sean
Probationary Member
- 27
- 0
- Aug 12, 2002
-
Knoxville,
Tennessee
The East Tennessee Region SCCA held its first autocross of the season on March 5 at Adesa Auto Auction in Lenior City, TN. This is the first time the region has used the lot and it turned out to be a very nice lot with no poles or islands. I'll also mention that all of the profits were donated to a charity.
Not only was this the first event of the year at a new lot, it was also going to be a large local event with 118 people pre registered and 119 actually showing up. There were the usual newcomers but we also had quite a few experienced drivers drive in from surrounding regions.
I arrived a little before 8 to prepare/check the car and to have time to walk the course as well as to do the usual socializing. The course was mostly designed by last years regional champion and he made a very nice, flowing course that didn't require memorizing every little detail, just some concentrated walk throughs. It started right into a 90 degree left then a 90 right. Then to the right of an offset into a tight right sweeper. This exited into another right offset that led to a tight left decreasing radius sweeper. This led to a chicago box on the left and into a very large decreasing radius left hand sweeper. This exited into an optional three cone slalom that led to the finish. If the slalom was taken to the left you had to sacrifice entrance speed to get the car over but it opened it up to go straight through the finish. If taken to the right, you could carry speed into it but it pinched off the finish. This seemed obvious at first to take it to the left, but most of the fastest times were yielded by taking it to the right.
My car was about the same as last year except for the dejon intake pipe and an actual good alignment. Turn in felt a lot better but I never took full advantage of it. My tires never even got hot enough to spray off, last year they were sprayed off after every run.
Competing in STX (Street Touring Extreme) with 12 participants, I finished 8th against 7 Subarus, a Mini S, a 2 driver VW R32 and just in front of a mis-classed Mazdaspeed Turbo Miata.
Throughout the day I heard the usual whispers of "it's an AWD too" and had one guy come up to talk to me about the Talon, it seems to happen at all the larger events. He had a 1g Laser AWD. I'm the only DSM competing locally and always encourage the people who come up to me to come out to the next one.
Here are a few pictures and I'm still waiting on some people to send me more of my car running. Also, Killboy.com was there taking pictures and here is a link to some taken by a competitor.
http://community.webshots.com/album/548276398ksDCCu
Here is a video from the chasecam mounted on the Viper.
http://www.streetcarforums.com/vide...20autocross.mpg
Not only was this the first event of the year at a new lot, it was also going to be a large local event with 118 people pre registered and 119 actually showing up. There were the usual newcomers but we also had quite a few experienced drivers drive in from surrounding regions.
I arrived a little before 8 to prepare/check the car and to have time to walk the course as well as to do the usual socializing. The course was mostly designed by last years regional champion and he made a very nice, flowing course that didn't require memorizing every little detail, just some concentrated walk throughs. It started right into a 90 degree left then a 90 right. Then to the right of an offset into a tight right sweeper. This exited into another right offset that led to a tight left decreasing radius sweeper. This led to a chicago box on the left and into a very large decreasing radius left hand sweeper. This exited into an optional three cone slalom that led to the finish. If the slalom was taken to the left you had to sacrifice entrance speed to get the car over but it opened it up to go straight through the finish. If taken to the right, you could carry speed into it but it pinched off the finish. This seemed obvious at first to take it to the left, but most of the fastest times were yielded by taking it to the right.
My car was about the same as last year except for the dejon intake pipe and an actual good alignment. Turn in felt a lot better but I never took full advantage of it. My tires never even got hot enough to spray off, last year they were sprayed off after every run.
Competing in STX (Street Touring Extreme) with 12 participants, I finished 8th against 7 Subarus, a Mini S, a 2 driver VW R32 and just in front of a mis-classed Mazdaspeed Turbo Miata.
Throughout the day I heard the usual whispers of "it's an AWD too" and had one guy come up to talk to me about the Talon, it seems to happen at all the larger events. He had a 1g Laser AWD. I'm the only DSM competing locally and always encourage the people who come up to me to come out to the next one.
Here are a few pictures and I'm still waiting on some people to send me more of my car running. Also, Killboy.com was there taking pictures and here is a link to some taken by a competitor.
http://community.webshots.com/album/548276398ksDCCu
Here is a video from the chasecam mounted on the Viper.
http://www.streetcarforums.com/vide...20autocross.mpg
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