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May 17th,
2009 Autocross Event “Caution, Cone Crazy”
Well the anti-rain dancing actually
worked, and we had an autocross event with no rainfall for
any of the participants. The overcast skies and
cool weather couldn’t be beat, except by the performances on
the autocross course.
The course name was very
appropriate for the event as the track was covered in a sea
of cones, and dared you to go that little bite quicker
through the corner, or brake a littler later, but the
punishment for getting too greedy was severe and generally
meant you were going to hit 2 to 3 cones. There was
also a slalom where the entry direction was optional, and if
you were not looking ahead there was a good chance you would
miss one of the cones, resulting in a Did Not Finish (DNF).
Many of the 1st drivers out on course had DNF’s
because of this cone.
The drivers gradually got acclimated
to the course, and course times dropped dramatically by the
final runs. Tomme Eng ended up as king of the hill
with Fast Time of the Day on his last run improving on his
previous best by half a second.
Congratulations to our
class winners: B – Chris Ward (BMW 2002); C – Blake LaGrone
(BMW 530i); D – Jeff Wallace (Mini Cooper S); E – Thad David
(BMW M3); F – Barry Norman (BMW Z3); and Tomme Eng (BMW M3).
Congratulations also to our first
time and “rookie season” drivers who showed steady
improvement after each run improving by seconds on many
runs.
We look forward to seeing everyone
at the June event before we take a break to avoid the heat
of July and August.
Registration
for the June event is open to BMW CCA members.
As always, thanks to Scott for
taking and hosting tons of
pictures of
the event.
Additional
pictures (about
500) were taken by one of our newest members, Jason.
2009
BMWCCA Autocross Reminders
Every participant
needs to classify their car. Please go to the classification
page and note each and every modification you have performed.
We rely upon your honesty so for the sake of all competitors,
please be accurate. Don't forget that if you are running tires
and wheels larger than OEM you must indicate it. Also note,
we are requiring that all BMW competitors for the 2009 season
be members in good standing of the BMWCCA in order to be awarded
points for each event. If you are not already a member, please
visit the national BMWCCA online signup page for membership.
There is a convenient link on the left hand bar. Select Join
BMW CCA.
Check here
to run your car through the system.
Autocross
is a low-speed timed driving skill event. It reward car control
and skill yet, most importantly, is fun! You
don't need to be Mario Andretti and have an M3 Lightweight to
do well. It consist of timed solo (i.e., you are alone on the
track) laps of a twisty course laid out using traffic cones.
The objective is to drive around the course without hitting
any cones or missing gates. The main attraction of autocrossing
is that it allows drivers to compete in a safe environment.
Not only are the speeds low (under 60 miles per hour at the
fastest point in a lap) but also the course is laid out such
that the only obstacles are soft traffic cones.
Our events
are scheduled at the Houston Police Academy. Events start
at 8:30 am (do not enter the gates before this time)
and usually conclude by 3:30 pm. Dress according to weather
forecast, wear comfortable shoes (sandals can not be worn
while driving), bring a helmet if you have one (SNELL
2000 or higher), nonalcoholic drinks and lunch. We
divide the group in three; one group runs while the other works
the corners, and then we switch. The switch is done as
quickly as possible to maximize participants track time and
enjoyment.
See our
calendar
of driving events for a list of the upcoming autocrosses by
the BMW CCA and other local clubs.
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