This being my third event, I don't have a lot to compare it to. I'm
surprised, actually, to hear that the general consensus is that this course
was better than, say, round 16's course. I felt like this course (and the
one at Oakland) were much _less_ technical. Perhaps I'm a bit sadistic, but
shouldn't the course hurt more? Someone said the extra width of the course
was GOOD! :)
On Saturday's course, my demons were all on the second half. After the
first left hand turn after the slalom there was that one cone out in the
middle of nowhere that confused me (and several other people) on my (our)
first lap(s), and then after the subsequent giant box of cones, there was a
right leading into a challenging left. THAT was the fun point on the course
for me. It was also where I hit my first cone ever.
The round 16 course had a similar first half, but the second half was much
more interesting. There was a series of turns after that back straight
leading into the first short slalom that felt great, and then another tight
sequence after the slalom all the way to the finish that was more than my
poor(ly suspended) little car could handle. THAT'S fun!
So, experts, am I looking for the wrong thing on a course? I'm learning
that it's MUCH harder to drive slow than it is to get through fast sections
like the first half of the last course with a convincing time. Perhaps it's
just that my underpowered little car doesn't have enough grunt to make the
faster portions feel harrowing? Or am I just not able to drive it hard
enough to make it feel harrowing?
Thanks again for another great event, BAR. See you next time!
Oh.. And one more thing.. Running with my roof off in fun runs allowed me
to get my seat adjusted right and bought me 1.47 seconds. Is it against
stock rules to cut a hole in my roof for my helmet to stick out? I'd like
the extra rigidity (because autocrossing my little car topless is like going
down a class 5 in an inner tube), but I would also like to sit upright. Any
ideas? How about installing an aftermarket sunroof in my targa top slightly
off center to the left? Illegal? Too ghetto? :)
Jake Hodges
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