Evo school Phase I and II writeup

[rumatt]

OK, it took a while, but here are my comments on this weekend's Evo schools.

Saturday, Phase I:

It was raining. Not only did this make me wet and cold, but they decided not to use the timing system at all. At first, this really pissed me off. A few times I tried different things on the course, and I would have liked to have seen if it helped my times. I also had one or two really good runs, and I would have like to see how close they were to the instructors times. But now that I look back, I don't know how much difference it would have made.

The second half of Phase I is teaching how to look ahead. What they taught here was great. I have had people tell me to "look ahead" at least 100 times and frankly, it just started pissing me off. Without learning *how* to look ahead, hearing the phrase over and over doesn't really help you.

My problem was that when I looked as far ahead as they were telling me to, my brain tended to focus on the distant point and I would cream every cone between me and where I was looking. I also tended to lock on to a target, then forget to release it until I got too close (thus not looking ahead again).

But as the day went on, I got better at doing a more continuous scan forward (not locking on) and doing a better job of processing the info from my peripheral vision.

Sunday, Phase II:

Now that I knew how to look ahead, I was ready to kick ass on my first run on Sunday. Man, was I overconfident. Throughout the day I definitely did *better* at looking ahead properly, but I still need work. I tend to get too focused on one thing, and forget to keep scanning.

But I definitely improved throughout the day. I did pretty well on the final course change. I still need work, but I know what I need work on, and I have an idea on how to go about practicing it.



There was one interesting outcome of these courses that I wasn't expecting. I thought I'd come out of the course thinking I'm now an awesome driver, ready to mod my car and compete on the big stage. Instead it made me realize how much more I could still learn. In turn, this made me a) want to do as many events as possible to keep practicing, and b) made me lose all interest in modding my car until I first know how to drive.

Due to a) above I'd like to do some big events (maybe the NEDIV in DC later in the summer) but I'm not concerned with having a fully prepped car to do it. Maybe I'll toy with throwing R-comps on the 330, but without any other mods. Or, I'll just bring the E30 as-is and run in STX.

I thought about replacing the suspension on the E30 to do better in STX, but it's just not worth it. The car is fun as hell exactly the way it is, and it's still relatively civil on the street. There's no reason to ruin a good thing. I'll save my money for more events and schools.

One thing I might do is try to find the best drivers I can find and beg them to co-drive my car. The head-to-head comparison, and possibly a few ride-alongs should help me learn a lot.

[BahnBaum]

No NEDIVs in DC this year.

I'm not writing anything up on the Level 3 school. I'm done with schooling, and at this point I just have to start fcuking driving a lot faster. I need to continue looping it occasionally or I'm not pressing hard enough.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Alex

[rumatt]

> No NEDIVs in DC this year.

Er, whatever the 2-day event is at the end of June... or July.. or something.

> I'm not writing anything up on the Level 3 school.

:scratch:

> I need to continue looping it occasionally or I'm not pressing hard enough.

I tried that strategy. For the second have of last season I drove out of control and hit a lot of cones. It doesn't help you get better.

But if you're already really good at looking ahead, then maybe if you just push harder you'll be golden.

[clyde]

Alex is correct. No NEDiv in DC this year. That is because FedEx Field is not actually IN DC, but in the suburbs.

It will be held July 30-31.

:P

[BahnBaum]

> No NEDIVs in DC this year.

Er, whatever the 2-day event is at the end of June... or July.. or something.

> I'm not writing anything up on the Level 3 school.

:scratch:

> I need to continue looping it occasionally or I'm not pressing hard enough.

I tried that strategy. For the second have of last season I drove out of control and hit a lot of cones. It doesn't help you get better.

But if you're already really good at looking ahead, then maybe if you just push harder you'll be golden.

Sorry, the two day event is the NEDivs. I thought it was just a 2 day event, but I'm wrong.

I'm doing much better with looking ahead and scanning, I'm just too tentative with the throttle. Looping (occasionally) for me isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Alex

[rumatt]

I'm doing much better with looking ahead and scanning, I'm just too tentative with the throttle. Looping (occasionally) for me isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Sounds good then. Nothing wrong with looping occasionally, or at least some sideways action.

My problem was doing these things too often. :eeps:

[bren]

My problem was doing these things too often. :eeps:
Nonsense....so long as you learn from it. :)

[PhilH]

One thing I might do is try to find the best drivers I can find and beg them to co-drive my car.
Considering the time I posted while driving your car, I guess I'm not going to hear any begging... :sad: :tongue:

...hmmm, continually scanning ahead...yeah I guess I could try that. :eeps:

[rumatt]

Considering the time I posted while driving your car, I guess I'm not going to hear any begging... :sad: :tongue:

...hmmm, continually scanning ahead...yeah I guess I could try that. :eeps:

Well, you're welcome to codrive my car. But based on the second sentence, it wouldn't be to help teach me to look ahead. :tongue:

I signed up for the NNJR Englishtown (NJ) event. I heard it's a very well run event. Online registration is cool too. You can see who's registered, the classes, etc. So far 5 of us in STX. :bigpimp:

[Nick M3]

Although really, if you're looping it, it means that you're slow on the steering wheel.

