4/18/10 Autocross on the Speedway

[John Brown]

probably not that easy... waiting list has an order Id say. may be wrong.

[flier129]

probably not that easy... waiting list has an order Id say. may be wrong.

If Steve were to give his spot to someone else, I figure all he'd have to do is edit all the information to who he gave the spot to

[John Brown]

ya... then pay steve.

steve.. you take AmXpress ??? huh? do ya?

[steverife]

I cancelled, posted on here and TR, and the spot filled within minutes. Dunno if it is a waiting list or if someone entered manually....

[flier129]

ya... then pay steve.

steve.. you take AmXpress ??? huh? do ya?

I used the words give and gave though

[thrdeye]

well... the BMW lives!!! I had a cracked intake,and in order to not have it happen again,I had to install a micro booster on it.. now that it runs..it has no brakes!

but I think I got the right stuff now to make it work... lol DAMM modded out cars... Looks like Ill be gunnin for FTD (been a while since I did that)

woo hoo

[flier129]

Well that was a very fun track event orrr I mean autox.....

[eunos735]

....

[SilverMaxima]

Well that was a very fun track event orrr I mean autox.....

Indeed it was! Makes me want to attend a track day even worse, now...

Unfortunately, as I'm sure some of you know, my car was involved in an incident with the timing equipment at the finish.

Basically, my car was a bit too tail-happy since I installed my Whiteline rear subframe lock bolts. I'm sure you all remember Pellissippi last Sunday (mind you, though, that 2 of my 3 spins where due to lifting while going downhill). So, I got aggressive on Run #2 today, and ended up with a snap-oversteer slide at the finish into the grass between the course and the inner wall. No harm, no foul, tripped the light and kept going. My co-driver's next run, he does the same thing (I rode with him), except during his slide we took out the timing light. Crap.

Come back to the finish, and I'm politely approached by one of the TR guys about the spin. He was concerned about 2 spins so close to the wall from the same car (Honestly, neither me nor my co-driver felt the wall was an issue even after we both slid). I told him what happened, and explained that I was lowering the rear tire pressures to compensate. His response was "Well, isn't it about time to mod the driver?" Yes, my thoughts exactly. However, please remember that this is a two-driver car and we both made the same mistake and will make sure it doesn't happen again. I then explained to him that I've been compensating for it, and I just drove too hard at the finish, and that my co-driver did the same thing I did, and that based on both our experiences, we were adjusting the rear pressure lower and wouldn't go through the finish as aggressively as we tried to. Then we parted ways. I was a little annoyed by the "driver mod" comment, but I can definitely understand his position, particularly towards our safety.

Moving on, maybe 5-10 min later, another TR guy wonders up. He's nowhere near as nice about the incident as the first guy. I explained the situation to him, after he mentioned how expensive the timing equipment we damaged was and how it slows everything down. I assured him I am well aware of the equipment's value and how malfunction/damage slows things down for everybody. Then, he explained that the incident was unacceptable and another slide (I'm not sure if he meant at the finish at all or at the finish into the timing equipment) would result in me being kicked out of the event. Whoa, isn't that kind of harsh for the first offense? He then goes on to tell me that if I have to choose between hitting a wall and the timing equipment, he'd rather I hit the wall. Wait, did this man just tell me to slide my $28k STI into the wall to avoid hitting his $600 piece of equipment? Why, yes, I believe he just did! Maybe it was a joke... So, I made a reply to the effect of I don't want either to happen and will definitely do my best to avoid either possibility. Then I smiled and laughed. He just walked off, no reply, no smile. At this point, it clicks... This guy would rather me smash my car than his timing equipment? Did a TR guy really just tell me that? Seriously? Did I really hear this...? And yes, I got mad at this point. Did my 3rd run with this dominating my mind as opposed to the course, then laid down my fastest time (with a cone... ) on the 4th. I never did master that slalom in the back between the 2 "horsehoes."

After my 3rd run I walked into the bleachers where the start flag waver was and took a seat to watch my co-driver attack the first part of the course. This was during the time when someone else hit the timing lights, causing a good 10-15 minute delay. Some of the TR guys were commenting on the first timing incident, and I kept silent for a few minutes. As I suspected, there was no hard feelings, just some good-natured ribbing here and there. Then I spoke up as to exactly what happened. They described the the 2nd guy that probably talked to me (I can't remember exactly what he looked like and I definitely don't know his name) and one guy commented that he probably felt he "had to play the dick card." I told this person that while I do understand getting angry, annoyed, and all sorts of things in between, there's no reason to make a comment that I should put my car into a wall to avoid his timing equipment. To me, that's a huge verbal smack in the face to someone who's nice enough to drive 2+ hours for what turned out to (still) be a great event. Nevermind the impression of TR that just one person can leave. After the 2nd TR guy, I half-expected someone to eventually come up to me and ask me to leave if I so much as got my STI tail-happy again.

