Oct 20th, 2011

Winning isn’t Something, it’s Everything… or is it?

I read a quote from Colin Chapman recently regarding building a racecar. You probably know he was the creator of Lotus. To paraphrase, he said that the purpose of building a racecar is to win races, consistently, with as little help from the driver as possible. Any car that doesn’t do this is a failure, no matter how clever or sublime it may be. At the moment, this is a point of clarity for me, seeing how my cars are seldom ever at the top of their class, nevermind my driving ability. I looked at what it would take to put one of my cars at the top of its game, and some decisions became clear instantly. Er, wait. Actually it took a calculator and trying to wrap my head around a five digit number involving a dollar sign. Then I went to plan “B”, which is more realistic and still competitive.

This Chapman quote also brought into focus the point of autocross or racing in general. Is the point to win? Depends on who you ask I think. If you ask Randy Price, he will likely tell you the point is to enjoy your car, the adrenaline, and the camaraderie. For many of us, the point is to make the most of the moment. It’s the most fun you can have with your pants on, so why screw it up being frustrated that someone else brought more game to the track than you? I think all of us are out there to learn and challenge ourselves. Ask Gene, he will likely tell you the point is to do better than you did the last time. Mind you, he has his eye on that PAX score, too. Same goes for me. Having no illusions that I am going to outdrive guys who spend every weekend autocrossing and are committed to becoming national champions, I am out there to learn and have little rivalries with my friends. Then you have the benchmarks. If you look at Rob Rockefeller, Dave Rock, and Fred Zsust for example, they are out there to win. They put in the effort, do the research, maintain focus, build the right car to the edge of spec, and travel pretty far to compete.

Of course, there is no single reason we are out early on a Sunday morning swerving around cones. It depends on your finances, commitment, focus, and personality. Really, the only way to mess up an autocross is to not have a good time. Mind you, if you ask Ricky Bobby, he’ll tell you, “If you’re not first, you’re last”. Do you want to win? Ever ask yourself what it would take?

John

June 11, 2011

After about 18 months of running Time Attack events with my 350Z, I have come to the conclusion that a) I am a pretty capable driver, b) the Z is a really fun and balanced car, and c) it’s horsepower to weight ratio is hopelessly uncompetitive and can’t be fixed for under several thousand dollars. This puts me in exactly the same predicament as my autocross cars- fun but outclassed.

At some point it probably happens to everyone. You have made some progress as a driver, and want to see just how good you could be in a properly prepared car. I’m not talking Penske dampers and a roll cage, but a good car in its class that is prepared to make the most of the rulebook. If my Z is fast at 12.9:1 weight to power, how fast would it be at the 10:1 limit? Since I don’t play the lottery, the chances of finding out are slim to none. So what else can be done?

My Neon has a weight to power ratio of 20:1, which happens to fit neatly into the top of a class out in New Mexico. It has been sitting there all along waiting for me to figure that out. It doesn’t have an air conditioner, so I will wait until the weather cools off to see how it handles a road course. If it doesn’t make it back, no major loss.

As for autocross, I am still at a loss for what to do. Having just added a BMW 335i to the equation, I will have to see if that is something to compete with in autocross. The Madza3 I traded in was an ideal autocross car for stock class from an empirical perspective, but I didn’t like the way it drove on the course. I tested a MINI, but it didn’t meet my expectations for a daily driver. There’s no telling where I will go in terms of autocross, but I plan to participate more next year in something competitive, however that works out.

I have already been looking at all that can be done with a BMW 3 series, and it is pretty amazing. Any of the “fun” mods would also throw it out of stock class, not to mention raise tension on the home front. And seriously, does it really need more power? Hardly. This is how it starts. One “must-have” change throws your car into a different class, and it’s all downhill from there. So this time I must be wise and choose carefully how to proceed. I could always swap another transmission into the Neon and throw on some coilovers. Then Street Touring would be an option. Or I could put some proper rubber on the BMW wheels and get aftermarket wheels and tires for daily driving. Either way, it’s all about picking a sensible class and modding within that framework. Restraint? Well, that’s a lesson learned through experience.

John Lawson

I scare myself on purpose

I've been driving legally for 26 years and during those many years, I guess I developed a list of "what is wrong and what is right ideas and practices" when driving. Now I'm finding out that while some of those ideas and practices when driving on the street keep me and those around me safe and alive, those same ideas will keep me slow in a controlled, and as safe as can be, environment like autocross.

