1- A slalom disguised as 3 offset gates should still be treated like a slalom;
2- When going through the previously mentioned slalom, one should try to avoid using too much steering wheel and should definitely avoid punching the throttle while exiting the slalom with the wheel turned too far to the right;
3- The truly spectacular spin that is caused by lesson #2 will freak out your crankshaft position sensor and cause your car to enter "limp mode," but replacing the sensor for a moderate expense will cause your car to be fine as long as there was no damage to the crankshaft speed wheel, which would be significantly more expensive.
4- Your wife is much more forgiving when she finds out that it was just a sensor...then she appreciates the fact that everyone was talking (or laughing) about your spin.

It was good times...too bad I only got to do the morning run....

-JP

1. Autocrossing after spending 20 hours flying back from Belgium two days prior shows just how tiring sitting in a seat for a full day can be.
2. Instructing without sufficient rest, on a hot day, plus four runs of my own, with a weak stomach.... (now you know why I left after the morning run)
3. It's not fair for an Elise to run through a "slalom" flat footed without needing any steering inputs

Have a good one,

Mike

Rider: Mike Bridges, Class Z

Steed: 1 of 189 2000 Nassau Blue Metallic FRCs, born on December 1, 1999, adopted June 14, 2002

http://www.vimeo.com/1186428

Impressive driving Doug!  I never saw you run but a 83.1 on street tires is smokin' fast!

Thomas

'06 Mazda RX-8

Maybe next time you'll think of this before you buy a 4 foot wide car Although it must have been nice to have some power/torque coming out of any of the 6 pin turns when I (and all the other 4 cyl cars) were at 4000 rpms and bogging, each car has it's benefits.  If anything this course was a point and shoot power course, Doug had FTD on street tires for a while!  (Nice driving BTW)

And I did have some steering input through the section just minimal.  A S2000 can almost make it through with minimal steering input as well if it was setup on the correct line (coming in tight on the outside cone for a straighter shot). 

Either way, a little steering through that section or even a full slalom wouldn't have made a 5 second difference.  My co-driver lifted through that section and was only just behind me and still 8/100ths out of 2nd. Here is his video, I don't have space to upload mine right now.  Notice the turning and lifting at the timing van section.

http://www.vimeo.com/1180949

2006 Lotus Elise
2009 Mini Cooper S (on order)
2000 Honda S2000 (borrowed)

1.  I gotta do this more than once a year

2.  I gotta get the M3 back to street legal

Doug.. You were on street tires!!??  WOW!  BTW, were these the green smoke model?

There was a lot of amazing driving out there.....and it was great to see a knife fight among the top 4 cars - though my vote is for a 1 second penalty if corner workers have to wait for drivers to cool their tires - j/k - I actually enjoyed the competiveness of the drivers.

We all make our choices on cars, the different events will suite different cars to different extents....

This was a great course.  I'm finally coming to grips and am enjoying the TMS surface.  Again THANKS to the committee for organizing this.         

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When it comes to Auto-Xing, I'm like an elephant