Sunday May 20th Solo Event, at Marana Airport Options

[SMeyers]

Tucson's first event of a four event Series through the Summer.

Registration is open until Tomorrow (Friday Night). Click HERE for all the details and link to Mind The Cones registration site.

Personally I would find it very hard to go three whole months without playing with my car. Phoenix always used to do Summer Events, but in recent years have gotten away from doing those. So, I go here. Tucson starts earlier, and therefor ends earlier (i.e., "COOLER"). The courses are a little shorter, and simpler (depending on your perspective).

I tend to not stay for Time Onlys during the summer, so am on the road home usually before 12 noon. Tucson pairs Groups A and B together for the summer events (B works for A, A works for B; etc.).

Even if you choose to stay for TO's, it's still a reasonably short day, and if you travel from Phoenix or other remote areas you'd still be headed home well before the toasty times of the day. I really wish Phoenix would do that again. I'd attend both.

So, if you'd rather not just sit for three months staring at your "inanimate" vehicle, take it to Marana for a spin. Probably even make it home in time to watch the Diamondbacks on TV, beer in hand.

Traffic looks do-able too this coming weekend, so give yourself a treat. C'mon down to Marana.

[SSLance]

I can't make this one but do intend to find my way down there for an event or two this summer. Enjoy!!!

[SteveAshcraft]

Tucson's first event of a four event Series through the Summer.

Registration is open until Tomorrow (Friday Night). Click HERE for all the details and link to Mind The Cones registration site.

Personally I would find it very hard to go three whole months without playing with my car. Phoenix always used to do Summer Events, but in recent years have gotten away from doing those. So, I go here. Tucson starts earlier, and therefor ends earlier (i.e., "COOLER"). The courses are a little shorter, and simpler (depending on your perspective).

I tend to not stay for Time Onlys during the summer, so am on the road home usually before 12 noon. Tucson pairs Groups A and B together for the summer events (B works for A, A works for B; etc.).

Even if you choose to stay for TO's, it's still a reasonably short day, and if you travel from Phoenix or other remote areas you'd still be headed home well before the toasty times of the day. I really wish Phoenix would do that again. I'd attend both.

So, if you'd rather not just sit for three months staring at your "inanimate" vehicle, take it to Marana for a spin. Probably even make it home in time to watch the Diamondbacks on TV, beer in hand.

Traffic looks do-able too this coming weekend, so give yourself a treat. C'mon down to Marana.

[SteveAshcraft]

Or you could do a little traveling.
I just did an autocross in Blackfoot, ID on May5 and one in Boise on May6
Next weekend (May26&27) is at a different site in Boise.
Then on the way back to AZ we have to do a two day event in Salt Lake City.
Wonder where I'll find something to do in July?


Guess I'm glad my sister lives in Boise.

[SMeyers]

Or you could do a little traveling.
Wonder where I'll find something to do in July?
Guess I'm glad my sister lives in Boise.

Hmmm.

A LITTLE traveling?

Gee, only 1700+ miles for three autocrosses. And my brother lives......here.

So, guess I'll just go to Marana tomorrow. See you there?

[SSLance]

Or you could do a little traveling.
I just did an autocross in Blackfoot, ID on May5 and one in Boise on May6
Next weekend (May26&27) is at a different site in Boise.
Then on the way back to AZ we have to do a two day event in Salt Lake City.
Wonder where I'll find something to do in July?


Guess I'm glad my sister lives in Boise.

Well....I do have the driveautox event at Mineral Wells TX on my schedule for October... Probably be my main "away" event of this year.

If it works out I may make a San Diego Region event or two this summer as I have a bunch of CAM friends out there.

Have fun tomorrow guys...

[Chuckster]

To use an old phrase: "A good time was had by all" (more than usual, I hope) at the Marana 20th event.
Warmer, but still moderate with a peak of about 93 F.
No 40-50 mph gusts like last event. Pretty calm.
Timing canopy didn't take anyone paragliding this time.

