I am jealous Dave . WE expect a complete report after you complete the school. Will be interesting to find out what you learned. I checked out the EVO school calendar after your headsup but the April 29th event at Ft. Pierce, FL doesn't list anyone to contact. I emailed Jean Kinser to get info last week but haven't heard back. Don't know if she will, now that she is semi-retired. Signed up on SCCAforums.com yesterday thinking I could throw the question out there about who to contact but my application has not been approved yet. I AM going to get this done
Ben

 

Hi all! I'd like to be part of Team Justacooper; right now I'll learn by observing...

 

Yesterday (Saturday) was my 1st AutoCross Event! I entered Novice STX and finished 1st out of 15 by several seconds!!!!
There was a total of 45 vehicles there and I believe I finished 7th overal PAX! (I could be wrong but that's what was printed before I left....) My best time came during the Fun Runs (a 44.925) and my official time was... Hmmm can't remember what my lowest official time was (a 46.0....?)




And there was snow on the ground when we start the day....

Motor On!

 

Congrats! That's awesome

Although....isn't the Cooper STS?

 

You're right, the MC should be in STS.

The progression is: H-stock -> STS -> FSP -> SM

 

EVO SCHOOL

This past weekend I did Evolution Autocross School. I did both EVO1 (Saturday) and EVO2 (Sunday).

My instructors for the weekend were Kevin Dietz and Randy Noll. Kevin had the distinction of being the top PAX driver at the 2006 Nationals (out of 1100 drivers at the event ).

EVO1

• We did a couple course walks
• Three baseline timed runs (on our own).
• About 8 Clockwise runs with the one of the instructors (in my case Kevin Dietz). The first two of these runs the student drove, then the instructor drove 2, then we went out and did 3 or 4 more.
• Lunch
• Run the course CCW (without a course walk) with the other instructor (Randy Noll for me). Same format.
• Three timed runs on course by ourselves in the original direction (CW) to compare to the first three runs.
• All told about 18 runs as I recall

My crowning achievement on the day was being 2.5 seconds quicker than I was in the morning and beating my instructor's time by 0.2 seconds. (NOTE: I'm sure he would totally wax my time with more time in my car).

The major things I took away from this were really just things I'd heard so many times before. Brake in a straight line and look ahead. Simple stuff in concept, but hard to put into practice until it clicks. I struggled throughout the day to put good laptimes together, but I could tell I was quicker in sections and much quicker in some. Finally near the middle of the afternoon, *click* and it all came together.


EVO2

• We did one course walk
• No timing in EVO2 due to multiple changes during the day to course
• 8 runs CCW: 2 the student drove, then 2 the instructor drove, then 4 more for the student.
• 5 runs CW without a course walk. This really emphasized looking ahead.
• Lunch
• Elements of course changed, no course walk, 5 runs CCW
• 5 runs CW, again no couse walk
• 23 runs total as I recall

Basically the EVO2 built of of EVO1, and the two together were a great combination. I was actually happier with my progress in EVO2, since I had already had my BIG *AHA* moment in EVO1. Still EVO2 definitely pushed the game forward. Running a course in reverse (even a modified one) with no coursewalk and being able to feel like you could drive it well (not perfectly, but well) without a coursewalk was my favorite part of the day.

 

The Server is up so I finally have the results. Not the same as the sheet in my hands Saturday evening, but I'm still very happy with my results. If my fun run would have counted I would have had a 37.5573 PAX and that would have dropped me into 8th overal. Oh well, I'll do it again next time and move further up the list!
https://axwaresystems.com/axorm/cale...selectclubid=3

Motor On!

 

It looks like they have you listed in D-Street Prepared (PAX index .836) which is an MCS class above the MCS class STX (PAX index .808).

If you were on street tires with a MC, you probably should have been in STS.

With a 46.091 and the STS PAX index of .805 your PAX time was 37.103, which would have moved you from 19th, to 6th out of 45 (a top 15% finish). Unfortunately it appears your classing was screwed up.

What are your mods? I gather you were on street tires true?

 

well he does have an engine damper....which atleast puts him in street prep right?

