What a difference a week makes! - originally posted 4/26/05
Sunday it was sunny and mid 60s. The course had been swept clean by the morning run groups. After a car spun and bumped the curb, one set of slalom cones had been modified since Saturday evening which put the last cone in the slalom, just before a C-box, on top of a small rise.
Tech went OK, just something unusual for the tech guys; so I gridded and went off to walk the course a few times. I got some strange looks for crouching and sitting during my course walks. :-) When I got back from one walk, Josh Kerwin was standing next tot he car. Josh is my boss's son and I've been involved with him since he was about 11. When he turned 18 he got to autocross my Impala and loved it, but later he went to the crotch rocket side, not that there's anything wrong with that. While getting stuff on for the first run Lisa, my wife, shows up. First time she's watched me autocross - the new car is VERY different than the Impala and it makes her a bit apprehensive.
Time for the first run, I get strapped in and Josh yanks the cord. up to the start line. The first gate is a 90 to the left, then two 90 rights that can be taken as a smooth arc, a series of weave gates, short slalom, C-box to the right, wide 180 to the left, 270 sweeper to the right, 3-cone optional slalom then the finish lights. On the first run I'm a bit tentative on the throttle, only gassing it while the car is well settled either straight or has taken a set in a sweeper. I finish with a time of 45.367, clean. Back to grid, adjust tire pressure and drink some water; damn it gets hot in that cockpit sitting in the sun when moving slowly through the pits.
The grid is moving quickly, fairly short course and good overlap. So I'm back into helmet and gloves and strapped in. Get the start signal; starter was a newbie and says "Go" quietly. But I can't hear him so he nods. I'm more aggressive this time and finish with a time of 40.474, clean, almost a 5 second improvement. Back to grid, short break, kiss Lisa goodbye since she's headed out, and back into gear for the third run.
Even more aggressive on this run, more throttle in the corners, and quicker inputs on the steering and brakes. I knock another 1.3 seconds off for a 39.136, clean. Back to grid, Tire pressures are stable and all the old clag is gone so I'm running on my own rubber now instead of old dead borrowed rubber.
Fourth runs have started and the cone carnage is terrible. The little orange fellows are flying everywhere. Lots of red flags and reruns ensue. I get to the start gate and am nodded off. The run is cooking, feels real good and fast - then the red flag waves!!! The car in front of me has destroyed a lane of about a dozen cones ahead of me. Back to grid...
I get the start nod and off again. Feels good, but not as good as last time; still, I'm moving fast. Remember that cone that got moved to the top of a small rise? I was deeper in that slalom making the adjustment for the C-box while the car was light. Now I remember why you don't put in steering inputs when the car is light. Around I went and entered the C-box rolling backwards at a pretty good clip. So, knowing the run is done, I hammer the throttle and execute a perfect Indy Car stop. Since I'm the last car on course and no need to slow things down further, I head straight for the finish lights and back to the trailer.
Results are online at http://www.wwscc.org/event_results/2005/wwscc05-1.html .
No mechanical problems, the driver is coming along and the roll bar padding is in the right places. Some time off before my next event; Lisa and I are going on a short trip for our birthdays in mid-May (I haven't told here where), so I'll miss the next scheduled event.
My next events will be the NWR/SCCA event at Bremerton on May 29 and the Bremerton Sports Car Club event the following day. I was just told about an event at Boundary Bay in BC this Sunday. There is a possibility for 8 runs and I need the seat time, so I'm headed up there on Sunday at 0-dark-thirty.
