Colorado Autocrossing...

[jonathonbarton]

Here will be my 2005 SCCA Autocrossing Season

Date: January 2nd, 2005
Location: World Arena, Colorado Springs, CO
Mods: bone stock 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT
Class: G-Stock
Results: 62 of 75 drivers

1. | 94/ESP | PAUL LEONARD | 01 FORD COBRA VERT | 54.196
...
62. | 68/GS | JOHN BARTON, N | 03 PONT VIBE | 63.277
...
75. | 420/STS | DEVON JAMES, N | 85 TOYO COROLLA | 67.694

1) DNF
I'm not sure what happened here...My first autocross run *ever*. I felt good about the run, but apparently missed going around a cone someplace. *sheepish grin*
An interesting point is that the 8200 RPM limit allowed me to stay in 1st gear around the whole course... There was one spot where I was banging off the rev limiter for about a half a second, but other than that, the course was "slow" enough that I was able to stay in lift for the whole course.

2) 83.219
Had a rider in the form of one of the X class guys (Former National Champs). Learned that I *did* have the course down pat, after all.

3) 80.917
Ran this one alone, had a halfway decent time, though I overdrove a couple of corners resulting in a horrible push, and I'm sure that slowed me down a lot. I am surprised at how *neutral* the car's handling is under load. I figured that it would be a handful of push with the engine over the drive wheels, but when I took it out to Second Creek Raceway on the 31st of December, I found that the back end was loose and squirrely when braking hard and turning into a corner. I was pleasantly surprised to see how the car would go pretty much where I wanted it to go, and there weren't any bad surprises.

4) 82.019
Took a rider again, and learned that a rider costs me about one second on my lap time.

We also ran 3 Fun Runs at the end of the day, which got me still more seat time...

I'm writing this on the 21st of December, and I have Winter Session #2 on Sunday. I'm going into it more confident, and will post the results here.

Jonathon

[jonathonbarton]

Date: January 2nd, 2005
Location: World Arena, Colorado Springs, CO
Mods: bone stock 2003 Pontiac Vibe GT
Class: B-Street Tire
Results: 68 and 91 of 92 drivers

1. 144/ASP - MICHAEL FELDPUSCH - 97 CHEV CORVETTE - (0.850) - 61.665
...
86. 68/GS - JOHN BARTON, N - 03 PONT VIBE - (0.782) - 76.166
...
92. 168/GS - VALERIE SMITH - 03 PONT VIBE - (0.782) - 81.882
93. 101/DM - CHRIS TRASK - 67 LOTU EUROPA - (0.879) - 83.387

Ran in B-Street Tire this time out. (BT)
I also got my sweetie (Valerie) to run, as well. *yay*
We got there at quater to seven to help set up (and to get our work assignments out of the way early). Car was still bone stock.

She started the day not really wanting to race, though it was clear that her concern came from a place of insecurity, rather than inability. SO...being the good sweetie I am, I was supportive, but firm.
YOU *ARE* GOING TO DRIVE, DAMMIT... You can go as fast or as slow as you're comfortable with...but you ARE driving AT LEAST ONCE.

So, we did the Novice driver's walk, and a couple walks besides.
J. Barton - Run 1 - 103.581 seconds
I was driving, Val was passenging - and hanging onto the Oh Shiznit Bar for dear life, and I can't say I blame her...The tires were bone cold, and I had one heck of a time just trying to keep the car under control, while trying to go even *sorta* fast. The Worst Case Scenario kept going through my head...that I would lose it, the car would come around on me, scaring the (removed) out of Val, and that would be that.
At the end of the run, I had managed to get around the course without incident (though I could feel the car wanting to let go more than once), I asked her if she was ready for her turn. She was nervous but willing to try.

V. Smith - Run 1 - 114.211
Considering that this was only the second time Val had ever driven the Vibe, and *ALSO* the first time Val had ever "driven a car in anger", I don't think she did so bad... The scoring computer somehow dropped this run, but we're not sure why. So...Val went from totally nervous and basically having to be PUSHED into driving to "YIPPEEE! THAT WAS *SO* MUCH FUN! WHEN CAN I DO IT AGAIN? NOW, HUH, HUH, HUH? CAN I GO AGAIN NOW, HUH?" in just under two minutes.
That was awesome...

J. Barton Run 2: 97.399
This time I went as close to all out as I could. Val Passenged again. The tires were warm, so the grip I'd hoped for was there. I was familiar with the course, and paid more attention to getting closer to the cones, staying on the gas longer, and driving more smoothy than I had the first run. Picked up *6* seconds... That was awesome.

V. Smith Run 2: 104.708
She was ready for this run, and really looking forward to it. She drove quick and smooth, and knocked 10 whole seconds off her time.

J. Barton Run 3: 104.028
Arrgh.. Throwaway run... Being so new to this, we're still using the loaner helmets. Val (being the passenger) jumped out to pick up the helmets, but then forgot to put her belt back on until about 50' after we got the signal to go. She tried to get the belt on, but the retractor locked, and she only got it about 1/2 way out, so I threw away the run, and didn't really push it at all.

V. Smith Run 3: 103.232 (DNF)
Val knocked another full second off her time, and I'm quite sure that not all of it came from going the wrong way around the first cone in the Slalom...

At the end of the day, Val went from "I don't know if I can/want to do this" to "We're buying a race car, right?"

All in all, an excellent day.