Autocross: 10/8 at Gwinnett County Fairgrounds

Discussion in 'Meetups & Events' started by miloman, Sep 22, 2006.

  1. Brian

    Brian Active Member

    OK, I'm signed up now too! How can I tell if I need to be there @ 8am or noon?
     
  2. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    If you check the soloatlanta webpage, you will find that you run in the afternoon :)

    http://www.soloatlanta.com/rungrouporder.htm

    See you out there!

    --
    Brian
     
  3. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Does not list Novice classes on there, but I guess it doesn't really matter. I am sure they will tell me when I get out there.
     
  4. clemsonscooby

    clemsonscooby Active Member

    I think novice's run with their normal class, they just get pax'ed against each other for trophies.
     
  5. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    Novices are assigned to the rungroups to balance out the numbers, and do not necessarily run with their respective class. N1 = morning novice, N2 = afternoon novice.

    --
    Brian
     
  6. clemsonscooby

    clemsonscooby Active Member

    Okay, I thought it was like the ladies classing. I guess you guys do it different in AR than SCR, but then again SCR doesn't get over a 150 registrants! Hopefully we will get more than three runs... Anybody know what the norm is?
     
  7. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    4 runs are the norm. For ladies classing, they usually run different run groups from the open class.

    --
    Brian
     
  8. Meredith

    Meredith Banned

    You can run 8 runs if you want to pay extra and work an additional assignment. However you can only do this (you sign up as Time Only) if you run with your class in the morning session. If you class runs in the afternoon you cannot run TO in the morning (unless you run TO in the afternoon and not a class).
     
  9. AWD_Tiger

    AWD_Tiger Member

    Do you just pay double the price for TO?

    Thanks:wiggle:
     
  10. gt9729b

    gt9729b Member

    You only pay for the session you run. If you run in the morning, you pay for the morning session. If you choose to run again in the afternoon session, you pay again. Keep in mind, every session you run you also work.

    You cannot run TO in the morning and run your class (AS, DS, BSP, SM, STU, STX, etc.) in the afternoon. Doing so would give you an unfair advantage having already run the course. Therefore your options are:

    1. You can run TO in the morning and TO in the afternoon.
    2. You can run class in the morning (if applicable) and TO in the afternoon
    3. You can run class in the afternoon

    FYI, if it's going to be hot take drinks. If it's not going to rain, take sunscreen, wear comfortable shoes, and have fun for me since I'm out of town.
     
  11. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    this is good advice... i'll bring some gatorade in a cooler
     
  12. Greg

    Greg Active Member

    How did it go? I wish I could've made it, but I couldn't get the tires mounted in time
     
  13. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    It does not take place until starting at 0800 tomorrow...
     
  14. Deke

    Deke Active Member

    Well upon further thought I don't think I'm going to run tomorrow. I'm still kind of nervous about my brakes and also I'm kind of tight on cash right now. I am hoping to make it out there maybe in the afternoon just to spectate for a little bit though. So if I don't see you tomorrow, good luck everyone.
     
  15. mattprzy

    mattprzy Active Member

    I can't run tomorrow. On my way home from overnight at QT, heading back home having a little fun, I got a major boost leak. At least I don't have that wierd nosie from before anymore.. -_- Wonder what's casuing it. I'll have to figure it out tomorrow. It runs okay at 5psi ish but after 7 it's leaking worse. I hear the turbo spooling hard but the guage only reads 11 at best.
     
  16. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    ya blowing blackish brown smoke out the back?
     
  17. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Well autocross was pretty fun today! It was my first time out, stock suspension and with Kuhmo ASX tires so I was not expecting too much. I cut it down from a 59.2 to a 53.8 or something like that. I was pretty happy with it how the car did. I think with some practice, some different suspension goodies and a set of decent tires I could shave a lot of time off this. Any one know what causes the WRX to hop in hard cornering or how to prevent this?
     
