2006 fest "autocross" format and rules

[meganuke]

Or we can move the airbags to the outside of compu_85's car...

Someone was shooting video...any chance we can get that posted?

 

[david_594]

Jeffs son got a video of it on his camera phone.

 

[Phoenix42]

Matt, does this mean I've lost my co-driver for future events?

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

Matt, does this mean I've lost my co-driver for future events?

You need to show up first....

 

[robdesigns]

Or we can move the airbags to the outside of compu_85's car...

Someone was shooting video...any chance we can get that posted?

meganuke:

FWIW, I only got a complete video of the yellow TDI-Hybrid because I thought it would smoke everyone . Unfortunately I did not get your winning run on video because....well....I thought you would suck .

The score, my instinct 0 - Reality 2.

Rob

 

[SSTDI]

sprinting in the sprinter...

Matt, does this mean I've lost my co-driver for future events?

No, but only if we compete in the Sprinter again! I don't think Scott will let you near that however! - Matt

 

[meganuke]

No worries, Rob. Any video posting would be good to show people the insane course layout.

I'm not sure Zippy has recovered from that ride, either.

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

I think Jeff's son may have gotten that one too. He definitely got the Hybrid and the ill-fated compu runs. I told him the Meganuke run would be CRAZY, so he was going to make room for it.

 

[TDIinRI]

LugNut thanks for setting up this event and going through all the work necessary to get this done. This is the first time I have done a parking lot autocross! What fun to both watch and participate!

 

[david_594]

Next time around I vote we have an autocross committee. This course was fun and great for the purpose but it needed more buffer space and had disaster written all over it in a couple places....

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

You can head the committee, as I think Jonathan is retiring.

 

[cevans]

You can head the committee, as I think Jonathan is retiring.

Thats too bad, that course was fantastic! The amount of backward-ness was the worst, and yet the best, part. The best being the backwards doughnuts that were performed on the backwards turn, the worst being that backwards stretch that would bite you if you even thought about screwing up. I thought both parts were good, however.

I think John did a great job. And, being the SECOND person the whole weekend to drive the course, I thought it was challenging and not reckless. At first, though, there weren't any cones on the curb side, and I think that would have caused a lot more...well, pain.

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

And, being the SECOND person

ummm... THIRD

 

[Rob Mayercik]

I didn't win, but I had a blast. I'm glad I went ahead of Compu_85, though - I would have been really nervous having to go AFTER that run.

It was an excellent course, though I do agree that perhaps an uncurbed parking lot would have been safer for Compu_85.

Speaking as someone who did screw up and go "off pattern", perhaps it might be helpful to paint/tape a line or arrows around the course showing the proper route, as the go-cart track did?

Now all we need is some more automatics to compete in this, and we could have two categories.

Rob

 

[SSTDI]

...Speaking as someone who did screw up and go "off pattern", perhaps it might be helpful to paint/tape a line or arrows around the course showing the proper route, as the go-cart track did?

Rob

...but that's the point, it's not supposed to be easy.

 

[cevans]

ummm... THIRD

i didn't think John ran the course full speed?

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

ok. I'll give you that.

 

[meganuke]

Jon doesn't know how to go full speed in his car. It took him 9 friggin' hours to get there!

 

[mycruiseagent]

I think that is full speed ...?

MCA

 

[NathanMSL]

Howdy, fellas

Well I'm still in PA, visiting family. I must say that the rally course was great. I did have the unfortunate slot right behind the small incident, but I did ok.

Next time we need to have a not so slow rally course in a large parking lot. I'd be interested in being on a committee that heads up the event.

Well, I'm leaving in the morning for Texas.

Nathan

aka: SMKYTXN

 

[mr.mindless]

Hope you and the Freight Train have a good trip west!

 

[Phoenix42]

Jon doesn't know how to go full speed in his car. It took him 9 friggin' hours to get there!

Given that Jon's wagon can get 76.6mpg on a 500 plus mile trip it might be worth taking 9 hours to get to PA.

 

[Lug_Nut]

Two Words...

