PCA SDR

Here are the results from yesterdays autocross:

There was some good competition. It was a great day to celebrate my 100th PCA-SDR Autocross !

Results: http://results.pcasdr.org/event_standings.php?time_format=0&database=&event_date=2014-07-12

BRI http://results.pcasdr.org/event_bri_standings.php?time_format=0&database=&event_date=2014-07-12

Congratulations on the TTOD Martin
What a great way to finish your 100th !!!

Yes, congratulations to Martin! That is an accomplishment and investment in the club.

The AX ran smoothly. Good job everyone, and special thanks to Jerry for the hard work. I like the live results app and other streamlined improvements that are in the works.

The one problem experienced was I ran 4 wheels off course during timed runs and came to a stop. Instead of a DNF, only got called for 1 cone. Even more corner working teaching might be necessary.

Lots of people hit cones. Are there 2 knots on the rope used to widen the track to the 20' minimum? One of the knots must be too short because I saw people roping the track in the morning.

Hey Jennifer
It looks like you had a great day too .....

You completely stopped , then started again and still came in a second quicker than my fastest run

jenniferreinhardt wrote:The one problem experienced was I ran 4 wheels off course during timed runs and came to a stop. Instead of a DNF, only got called for 1 cone. .

I ran off course in my timed practice .
I thought the left after the gate up at friars road was tighter than it was and turned left strait through the cones !!
By the time I knew what I'd done I was driving back through the cones to be back on track .
I must apologise for not coming to a stop and waiting for the all clear to re-enter .

Great event and it was nice getting done early. I really liked the first two turns, different, technical and fun. Nice driving by Martin for TTOD. And, what a great drive by that Grosekemper character to get 3 TTOD in a CC08 car and for ALMOST breaking my BRI streak. I don't know if I'll be able to hold him off next time!

jenniferreinhardt wrote:The one problem experienced was I ran 4 wheels off course during timed runs and came to a stop. Instead of a DNF, only got called for 1 cone. Even more corner working teaching might be necessary.

Yes, I saw Don M. wipe out 5 cones on the righthander before the finish, and they were called in on the next driver down the track, John K?

Lots of people hit cones. Are there 2 knots on the rope used to widen the track to the 20' minimum? One of the knots must be too short because I saw people roping the track in the morning.

The track did seem very narrow in many sections. I was hard-pressed to just keep the car between them at speed, much less choose an ideal line, but managed to only hit one cone in the second practice session.

TT

ttweed wrote:Yes, I saw Don M. wipe out 5 cones on the righthander before the finish, and they were called in on the next driver down the track,

Maybe that's what happened to me .
On every run .

ttweed wrote:Yes, I saw Don M. wipe out 5 cones on the righthander before the finish, and they were called in on the next driver down the track, John K?

Tom, official timing got me for +10 seconds on that run, but I thought 4 cones or more was a DNF? It used to be? Did we have change over the years?

Ianc2 wrote:Hey Jennifer
It looks like you had a great day too .....

You completely stopped , then started again and still came in a second quicker than my fastest run

Hah hah Ian, you keep getting faster, I'm sure we'll be battling more in the future. That slippery part after the patch ruined my best lap!

ttweed wrote:Yes, I saw Don M. wipe out 5 cones on the righthander before the finish, and they were called in on the next driver down the track, John K?

The less experienced yellow run group is now working timed runs, which might explain some of the cone calling mistakes. We just have to iron out the kinks in our new run group schedules and train the corner workers better. Maybe the groups that work timed runs could be handed a timed runs rules reference sheet in the morning -If they are unsure of the rules.

ttweed wrote:

jenniferreinhardt wrote:The one problem experienced was I ran 4 wheels off course during timed runs and came to a stop. Instead of a DNF, only got called for 1 cone. Even more corner working teaching might be necessary.

Yes, I saw Don M. wipe out 5 cones on the righthander before the finish, and they were called in on the next driver down the track, John K?

Lots of people hit cones. Are there 2 knots on the rope used to widen the track to the 20' minimum? One of the knots must be too short because I saw people roping the track in the morning.

The track did seem very narrow in many sections. I was hard-pressed to just keep the car between them at speed, much less choose an ideal line, but managed to only hit one cone in the second practice session.

TT

I did get called for the 5 cones on my final lap that I did not hit, I was also called for a cone that was already lying down when I got there on my first lap.

Both errors were corrected by the timing team however. (Thanks Tom)

I think we just need a reminder to the corner workers that if you do not see the car hit the cones, do not call it in...

John

john kinkaid wrote:I did get called for the 5 cones on my final lap that I did not hit, I was also called for a cone that was already lying down when I got there on my first lap.

Both errors were corrected by the timing team however. (Thanks Tom)

I think we just need a reminder to the corner workers that if you do not see the car hit the cones, do not call it in...

John

I would not have liked to have had to approach timing two times about errors with my timed runs.

Apparently, I also hit a cone on my last lap which is possible, but it is suspicious because I usually know when I hit cones. I could not see or hear it on my onboard camera(s) either. But I did notice cones not being in their position during my entire timed run session.

My opinion is that we can't have inexperienced people working corners during timed runs. I don't think reminding is enough, because the blue, yellow and green run groups are not always consistent or experienced Autocrossers.

About the track width, here is what the rule book says:

All event tracks marked by cones will be designed with the safety of the spectators, workers, entrants and their cars in mind. They should be set up with a minimum track width of 20 ft. wherever possible.

I applaud trying new things, and hope it works out. The pattern we used for the last several years only used only Orange, Red, and White run groups for timed runs because they were experienced drivers. Of course, that didn't always mean perfect cone calling, but I was very concerned that using anyone in Blue, Green, or Yellow meant that we could have first-timers out there calling cones.
Instructions are good, but there is no substitute for experience...

I must agree the course was too tight, but it was also one of the best flowing tracks we have ever had

It made it very easy to teach my student throttle steer and car control. If possible the back section should be used again, maybe with a braking zone on the front half.

Great work!

I have not been uploading many of my videos lately, but here is the TTOD lap http://youtu.be/mZckjv3Ft6Q