Coventina drives in anger....survives & even enjoys it!

[Coventina]

Ok, for those of you who read my previous thread about the race event: I'm back and undamaged!

I didn't hit any cones or lose control of the car at any point. I improved each time (there were three runs).
The SO said I did much better than he expected. I actually did much better than *I* expected. And it was fun!
Nerve-wracking, but fun.

Will I do it again? Probably. Given that SO is VERY into it, he'll probably coax me out there. And I won't be as scared next time.

It's fun to try new things, and find that you're okay at them!
Drinks are on me!
:toast:

[HamstersFromHell]

1. Missed the other thread...

...sounds like Autocross?

[Coventina]

2. Yep!

SCCA Solo2 I guess is the technical name.
:shrug:

Not an expert, though

[HamstersFromHell]

5. Used to love Solo II

I started it '96 in TN Region SCCA. Ran my Miata in C Stock, and won the C Stock Novice points title, as well as TN Region SCCA Solo II Rookie of the Year. Then I started spending money...springs, shocks, sway bars, headers...and came back and won the '97 C Street Prepered title in the region. Ran 16 events that year, ended up with 8 firsts, 7 seconds and 1 fifth, along with 3 FTD (fastest time of day) awards. Then the (ex) wife and I started having kids, and so much for the "racing" budget. (Still wouldn't trade the kids for all the trophies in the world. The ex however...)

I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to be a better driver. Flying through a sea of cones teaches you car control at the limits. Once you've done it a while, in dealing with "idjits" out on the road, you react instinctively, rather than having to pause to think of what to do. You end up being a much safer driver.

Almost as fun as sex...and probably safer.

[Coventina]

7. I was considered "Novice Ladies' Class"

Although the SO runs the Miata in "ES".

I really can't get my head around all the different classifications.

[HamstersFromHell]

14. Classes, smasses...

...as long as you're having fun. The big thing isn't to try to be competitive right off the bat, just keep learning and bettering your previous run's time.

I started my rookie season in Feb. 8 seconds off the "fast guy" in class (a veteran, running race tires). After 3 events I'd gotten it down to 3 seconds behind. By August, I finished second to him by 0.007 sec. I was frustrated by losing so close, but I was still on my daily driver street tires.

E Stock, eh? Wow, they've certainly moved the classing around a bit since I was running.

Let's see...is hubby a faithful follower of Miata.net as well?

[Coventina]

21. I don't know

He's on the autox boards a lot.

[frylock]

9. i log a lot of hours running racing sims on my pc..

and while it certainly can't compare with the real life experience of running your car though those Solo courses, it too has improved my response time and reactions behind the wheel.

[HamstersFromHell]

11. I used to run an online league...

...running "Grand Prix Legends". Now *that* is a sim. I still haven't mastered that one. Probably took me 5 hours to complete one lap when I first got it.

[Coventina]

12. I bought that for the SO several years ago!

He doesn't have much time to mess around with it, though
:-(

[HamstersFromHell]

15. I still haven't found...

...a more totally realistic sim that GPL. Papyrus didn't write that title to sell, they wrote it to pretty much push the envelope on what could be done with a sim. Much of what they did in GPL is now incorporated in Nascar 4, but still not all of it.

[frylock]

20. nascar racing 2003 is pretty close to the same physics engine..

plus it's editable. There's a Craftsmen Truck mod, and one for Trans-Am as well. should be the bomb, as there already is a mod using EA's F1 2002, and the physics are amazing!

[frylock]

18. i love gpl, and still run it frequently..

I still don't think I've managed a clean lap round the Nurbergring!!

[HamstersFromHell]

19. Someone wrote a Nurburgring "trainer"

one time. It allowed broke the track up into named "sections" and you could practice one section at a time over and over. I think I've made maybe 5 or 6 clean laps there, and nowhere near a competitive time.

My favorites in GPL were always Spa (and watching the movie "Grand Prix" just makes me want to load up GPL and drive it), and Monza. However, as much as I liked those two, most of my online wins were at Zandvoort.

[frylock]

3. what were you driving?

[Coventina]

4. 1993 Mazda Miata

[frylock]

6. ooooooh.. sounds fun!

I'd like to try that out too. The SCCA sets up a course down here at The Murph a couple times a year. I drive a 98 Grand Prix GTP that is bone stock. Have you made any mods to your Miata?

[Coventina]

8. Umm, the SO would be better to ask but

he's still at the event!

I know that he changes wheels and tires for events. He's got adjustable shocks. And I think he made a minor change in the exhaust, but I'm not sure.

[HamstersFromHell]

16. ..sounds like the normal Stock class mods.

Race tires, of course. Adjustable Konis, front or rear sway bar (but not both..not allowed), and a cat-back exhaust. Bump the timing up to 10 deg. and it's your "race ready" Miata. Catback and timing change make a huge difference in performance on any pre-'99 Miata.

[HamstersFromHell]

10. You can literally enter anything...

...that isn't topheavy and passes a safety inspection.

Most regions have a "street tire" class or two so you don't have to buy somewhat expensive D.O.T. legal "race" tires, as well as classes for trucks.

One of the "classic" battles in our region was in the "slowest" class.. H Stock. A guy in an old 6 cylinder Fairmont (didn't know those things would actually run that many years) did battle weekly with another guy in a Festiva. (With "honk if something falls off" written on the back bumper...his daily driver.) Slow runs, but those two were feircely competitive with each other.

It's good clean fun, you learn something useful for everyday driving and 99% of the people associated with it are really classy people.

I still have my Miata, and now that I'm divorced, it might be time to get back into the swing of things again.

[frylock]

13. lol.. h stock, ehh..

maybe I'll enter my 93 Toyota pickup!!

[HamstersFromHell]

17. I'd bet you'd end up...

...with this huge grin on your face. Just something about being able to legally "cut loose" driving in a vehicle.