OT for some. Talk about a sh!tty day at an autocross event...
09-04-2005, 08:54 AM
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OT for some. Talk about a sh!tty day at an autocross event...
What was supposed to be a two day event for me was cut short yesterday afternoon because of my poor showing and a decision not to run on the same course because of a simply badly designed course layout.
<b>No excuses, bad driving on my part</b> or should I say over driving was part of the problem, but I have never seen a bad course design like this at all or at least in a long while. The parking lot they used was full of bumps and holes, very bad for the suspension with some cars actually getting airborne in one section. You could see and hear the suspensions going from fully compressed to fully unloaded and back to fully compressed on the course, very bad. Add to this, three corners that were so tight that I had to use first gear in at least two if not all three of them. This is not fun to me; no course should be like that. To add insult to injury the finish line with its photo cells was set up in a 90 degree turn with the racing line aiming right at one of the photo cells. You had to go into a hard braking manoeuvre and turn 90 degrees to the right to enter the deceleration box, what a joke. The whole track was dusty and slippery and because of the bumps and dust ABS was triggered a lot and on most cars.
A lot of the top runners and experienced drivers had bad runs some getting no clean runs in four attempts! I only managed one clean run (no cones). On my third run I thought I got my best run of the day with a 46 second flat. A late call by a person on pylon duty would see my second place time for this run go up by two seconds for apparently moving a pylon out of its box, I was not too impressed, more liked pissed off! Oh well there is always the fourth and last run, right?
Well with the knife firmly between my teeth I start my last run, it's going well and maybe I'm going to beat that previous time, but wait I'm coming in too fast into the braking zone for that last 90 degree turn into the deceleration box. The ABS kicks in and WHAM...
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/46874/damage01.jpg">
Yes folks, it is my fault, I overcooked it and I hit the timing system's photocell, bang on. Heard a loud noise, saw parts go flying all over the place, and took the wiring out. Holly **** I said to myself, now I really screwed up this time! The photocell is housed in hard ABS tubing and basically chipped my front bumper to the unpainted core. Guess there will be more body work this fall!
Another view this time from further back.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/46874/damage02.jpg">
If this was not a bad enough day already, when we went back to the hotel for post competition events, I decided to park under ground in the hotel's parking. Well the entrance was steep with a sharp levelling off portion and WHAM again, now the front lips got scrapped! More work for the body man this fall...
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/46874/damage03.jpg">
I just assume forget about yesterday. In the end I finished eighth in my class when second place was in my sight. That run that was revised with a cone would have given me second place. Too bad! However bleak the result yesterday, my direct competition did not do any better, so I believe I'm still ahead in the class. All will be decided at the last event at the end of this month.
One last comment. The LSD seems to be working fine but it is hard to know how muchit helped on this course.
<b>No excuses, bad driving on my part</b> or should I say over driving was part of the problem, but I have never seen a bad course design like this at all or at least in a long while. The parking lot they used was full of bumps and holes, very bad for the suspension with some cars actually getting airborne in one section. You could see and hear the suspensions going from fully compressed to fully unloaded and back to fully compressed on the course, very bad. Add to this, three corners that were so tight that I had to use first gear in at least two if not all three of them. This is not fun to me; no course should be like that. To add insult to injury the finish line with its photo cells was set up in a 90 degree turn with the racing line aiming right at one of the photo cells. You had to go into a hard braking manoeuvre and turn 90 degrees to the right to enter the deceleration box, what a joke. The whole track was dusty and slippery and because of the bumps and dust ABS was triggered a lot and on most cars.
A lot of the top runners and experienced drivers had bad runs some getting no clean runs in four attempts! I only managed one clean run (no cones). On my third run I thought I got my best run of the day with a 46 second flat. A late call by a person on pylon duty would see my second place time for this run go up by two seconds for apparently moving a pylon out of its box, I was not too impressed, more liked pissed off! Oh well there is always the fourth and last run, right?
Well with the knife firmly between my teeth I start my last run, it's going well and maybe I'm going to beat that previous time, but wait I'm coming in too fast into the braking zone for that last 90 degree turn into the deceleration box. The ABS kicks in and WHAM...
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/46874/damage01.jpg">
Yes folks, it is my fault, I overcooked it and I hit the timing system's photocell, bang on. Heard a loud noise, saw parts go flying all over the place, and took the wiring out. Holly **** I said to myself, now I really screwed up this time! The photocell is housed in hard ABS tubing and basically chipped my front bumper to the unpainted core. Guess there will be more body work this fall!
Another view this time from further back.
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/46874/damage02.jpg">
If this was not a bad enough day already, when we went back to the hotel for post competition events, I decided to park under ground in the hotel's parking. Well the entrance was steep with a sharp levelling off portion and WHAM again, now the front lips got scrapped! More work for the body man this fall...
<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/46874/damage03.jpg">
I just assume forget about yesterday. In the end I finished eighth in my class when second place was in my sight. That run that was revised with a cone would have given me second place. Too bad! However bleak the result yesterday, my direct competition did not do any better, so I believe I'm still ahead in the class. All will be decided at the last event at the end of this month.
One last comment. The LSD seems to be working fine but it is hard to know how muchit helped on this course.
09-04-2005, 09:08 AM
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ouch. I am impressed that you can be competitive in auto-x with an Audi
I regularly compete with an S2000 and unless it's raining or snowing I wouldn't imagine the S4 would make a really great auto-x ride.
I know for a fact that I would be dead meat in ASP with my S4.
