2008 DC Pro Solo Update with Video (Autocross)

[piknockout]

Video: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=36957355

Cliffs: Had a blast, WRX's suck, finished 5th of 12, only 0.05 out of the 4th trophy spot, 0.11 out of 3rd, and 0.45 out of 2nd.

This past weekend the SCCA held a National Pro Solo in Washington, DC...only an hour drive from my place at Fed Ex Field where I normally compete.

For those that are not aware, Pro Solo is slightly different than normal autocross in that it utilizes a drag racing tree, a 200ft start, and your time begins when the light turns green so reaction times are included as well. You get 6 runs on two sides (3 sessions of 2 runs on each side) and your best left side run of the weekend plus best right side run of the weekend gives you your total competition time.

Needless to say when you're in a class where the AWD WRX is already good for a normal event, they have much bigger advantage in Pro Solo. Those guys pull roughly 1.8-1.9 60ft times, as opposed to 2.3's for me, which means I give up roughly 0.8-1.0 seconds between the two sides just at the start...but it's still a blast! The STX class this year was actually a bit light on WRX's though, with only 4 drivers in WRX's. The rest of the class was filled with some MCS's, Civics, and a BMW 325.

The Saturday morning session didn't go all that well. I ended up coning both of my left side runs, but managed to get a decent run on the right side the second time around. I was having issues with the Stones overheating, as you do all four runs consecutively with no chance of watering them down. After that first session I learned I need to work on tire heat management. After the morning I was sitting in 8th of 12 with a dirty left side.

The Saturday afternoon session was a success in that I was pulling consistent 0.5xx reaction times, including one 0.501 light (0.500 is perfect), but did redlight one side. In that instance I did not drive hard to save the tires for the next run. At the end of the session I had no improvement on the right side (the redlight didn't help), but did get a clean left side run, albeit slower than the raw times I had run earlier in the day. I was now sitting in 7th of 12, so slight improvement.

Sunday morning...the time when nearly everybody goes faster and places consistently swap back and forth. And this Sunday was no different. On my last two runs I managed to get my two fastest times of the weekend. Dropped a tenth on the right side, but should have dropped more. I ended up needing to brake a bit in the last slalom section as the car was starting to rotate too much on me. Also dropped two tenths on the left side, the total being enough to put me up to 5th in STX.

While I was more than happy to finish 5th in this field, I was only 0.05 seconds shy of 4th place...the final trophy spot. Not to mention only 0.11 out of 3rd and 0.45 out of 2nd. Take away that 0.8-1.0 second launch advantage and I would be solidly sitting in 2nd! Of course the winner of STX, Greg McCance - the 2007 Pro Solo National Champ, kicked all of our collective arses...roughly 1.8 seconds ahead of me. But again, take out that 1.0 second advantage away from the first 60ft and I was only 0.8 seconds off over a combined 60 seconds of course. Not too shabby, I'll take it...considering at last year's DC Pro Solo he beat me by 3.1 seconds on 70 seconds of course. :D

Either way though, it was great to meet and compete with everyone there and I had an absolute blast...nice to get some sort of vindication after the train wreck that was the Devens National Tour. Yeah, I haven't posted that yet but will soon. The combination there of cone and car trouble lent to a very frustrating weekend, but more on that later. ;)

[FocusDude]

5th ain't to bad at all- congrats!

Now imagine what could happen if you were driving a competitive car

[SpEcRv9]

Originally Posted by FocusDude

5th ain't to bad at all- congrats!

Now imagine what could happen if you were driving a competitive car

i guess you forgot to read his sig....

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by SpEcRv9

i guess you forgot to read his sig....

me thinks that was a joke... note the

[SpEcRv9]

Originally Posted by Scapegoat

me thinks that was a joke... note the

yeah i guess i used the wrong smiley to indicate my sarcastic-ness too.

[piknockout]

Yeah...I definitely need to get a competitive car. While I do pretty well with what I have, I'm still generally bringing a knife to a gunfight. Especially at a Pro Solo.

Thanks guys!