SCCA Event #2

[SVXRide]

Well, the results from yesterday's official WDCA SCCA Event #2 are in and things are looking up!

1T 162 Garfield, Brian 2005 MINI Cooper S Black 59.902 59.246 59.071 58.906 58.906 -
2T 33 Sorensen, Kenny 2003 Toyota Celica GT Blue 60.975+1 60.905 60.162 60.338 60.162 1.256
3T 7 Leier, Brad 2002 Ford Focus SVT Silver 61.099 69.076+1 60.249+1 60.536 60.536 0.374
4 16 Owens, Lee 2003 Mini Cooper S Yellow 62.402+1 62.564 61.602+1 60.861 60.861 0.325
5 62 Evans, Paul 2002 MINI Cooper S Blue/White 61.364+2 63.023+1 60.792+1 61.189 61.189 0.328
6 41 Miller, Jonathan 2002 MINI Cooper S Dark Silver 63.938+2 62.889+1 61.720 61.930 61.720 0.531
7 47 Kulbaski, James 2004 Mini Cooper S White 62.920+OFF 63.652 61.807 62.215 61.807 0.087
8 34 Lemoine, Gene 1992 Nissan Sentra SE-R Gray 63.723+3 64.631 62.911 61.699+OFF 62.911 1.104
9 97 Supik, Frank 1994 Ford Probe GT Silver 63.691 63.380 63.349+1 63.313 63.313 0.402
10 19 Cutlip, William 1992 Subaru SVX black 67.157 64.118 63.334 63.376+OFF 63.334 0.021
11 29 Sann, David 1997 Saturn SC2 Green 66.984 64.040+OFF 64.359+OFF 64.064 64.064 0.730
12 64 Newcomb, Craig 2005 Mini Cooper S Purple 65.763 64.407 64.089 64.218 64.089 0.025
13 15 Campion, Adam 2002 MINI Cooper S Dark Silver 64.745+2 65.834 64.565 64.344 64.344 0.255

Mr. Garfield was back after winning the National event down in Atlanta last month. The course was definitely faster than last month's, with the times not as fast due to the fact that the course was longer in length. I met my objective of being in the top 10 in GS (almost 9th!!) and, better yet, ended up PAX'ing in at 92nd out of 245 participants (up from 121st out of 243 last month). The listing above shows each person's time, with the last two figures being each person's fastest time and the difference between their time and the person who finished in the slot ahead of them (in my case, I was 21 thousands of a second out of 9th place)
Only changes from last month were a "slight" adjustment to my optional OEM rear bar and bumping up the pressure in the front tires (up to 49.5 psi cold - which increased to 53.5 psi once the tires heated up). I almost spun the car on my fastest run - a downhill slalom that went into a hard jog right and left and then into a right sweeper. It was really weird feeling the backend of the car coming around!! Unfortunately, Austin didn't catch it with the digital camera. We'll have to bring the video camera next month!
-Bill

[Rotorflyr]

Given the cars you were running against you did really good, Congrats!
Any time an SVX is in the top 10 it's another feather in the cap for SVX owners everywhere!

[n00b on demand]

Damn that sure is alot of mini coopers.

[mbtoloczko]

Nice job! Kinda funny to see your car in the same class that has all the little cars. Anyone of the competitors getting curious about your car?

[benebob]

Ah, I don't miss those blasted Mini's one bit Bill . Not bad times comparatively though. Maybe its time to move up in the world. Short course for me today. Had some issues with the layout (a friend came over to tell me after his first run that we had read the walkthrough wrong as he was DNF but of course after I followed his lead I find out he missed another gate and then on my 3rd run I was paying a little too much attention to the suspension and how the springs were working that I took a sweeping turn too short. Springs seem to be pretty good I guess ). 3 competitors in my prepared class, 66 MGB had a 32.9, me with a 33.9 and the VW Scirroco was running in the pm and I had to get to dinner. I know I could've made up that second had I just paid more attention. Oh well, car is showing the promise I anticipated and maybe next time I'll be running on more than an hour of sleep and too much cough medicine.

[SVXRide]

Originally Posted by mbtoloczko

Nice job! Kinda funny to see your car in the same class that has all the little cars. Anyone of the competitors getting curious about your car?