  18. mattprzy

    mattprzy Active Member

    Fixed the problem this morning before i went to the event. It was a clamp on the Y pipe connecting over the turbo. Came loose and off the Y-pipe. I just slid it back on and tightened it.

    Thanks again Milo, Alex, and Brian for the ride alongs.
     
  19. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    I also wanted to say a big thanks to Jason (wrxfan420 I believe) for his help today. My car apparently had stuff in it that it was not supposed to have (sub in rear not securely bolted down, bag of tools, cd book, etc) and he was there to give me a hand and let me store them in his vehicle until I finished. In addition he rode a couple laps with me and gave a little advise since I had never done an autocross before and missed the novice walk (removing subwoofer, cd, tools). I really appreciate the assistance!! Next time I will know to clear the car before coming to race.

    Edit: Stil having a hard time finding anywhere that says everything in the trunk has to be bolted down or removed....it is really vague. It just says the passenger and engine compartment need to be neat and clean. I guess I need to get the car detailed before each event and after driving through the gravel parking lot!!
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2006
  20. eyeballs

    eyeballs Member

    trunk always has to be empty of loose items, as well as the passenger compartment including floormats. Some venues even require the glovebox to be emptied. Also, non-secured side pockets (unless they are snug) should be emptied. Sounds strange but once I found out first hand how easy it is for a cell phone to slide out of a pocket and get lodged under the brake and gas pedals during a timed run.

    Was nice to see so many scoobies out there for a change. I liked the extra competition in ESP.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2006
  21. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    I can understand passenger compartment due to items hitting driver or getting under foot, but trunk? What is the logic in that? Further where is this stated in the rules? Can someone point me to the part I missed? The guy was kinda harsh today and said I should have read the rules...I did before and again when I got home and can't find anything about the trunk being empty or for that matter any specifics at all about any of it...just "neat and clean."

    Again thankfully Jason was there to help out. Other guys solution was to leave it on the ground ($700 in sub and amp) or put it in his van (some guy I have never met before). I have to say it was kinda unfriendly to the first time racer and I was lucky I had someone I knew who was not running that day...I would have just said fuck it and left if not for Jason.
     
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2006
  22. Deke

    Deke Active Member

    hmm, I don't remember the trunk deal, I'm pretty sure I had crap in my trunk everytime I ran, but then again it was like 2 years ago, so maybe some stuff has changed...
     
  23. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    I really feel if they are going to leave the rules vague that they should send out an email when you register saying what they expect. I know for me this is not a trailered in race car, but my daily driver...in my car I keep things...tools, cd's, speakers, flashlights, etc. We also brought chairs to sit and watch the event, they made us remove those before passing tech...just kinda rediculous and not a good first experience. Funny note, if I had NOT had my tools with me I would not have been able to remove my amp and sub and would not have been able to run...The racing wa fun though!

    Further edit: This event really made me want to upgrade my suspension...time to look into what needs to be done first...I am thinking at this point that replacing the struts as they are starting to get a bit worn. Just a bad time with tags and taxes (property tax) due :/ I guess there is always tax return time!
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2006
  24. Meredith

    Meredith Banned

    First of all i'm pretty sure it's covered with the Novice Chief and with the Novice Drivers meeting. Here is a FAQ for novices on the solo atlanta website:
    http://www.soloatlanta.com/fnovice.htm

    Most people leave their items in paddock and only bring a few items to grid ie helmets, water, pressure gauge, driving shoes. Since there are so many cars driving around people should not be empting out their cars there. The people working tech are working during their lunch, many work all day from start to finish. Please do not be rude with them, we had ALOT of cars to tech yesterday. If you have a question it's best to find any member of Team Solo and ask them. Also tech people get alittle pissed when people take their car to grid and just leave it without a) opening the trunk and opening the hood and b) standing by their car so any tech issue can be resolved.
     
