Leonard

I still say no chalk. It rewards those who walk the course more.

BeQuietAndDrive

Ah,let me rephrase.

By tight course, I meant in the few certain pretty tight spots like the corner right before the slalom and the first right handed turn.

Now that I think about it..the course was wide in a few spots, like the straights.

I did have a lot of traction issues, and I guess I am satisfied with how I ran. Really wish I could have run some faster times but I know my tires are complete junk.

I had a lot of fun though, I'm really looking forward to the next event.

Loren

Fixed.

kickslop

I think my biggest gripe about traditional autocross events is the subjective notion that remembering where to go is "part of" the event/skill.

"Solo2 events are driving skill contests that emphasize the driver's ability and the car's handling characteristics." -- SCCA

Reward people who walked the course more or can memorize better?

This isn't a timed maze competition.

2 cents deposited.

Leonard

It is absolutely part of driver skill. When I run, I KNOW where the next turn is and where my car has to enter it in order to be where I want to be on the exit so I'm in position for the next turn.

Here's a question for you kickstop, (if you were at the sunriders event). Was the slalom on the back straight static, increasing or decreasing? (Were the cones evenly spaced, did the didstances between them increase, or did the distances decrease.)


I paced them off on my third walkthrough.

Loren

I paced them off when I moved them during the safety walk-through. I set them at about 50-feet... would you believe that they were considerably CLOSER together before that? (you're welcome)

Leonard, you have a valid point. A good driver should certainly walk the course enough to be familiar with it. In a perfect world, we'd have the course set up no later than 8am, set it without chalk lines, give every driver a 100% accurate course map and allow them 2 hours to walk the course before we started.

It's an imperfect world. Sometimes the course changes from the map, we don't always have enough maps, and we get a LOT of novices, and we're doing good if there's an hour between completion of course set up and first car out. This is why we use a chalk line.

You know... they even use chalk lines at the Solo II Nationals.

Leonard

Then they got moved.... I paced them off when I followed the novice walkthrough. The last two were 22 and 20 paces by my legs. I forgot what the first set was. I think it was 22 also, but didn't matter because you had to enter from outside the line of the slalom.

I don't drive a mustang anymore, so you can put them as close together as you'd like.


I understand 'why' the chalk is there, but I can still hate it. It's slippery and got on the carpet in my car. DAMNIT! I HATE CHALK!

And being able to learn the course quickly and see the fast line is part of the skill.

I'll let it die now.

kickslop

You're just about arguing my point for me We're not talking about a driver's ability to find a fast race line through a course that is clearly demarked (as in a road racing track). We're talking about whether or not being able to memorize where the course EVEN IS... is "part of Solo 2".

Look at any SCCA nationals course. It's clear.

My statement was with regard to grassroots clubs/groups getting the idea that it IS "part of Solo 2" to add this new "remember the maze" facet, and I am talking about more than Sun Riders (which I am in no way including in this discussion other than their association with this particular thread topic that happened to stem from yesterday's event).

Again, we are NOT talking about race lines and corner set up. We're talking about people not even being able to figure out the course and where to GO.

That's "kickslop" with an ell. My name is Jeff. Hi.

I wasn't there.

My plan was to show up at 7AM and help for the day to introduce myself to the group. Unfortunately, I did not make it to bed until 2AM Sunday morning, and I wish I could say it was due to a fun reason. Very sadly, it was not.

Anyway - hey - this is just how I feel about it. If a group has to work with a venue that does not allow for a distinguished course, I think it's in their best interest to do whatever is necessary to make it clear to the most novice person possible. Not the LINE. Where the course IS.

Hell, if only for safety's sake.

SRDragon

LMAO Hell yeah!! Someone who had used the damn thing would have most likely said "Oh, BTW the damn handle is Sloppy and turns on by itself." Pfffffft blown load Ooooops

Leonard

Look out for me next month. 5 lug parts are on order. Will be putting 275/40/17's from the mustang all around (instead of those 225/60/15 truck tires). Better pads too. And hopefully a proper seat.