I run locally with the Western WA Sports Car Council and we get some good turnouts - generally 150 entrants per event.
I know for a fact that I would be dead meat in ASP with my S4.
I run locally with the Western WA Sports Car Council and we get some good turnouts - generally 150 entrants per event.
09-04-2005, 09:22 AM
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I'd like to clarify a few points...
I don't run an S4 but a modified A4. I'm in SM1 class. The car is very good especially with a very good driver onboard (not me), although I'm sure some other cars could/would beat it.
My main rivals run a modied Nissan 240 SX, a modified WRX with STI components and a bigger turbo, blah, blah, blah and one guy running a Civic with lots of goodies in it like a swapped out motor, suspension work, tires the size of a steam roller's wheels. I think he puts out 180 HP but it only weighs 2000 lbs VS my ~3400 lbs.
All three drivers are better at driving a car around the track then I am.
My main rivals run a modied Nissan 240 SX, a modified WRX with STI components and a bigger turbo, blah, blah, blah and one guy running a Civic with lots of goodies in it like a swapped out motor, suspension work, tires the size of a steam roller's wheels. I think he puts out 180 HP but it only weighs 2000 lbs VS my ~3400 lbs.
All three drivers are better at driving a car around the track then I am.
09-04-2005, 09:38 AM
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I use to autocross in a 90 Civic Si, and that was sometimes tough to get going through the course
conditions that you described (infact it sounds identical to the one I had raced in). Anyway sorry about your luck, and hope all goes well for you in the final event.
09-04-2005, 09:49 AM
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I have the front the rear and the sides. It is not a 15 minute job to do. It's something you do...
Once or twice a year for repairs. In my case I usually remove it for the winter.
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09-04-2005, 09:55 AM
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Thats my conclusion. S4 is a WRONG car for autox. Even
with nice coils and sways and exhaust - still TOO heavy. Autox is all about weight for the biggest part. U dont need 370Hp. U need 150 and a light stripped small car. Those win. Usually.
I still gonna try and do one last thing. Slicks. Will see what happens...
Thats just my humble opinion. Like one of u guys always say - the best mod is... u know the rest
I still gonna try and do one last thing. Slicks. Will see what happens...
Thats just my humble opinion. Like one of u guys always say - the best mod is... u know the rest
09-04-2005, 10:11 AM
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Bleh. I know the feeling...(longish)
Sorry to see those dings on your car's nose.
Last month I attended my first local SCCA "club" trial in Focustein (formerly these were called Solo I). It was held at Bremerton. First off, I don't care for Bremerton much. It is a decommissioned airport track mostly around cones, barrels, and/or tire towers. It was only my second time there, but it is where PNW SCCA will be holding dedicated club trial events.
Well, during my first run around the course, I carried too much speed into "turn 1"--a slow speed sweeper, normally done at about 45 mph or so in my car to set up to go WOT down into back straight. I am not sure of my exact speed, but as I came around and pressed into the throttle, the little FWD pushed big time (on dry pavement). I held steady thorttle, hoping I could just ride it out around the outiside of the turn. Looking back I probably should have lifted slightly to get the nose to rotate, then got back into the throttle. Anyway, I didn't quite make it and ended up driving off the course into some St. Andrews-style 2nd cut rough and right back onto the track (no spin) without stopping. The rough was just tall enough to catch my splitter, and bend it (it's aluminum) down so that it scraped all the way back to the pit. No big deal, just turned it up and went back out. Later: Just before the second session, I'm standing by my driver front left tire and hear a "psssssssssss" sound. I get up close and my tire valve is leaking. Luckily I had some forceps and was able to gingerly tighten the valve (now carry a valve tightening tool). My second run was uneventful and I actually got some decent undisturbed lapping in. But I was just *not* "feeling it." So, at lunch and packed it up and hit the road for the 1.5 hour drive home. I got home in time to take the wife and daughter to the "Bite of Seattle" (which is kind of wild people watching scene). Some days, for me, it is better to be a spectator.
Last month I attended my first local SCCA "club" trial in Focustein (formerly these were called Solo I). It was held at Bremerton. First off, I don't care for Bremerton much. It is a decommissioned airport track mostly around cones, barrels, and/or tire towers. It was only my second time there, but it is where PNW SCCA will be holding dedicated club trial events.
Well, during my first run around the course, I carried too much speed into "turn 1"--a slow speed sweeper, normally done at about 45 mph or so in my car to set up to go WOT down into back straight. I am not sure of my exact speed, but as I came around and pressed into the throttle, the little FWD pushed big time (on dry pavement). I held steady thorttle, hoping I could just ride it out around the outiside of the turn. Looking back I probably should have lifted slightly to get the nose to rotate, then got back into the throttle. Anyway, I didn't quite make it and ended up driving off the course into some St. Andrews-style 2nd cut rough and right back onto the track (no spin) without stopping. The rough was just tall enough to catch my splitter, and bend it (it's aluminum) down so that it scraped all the way back to the pit. No big deal, just turned it up and went back out. Later: Just before the second session, I'm standing by my driver front left tire and hear a "psssssssssss" sound. I get up close and my tire valve is leaking. Luckily I had some forceps and was able to gingerly tighten the valve (now carry a valve tightening tool). My second run was uneventful and I actually got some decent undisturbed lapping in. But I was just *not* "feeling it." So, at lunch and packed it up and hit the road for the 1.5 hour drive home. I got home in time to take the wife and daughter to the "Bite of Seattle" (which is kind of wild people watching scene). Some days, for me, it is better to be a spectator.