  25. clemsonscooby

    clemsonscooby Active Member

    I don't know if the hop question was taken care of, but there a few diagnoses. The spring rate could be higher than what your dampers can take, or you don't have enough negative camber, or that your tire pressure is too low, or you need a front sway bar. Most likely it was tire roll over from one or more of those issues. My car will hop sometimes when I am getting back on the gas coming out of the corner. In my case, its mostly the transfer of weight under power that makes my car hop a little.

    Great autox. Lots of fun. I was glad to have met some people from the boards for once. Is there a place to see about the WRXAtl Challenge points?
     
  26. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Glad I was able to help out. In two weeks, I will register and run, and you can ride with me on a couple runs. I will also walk the course with you and point stuff out. The course walk is honestly the most important part of having a successful and fast run. Being that you did not walk the course wholeheartedly, and it was your first time Auto Xing, I am amazed you were able to follow the course and not get lost in the "Sea of Cones."

    It was a cool day, Brian won 1st in Novice class, beating the pack by about 6 to 7 seconds. Good job man, hope to see you out there in 2 weeks.

    BrainGT, the CRX looks awesome. Great job on the paint work and everything else. I bet that sucker is fun as all hell to drive.

    Also good to see Milo back in the ATL Auto X scene. Now that my Auto X buddy is back, I need to get back in and start running again.

    And of course there is Alex. Great seeing you run #1. Hope you had a good time and was not discouraged by the DNFs. I was the same way the first couple times I ran, and Milo luckily road with me a bunch of times and kept me on the track. I would have been able to do the same for you if I had walked the course.

    As for the stuff in you trunk. Your trunk was pretty full of stuff, so even if not emptied, I don't think your sub box had much place to go. If you trunk was empty, with just the sub box, You would have probably messed up your sub and amp if you left it in the car to slide around during hard cornering.
     
  27. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

  28. Brian

    Brian Active Member

    Thanks for the props! I did have a little help. I rode with several other people, then walked the course, then BrianGT made a few pointers when he rode with me. A few questions though.
    Should I be SM or SM2? (It took a 43.7 to win those classes)
    It lists trophies #'s in the results. Does that mean I get a trophy?
     
  29. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    SM2 is for cars with 2 seats. SM is for 4 seats.

    There are no physical trophys for the atlanta region for each event, as they keep the costs as low as possible for the entry fees. At the end of the year, they give trophys based on the full season results (I think it is the best 6/10 events). If this was a small region or national event, you would probably get some kind of physical trophy. I got one from the middle GA region.

    I am glad that you enjoyed yourself, and I hope to see you at future events. The registration is open for the BMWCCA event next weekend:
    http://www.peachtreebmwcca.org/ptAX_index.asp
    It is a smaller event, with a limited number of cars, so register soon if you want to go. You will get 6 runs for these events.

    --
    Brian
     
  30. miloman

    miloman Retired Admin

    i doubt i can make the BMWCCA event since i will be struggling over a couple projects... but i hope to make the next scca event on the 22nd
     
  31. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    Actully it was not covered in the novice meeting or I would have taken care of it. I was at the novice meeting. They mainly talked about safety on the track, watching cars come around the track when you were working, replacing cones, how to properly replace the cones, how to show that a car did not finish by cossing your arms, holding the cones up if it gets knocked out of the chalk, holding the cones up if it gets knocked over, and of course the financial part about buying stuff from the people that sponsored it and getting a membership.

    Then we were told to run get our cars and get them to tech. I ran and got mine, popped both the hood and the trunk. I left the trunk slightly adjar as I did not want to advertise the stereo equipment I had in the trunk by leaving it wide open(As a cop I saw too many things stolen too many times). Then I ran to make the driver's meeting.

    But again, a simple email saying what is to be expected would be nice and helpful. I could have unpacked the subs (still can't find any mention of the trunk) got the chairs out when we got there, removed our bad of gatorade, and had my tools with someone else. I admit I did not read the novice page, I read the rulebook. I never even went to the SoloAtlanta site...registered at another site, then read scca rules.
     