Just ask Bren's Dad what he thought of my runs. (Should've offered him a ride on my first.)

[rumatt]

Alex, I don't think you actually need to lose control and spin all that often. But how many times to you come around a corner with too much speed so there's just now way to make the turn and you end up plowing down a row of cones on corner exit?

If you don't occasionally goof and do that, then you need to start fcuking driving a lot faster. :)

[JST]

Alex, I don't think you actually need to lose control and spin all that often. But how many times to you come around a corner with too much speed so there's just now way to make the turn and you end up plowing down a row of cones on corner exit?

If you don't occasionally goof and do that, then you need to start fcuking driving a lot faster. :)

Plowing down a row of cones on corner exit?

Not sure I've ever done that.

My mode of failure is either to carry to much speed into the corner and get tire-shredding understeer, sometimes resulting in plowing down cones near the corner apex. Once you negotiate the apex, though, the cornering forces start to decrease--if you haven't slid off by then, I don't think you will.

OTOH, I am sometimes too aggressive with the throttle and end up looping on exit. That happened more with my E36 than my E46 M3, though whether that is the car or just a steady improvement in skilz I don't know. With no LSD and much less torque, hopefully I won't have that problem in the 330.

[rumatt]

Plowing down a row of cones on corner exit?
[...]
Once you negotiate the apex, though, the cornering forces start to decrease--if you haven't slid off by then, I don't think you will.

True. But I think this depends a lot on the corner. On a nice wide course, you've got room to slow down by taking a sub-optimal line.

But on tighter sections, or a decreasing radius turn, if you go in with too much speed I can easily see hitting an outside cone after after the apex.

Actually, we had this example in the phase II school. It was a long, downhill straight, followed by a tight 90 degree turn to cross the finish. I don't think the apex cone was ever hit, but man did that wall after the apex get creamed a few times by folks who braked too late.

[clyde]

Actually, we had this example in the phase II school. It was a long, downhill straight, followed by a tight 90 degree turn to cross the finish. I don't think the apex cone was ever hit, but man did that wall after the apex get creamed a few times by folks who braked too late.

I wiggled that apex cone a bunch, and Sammy yelled at me a bunch for not hitting cones on the exit.

[clyde]

Plowing down a row of cones on corner exit?

Not sure I've ever done that.

I have. You can see it in here (http://www.teamwtf.org/vid/wtf/2004/wtf2004.mp4) at the 45 second mark.

[rumatt]

That video is damn funny.

A little too much man ass though. I don't think I want to watch it again for a while.

[bren]

The best advice I was given during the Evo school was "stick, slither or slide"

Randy Pobst explains it well "No drift? Too slow. Sideways? Too fast. Backwards? Hope it is a Solo"

[clyde]

The best advice I was given during the Evo school was "stick, slither or slide"

Randy Pobst explains it well "No drift? Too slow. Sideways? Too fast. Backwards? Hope it is a Solo"
link (http://www.randypobst.com/index.cfm?template=news&form_news_article=1&news_i d=1762)

[BahnBaum]

Matt,

One picture of your car, taken by Nick. Looks like you're dragging something. :P

Notice we refused to let Nick use his camera, knowing full well that he doesn't actually have a memory card in it.

http://AlexTBaum.smugmug.com/photos/21382354-L.jpg



Alex

[rumatt]

Hey, thanks. That is the oil pan guard (or whatever it's called). It was a tad low when I bought the car, and when I got an inspection the guy caught when he was backing it off the lift and tore it apart. :rolleyes: It's starting to get embarassing in pictures, so I guess I need to fix it. :oops:


I still want to see pics of Nick driving with 3/4 of his window covered up with paper/tape. :eeps:

[TD]

I won't say anything about Nick and his camera...

:flipoff:

[rumatt]

Damn, I suck. Almost 2 second variation between slowest and fastest runs. :rolleyes: And I got beat by a Mini Cooper S. :cry:


:sad:


EDIT: I just noticed that most of the folks had around a 2 second variance among the 8 runs. This includes the "good" drivers, like Bruce Bellum, and Evolution school instructor. I don't feel quite as bad now.

[clyde]

I sucked less today

[rumatt]

Wow. Go Clyde and Nick. :music:

[bren]

I sucked less today
:understatementoftheyear:

[rumatt]

I just noticed that Clyde also won AS, and almost ASP. :yikes:

BTW, who started the "I suck less now" thing? The Evolution instructors told that story at the end of our class. Something about bumper stickers.. Tell me that wasn't one of you people...

[clyde]

The bumper stickers made their first appearance at the Tour school at the DC Tour last year. And it's "Now I Suck Less." If you didn't get stickers and want them, you should be able to pick them up at a future event...or send an email to Jean.

[bren]

I've been to 3 Evo schools and never heard of these stickers.

I do wonder why they don't give out t-shirts or something...seems like a missed advertising opportunity.

[clyde]

I guess I have to put my stickers on magents now

[clyde]

ok stickers are now magnets