March Event Review

by Garry Swanner

Safety, Safety, Safety.  This cannot be emphasized enough.  As demonstrated late in the day when one of the competitors failed to slow his car sufficiently and ended up into the fence.  All competitors are reminded to get off the gas and onto the brakes the minute they break the beam of the stop box lights.  A moment of delay can cost you!  Luckily in this case the fence received most of the damage, the car had some scratches and the driver was unhurt. 

 

            It was another great day for Autocross.  The weather cooperated and the course was challenging and the competition was stiff.  There were 146 entrants plus the time only runs.  Mark Huffman once again grabbed the top PAX time of day with 28.013 and fast time of day with a time of 33.112.   The complete results can be found at our results page

 

There were several single classes with only a single entry.  The following are all looking for some competition in their chosen class and category:

 


Class


Category


Name

 

Car

FTD Time

FTD
%

PAX Time

PAX
%

AS

Open

Jim Rohn

1996, Chevrolet, Corvette

37.914

873

31.393

892

BS

Open

Aaron Taylor

1998, BMW, M3

37.293

888

30.841

908

CM

Open

Ken Edney

1973, Zink, Z10 Formula Ford

36.348

911

33.404

839

DM

Open

Joe Curry

1963, Triumph, Spitfire

35.128

943

31.404

892

DP

Open

David Lahey

1994, Mazda, Miata R

37.437

884

31784

881

DS

Open

Ron Mercer

2002, Nissan, Sentra SE-R Spec V

39.238

844

31.312

895

EM

Open

Jim Cullen

1995. Kit Red

38.284

865

34.609

809

 

            As usual the CS Open class is very competitive Carol Anderson (36.639 Fast Time) lead the day's event followed closely by Mark Johnson (336.955 Fast Time), and Donald Sattler (37.315 Fast Time) lead the day's event.  After 2 events Carol is leading (PAX Time 59.801) Donald Sattler (PAX Time 60.704) and Tom Tkacik (PAX Time 61.199).

 

            Jan Shank leads Carl Girard in CSP Open by 1.569 seconds.  As David Lahey decides to change to the DP class.

 

Adolfo Malagon (Fast Time 38.876) leads Steve Branigan (Fast Time 40.657) and Dick Lowell (Fast Time 43.891) in the EP Open class.  Both Adolfo and Dick are in 1970 Datsun 510's while Steve is in a 1993 Ford Prope

 

ES Open class picked up an additional competitor this event.  Paul Bloomberg (Fast Time 38.455) leads Garry Swanner (Fast Time 40.286) and Dominic Cagliostro (Fast Time 40.580).  It appears the real competition is for 2nd place.  After two events Paul Bloomberg leads Garry Swanner by a PAX Time of 2.774.

 

ESP Open is maintain the competitors position after 2 events with Brian Weikert (Fast Time 37.882) leading David Mingus (Fast Time 39.496), Cecil Walker (Fast Time 39.991) and Doug Evans (Fast Time 43.911).

 

Scott Kalna, FSP Open class, found the competition he was looking for from the previous event, but not to sure he is happy about it.  Newcomer Don Hyland (Fast Time 36.583) lead the event followed closely (.291 seconds) by Brandon LaBorde (Fast Time 36.874) with Scott finishing with (Fast Time 39.848).

 

Volkswagen appears to be the car of choice for FSP Open, but the lone Datson held it's own.  Mark Shaw in a 1999 Beetle lead the event followed by Ben Schaut in a 1971 Datson 510 and Joe Murray in a 2000, Golf.  After 2 events Robert Pepper (PAX Time 64.221) leads, Mark Shaw (PAX Time 64.225) and Kevin Mcpeek (PAX Time 65.267).  This may be the most competitive class.

 

Scott Meyers decided to join the competition in GS Open class with a bang, taking first place honors for the event with a Fast Time of 38.306.  Patrick Fisher follows with a time of 39.199 with Greg Schuper rounding out the top 3 with a time of 41.05.  After 2 events Patrick Fisher leads Greg Schupfer who is followed by David Vasquez.

 

Eric Evans leads the HS Open class with a Fast Time of 40.456.  Eric is teaching all of us it is not what you drive, but how you drive it.  With his 1992 Ford Taurus Eric continues to be difficult to beat and now he has racing tires.  Eric is followed by Bryon Reynolds with a time of 43.804 and Davdi Lorig with a time of 43.907.

 

Geren Smith (Fast Time 38.259) garnered the lead in SM Open class followed by Ben Clement (Fast Time 38.7) and bringing up the 3rd position is Steve Steele (Fast Time 39.179).

 

The 1996 Corvett of Paul Hamersly (Fast Time 36.535) leads the 1994 Miata of Hary Berzes (Fast Time 38.538) and the 1971 Lotus Super 7 of Tom Errickson (Fast Time 38.745).

 

            Plenty of contestants in the Novice classes Pete Holcomp, Zach Stevenson and Brian Klinker lead 10 contestants in NV1.  Brian Klinker is leading Michael Bennett after 2 events.

 

Jay Balducci, Shan Smith, and Rob Bittner lead 14 contestants in NV2.  After 2 events the standings are Jay Balducci, Rob Bittner, Derek Jones and Mike Moenich.

 

Anthony Ohmer, Mike Shapiro, and Matt Mccomb lead a total of 9 contestants in NV3.  After 2 events Matt Mccomb leads the much-improved Anthony Ohmer followed closely by Mike Shapiro.

 


Safety Stewards Off Speed!

by D.N. Effer
Dissociated Press

PHOENIX, Arizona -- The vehicle-into-object incident during the March 10 event prompts the Arizona Region Safety Stewards to issue a strong reminder that the off-course speed limit for Solo 2 events is 5 miles per hour. The stewards note that this speed limit is most frequently violated while a driver is returning to grid after completing a run. They say they can wrap their minds around the phenomenon, given the intensity generated during competition, but insist that such speeding is not acceptable.

The Braking Committee, ever desirous of promoting its own good name, agrees completely, and suggests that anyone who dislikes reading the speedometer should instead read the tachometer. The necessary calibration can be obtained by driving in a given gear at a given rpm for an hour or so, measuring the distance traveled, dividing time into distance, and repeating at a lower rpm and/or lower gear if that quotient exceeds 5 mph.

In any event and at any event, your cooperation is needed:

S

L

O

W

 

 

D

O

W

N

 

!

!

The safety stewards are, after all, reluctant to resolve this continuing problem by extending the 5-mph limit onto the course itself.

 

(Posted 13Apr02, Reformatted 23Sep03)