dixie tour

[Gen52SS]

The first championship tour at Dixie in Cecil Georgia is now open this is a good opportunity for some first time etr peeps to come out to a national tour and experience the best of the best on a flat long lot and course that does not loop over itself.

This was not on my schedule for this year but after looking at results and times from last years event a mid 40's time was about average. I watched several video's from the Dixie event the course looked great and lined out as well. I planned on making the six and a half hour trip until I found out my grand-daughter's first birthday party is also that weekend so can't make it this time. I do have a question...how many NEW ETR peeps really go to these I don't see many first time people signing up? I also noticed that last year the course was run in reverse on day 2 is that what normally happens at these? I still plan on getting my feet wet with the NCM Match Tour May 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

[Buck05Sti]

Registered!

[steverife]

There usually aren't many new ETR people, but gotta start somewhere... and it isn't like you or any of our regulars are new to autocross, at the end of the day, it is just another autocross.

The backwards course with a few changes is the standard format for a Championship Tour. It is the only format that changes the course during the event. The National Championships has two unique courses that are basically treated like separate autocrosses.

[thrdeye]

The first championship tour at Dixie in Cecil Georgia is now open this is a good opportunity for some first time etr peeps to come out to a national tour and experience the best of the best on a flat long lot and course that does not loop over itself.

This was not on my schedule for this year but after looking at results and times from last years event a mid 40's time was about average. I watched several video's from the Dixie event the course looked great and lined out as well. I planned on making the six and a half hour trip until I found out my grand-daughter's first birthday party is also that weekend so can't make it this time. I do have a question...how many NEW ETR peeps really go to these I don't see many first time people signing up? I also noticed that last year the course was run in reverse on day 2 is that what normally happens at these? I still plan on getting my feet wet with the NCM Match Tour May 1st, 2nd and 3rd.

I think we'll have more first timers this year that we typically do (Ryan and Brian I think are going). Most of us that do national stuff like to go to dixie....it's just a great event. Everybody is ready to go because it's the first one after being cooped up during the winter so the atmosphere is good.

Yes - usually the course is changed slightly and run backwards, but sometimes, a few key cones are changed up which basically makes a new course. Just depends on the course designer's plan

[Gen52SS]

My itch is so bad ....I'm bleeding The more I see the video's from last year the more I want to go. since Dixie is out for me the next Champ for me would be August 14-16 Wilmington Airport Wilmington, Ohio. These video's don't look as good for some reason. Times for this course are in the 60's as compared to mid 40's for Dixie. How does Wilmington compare to Dixie.....it's also a shorter ride. My question about new ETR peeps had a lot to do with the cost to attend one of these.... travel costs, entry fee, motel, food etc. a big nut for the average weekend warrior to crack. I think I'll be missing a great event.

[thrdeye]

Wilmington is supposed to be the Mecca of autocross in the eastern US. Concrete, big, grippy - a real "Nationals" experience. Not sure why the vid would look worse

You should think about doing Blytheville the week before dixie. I'm not going, but if the weathers good, it's really a great site. It's a pro solo though. But with you having an A/T, you should tree everyone.

[Gen52SS]

Wilmington is supposed to be the Mecca of autocross in the eastern US. Concrete, big, grippy - a real "Nationals" experience. Not sure why the vid would look worse

You should think about doing Blytheville the week before Dixie. I'm not going, but if the weathers good, it's really a great site. It's a pro solo though. But with you having an A/T, you should tree everyone.

The Wilmington Pro looks like a better fit for me. I think it's right after the NCM Match Tour in May. The weather in March at Blytheville is ???? looks like it was cold last year. I can ask DeWitt he went last year I think got spanked finished 13 out of 13 in Street Index 5 seconds behind 1st. I would be going for the experience of it all anyway lot's of good drivers...side by side...drag race start looks like a blast and a bit different.

[thrdeye]

For wilmington, make sure you register as SOON as registration opens.