Course was easy to follow yet had some interesting driving judgement areas involving feature entry line and braking.
Very long chute before a turn to the start lights somewhat reminiscent of old Forbes Field Nationals courses.
I would have loved to see what time could gained through finessing the course, but only got one run on it due to a driveline part breaking.

[SMeyers]

I too had a great time on this course on this day.

Mindi Cross was the course designer this month, and she somehow was able to offer some challenging facets to the course without cluttering the landscape with too many pylons.
The design had good flow with subtle nuances that took great finesse. Very few DNF's.

Very easy to see and follow, yet hard to get right as there were elements that had to be prepared for that cost drivers big time if not done well.

I think that Chuck should follow the Jim Harnish model and get a car that is bullet-proof reliable and isn't so finicky and fragile. Or wait, is it the driver I'm thinking of?

Big thank you to the Tucson/Marana SCCA Crew for taking the time and effort to produce a Summer Series for us. It is greatly appreciated.

[Chuckster]

I didn't know the 20th was a Mindi course.
Great job Mindi!

Scott, yes, that's an interesting observation,
but after my brief experiment with my Wife's Gen3 MINI, found I'm definitely not ready for an ultra reliable "rocking chair" yet!

It's extremely rewarding (to me, anyway) to run a car where I have designed all the aero, drivetrain, and suspension geometry totally on my own.
Still to be verified by a dismantle, but part that failed yesterday was a circle track quick change gear set from a midget (now located in a housing near the middle of my car).
After about 300-400 hard launch standing starts with sticky slicks, mostly all on concrete at Marina in CA, that's still probably not to be considered fragile.

This project has been much slower to reach the development point of 10+ years with almost no DNF I achieved before with the FM F440/F500 car I built.
I have had health problems forcing me to take time off on this one as well as no practical way to test the car in front of my house
(like the 100's of runs I made on Ponderosa Dr. in Ftn Hills years ago w. the FM car.).
Please bear with me!

BTW, as an aside, if anyone else builds a car- especially an open car like mine, please remember to wear a helmet even when testing in your driveway.
About 1984, Eddie Haig had just finished building a BM formula car where he took it out on the street in front of his shop and broke it practically in half after having the throttle stick open and hit a light pole.
No helmet; he was bleeding profusely from a head injury as he somehow got all the pieces back to his shop before the police arrived. He later went on to win a BM National Championship that year.

[jwharnish]

I too had a great time on this course on this day.

Mindi Cross was the course designer this month, and she somehow was able to offer some challenging facets to the course without cluttering the landscape with too many pylons.
The design had good flow with subtle nuances that took great finesse. Very few DNF's.

Very easy to see and follow, yet hard to get right as there were elements that had to be prepared for that cost drivers big time if not done well.

I think that Chuck should follow the Jim Harnish model and get a car that is bullet-proof reliable and isn't so finicky and fragile. Or wait, is it the driver I'm thinking of?

Big thank you to the Tucson/Marana SCCA Crew for taking the time and effort to produce a Summer Series for us. It is greatly appreciated.

Scott;

I agree the course flowed well, although I felt there were limited areas to pick up time. I felt that once you had your fastest line on the course, there were few areas to challenge to improve time.

Good event as always, Marana events are managed well, great site, and great weather. What more can you ask for!

Having a bullet proof reliable car is good to have, but I feel a built car is more rewarding. At least to a point. My CRX does ok, but it is still a 30 year old car which is why I tow, no A/C also is another reason. Stock cars can get a little boring, at least HS. So I understand Chucks response with the Mini.
Next year in STS trim, will add another 20hp, 80 lbs weight reduction, and better suspension, so hopefully that will address the boring part of a HS car.

[SMeyers]

I agree the course flowed well, although I felt there were limited areas to pick up time. I felt that once you had your fastest line on the course, there were few areas to challenge to improve time.

