today was the last autocross of the season... the day started out nasty, cold, and wet... but after i stood in the rain for two hours working heat one i got to dry off in my car for an hour and then it was time to race!

my friend let me use his second set of r-compound tires today, too. what a HUGE difference. it was like a whole new car. previously i had been running on street tires and sliding around everywhere. i did a pretty sweet 180 today, haha--but i still got awesome times on all three of my runs.

this was the basic route of the course, it was a challenging course but it was tons of fun. yeah, we get to race on an airfield.



and here's the car!











the course was huge so my girlfriend could only get pictures of me in the paddock, grid, or right as i was at the finish line. about 144 cars showed up today so there were a TON of people there.

two evos showed up as well, i got better times than one of them--but the other one totally blew me away, haha. most people were running in the 80 second range... i was expecting in the 90s but the tires really helped me. i ran a 69.881, 72.134, and a 76.710 (after the 180 :P). no off course or cone penalties. very cool. i also managed to get good times against some of the WRX/STis there as well. once i tell my friend with the WRX that i think i should be able to convince him to come race with me so he can try to beat me. naturally he always wins at the dragway.

and unlike my pseudo-14 second run at the dragway last month no one was standing in my timing lights this time.

 

Loving the look of the car Good job

 

Those are some quite long straight-ways...what speeds were you reaching?

 

Car looks good man!! Tires are the most important thing when you think about it. They're the only thing linking the power you are making the the surface you are on. Good to hear you had fun.

OT: 6-21 = my birthday haha. I just thought it was funny.

 

nice slips. i was actually thinking about buying some.

 

we rarely even get to third gear--there are always tons of twists and turns.

i never got out of 2nd today.

 

Okay, I get now why you said this was "the basic route of the course"...looked like fun!

 

it was tons of fun... very challenging. i can't wait for next season, haha.

i will probably be buying the compound tires and rims from my friend as well... i can't imagine racing without those now. i think next year you will have to be a SCCA member to race. i was a temporary member but that expired a month or two ago.

it will be worth it if i can actually get out there and tear sh*t up with good tires. i always had fun before but i felt like i was seriously limited because i was on street tires.

 

Hey Atilla is that hood from RRM? How much (including shipping) did you pay?

 

seven bills i think. shipping on something that big cost a small fortune.

 

SWEET, noticed you're from MA-- where was this and why did I not hear about it?

 

it was on devens, the new england chapter of the SCCA does races there and up at NHIS in loudon. they were saying there may be two new locations for the 2008 season.

http://www.ner.org

there are never a lot of evos there, i think the most i ever saw was three. i was working the heat when the evos were running today. they are nice cars for sure--but i like autox because it's possible for a lowly lancer to keep up with 'em... sometimes!

 

that looks like a heck of a time man! congrats!

 

True. Weekend memberships will be requred to participate in Solo events next year. Cost will be minimal (like $15 for the weekend?) If you do more than 2-3 events, just join up. IMO, the subscription to Sports Car alone is worth the annual dues.

 

that is so sick!! Course is G-I-G-A-N-T-I-C!!!! Only course we have here is a parking lot to the stadium =( I dont recall what your suspension mods were? you have right? just curious. Oh and car looks wicked btw. really wish you could've gotten some shots mid-turn. Really love those motion shots.