[dewittpayne]

Paul,

That was 4.15 seconds behind twelfth place on raw time and 8.5 seconds on PAX behind first (64.434). When you go to your first National expect to have your a$$ handed to you. That's not the point. It's the experience. You have to start somewhere. Heyward Wagner, who is now a very good driver, said that at his first National Solo, he didn't finish dead last, but he shared a tent with the only ones who finished behind him. What killed my time was the long high speed slaloms. I was way off the cones and lost bags of time each run. That was before the EVO Phase II school. I think I would do a lot better now. I think my tires had seen better days too, but it was mostly poor driving.

The weather last year was unpleasant, cold and very windy but dry. My problem was that I wasn't prepared for cold weather. When I go somewhere to flag, I always bring my full cold weather gear including long underwear from October until late May or June. For some reason it didn't register that it was March and I left most of it home. I ended up wearing my helmet while working the course to keep my head warm.

If you do go to a Pro Solo, I highly recommend the EVO Hole Shot school. I had mostly mid 0.500 reaction times (0.500 is perfect) on the starts as a result, so I wasn't losing much time there. The time to red light your start is during practice starts while developing your starting rhythm, not actual runs. As mentioned, your automatic transmission would be a major advantage on the start. The 60 foot times were a little misleading compared to a real drag strip. The first turn was not far beyond the 60' lights so most people couldn't carry full throttle through the lights.

I'd do it again if there weren't a schedule conflict.

Here are the videos of a run on each of the two courses on Saturday afternoon. Not a pretty sight.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPf8T9zE_gk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEFq9itTzfY

No data overlay because Harry's Laptimer has a problem with the Pro Solo course design. The starting lines are too close together.

[Gen52SS]

Paul,

That was 4.15 seconds behind twelfth place on raw time and 8.5 seconds on PAX behind first (64.434)..

Times corrected...but not close

When you go to your first National expect to have your a$$ handed to you. That's not the point. It's the experience. You have to start somewhere. What killed my time was the long high speed slaloms. I was way off the cones and lost bags of time each run. That was before the EVO Phase II school. I think I would do a lot better now. ."

I would absolutely expect to be blown away. I also agree on the experience of the event that's why I plan on attending some of these this year with the intention of gaining the experience of it all. I remember us talking at EVO school about the problems you had with the slaloms and keeping up speed.

If you do go to a Pro Solo, I highly recommend the EVO Hole Shot school. I had mostly mid 0.500 reaction times (0.500 is perfect) on the starts as a result, so I wasn't losing much time there. The time to red light your start is during practice starts while developing your starting rhythm, not actual runs. As mentioned, your automatic transmission would be a major advantage on the start. The 60 foot times were a little misleading compared to a real drag strip.

I watched both your video's and your reaction time not bad. Drag racing for many years if the cost is high....I'd pass on Hole Shot.

I'd do it again if there weren't a schedule conflict.

Check for conflicts...Let's hook up and go May 29th, 30th and 31st are open for me.

[dewittpayne]

It didn't cost much, $40, as I remember. And you get several practice start tickets, so the actual cost is even less. But with your experience, you probably don't need a school, just a few practice starts. What worked for me was what Andy Hohl, the instructor, said he used: Count with the lights, one, two, three. As you start to think or say three, drop the clutch. There's a pretty good prize for a 0.500 RT, but I'd rather lose a few hundredths than red light. Besides, a few hundredths is insignificant for me. I need to pick up a few seconds on the rest of the course.

[Scoob]

Wilmington really is the best site in the East. I hope they continue to allow us to run there for many years - and with 3 major events there this year, a lot of folks are getting excellent experience on grippy concrete similar to Lincoln.

But if you want to run at Wilmington, you must be on the registration site within 4 minutes of it opening to get in. Seriously. Toledo is the same way. I hope to run at Wilmington for one of the Pros this year, but I fully expect to not get in the way things have blown up on these registrations.

[Teufelshund]

Link to registration?

[thrdeye]

Go to motorsports reg and justvsearch dixie

[Teufelshund]

OK thanks