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2006
  32. josh booth

    josh booth Active Member

    I was there and watched i've got to get some tires for my stock wheels so i can race not watch this looks fun.
     
  33. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    It was maybe a combination...tire pressure was not jacked up on the kuhmos...37f, 34r. I do have eibach springs that the previous owner put on and I don't think he replaced the shocks. Camber was negative at the alignment SOG did so I don't think that is it. It was definitely when I was coming out of a corner then getting back on the gas. I am thinking shocks and sways when cash allows. And maybe next time I go to some sort of event jacking up the tire pressure some. Jason suggested going a little higher in the rear than the front rather than the other way around.
     
  34. Brian

    Brian Active Member

    I can't make the next weekend either, but the next SCCA event should be do-able.
     
  35. clemsonscooby

    clemsonscooby Active Member

    You should chalk the outside of your tires to see how much they are rolling over. That will be a great determination of where tire pressures need to be increased. I would definitely suggest the struts before the sways. Getting rid of that bouncing from a lack of dampening will help a little more than just having sways and springs. Your weight transfer will be a lot faster as well than just going with the sways.
     
  36. Ava

    Ava Member

    Wish I could have made it. I wanted to but ended up having to work and missed the event, perhaps next time. I'm glad you all had fun!
     
  37. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    That was a hell of a lot of fun! Cant wait to get back out there :D
     
  38. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    It was fun, but I expected the course to be a little faster...I mean there was a kid on a go-kart that turned better times than your car, my car and Milo's car. Made having a wrx feel just silly on that course when a go-kart can go faster!
     
  39. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    Well you gotta understand that the course was tight as hell. It was challenging. I'd like to not DNF on the next one though, although I had a decent time (47.308) for my first run out there.
     
  40. Brian

    Brian Active Member

    Since when should a car be faster than a dedicated racing gocart?
     
  41. FTZ

    FTZ ^.^

    Usually the karts set faster times then anyone. They can pretty much flat foot thru most of the course, have much better handling than any other car, and then there is that kart that looks kinda like an indy car that is a fucking rocket. You will never beat the karts.
     
  42. clemsonscooby

    clemsonscooby Active Member

    The shifter kart at the double cross was given around a 6 second disadvantage to a BSP corvette on the tree. The vette was already through about 4 corners before they let the kart and the kart still beat him.
     
  43. andy251203

    andy251203 Member

    Does anyone have any info on when the BMW autocross is held on Sunday? They don't say anything on the website about what time it starts...
     
  44. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    Here is the info:

    --
    Brian
     
  45. andy251203

    andy251203 Member

    Does the BMWCCA have an open rider policy like the SCCA?
     
  46. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    This has been the case in the past events, and still should be the case, unless something changed recently.

    The PCA club is the only club that I know of in ATL that doesn't allow ride-alongs.

    only a few spots left for the BMWCCA event, so signup asap if you want to go:
    http://www.peachtreebmwcca.org/ptAX_index.asp

    --
    Brian
     
  47. crashtke

    crashtke Member Supporting Member

    No, no, not the indy car looking cart...I am talking about the honest to god go kart...the one that had to have the motor started with a pull cord. It was driven by about a 10 year old and pulled a 47 something. I expected the bigger indy cart style ones to go fast.
     
  48. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    Here are the raw times if you are interested:
    http://soloatlanta.com/forum/index.php?act=Attach&type=post&id=396

    The fastest junior kart was 129th out of 227 total vehicles for his raw time of 47.054

    --
    Brian
     
  49. Alex

    Alex Community Founder Staff Member

    We'll be starting another thread for the upcoming SCCA autox soon as well.
     
  50. BrianGT

    BrianGT Banned

    only 2 spots left for the bmw event this weekend
     

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