 

Whatever your class that was a great job for first time out Yakimini!
Thanks for the report on the EVO school Dave. Running a course in reverse without walking it would certainly stress looking ahead and slow you down considerably, at least on the first run. I assume you thought the experience was well worth it. I'm hoping the instructors are patient with slow learners . Apparently, the event schedule they have up on their web site is just a temporary copy-over of last years and will be revised when the actual dates get set by the new owners. So I don't know when one will be available down here. The sooner the better tho. I found a place that would put a banner on the inside of the windscreen. They had never done that before and it took the guy about 2 hours to get it on there. If I can figure out how to, I will show a picture......Guess I have to have the pic uploaded first. Will try later.
Ben

 

For all the money I have poured into events, this was by far the best money I have spent on autocross.

They are.

 

I tried to put up a couple of photos but they got lost in cyberspace I guess I'll try putting them up one at a time...............gotta walk before you can run Grassroots Motorsports Magazine allowed about a dozen MINIs to park in their paddock for the Grand Am Koni Challenge Race at Daytona International Speedwat last Friday. These were taken there.

 

This second photo is of the lone MINI entered in the race. Even tho it is an S, we still rooted for them and they did a great job considering all the difficulties they faced.

 

Yes, I was running on street tires! Here is a list of my Motor and Suspension mods....

Motor Mods.... a K&N Intake, OBX Header, EvoTech ECU Upgrade by www.Mini-Madness.com, a Engine Damper, 8mm Kingsborne Wires....

Suspension, Brakes, Wheels & Tires... Brembo Slotted & Cross Drilled front Rotors and Zimmerman Slotted & Cross Drilled Rear Rotors, a Mini-Madness forged 3 way adjustable Rear Sway Bar, Alta Front Sway Bar End Links, ADR 16" rims with BFGoodRich g-Force KDW 2's (street tires)

Let me know if I was placed in the wrong class. If so, I want that LOW PAX time!
Thanks & Motor On!

 

Things that knock you out of STS:
-Heim joints on the Alta Rear control arms
-Engine damper (as far as i know)

But that should still put you in street prep....just not the DSP. You should be in FSP as far as i can tell.

 

The Alta End Links are ONLY on the front sway bar.... Not the rear. Does that make a difference? Or does it still hurt me????

 

D'oh! I read that as Alta Rear control arms.....not endlinks. I think the endlinks are fine cause they are teflon joints, not heim.

 

With all that being said, could you tell me what Class I should be in?
Thanks

 

Sounds like you should have been in STS! Cool!

But if you run in our local Street Tire class (T), you'll have to run with a FSP index. Otherwise you get a "double bonus" because STS is a SCCA street tire class and you're running against other race tire SCCA classes that are actually on street tires. Hope that makes sense.

Regardless....you drove really well and next time you'll do even better with your FSP or STS index!

 

with the engine damper removed, I'd agree with that.

 

That is good to know! I can pull the damper off with little to no difficulty and could get back on in about 2 minutes! Sweet!
And Mitch, you did Mini's proud Saturday & Sunday!!!!
Motor On!

Can anyone tell me what the STS and FSP multiplier is? I'd love to see where I would fall from my 44.925!

 

Our test mule Cooper was selected to participate in the MC2 Dynamic Showcase out at AMVIV this year... We're the only Cooper in the mix! Should be a lot of fun... We hope to raise more than a few eyebrows...

We ended up in 2nd place in our Class E this year for autocross (BMWCCA) - not bad considering the competition was all M3 (and fairly highly modded ones at that).

 

Congrats & Good Luck!
Motor On!

 

Just found out that the EVO schedule for about the first half of the year is up. There is only one in FL, in Fort Meyers, about 200 miles from me. EVO 1 on Friday and EVO2 on Sat. Don't know if I can swing both even tho I have to go that far. I just want to get better. Won't live long enuf to get world class anyway:-) How do you feel about it Dave? would you strongly advise taking EVO2 at the same time or would it be just as helpful to pick it up at a later time?
Ben

 

I would take both together.

In an ideal world, you'd get EVO1 and then in a few months time they would come back around and offer EVO2. JMO, but a year is a little far away and I think taking both back to back really drills into you the concepts that will make you better.

Just taking EVO1 is already a big step, but EVO2 does add a lot to the experience. I feel now like I got more out of EVO2 than EVO1, and that's saying something because EVO1 was a big step for me.