podge in each group. The serious runners were turning 41’s to about 46’s. The high end times for novice’s in bad cars was 60’s and even one 70 (I thought the guy might have been lost and wandered onto the course looking for Denny’s or something (?).
I had read Beth’s autocross thread and took the advice found there. I turned a 55, two 53’s and a final run of 51. My highlight was on my final run, coming out of a slalom, turning towards the stop box sideways at WOT. I held full throttle and crossed the timeline sideways, straightened the car in the stop box, stopping it without hitting any cones. I was laughing my as$ off. The stop box crewman said “well, you got your money’s worth out o that turn!”. I asked if there was a penalty for coming into the stop box backwards and stopping (which was a serious option I had considered) and he said “no, just don’t’ hit any cones”.
Fred Schroeder gave me positive complements regarding my driving as a “first-time” autocrosser. I told him that I was using the same strategy I use to get to the empty parking place at Walmart.
Bottom line- I had a blast. I’m hooked. I’m going to Aberdeen, MD on Father’s day to participate in a Chesapeake PCA autocross event details here:
<a href="http://www.pcachs.org/autocross/autocrosshome.html" target="_blank">Chesapeake PCA autocross event</a>
If you haven’t tried autocross, you should. It’s serious fun. It’s like driving a 300(ish) HP go-cart. Eric D!!! are you reading this!!! Come to Aberdeen!!!
06-02-2003, 11:21 PM
#2
Racer
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Commerce, Mi
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Greg,
Glad to hear you had such a blast. Were there any Sharks on Fridays event and if so how did they fair? I will try and make it next year. It is hard to make a race trip that far away without a trailer and support vehicle.
Glad to hear you had such a blast. Were there any Sharks on Fridays event and if so how did they fair? I will try and make it next year. It is hard to make a race trip that far away without a trailer and support vehicle.
06-02-2003, 11:38 PM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Hi Ell,
No 928's Friday night. Friday night had the Porsche-Corvette challenge and a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Autocross invitational celebrating the first year of SCCA races at the local airport (ended in 1970's) where this year's event was held. The promoter was real picky about the Friday night invitations and it became political.
Sunday was the open day and I really wish some other sharks would have showed.
No 928's Friday night. Friday night had the Porsche-Corvette challenge and a 50th Anniversary Commemorative Autocross invitational celebrating the first year of SCCA races at the local airport (ended in 1970's) where this year's event was held. The promoter was real picky about the Friday night invitations and it became political.
Sunday was the open day and I really wish some other sharks would have showed.
06-03-2003, 12:33 AM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2002
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How about Sunday, How did the Sharks fair up against the other P cars or were you the only Shark Driver? When they start planning the event next year let me know and I will try to schedule it into the ca lander. With enough lead time I can get a trailer and A truck big enough to haul it.
