The weather Saturday was perfect for autox at E-town. Temps in the mid to upper 80's so tires got to temp quickly. My first time doing an autox on the "road course" there, so that was cool. I had walked the course when it was first built many years ago, but haven't been on it since. It strikes me as an oversized go-cart track more than a real road course, but worked very well for autox. CP (C-Prepared) had 5 cars in class, so that should make for some nice competition.
The day started off promising as I worked first heat and ran last heat. I like working before running because I get to see how other drivers are handling different areas of the course, but on this day that would not prove to be all that valuable.
My first run was a somewhat conservative run trying to remember the couple tricky areas and ended up not handling one area near the finish correctly so was off course. The car felt good, tires felt good, just screwed up the finish and ran an 80.xxxx
Second run, feeling confident I decided to push harder, but not go off course at the end. And generally I succeeded in doing that posting a 77.375 clean (at the time I thought I had 1 cone, but I guess not). A couple areas on this run I found myself over driving the course, so I thought for sure there was more out there, if I could apply what I already knew and make corrections.
Third run, pushing harder looking for more time I over drove the car and was doing dumb stuff. Trying to go fast where I should have been slow, which made me slow where I should have been fast etc. etc. and it manifested itself in with a 76.xxxx but with 2 cones and looking back I was out of shape in lots of sections on course, so the time doesn't tell the story.
Fourth run and I haven't made significant improvements to my time yet and have only one clean run, not good. Other cars in class, like 198esp1 are out in front by a full 2 seconds or nipping at my heels, so I need to make a move. Well, I scored my best clean run of the day with a 77.263, but that's still pretty far off the pace being set by 198esp1 (at the time was standing on a 75.111).
Final run and I need to get down into the mid 76 range at least. Well, the pressure got the best of me and I totally blew it. I slowed down to a 78.1xx and picked up cones along the way. And to really finish it off 198esp1 put up a 74.162 so finished a full 3 seconds off the pace and the other guy in class put together a nice final run, dropped a full second from his previous best and got me by 0.078.
So what does all this mean? I finished DFL (dead F%^$ing last in class).
Not good at all. I think my problem is I don't learn or adjust from run to run. I don't connect the runs and apply the good and fix the bad. I wasn't looking ahead very well. So seat time is more important than ever now (not that it wasn't before) .
The class is well represented with 3 or 4 very good drivers in good cars at the top, which give me something to chase. Then there are me and 1 or 2 others that battle at the back, but there should not be a full 3+ seconds between us, at least I hope not.
Congrats 198esp1 on the win, it looks like the car and driver performed very well and the work was all worth it. I'm scared to see what a fresh set of A6's will do for you?
Links to results:
Final Results
http://www.autox4u.com/2010results/512010_fin.htm
PAX
http://www.autox4u.com/2010results/512010_pax.htm
Raw
http://www.autox4u.com/2010results/512010_raw.htm