When I first started autocrossing 6 years ago, it was a big step for me. At that time I was content with screwing around on the street and back roads. I did the occasional drag race at real drag strips, but not much more than that for organized "safe" motorsports. I do know I loved driving my trucks down dirt roads and sliding toward, during and away from corners, much like the drifters do today mixed with what I saw the rally drivers do. Sure, it was dangerous, but I didn't really know much better. If any good could come from it, I did learn a few things then about under-steer and weight transfer during those knucklehead times. I also had put myself into the interests of the local, county, and state with my Charleston and highway shenanigans. I needed a change, and fast.

One weekend, my buddy, Chris Lynn, asked me to go to an autocross event with him. I had heard about them, but didn't know much of them. I went to two more before I ended up at an event at Sierra Vista's municipal airport. It all looked like slow motion through a sea of cones. However, it was all about change, everything I believed in with motorsports was flipped upside down. Rob Love gave me the first ever autocross ride, and what a ride it was! It was a linear roller coaster, and I couldn't stop laughing. I remember being just floored with his reactions, and the way he could get his car to change directions at such an insane speed. I was sure we were going to rip the tires off of the wheels. Rob was cool and collected like it was just another day at the office, and I thought I was going to wet myself. The seed was planted.

A few months after the eye opening ride, I decided to get involved. I guess that was the spring of 2004. The biggest thing I can remember back then is that Don Hyland told me to scare myself just a little bit every time I'm out on course. I didn't realize exactly what he meant until a few years had past. I figured he meant go fast enough to scare myself a bit, but I didn't get it fully. I'd go to autocross events, and always thought I needed to drive as absolutely hard as I could. I was sure sloppy in those days. I used a very low horsepower AE86 Corolla in the first couple of years. Momentum is "key" with such a low horsepower car, so, I started applying my sliding/drifting techniques more and more. Sideways isn't front-ways, I've always been told, usually by Harry Berzes. I'd joke, and say it is the fun way. To me though, it always felt faster. Of course, I was wrong. Yes, sometimes a slip angle is best, sometimes an aggressive slip angle is better, but most times, I'm faster, if I deliberately try to not slide the car. This is usually the case when I borrow a car. Nobody wants to be the guy who rips up 1200 dollars worth of somebody else's tires.

As I mentioned a bit earlier, I learned to scare myself and drive out of my comfort zone a few years ago. I cannot remember which event it was, but I do remember missing what I thought was a last minute braking point. I still made the corner just fine, but it scared me. It scared me, because I was out of my comfort zone, even the comfort zone that had its scary setting adjusted for autocross. This made me think that maybe most of my driving was in fact, all within my own set comfort zone. Logical right? Now, I get it, Don!. I can vividly remember the last two events where I just knew I was way too fast, holding the throttle open for too long, but all was well. At Bisbee/ Douglas Airport (BDI), I was downright sure I was just plain going too fast through the right hand side. I'd suck in some breath and hold it until I mashed on that Miata's brake pedal and just like it was supposed to, it would wiggle it's little green self through the gates. Sure there was a spin eventually, but I was pushing my fear just a bit more and found that there was in fact a point where I was just too fast and braked too late. I found the limit of the car. Had I not pressed and pressed, I would not have done so well. Are you wondering if the spin was scary? It wasn't scary at all, and I knew I would be fine. I know that autocross events are laid out, and then scrutinized for safety.

What it all boils down to, is that it's necessary to scare yourself just a bit every time you autocross. It's not to say that you should imagine you and your car are invincible and some magical force will keep you on course, but that you should test yourself and your car, and inch your way to accelerating for a bit longer, or push a braking point another inch or seven before braking. Sure, you'll be uncomfortable, but how else will you learn and teach yourself to be faster. A car with $20,000 dollars worth of go-fast parts doesn't make you fast, you still need to drive the car to it's potential.

Learn to find the limit by getting out of your comfort zone and explore that blurry place that is your fear.