Mychailo,
Not yet! I do get comments about the windows all the time. All of the folks "above me" in G Stock have been racing for 10+ years and I think they understand that 1-3 seconds is a lot to make up. We'll see how things go as the season progresses. I just noticed this month that my car is actually lower than the Minis (but then again, they're just a bit shorter than the SVX! )
-Bill

[SVXRide]

Originally Posted by benebob

Ah, I don't miss those blasted Mini's one bit Bill . Not bad times comparatively though. Maybe its time to move up in the world. Short course for me today. Had some issues with the layout (a friend came over to tell me after his first run that we had read the walkthrough wrong as he was DNF but of course after I followed his lead I find out he missed another gate and then on my 3rd run I was paying a little too much attention to the suspension and how the springs were working that I took a sweeping turn too short. Springs seem to be pretty good I guess ). 3 competitors in my prepared class, 66 MGB had a 32.9, me with a 33.9 and the VW Scirroco was running in the pm and I had to get to dinner. I know I could've made up that second had I just paid more attention. Oh well, car is showing the promise I anticipated and maybe next time I'll be running on more than an hour of sleep and too much cough medicine.

Ben,
33.9? Wow, that must have been a short course I'm definitely in the "more seat time" mode now -- trying to get better at "looking ahead" and understanding the course (apexes and all that "stuff"). Are you running DP or EP? We might have to talk about expanding the prepared part of the SVX Racing Team next season (My wife wants to start driving the car and there's only one other woman in GSL right now - of course she's Brian Garfield's wife and drives his car! )
-Bill
p.s. so, which month do you think you'll come down to FedEx? Make sure to get on the sign up web site the Sunday night after the previous month's event to sign up!

[newsvx]

Bill and Ben,
WELL DONE!! And you had fun to booth!! Is this a great country, or WHAT!!

Keep after those Mini's, Bill. They're tough, as you well know.

Next autocross for me is May 22 (perhaps you will be there too??). I missed the first one due to Reading VI, but will probably get all the rest. And the one with you in June too!

Harry

[Hocrest]

Originally Posted by SVXRide

Ben,
33.9? Wow, that must have been a short course ...

p.s. so, which month do you think you'll come down to FedEx? Make sure to get on the sign up web site the Sunday night after the previous month's event to sign up!

No, not a short course... he's just that fast
I wasn't there today (had to take a trip to help my Dad) but alot of the Susquehanna courses are short

I'm definately a fan of the longer courses.

Can't speak for Ben, but I have a feeling we want to make sure the car gets a few consistant "full" runs and we get all the bugs worked out before we head that far...

[benebob]

Bill, we are EP. Yeah it was a small course. The issue around here is lots big enough for events. The lot used for 8 out of 10 last year is under constrution this year and yesterday's event was at a mall. Nice thing is it took me all of 15 minutes to get there including getting the trailer hooked up.

[SVXRide]

Originally Posted by benebob

Bill, we are EP. Yeah it was a small course. The issue around here is lots big enough for events. The lot used for 8 out of 10 last year is under constrution this year and yesterday's event was at a mall. Nice thing is it took me all of 15 minutes to get there including getting the trailer hooked up.

Ben,
You've got to come down to FedEx!!!! There was only ONE car running EP this month ---

1T 51 graham, chris 1971 datsun pl510 red 103.340 79.313 77.974 71.988 71.988 -

Given that my best time beat this time by over 8 seconds, I think you might have a chance for a trophy

-Bill

[Chiketkd]

Great job Bill - it looks like you're staying true to your goal of finishing in the top ten this year in G-Stock.

You and Ben are doing a great job representing SVXii in AutoX!

-Chike

[newsvx]

Originally Posted by SVXRide

Ben,
You've got to come down to FedEx!!!! There was only ONE car running EP this month ---

1T 51 graham, chris 1971 datsun pl510 red 103.340 79.313 77.974 71.988 71.988 -

Given that my best time beat this time by over 8 seconds, I think you might have a chance for a trophy

-Bill

OR ........... Bill could run in EP (you could tell them of "your many upgrades" AND finish in the "TOP TWO"!!!!!!

Sound like a "plan", Bill??????? And if Ben can make it, it would be a one, two finish for the SVXi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harry

[Ron Mummert]

What's that I see on your tail, Bill? A SATURN!?!?
Gawd, maybe if I ever learn how to turn that steering wheel thingy, I'll give you decent run in the blue beast.

Ron.

[benebob]

Originally Posted by newsvx

OR ........... Bill could run in EP (you could tell them of "your many upgrades" AND finish in the "TOP TWO"!!!!!!

Sound like a "plan", Bill??????? And if Ben can make it, it would be a one, two finish for the SVXi!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Harry

Honestly, Bill has gone beyond what he can do for the Prepared classes
.