Next time we need to have a not so slow rally course in a large parking lot. I'd be interested in being on a committee that heads up the event. Nathan aka: SMKYTXN

Two words:
Liability Insurance

The SCCA, whom Julie and I contacted about setting up and operating just such an event, required three acres, a huge indemnity policy, and a bunch of money for operation, expenses that we couldn't justify. No passsengers, mandatory current Snell approved helmets, full tech inspection, safety trained course workers, medical supplies, extinguishers, spill containment, and so much more.
We also looked into the possibility of having a bunch of fest attendees participate in some pre-existing autocross in the area, but there were none nearby.
We made do with what we told the Hotel was a parking skills event. They specified they would not allow us to use their annex lot for high speed performance tests. The local SCCA allowed us to use their cones, but we could not use them for any technical design or advise on course set-up due to legal clauses.

Prior fests have had some high speed performance events, sometimes set-up and run by others as part of an un-official post-fest option. Many of these events have had far more serious mishaps than the incidents this past weekend. Shattered ring and pinion at the drag strip in 2000; Blown turbos in the hills and damaged C/V joints at the salt flat in 2001; Cars sliding off track and into a containment pond at Grattan in 2002; Temporary closure of the track, a total loss of a race car, and a driver in the hospital at Mosport in 2003.
It was in attempts to minimize the risk to vehicles that the competitive events were toned down starting in 2004.
I feel badly that my course design caused (directly or indirectly) damage to an attendee's vehicle. I don't want the guilt of more serious damage, or of personal injury, to weigh on me.

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

I feel badly that my course design caused (directly or indirectly) damage to an attendee's vehicle. I don't want the guilt of more serious damage, or of personal injury, to weigh on me.

No one forced to run.
Everyone was able to see the course prior to driving.
$^&T happens.
A low speed incident could have happened no matter what the design.
Vehicle damage is always a possibility, in racing or just running to the store.

Scott

 

[Rob Mayercik]

I feel badly that my course design caused (directly or indirectly) damage to an attendee's vehicle. I don't want the guilt of more serious damage, or of personal injury, to weigh on me.

As was previously stated, we all knew the risks. I'd feel bad as well in your place, but don't get too hung up on it - all in all, it was a successful event.

A higher speed course might be fun, but you make an excellent point about the toll on the vehicles.

Instead of making the course bigger or faster, how about adding difficulty in a different way? Imagine the fun we could have had with Jon's course on a big dirt lot with no curbs, or if we add a couple of spots where 3-point turns were required (again, far from curbs)...


Rob

 

[compu_85]

John did you get my PM? Don't feel bad about my car... it was my own fault. And now we know how to make things better for next year! Who knows, I may even try to run again (hide the women and children!!!)

-Jason

 

[Lug_Nut]

Yes, Jason, I did get your PM. I appreciate that you have taken the full responsibility of the result, but I still have some guilt feelings. My first draft had the course path well inside of the curbing. I recalled that the Boston course was laid out with the B4 turning circle and that the A4 require a larger turn. I opened the turns this year to accomodate the A4s and that widened the area required out to the periphery of the curbing. I rationalized that since the widened course would use the curb as a course bounds it would reduce the number of cones required for demarcation.
Jetter (of Jetter_Sprinta) kept imploring me to add cones along the curb. I didn't feel that they were necessary.
Well, For my 120 second runs maybe they weren't. For the sub-80 second runs the cones' presence became almost mandatory.
It is an unpleasant lesson that I hope others won't have to learn anew.

 

[meganuke]

Have you seen how compu_85 parks his car? Jeez, if it didn't happen at the driving course, it would have happened at the mall. No wonder he's on his 3rd radiator...

I thought the course was great. The curbs were a concern, so I think everyone kept it under a 10/10ths pace. I like the fact that it was limited to 1st and reverse gears. I don't think anyone got over 15 mph, but I bet it was the best "slow speed" adrenaline rush they ever had!

 

[Jetter_Sprinta]

I don't think Scott will let you near that however!

You got that right! And Chris is right, Phoenix42, you-gotta-show-2-go!!

Jetter (of Jetter_Sprinta) kept imploring me to add cones along the curb. I didn't feel that they were necessary.

You just don't like taking suggestions from girls. Wish I were there, I'm "trained" to agree and would have advised you to do so!!

Scott

 

[compu_85]

Hey be fair! That's only the 2nd curb i've driven over!

I need to get that video from Jeff's son. I need to make myself an avatar...

-J