Final Autocross Event of 2007: Co-Driving "The Beast" with Video

[piknockout]

Video: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...deoID=24091641

I'm a little late in posting this as the even occurred back on November 11th, but Aaron FINALLY got me the video. :p Thanks first of all go out to Aaron for letting me co-drive "The Beast"...although I think he was using me in the end...gotta get a tire warmer on a sub-40 degree day. :D

So as stated, I was co-driving Aaron's (psushoe) turbo 2001 SE with the monster 265 r-comps. I've never really driven on r-comps much, definitely not ones this wide or in a car with this much power. But lets see what happens. As it was a cold @ss day (sub 40 degrees) and probably closer to 30 degrees as we were running in the second heat of the day. Thanks to this wonderful fact, Aaron was kind enough to let me drive first so that he could have some warmer tires. Thanks for using me Aaron!

So on the first run of the day I got to test out what cold r-comps do in sub 40 degree weather...which turns out to be next to nothing. Go into the first corner and the rear end completely steps out on me, and trying to recover in this thing is pretty different than the Spec...the r-comps don't spin as much and recover quicker than do street tires. Got all out of whack and missed the next gate. Also not being used to the higher speeds, I completely overshot another gate as I wasn't able to brake in time. Pretty much a wasted run, but it was quite entertaining at the same time. One down, two to go.

Second run we finally had some heat in the tires and the car was sticking. Had a great run going until on the back side of the course I got a little off line and into some debris (you can hear on the video) and the rear stepped out on me again. I tried to recover again the way I do in the Spec, but it was to no avail and I just kept heading towards the truck that got left on course off to the side. The same one I said someone "could" hit, at which point others said it was too much out of the way. I almost proved them wrong. Another run wasted, one left.

Finally, the final run. Had to get something clean, but wanted to be fast as well. Since I was competing in a different region in a different class, no need to be conservative. Probably the only reason I was able to not choke. Managed to pull out a 45.871 which was good enough for 3rd in SM of 13 and 47th in PAX out of 175. Not too bad considering the winning SM car was co-driven by a couple of pretty good drivers in a nicely prepped SM Evo...I'll take that for now being the first time I've driven on this setup.

Overall tons of fun and hope to do it again. Thanks to Aaron again for the co-drive...and at least I didn't hit a seagull in your car. :p

[kunt_masha]

auto-x looks so confusing!


i never did one but id like to try.. how many people get lost tryin to follow the cones??

[piknockout]

Well you get to walk the course ahead of time a few times, and also after you've gone to a few events you start really getting it down. People definitely get lost their first time out, but not always. It's helpful if you take an instructor with you the first time.


BTW, glad I'm not on my work computer with that avatar!

[adamkob32]

Nice run dude! Looking all the more forward to next year hahah.

--Adam

[kunt_masha]

haha the avatar is work safe i think...


any pics of "the beast"?

[piknockout]

"The Beast"

[alwaysinboost]

I was at that event but only managed a 50.xx. I'm still a newb @ autox'ing but it was somehow good enough to take first in Novice.



Next year I'm going to be a phillyscca member and I plan to be at every event they have.

My "plan" at the moment is to leave all my suspension/wheels & tires stock until I can out drive the car, then start upgrading next season (09). However, this stuff is crazy addicting , so we'll see how long into the season I can go w/o getting coils, 18's & R-comps.

[piknockout]

Looked like an EVO I'm guessing? If so and you want to mod, go for STU mods. I would LOVE to run an STU EVO, even if it does mean I would have to run against Corey at every event.

[alwaysinboost]

I'm already out of STU because I have an aftermarket clutch and an MBC. So I run BSP. I'm not trying to compete on any kind of higher level other then beating my own times everytime I go out.

[piknockout]

BSP is a great class for the EVO if you can get it modded as it needs to be. A BSP EVO is even better than an STU EVO. Keep modding and you'll be happy...after you learn to drive it faster of course.

[alwaysinboost]

NO... no more mods! I even took some crap off and turned the boost DOWN to slow the car up a little.

[piknockout]

Then yes...keep improving the nut behind the wheel, then pick up a set of r-comps and turn the boost back up...then learn how to drive again.

[adamkob32]

I hear SM is pretty successful for the Evo hahah. :D :D

--Adam

[piknockout]

Yeah, I think I was behind by roughly 1.5 seconds...although with a little more experience in the Beast I think I could trim that down. But then again, it is a well prepped SM EVO. Actually technically it's a well prepped BSP EVO running in SM. Stupid EVO's, I want one.

[CHAOS]

dude, did you ever shift? lol

[piknockout]

First gear into Second and then leave it there. It's only on a fast/long course that there's even a need/opportunity to shift into third. Usually that's the kind of thing that would only need to be done on an airport type course, aka Warminster. Even down in D.C. where they have a lot of Nationals style courses I don't need to shift into third...but I will bang the limiter pretty often for a little bit.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by CHAOS

dude, did you ever shift? lol

you're supposed to shift in autocross?

I met Aaron at my first autocross LAST year. Unfortunately I haven't been back due to boost creep... eventually I'll do things right with the SRT and take it to Ray and get it chipped and put in an electronic boost controller with two settings

[CHAOS]

i guess im just used to the short gearing i have, that, and ive never autox'd so i have no idea what is common

[piknockout]

You would be fine in the STI. I know it's got short gearing, but so does the Spec V. It would be rare that you would need to shift to 3rd. You should come out and give it a try...it's addicting.

[Scapegoat]

Originally Posted by CHAOS

i guess im just used to the short gearing i have, that, and ive never autox'd so i have no idea what is common

Yeah, if you're in 3rd gear on most autocross courses you're driving to slowly... No way you'll get into your powerband and get quick acceleration out of the turns in 3rd.

I didn't even get out of second when I autocrossed a viper