First autox of the 2008 season (for me)

[yellowss7]

Well, yesterday's weather held and the Philly SCCA region held its first autox of the season. I had loaded the 7 into the trailer without starting it, so I was really pleased that after sitting all winter, it started on the first turn of the key.:hurray:

 

Roman,(evilrome0) showed up, unfortunately without his 7,as it is still being repaired, but he took a ride with me for a couple of runs.

 

Only one other 7 competed, an original 62 lotus 7, but he retired after two runs with an oil leak.

 

Felt good to knock the rust off after a long winter. Now I just have to figure out how to drive harder. Tom

 

 

[Boxologist]

great that the season is starting. sucks that i'm missing it. maybe mid may i will be up and driving

 

who's Shenefield?

 

 

vid of the course from an audi

[yellowss7]

Box wrote:

who's Shenefield?

 

I don't know?? As for that video view from the Audi... so that's how the course looks in slow mo. :ack: I did have the in car camera on, but I haven't watched it yet. Will do that tomorrow and post it. That looked like a 60+++ second run. I think my best was 51.6.

 

Tom

[yellowss7]

Here's a pic with me and Roman (evilrome0) out for a leisurely jaunt on course. Notice the smile on Roman's face. Wait and see how big that grin will be when he's driving his own.

 

http://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/716264043_warminster 08.jpg

[MHKflyer52]

quote=yellowss7] out for a leisurely jaunt on course.

http://usa7s.com/aspnetforum/upload/716264043_warminster 08.jpg

 

Hi Tom,

Looks like you were having fun on that leisurely jaunt and saving weight (shaving weight) with out the rear fender or is that to help hit those cones that don't get out of the way.:jonautox:

I also ran my first auto-x for this season out here in SoCal last Sunday (04/20/08) and only placed 24th out of 80. Had to run in the X class with the big guns (14 cars in class) and placed 5th in class. My fastest time was 64.447 seconds clean (65.315 first run clean, 64.447 second run clean and 64.587 third run clean) and the FTD was 57.369 seconds by a full race Porsche GT3 also in X class so I don't feel to bad about my times even though their were a lot of very fast and well preped cars at this auto-x (those Honda Civics can really screem).

[Kitcat]

Any time I am ever under the illusion that I know how to drive fast, I enter an autocross. Talk abt lesson in humility. (Damn those Honda Civics!)

 

I once asked a mechanic tweaking my car if the changes would make me as fast as the front runners. He quickly replied that it would probably just eliminate one of my many excuses for not being as fast. Sad, but true!

 

It has been interesting to discover that at track days & lapping days, the competition is far less talented than at auto-x's. Don't know why. At last weekend's trackday, I was lapping a Boxster 2x each 20' session. Very few other drivers in my "advanced" group could keep up with me. At an auto-X I feel fortunate to be mid-pack.

[yellowss7]

I personally think that the seven should be the fastest car at an autox, with the possible exception of the A B or C mod cars and F125 karts.

 

A good driver in a lesser car has a real good chance to beat a 7 with an average driver, (like me)

 

Someone once told me that Autox requires a high level of skill to "get it right" as opposed to track day skills which require consistency.

 

I'm getting better, had the 8 fastest time out of 144, with 4 of the faster times coming from F500's and a F125 kart. Paxed 45 overall, so a lot of room for improvement. I just need to drive harder. I'm still coasting to set up for the next gate, instead of driving hard, then braking hard. Street habits still rule in my head.

 

I left the rear wings off because I was lazy. I put the slicks on while the car was still on the lift and I didn't have alot of room on the one side due to the tool bench and I figured no one would protest me.

 

These cars are just so much fun to drive hard though aren't they! :7drive:

 

Next philly event is next Sunday so they will probably still be off for that event too.

 

Tom