Dan'l writes:
>
> If the decision is made to save a little wear and tear to race again another
> day, I can almost understand. But I know I like to get as much track time as
>an
> event will allow. I am there to enjoy pushing my car and myself and to enjoy
>the
> "pucker-factor-adrenalin-rush". I love to win and always want to win and have
> been known to spend more money then I should in pursuit of a trophy to dust.
>But
> I am mostly there because I love it and am having fun ( after all, what's the
> resale value of most trophies).
I'm sure your comments will attract a lot of attention, though probably mostly
from the non-lurkers. I'd like to respond to two incidental issues you raise.
First, in my mind, autocrossing is as intellectually distinct from road racing
as pro rallying. That is to say, it requires a different (though related)
skill set. I consider an autocross 90% done after the first run. The
successive
runs are attempts at cleaning up mistakes I shouldn't have made in the first
place. While seat time is fun (and instructional), it's not the same challenge
as going fast on a course you've never driven on before.
Second (and more important) is the fun aspect of autocrossing. I'm not sure
that autocrossing is innately fun. After all, hanging out in a parking lot on
a sunny weekend day is not most people's idea of a good time. What I'm getting
at is that you have to make it fun. San Diego Region is great place to
autocross. Part of the reason why is Jack Murphy Stadium and the excellent
courses they run, but mostly because the SDR people know how to have fun.
So what's the solution? Move to San Diego :-).
Michael Butler
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