OR how I spent my summer. But I thought I'd like to start with introductions before I really blog about it too much.
First- Nina, My husbands Car.
My husband purchased a car from our brother-in-law in July of 2008 and it basically provided him the ability to live out a dream. It wasn't a big dream, the kind you rarely get to realize, but one that nagged at him since he was old enough to say the word "car". (I actually think my husband could say "fastcar" before he could say just "car", but that's a different story) One dream obtained, the dream of the car itself, and one dream re-ignited, the dream of being able to drive autocross were handed to him when he pulled the 1987 Porsche 944 into his workshop that July.
She's a looker isn't she- not bad for a 22 year old car. Now the dream of having the car was achieved, but it could not be autocrossed, it needed some care and maintenance. So he spent that winter working on replacing and upgrading what he felt was needed. When spring arrived however it was on, and so began our autocrossing experience. I remember our first event the "Test and Tune", he was extremely excited and nervous (as I would find out is an interesting feeling) but his smile and boyish excitement was intoxicating, and we both had a great time. I've not seen him happier, or more in his element. I was hooked on photographing the events, and he was hooked period.
Introducing- Autocross or Solo Racing
OK but what is this "autocross" you may ask. Autocross- or Solo racing is a type of motorsport where the competition is made up of a single car/driver navigating a temporary course that is marked with orange traffic cones and the "run" is timed. The courses usually have an average time of 40 to 70 seconds (meaning the course is set up so the average time it would take for a driver to complete the course would take the 40 to 70 seconds- it varies based on layout, and drivers skills). The course is not an oval or straight line, but a collection of turns; some sharp fast turns, and some large sweeping turns, slaloms (zig zaging between cones) and other "obstacles". In our club the courses seem to be (at least this year) about 60 seconds average time and each driver gets 4 "runs" and then the best time out of the for is kept for ranking. Various kinds of cars can autocross and are separated into classes, so that you aren't competing with say a Volkswagen Golf TDI(my daily driver) against a Mitsubishi Evo X (trust me, the Golf is beat before it got to the event.) You can bring out a daily driver to participate or a car that is set up only for autocrossing and isn't even street legal. The variety is amazing, and I think I love seeing all the cars as much as I love driving. The whole event takes place on a Sunday and will go from 8 am to 3 pm.
Oh wait did I just mention I drove? I get ahead of myself. If you want to learn more about what Autocross or Solo Racing is check out these links:
Autocross definition
KCRSCCA
OK so on with my introductions- Me, the driver:
KCRSCCA runs a schedule from April until late October and after the first event we were both hooked. I photographed the events and he drove. By the third event my husband asked me if I wanted to ride with him to see what it was like- I was nervous and excited and I enjoyed all 58 seconds of it, and then I wanted to "try" it. My Mr. had been hinting that he thought I would like it, and that I should, so after I laughed my way through the ride alongs I wanted to drive.
So I was up to drive in the next event and I spent the next month thinking "What have you done." I've never had a worse feeling of excitement and well- terror. I'm relatively new to driving, seeing how I got my licence when I was 23 and I'm a few years shy of 40 and only recently started driving on a daily basis, I thought it was crazy to hand me the keys to the Porsche and let me go as fast as I could on an obstacle course. I just knew I'd break something and keep him from his runs. Only a year ago I ran the daily driver through a fence (foggy, dark September morning, gravel roads, missed turns= hello barbed wire fence and field. Good thing the cows were in another pasture) It was arranged that he had to do his runs first so that he'd have a month to put the car back together after I was done. Confidence abounds with me (sarcasm).
Well to shorten what I could make a long story- After I spent the day totally sick to my stomach and shaking in terror (the interesting feeling- kind of like excitement about going on vacation to a far away place combined with a mild case of stomach flu, or being punched in the stomach- I was a basket case and my in-laws and some siblings came out to watch!)I did my 4 runs and I didn't break the car, myself or my husband.
Or any records. I wasn't completely last, but I was pretty close, but I beat myself and actually did it, so I don't feel last. For me, it's about competing against myself and beating the lack of confidence I have, and developing new skills that will ultimately make me a better driver. (sounds all after school special, but it's really how I am approaching it)
I had fun, it took some time to realize it, but enough fun to keep trying. I've driven again 4 more times; one was very bad, I got too nervous and overheated (it was in August and it was 101 degrees outside, and 120 degrees on the track, and I totally quit (yep I'm a quitter) but I've since got back behind the wheel and ran two more events, the last event I had the most fun I've ever had, and can officially say I'm hooked. The nervousness remains, but at a whisper rather than a roar, no two courses are a like, and I actually worry about getting "lost" on the course. Now when I shake it's from the adrenaline. BUT I still am not breaking records, and I am last out of 100 cars each event- but I still beat myself, so I feel great. I am learning how to "read the cones" and I think I will be increasing my speed the next time, but all too soon the season will end and My Mr. and I will have to spend the winter talking about it, and dreaming of spring, beautiful cars, and cones.
If you love beautiful cars, fast, competitive, skill based driving, and a group of really supportive and fun people- it's really something to look into- and go drive! You really are only racing against yourself at first and it's a great learning experience. Here is a link to my Flikr site for the KCRSCCA group for the season of autocross/solo:
My Flikr
I will leave you with this introduction, but I have two more events, and with intros out of the way, then I can talk about what happens at them- I don't drive in the next event, but I will be for the Halloween charity event- and the Golf (Glubug) will get her day in the "spotlight". - Oh wait, you are probably wondering why not the Porsche- well that's because My Mr. is going to spend another winter in the garage with Nina swapping her engine out- He wants more out of the car then what came in the 80's. If you are interested (shameless plug coming) his blog is here: Nina's 20vt swap
It's also always on my sidebar. So for the Halloweenie event, we are going to have some humorous costuming and set up surrounding the project, and using our VW. I will post about it- it should be fun.
For now, thanks for reading- and happy early October- I'll be back soon with more-
*JB*
No comments:
Post a Comment