What are you doing right now?

[LtNoogie]

You have enough time to hit 65 - 70? No way do we have enough time to get that fast. In fact, they've thrown in a slalom once because a section was too straight. Half the people DNF'd their first run because it wasn't there during the course walkthrough.

How long have you been racing? Does your BF race too?

[Morgan]

Originally Posted by LtNoogie

You have enough time to hit 65 - 70? No way do we have enough time to get that fast. In fact, they've thrown in a slalom once because a section was too straight. Half the people DNF'd their first run because it wasn't there during the course walkthrough.

How long have you been racing? Does your BF race too?

We have a pretty large area to race on and most of the course is hairpins and slaloms, we always seem to have at least one really fast section where I hit the rev limiter in 2nd (so I know everyone else is doing at least 65). We get to the event site at 9, get set up and walk through the course at least once/twice and then we get one/two drive-thrus before the first car takes off at 11:00.

Our region is very fortunate to have such a nice venue (Hunt Army Air Feild, 15 miles or so north of Dothan, AL) and the courses are very long at take a good 60 seconds to complete even for the fast cars, so I'm guessing - close to a mile if not a little more? Typically there are about 40 cars competing. Everything from a fully built SM Sti to stock 91 Saturn SL2...

I had been to a few autox's before but never competed or even rode with anyone. Jan 08 was my first event and I co-drove my bf's 02 Mini S and loved it (the car and the autox). So by the next month I had acquired my Yaris and competed on stock tires, suspension and um it was pretty abysmal! But I went from literally bottom of the list to upper middle with my Yaris.

Kevin changed to a 04 MR2 spyder in June I think and then an 06 Mazda6 V6 in December but always managed to stay ahead of me most months no matter what he drove.

Giving some credit to the yaris, being a street driven car with no real compromises to speak of it does alright. I have TRD springs/sway and 205/50/15 Azenis and keep up with people who have invested $5k+ in their miatas... but I'm slowly finding the limit of what I think the capabilities of the mostly mushy front end - after disassembling the front end, 99% of the bushings under the car are very disappointing... oh well its still a reliable toyota at the end of the day

[LtNoogie]

Originally Posted by Morgan

We get to the event site at 9, get set up and walk through the course at least once/twice and then we get one/two drive-thrus before the first car takes off at 11:00.

Typically there are about 40 cars competing.

Jan 08 was my first event and I co-drove my bf's 02 Mini S and loved it (the car and the autox).

They've moved the venue to the old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station where the course is on the runway. We only get to walk the course. No drive-thrus.

Last Sunday, there were 230 cars. 3 runs is what we normally get for $30.

I started autox-ing in October and am loving it. I keep bringing people as passengers so I have not had as much alone time to work on best times. I still rank near the bottom with the novices and shopping cart ladies.

Do you have to work the course when you're not driving? We have to be on the course during one of the sessions to pick up cones and act as targets.

[Morgan]

Originally Posted by LtNoogie

They've moved the venue to the old El Toro Marine Corps Air Station where the course is on the runway. We only get to walk the course. No drive-thrus.

Last Sunday, there were 230 cars. 3 runs is what we normally get for $30.

I started autox-ing in October and am loving it. I keep bringing people as passengers so I have not had as much alone time to work on best times. I still rank near the bottom with the novices and shopping cart ladies.

Do you have to work the course when you're not driving? We have to be on the course during one of the sessions to pick up cones and act as targets.

We race at an empty helicopter landing pad/small air craft runway and since its a high military turn out we are usually the ones who know what to do and show the newbies where to go and what counts as +2.

While you aren't driving, you're working - nuff said! Our small region has to enforce this rule, otherwise we would have no event. We are fortunate to have such an awesome site and director.

I was the fastest lady time of the day... til the Wedzels showed up in their s2000 C/R prepared for AS :( She is always either fastest or 2nd fastest behind her husband and although I'm not really 'top 10' I do fairly well... the only thing that will move you up in the placements is seat time! (and PAX scoring )

I try not to take passengers on my first heat runs (runs 1-4; heat two is runs 5-7), but I always feel so bad when they tell me they really want to. Quietly I take pride in the fact that I can scare just about anyone in the Yaris... even my best friend with a BPU MKIV Supra lol... get more practice and you'll move up, esp if you compete against the same set of cars.

Beginners vary the most so keep attending and read all of the long boring pdf's on autox course set ups, driving tips, safety tips, rule books, classification for modifications and you'll also have the outsmartthem* advantage. If you need any of these pdf's please go to sccawiregrass.org and there is a link on the front page

*The course design one was really long but I now know how to enter and exit those stupid corners the miatas always get right without even thinking.