NJ BMW CCA autocross - Page 3

dan · 07-09-2005, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumatt

OMG. Today at the porsche club event we got 10 runs (yes TEN) and we were done by 1:45. Holy crap.

Will be back at the same location tomorrow morning.

so, like 7 minutes of driving?

John V · 07-09-2005, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumatt

OMG. Today at the porsche club event we got 10 runs (yes TEN) and we were done by 1:45. Holy crap.

Will be back at the same location tomorrow morning.

Wow. Good course? Big lot?

rumatt · 07-09-2005, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John V

Good course? Big lot?

Yes, no.

Same lot as above. The course was really good though, given the lot.

*Plaz* · 07-11-2005, 12:56 PM

Was lots of fun!

Everybody said it was an atypically tight course... I definitely had plenty of tire-scrubbing, understeering moments.

Managed to better my time on each successive run, with the exception of the last, where I think the problem was my over-compensating for going into one particular corner too hot on each previous run.

I was also braking way too early throughout (with the exception of the aforementioned corner)... I think that's a remnant of canyon-carving instincts, where going into a turn too hot means death, instead of a cone penalty or an off-course foul. I got better with this throughout the day, but was still braking way too early on several corners on my last run.

I think I also would have done better with a couple of downshifts, rather than trying to torque it in 2nd out of some of the slowest turns.

My buddy Arockalypse (newly registered here) turned in a best time about two seconds quicker than mine, with his Saabaru. We were both TotalNoobs(tm).

All in all, a very fun time! (And it was great to meet rumatt, elwood, and teamdfl!)

rumatt · 07-11-2005, 01:34 PM

Great to meet you too Plaz. Hope you had fun. As much as I like the NJ crowd, I'd recommend you try a porsche club event at the Meadolands some time. They're a bit more ornery, but it's worth experiencing a more open course, at least once.

And I still don't buy the need to downshift argument.

You'd just have spun a wheel coming out of the corner and had to lift anyway.

*Plaz* · 07-11-2005, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rumatt

And I still don't buy the need to downshift argument.

You'd just have spun a wheel coming out of the corner and had to lift anyway.

Possibly. I still wish I had determined that for myself on at least one run, though.

Nick M3 · 07-11-2005, 02:10 PM

Braking too early is a better place to start. You saw what brakign way too late did to you....

*clyde* · 07-11-2005, 02:34 PM

yeah, nick's got it. If he listened to himself, he might just find another couple thousandths of his missing three seconds, but I digress.

Braking a little early is a LOT better than braking a little too late. No matter what you've done on the street before, you start over at nothing when you begin to autocross. Many of the things that you think might make you faster won't, such as downshifting in a 330. If you need to downshift in a 330, either the course designer fucked up or was under some very limiting restraints. Until you really start getting quick, always leave it in second and don't even think about it because it will only get in the way.

*Plaz* · 07-11-2005, 03:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by clyde

yeah, nick's got it. If he listened to himself, he might just find another couple thousandths of his missing three seconds, but I digress.

Braking a little early is a LOT better than braking a little too late. No matter what you've done on the street before, you start over at nothing when you begin to autocross. Many of the things that you think might make you faster won't, such as downshifting in a 330. If you need to downshift in a 330, either the course designer fucked up or was under some very limiting restraints. Until you really start getting quick, always leave it in second and don't even think about it because it will only get in the way.

Point taken. No 1st for Plaz. Okely-dokely.

Though I think 'matt would say the course designer fucked up.

Among his first words to me were "If ever there was a whacked out course to scare you away from autocross forever, this is it."

I was certainly running around like a retarded chicken when I was working station 2 on that thing. There were more dropped cones than during an earthquake at the Good Humor factory.

rumatt · 07-11-2005, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

Among his first words to me were "If ever there was a whacked out course to scare you away from autocross forever, this is it."

Honestly, my opinion of the course went up slightly after driving it. But it still pretty much sucked IMO. The second you started to get some speed going you were on the brakes hard again. I talked with a few others and some agreed, but others thought it was OK.

There were definitely no corners where 1st gear was an absolute must (car would bog, etc). I'd say at least 50% of the folks were leaving it in 2nd the whole course. Of course, that's not to say going into first wasn't the better choice.

It definitly should NOT be blamed on the lot however. The porsche club used the same lot the day before and the course was a hoot. Then again, one might consider driving around a blind corner while bouncing off the second gear rev limiter to be a safety issue... nah.

07-11-2005, 12:56 PM	#24
Plaz ••••••• Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: '11 1M Location: Churzee Posts: 17,741	Was lots of fun! Everybody said it was an atypically tight course... I definitely had plenty of tire-scrubbing, understeering moments. Managed to better my time on each successive run, with the exception of the last, where I think the problem was my over-compensating for going into one particular corner too hot on each previous run. I was also braking way too early throughout (with the exception of the aforementioned corner)... I think that's a remnant of canyon-carving instincts, where going into a turn too hot means death, instead of a cone penalty or an off-course foul. I got better with this throughout the day, but was still braking way too early on several corners on my last run. I think I also would have done better with a couple of downshifts, rather than trying to torque it in 2nd out of some of the slowest turns. My buddy Arockalypse (newly registered here) turned in a best time about two seconds quicker than mine, with his Saabaru. We were both TotalNoobs(tm). All in all, a very fun time! (And it was great to meet rumatt, elwood, and teamdfl!) __________________ 2011 1M

07-11-2005, 02:10 PM	#27
Nick M3 Relic Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Bethesda, MD Posts: 12,475	Braking too early is a better place to start. You saw what brakign way too late did to you.... __________________ 2011 M3 2006 Sierra 2500HD 4WD LBZ/Allison 2004 X5 3.0i 6MT 1995 M3 S50B32 1990 325is 1989 M3 S54B32 Hers: 1989 325iX 1996 911 Turbo

07-11-2005, 02:34 PM	#28
clyde Chief title editor Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 26,599	yeah, nick's got it. If he listened to himself, he might just find another couple thousandths of his missing three seconds, but I digress. Braking a little early is a LOT better than braking a little too late. No matter what you've done on the street before, you start over at nothing when you begin to autocross. Many of the things that you think might make you faster won't, such as downshifting in a 330. If you need to downshift in a 330, either the course designer fucked up or was under some very limiting restraints. Until you really start getting quick, always leave it in second and don't even think about it because it will only get in the way. __________________ OH NOES!!!!!1 MY CAR HAS T3H UND3R5T33R5555!!!!!!1oneone!!!!11 Team WTF?! What are you gonna do?

07-11-2005, 01:34 PM	#25
rumatt Mugwump Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: E46 330i, Chevy Colorado, Tesla Model 3 Location: NY Posts: 17,475	Great to meet you too Plaz. Hope you had fun. As much as I like the NJ crowd, I'd recommend you try a porsche club event at the Meadolands some time. They're a bit more ornery, but it's worth experiencing a more open course, at least once. And I still don't buy the need to downshift argument. You'd just have spun a wheel coming out of the corner and had to lift anyway.