I know Darby was working grid when the two TR guys approached me and he may chime in, but did anybody else catch wind of this and/or people's comments...? I feel bad that this happened, but was the 2nd response I received really appropriate for this?

Edit: I failed to mention the basic rule of a spin that both my co-driver and I followed to the letter: You realize it's happening and it's past the point of return, put both feet in!

Edit2: I also wanted to mention that the first guy looked at me and said that "I was getting squirrely out there," to which I responded that I did in a few places, but spun and missed the timing equipment, and that my co-driver, who spun and did hit the equipment, was smooth through the whole course until the end.

[eunos735]

^^^^ WOW ^^^^ Really? That type of behavior on BOTH people that talked to you is just not acceptable. As for the "I'd rather you hit the wall than the lights" comment I'm speechless. I was VERY disappointed with several things today but that takes the cake.

[4DRSpeed]

I was the co-driver in Marcus car. I hit the timing box. I was very upset by the attitudes we received. First guy not nearly as bad, but it still annoyed me. 2nd guy was the guy during the saftey meeting that talked about the red flag stuff. And at that meeting I just had this sense he was an asshole. And maybe thats a bit harsh of a term, but I can think of several other words that are even worse honestly.

I understand that they want everybody to run safe. I want to run safe. And not a single moment while I was sliding did I ever think I was going to hit the wall. Unfortunately I murdered the timing box BY ACCIDENT. Backend came out, I tried to correct it was too late. Car was already in a slide. So I did what is always stated in driver/safety meetings. BOTH FEET IN! Car slid across the grass into the path of the box. Now like I said obviously I went in too hot I lost it, my fault. I apologized to BOTH people for hitting it. It was obviously an accident. But the second guy especially kept making me feel like I did it on purpose that I meant to hit the $500 equipment. That along with next time just put it into the wall really really really PISSED ME OFF.

That being said I apologize to the 3rd group for causing one of the many delays during the 2nd run group.

Once everything was under way again I completely forgot about all the BS and had an absolute blast driving the STi.

[AcuraAttack]

man, if that was said to me I would have been a lot less polite to the second guy then you two were, I'm impressed by your patience. Those comments were way out of line. Sounds like for someone it was just that time of the month....I would have been careful around him, bears can smell the menstruation!!

[SilverMaxima]

^ Andrew mainly just listened. When they spoke, I answered. With people I don't know well/at all, I try to let stuff slide for the moment, then analyze it later. When I realized the 2nd guy wasn't making a joke, there was no analysis necessary.

Once everything was under way again I completely forgot about all the BS and had an absolute blast driving the STi.

...And isn't that the point of all this, anyway...?

[TonyBolton]

I should've just stayed at home, it was one of those days. Bradley A. and Carpenter were straight putting on a clinic from the runs/times I saw. I knew they'd do good, but not that good.

I had the misfortune of working the "timing light disaster program" 2nd run group. Unfortunately for me, it was nearly 8 hours before I saw the course after walking it and as my cone-age and times show, I don't drive well frustrated and pissed. I'm not a cone collecting driver but I coned every run except my first run where I tried to remember key transistions.

I'm trying to big-picture this whole thing, as I don't think i've EVER had a bad day up there autocrossing, but i'll certainly remember this one. Not taking away from the course. It was great....but you can only be so happy when you can't put a run together and you're fighting yourself. I was just ready to leave and only did 4 runs.

Luckily for me I hooked up with a "good MPH train" on the way home and fortunately got home at a decent time to get back up at 2am this morning for work.

As for the above posters timing light/verbal situation, maybe it's just me but I think you're taking it for more than it is. I'm quite sure he didn't want you to hit a wall, even if he displayed his Poker Face when telling you that. Accidents do happen, but i've been to many events in my career(losely call it that I guess), i've seen many a timing light massacre and noted as to the effects of having to reset one, rebuild one, rewire one and the ultimate disgrace....the dreaded stopwatch.

With that said, I take note of the light location and adjust my driving accordingly. If it means leaving some time out there....so be it. I don't like being "that G-D F**** SON OF A B*** hit the F***** light" guy. It's bad enough when the light malfunctions on its own, but to have a collision with a vehicle(preventable), it just sucks.

Don't take this as me attacking you, i'm just stating the overall feeling of the event participants. I'm just trying to look through guy that plays the "dick card" eyes, since I play a real dick in person. Congrats on making the best of the situation with your run times, though. Wish I could've put together a good "hate-run" myself.

[4DRSpeed]

I understand Tony. I did feel bad and felt like an idiot. After the incident I took it easy through that section to make sure it wouldn't happen again.

I get both of guys had to play the "dick card" and I was kind of expecting it. I was just a bit shocked that the second guy took the "dick card" to the extreme.