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View Full Version : PSMC Saturday Autocross, Rotary Recap



ACR-Mark
07-05-2010, 06:12 AM
First of all, I want to thank everyone for making me feel welcome at this event. I have never been to an "away" event where I felt more at home.
Thanks for letting me help set up the course.
Thanks for letting me assist with the first timers.
Thanks for all the nice comments and "thank you's" that I received during the day.
It was my pleasure to be of any kind of service at all, and I had an absolute blast.
The event ran extremely smoothe, and it's due to the dedication and hard work of everyone who attended.
I also want to thank Brian Finch for the competition. He is an excellent driver and an asset to the group.

For those who were seeing/meeting me for the first time, here's a small amount of background so that you don't think I appeared out of nowhere.
When I was a kid, my older brother had a black 67 Firebird. I wanted that car so bad, still have pictures of it. My first car was an 81 Firebird. My fourth car was an 83 Firebird. My sixth car was an 85 Firebird.
I started autocrossing in late 2001. My very first event was in my 87 Monte SS. I had purchased a 2001 Camaro Z28 about a month prior to that event, so I waited until the 2002 season to start autocrossing it. I ran that car for 2 seasons. After several vehicle changes the next few years, I bought a 2009 RX-8 brand new, since I am addicted to autocross, and the clamshell doors work well for my little kiddos. At my home region, I pretty much do the same thing as I did on Saturday, I handle the novices, first-timers, and anyone else wanting to get an edge or some advice on how to get through a course faster.
I heard about the Pro Touring group after some of my co-workers attended RTTH 4 as spectators. I think there were some Subaru guys who had shown up, so my co-workers said I should try and go with them next time. Well, I was the only non-muscle car at RTTH 5. This past weekend, one of those co-workers finally stepped up from spectator to entrant, and ran his black 73 Camaro on Saturday.

My RX-8 is completely stock, aside from a mild alignment and some Dunlop Star Spec tires. While it seemed to work really well on that tight course at Red Top, it really suffers a lot in the slow speed stuff. On a long course, where you can scream through transitions higher up in 2nd gear, that's really where they do well. Where other cars reach their limit, the RX-8's are still hanging on.

Red Top is tight, oh yeah, but I think we all put our heads together and made it work with what little we had. It would be great to see a bigger site in the future, maybe the Atlanta region of the SCCA can help out with that.

David Sloan
07-05-2010, 06:45 AM
Thank you for coming out we really appreciated your help. Its all about the fun factor an running the cars.
It is also the people that come that makes an event like this so good!
Thank you!

protouring70
07-05-2010, 06:54 AM
Mark thanks for ALL the help!
We enjoyed having you as always!!!

71duster
07-05-2010, 07:39 AM
great job helping setting up the course. i think the chicago box pissed everybody off/tested their junk. i know it did mine! thanks!

formula
07-05-2010, 07:39 AM
yeah man thanks again for coming out--it was fun to have an "actual autocross" car--even a nigh-upon stock one--out there for everyone to compare to. Hope you'll be able to make it out again soon!

ACR-Mark
07-05-2010, 08:41 AM
Yeah, the Chicago Box was tough, all the 180's were tough, but they were necessary to maximize the use of the parking lot on a 1 lapper. We had 3 180's in a row before the finish, the middle one being the most punishing part of the course. Positioning of the car is absolutely important. The key is slowing down enough, early enough, to keep from upsetting the car too much before making the turn. Also, for example on the Chicago Box, you need to get the car as far to the right as possible on the entrance, maximize the room you have for the exit! Widen the arc, and you can carry more speed.
Maybe I'll get lucky and Bill will let me run again at RTTH 6. Last year's course was really fun, and I think it's possible to position the timers such that you can run 2 laps and have the typical 60 second course. When I get home from vacation I'll draw it up on a map and try to post it.

Mr.VENGEANCE
07-05-2010, 09:10 AM
Hey thanks for helping me navigate the course, Magellan...

no really.. thanks!

Steve Chryssos
07-05-2010, 03:44 PM
Mark,
Thank you for your help setting up the course. More importantly, thank you for jumping into one car after another as an instructor. Teaching hot rodders about the art of autocross is essential to the present and future of pro touring.

Last of all, thanks for running your RX-8 and making the competition aspect more exciting. Around here, we constantly ask if these technology parts will make our cars as fast as new production cars such as your RX-8. We realize that it can take good money to make our old cars as good as your stock new car. But we're happy nonetheless.

Bill Howell
07-05-2010, 04:01 PM
Yeah, the Chicago Box was tough, all the 180's were tough, but they were necessary to maximize the use of the parking lot on a 1 lapper. We had 3 180's in a row before the finish, the middle one being the most punishing part of the course. Positioning of the car is absolutely important. The key is slowing down enough, early enough, to keep from upsetting the car too much before making the turn. Also, for example on the Chicago Box, you need to get the car as far to the right as possible on the entrance, maximize the room you have for the exit! Widen the arc, and you can carry more speed.
Maybe I'll get lucky and Bill will let me run again at RTTH 6. Last year's course was really fun, and I think it's possible to position the timers such that you can run 2 laps and have the typical 60 second course. When I get home from vacation I'll draw it up on a map and try to post it.

Mark, I would be happy to have you run at RTTHS 6 and to help with the layout. HOWEVER, the Chicago bix must be BOAT friendlyer.....haha
We widened it by 4 feet Sunday and the charger made it through much better......too funny.

GeoffP
07-05-2010, 05:21 PM
Mark, you did a great job with the first timer walk through. I think it helped quite a few first timers (including me!). I would've loved for you to ride with me in my car to maybe see what I can do to improve. I'm really looking forward to RttH! Hopefully I'll see you there.

JEFFTATE
07-05-2010, 06:14 PM
Mark , thanks for coming out and helping with the course ..
It was cool to see a true comparison of foreign , domestic , late-model , and early model cars on the course ..
That is why I purposely left the registration open to all models ..
Your hard work was appreciated..

ACR-Mark
07-06-2010, 01:57 PM
I look forward to seeing everyone at RTTH 6. I registered yesterday.
The RX-8 does make a good "control car" afterall, something to compare everyone's hard work too. And let me tell you all, the hard work you put into your cars is quite impressive. Too take an old car like that and make it as fast as a modern sports car, that's quite an accomplishment. You all did a great job, and it was a pleasure to meet and help everyone. This crowd is pretty much the best bunch I've ever run with.