Good event as always, Marana events are managed well, great site, and great weather. What more can you ask for!

Having a bullet proof reliable car is good to have, but I feel a built car is more rewarding. At least to a point. My CRX does ok, but it is still a 30 year old car which is why I tow, no A/C also is another reason. Stock cars can get a little boring, at least HS. So I understand Chucks response with the Mini.
Next year in STS trim, will add another 20hp, 80 lbs weight reduction, and better suspension, so hopefully that will address the boring part of a HS car.

Hey, here we have two more "experienced" guys, each of whom have taken cars far from the "popular" rides for their classes (Mini Cooper Automatic, and a 25+ year old Honda roller skate) and paxed consistently over 950 in each. If I can't poke some fun at you guys, then who's left? Pretty sure you could buy any generic rental car off a car lot and give us a lesson or two.

More seriously, we each have to chase what's gives us the most challenge and fun, whatever that might be. Then toss in a healthy dose of financial reality too. We also all have varying budgets to deal with. And I'm speaking about everyone, not just about me, or Jim, or Chuck.

It was a good day.

[mister2]

I agree the course flowed well, although I felt there were limited areas to pick up time. I felt that once you had your fastest line on the course, there were few areas to challenge to improve time.

Good event as always, Marana events are managed well, great site, and great weather. What more can you ask for!

Having a bullet proof reliable car is good to have, but I feel a built car is more rewarding. At least to a point. My CRX does ok, but it is still a 30 year old car which is why I tow, no A/C also is another reason. Stock cars can get a little boring, at least HS. So I understand Chucks response with the Mini.
Next year in STS trim, will add another 20hp, 80 lbs weight reduction, and better suspension, so hopefully that will address the boring part of a HS car.

Hey, here we have two more "experienced" guys, each of whom have taken cars far from the "popular" rides for their classes (Mini Cooper Automatic, and a 25+ year old Honda roller skate) and paxed consistently over 950 in each. If I can't poke some fun at you guys, then who's left? Pretty sure you could buy any generic rental car off a car lot and give us a lesson or two.

More seriously, we each have to chase what's gives us the most challenge and fun, whatever that might be. Then toss in a healthy dose of financial reality too. We also all have varying budgets to deal with. And I'm speaking about everyone, not just about me, or Jim, or Chuck.

It was a good day.

There's a growing crowd of us boomers who may benefit from having an "M" in front of our name, but we would really move forward if a new Mandatory Medicare (65 or over) class was established with a PAX of ….oh...let's call it .70 and 5 competition runs per event.

I drive with my windows down all year. (I do have A/C, just don't turn it on, because don't even get me started on "slow")
I started with an automatic Sentra in AZ (dreaming Chaparral)
Now all I have to do is build my own....

presenting....

my reincarnated Miata...



sadly, it won't be in ES.

Props to Mindi, all the organizers and volunteers who always go above and beyond, you know who you are, and friends and competitors alike who showed.



PS. Not Exocet, ghettocet! I'll be wearing a helmet, Chuck! Resized and edited.

[SMeyers]

What a man...... No driver's seat?

(Hey Victor, can you scale that last picture down a little? Really screwed up the formatting. Thx.)

[Chuckster]

Sure is nice to be with a group who appreciate other's approaches to having a good time.

BTW, good job on feeding loads from suspension pickup points into the cage, Victor!

Re Jim's comment on course learning challenge or lack thereof on the 20th:
I only really know I have a steep curve myself now on ANY course to get the most out of my car when it is working more correctly.

On my single sample of the 20th course, it does however seem that it placed a premium on HARD braking in 3 places- especially if you had a more extreme accelerating car.
I know I was somewhat of a baby in the first 2 braking zones-I wasn't sure if I had the brake bias adjusted quite right yet.
I see some driver's in the top 10 PAX improved as much as approximately 2 sec. during their runs- like Mark Huffman