Photos of DE on May 12th

[twitte]

Photos have been posted of the DE on May 12th at Qualcomm: http://www.pcasdr.org/img/2007/photos/2 ... 7MayDE.htm

Videos are now available:
http://www.pcasdr.org/img/2007/video/2007AutoXVideo.htm

[kurquhart]

Wow! Great photos and very quick to post. Thanks!

[Greg Phillips]

Yes, Ted is getting very quick with his photos. Thanks to Curt Yaws and Charles Sharp for putting on a great event today. 62 drivers had a lot of track time to enjoy their Porsches
I even fired up the automatic 928 for some fun laps

Here are my thumnails shots on Yahoo:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c=phi ... 82&.src=ph

Greg

[mrondeau]

Will the limited edition Martin R. approved t-shirts be for sale soon at the goodie store?

[Mike]

Will the limited edition Martin R. approved t-shirts be for sale soon at the goodie store?

Could be a big seller! Fun artwork!
Dr P I think my car looks a second faster in your photos, maybe just becuase Kris U is not in the frame?

How about this guy? He looked dialed into the track today!
We need to get him a Porsche.

[martinreinhardt]

I will have signed limited editions available on request

Bill Behun kicked it up a notch with all my approval posters. That was pretty funny today. I am sure the artist Gary Burch could make some money drawing a PCA cartoon Windblown Witness Gary?

[MikeD]

Here are the photos my friend Chris Bockus took yesterday morning.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cbockus/se ... 209415568/

[Curt Yaws]

Thanks to everyone who attended and everyone who volunteered at the DE on May 12th. I think we actually had 66 participants, which is some kind of high for recent DE attendance. We had an internal cut-off at 80 participants so we have room for more with our current run group configuration.

Chuck and I are trying to figure out what works best for everyone. This was our first experiment with separating the DE from an AX, since we usually hold double-headers on one weekend. It seemed to work better, at least for us. Would anyone be interested in a Monday Day-Away-From Work DE? How about other groups? BMW had an event in Buttonwillow so we only had one BMW, but we had quite a few 944 Spec cars. We are also toying with the idea of two types of DE's. One, for students, with a strong focus on teaching, perhaps with a night-before chalk talk at a local race shop. We would have one-on-one instruction, a higher fee, and special consideration to instructors, especially drivers with lots of big track experience. The second type of DE would be more of a test & tune, wear out the old tires type of event with no new DE drivers admitted. We might still have instruction, but no first time DE students. Let us know what you think. We may be completely off base, or you may have some better ideas.

There is another DE scheduled for July 21st, and we hope to book two more in the fall. Please give us your input and suggestions, either to this thread, or to de@pcasdr.org.

Thanks again for your support and we hope everyone had a great time.

[kurquhart]

Chuck and I are trying to figure out what works best for everyone. This was our first experiment with separating the DE from an AX, since we usually hold double-headers on one weekend. It seemed to work better, at least for us. Would anyone be interested in a Monday Day-Away-From Work DE? How about other groups? BMW had an event in Buttonwillow so we only had one BMW, but we had quite a few 944 Spec cars. We are also toying with the idea of two types of DE's. One, for students, with a strong focus on teaching, perhaps with a night-before chalk talk at a local race shop. We would have one-on-one instruction, a higher fee, and special consideration to instructors, especially drivers with lots of big track experience. The second type of DE would be more of a test & tune, wear out the old tires type of event with no new DE drivers admitted. We might still have instruction, but no first time DE students. Let us know what you think. We may be completely off base, or you may have some better ideas.

I definitely prefer AX and DE on separate weekends. A double header is quite exhausting.

I think a night-before chalk talk for first timers is a great idea.

It seems to me that with four run groups, there is plenty of room for beginners and experts alike to run the same event, but maybe I am missing your point. Would there be different rules or something?

[Curt Yaws]

Kris:
Thanks for the input. We don't have a point or agenda at this time. We really just want lots of input on ideas to improve our DE program, get more drivers involved in continuous lapping, move up drivers to Time Trials, and keep everyone happy. Well, as many as possible, anyway. Thanks for the great input. We are with you on the split weekends.

[lrayner]

I was DONE at the end of the day and following that with an AutoX the next day would be a bit much. What a great day. Good job I like the idea of increased teaching for first timers. This was a bigger leap for me than I imagined it would be.
You were also requesting ideas on increasing attendance. If there is a way to track the number of autoX's members have done, a "you are now eligible" sort of email could be sent to them. Also maybe emphasising the benefits of a DE at the Driving school and at the autoX preceeding the event.

[ttweed]

I definitely prefer AX and DE on separate weekends. A double header is quite exhausting.

+1 on that from my point of view. When we have had the double-headers, I have had to choose one event or the other, because I normally drive a different car for a DE than for an autox. For me, the additional task of coming home from the first event and switching cars in the trailer, as well as loading different sets of tires and spares for the next morning, has discouraged me from trying to do both, especially when I have to get up early to work tech at both events. I guess I'm getting too old and lazy.

TT

[Don Middleton]

Curt, double header weekends are just too much for me. So, if I get one vote, it would be to hold DEs on separate weekends.

As for day-off-work DE, how about a Friday? What is the issue with Friday? Monday is usually mentioned, so Friday must have some other issues?

Thanks for day...

[GeorgeB]

Curt, Very nice job on a smooth DE. Really enjoyed the extra time we got at the end Good track design too.

I will be at a Monday DE if we have one. Would love it.

Your ideas on two format of DE's is a good one. I really believe you are thinking creatively. DE's can be intimidating so promoting a special DE for first timers with extra instruction the night before may boost accumalative future attendance.

When it comes to weekend combined AX/DE, I have been opting to do just the DE. The DE is just so much more fun. Is an anti climax to do the AX. Seems like sometimes we have some long gaps between events. Seperating events will help for those who have the kids every other weekend to have a greater chance to make it to more events.

Just had a thought- how about a drag race? Of course we don't like the standing start since clutches are pricey but we could have rolling starts into a corner, then a long staightaway. Hmmmm.

George

[Mike]

Curt and Keith great job keeping the track hot all day.
No wasted track time.
Corner workers did a fine job too.
One session was delayed a couple minutes as the corner workers removed loose asphalt and relpaced cones, thank you.

Now for a little whine with my cheese....

I hope DE track designers can in the future strongly consider the south swale crossing.
Perhaps in AX events with respect to grid locations this swale is rarely a factor.
But at DE speeds crossing the south swale at anything greater than a 20 degree angle becomes a hazard. My car is really low but the issues are more serious than just ground clearance. Although my student's street 964 too was still scraping even after the turn was improved after the first run session. Still his car has stock ground clearance but his softer stock suspension and greater suspension travel created swale crossing problems.

Our drivetrains and suspensions get hammered on an agressive swale crossing angle. At the bottom of the swale the rear suspension is compressed and on exit unloaded. Other drivers mentioned having their engines free wheel on exit. Certainly not the safest situation.
This also creates avoidable abuse on our drivetrains. Transmissions, Axles, CVs, stub axles, and shocks for example. Roland found he had a broken rear shock after the first session. On coil over cars like his a broken shock could allow a coil spring to exit, not good.
I found a couple 964 front brake cooling deflectors next to the swale, one was mine (lmk if the other was yours).

The DE chairs improved the swale crossing angle on the spot. In the future perhaps both swale crossings can be designed to be as gentle as possible.

Also any chance of having a sweeper clean the track next DE?

Other than the south swale just a great day!
Good luck racing,
Mike