Take my car, please

My love affair with Hoosier A6 autocross tires flamed out after about six months. They weren't prepared to handle the abuse. I had unreasonable demands. They were fragile. I misjudged a braking zone, flat-spotted (thereby realizing that my ABS system was not compatible with my autocross setup), and ended the life of a tire in a dramatic cloud of costly smoke. They were nearly shot anyway, despite my plans on having them last for another two events. Doing the math, I got about 40 runs for $900.00. That's roughly $150 per event for tires. 205/50/15 tires, the little guys. Somehow Dave Rock still manages to get better times than me on street tires. Sure, he has more horsepower, more skill, and maybe a better setup, but the fact is that street tires can go fast with the proper driver and setup. They cost about $100 less each, and they potentially last longer. So here I sit, one event left in the season, and I have no money, no tires, and no clear direction for next season. I have run both the 350Z and the Neon on street and race tires. Both cars are paid off and showing signs of wear, but I have too much invested to leave them. Besides, they are set up pretty good. I kind of feel like I've done it all, besides really "win" an event. I have been torn about whether to continue with regular autocrossing, because it takes money and time away from drifting and track events, which I would prefer to have priority. But autocrossing is fun and the people and competition make it worthwhile. I am still plagued with the problem of maintaining two competition cars, but refuse to part with either of them.

After six years of amateur motorsports, I have learned a lot by making mistakes, trying new things, and observing people who have more experience. Watching some of the senior guys in the sport, I see that they tend to buy a good car and not spend too much on upgrades. After a few years, they get a different car to keep it interesting. Somehow their tires seem to last a long time. This just goes to show that they are a lot wiser than me, and they probably went through the same growing pains. So I have to wonder, how does a modified car end its life? When does the owner relinquish the keys? When does it make sense to move on to some other vehicle after spending so much time perfecting the one you're driving? I think I'm just going to drive the Neon until it fails in a spectacular fashion (again) and try not to spend so much on tires. Maybe it will get struck by a meteor or a deer or something.

Cheap or Free Ways to Get More Competitive

Dancing With Physics

If you listen to smart people long enough, occasionally some of their comments and observations sink in. You've probably been there- one day you just make a discovery only to realize that you did exactly what people have been telling or showing you all along. It's called "The Ah-Ha Moment." If you have enough of these, eventually you get good at whatever it is you do.

The premise is this- you have probably been told as a beginner to late-apex everything. Good plan for a beginner, since beginners tend to turn in too early and haven't experienced the dynamics of weight transfer and slip angle. You have probably been told to brake in a straight line and be off the brakes before you enter a turn. Good advice for a beginner and anyone driving a mid/rear engine car.

Well, those old adages have been preventing me from being really fast. They get you up to the point where you're pretty skilled and safe, but leave something on the table. From there, it's up to you to develop your style. There are probably three main influences on my driving style: Ted Lewis, Ross Bentley, and drifting. "Sliding Rock" taking a close fourth.

The most fascinating guy to watch drive around here is Ted Lewis. I don't see him much anymore, but his driving is an example of constantly being just over the traction limit of his tires all the time. I remember him telling Mindy over and over "More right foot!" That's because he understands how fast you have to be going to push Hoosiers to 115% of their traction circle all the time on well-balanced Lotus Elan. Sure, he spins, slides, cones fear him, but he is a phenomenon to watch. When he nails a run, it's wicked fast.

Second comes Ross Bentley, who writes the Speed Secrets series. I have learned quite a bit about balance, weight transfer, and mental preparation from these books. Every time I learn something new, I go straight to the XBOX to practice the concept on my driving simulator (Forza or PGR). Most recently, I read a bit on trail braking and experimenting with when/how much to let off the brakes in a turn. At the same time, he mentioned experimenting with earlier apexes. The idea is to get the car rotated sooner so you can get on the gas sooner, all the while minimizing steering angle. I started practicing this concept on XBOX in a FWD car on street tires, since that's what I have been autocrossing lately. Sure enough, my lap times improved; not by any small margin, either! Well, if you listen to Dave Rock's advice, he's basically saying the same thing- "Aim for the cone and miss." The understeer and transition time for the suspension will take care of the rest. I had been unable to clip the apexes at Laguna Seca, and suddenly I'm nailing them.

Third is drifting. I learn a lot at autocross and HPDE, but drifting is by far the most difficult thing to do well. The learning curve is steep, and every session makes me a better driver. You see, drifting is all about entering a turn with minimal steering input (until the weight transfers), trail braking, lining up for the apex by turning in super early, rotation and powering through the turn, albeit at a ridiculous angle. It's dancing with physics, anticipating the car's reaction and getting ahead of it. It's preventing the "tank slapper." It's knowing exactly what will happen and taking advantage like a time traveler.

Now put them all together. Drive too fast, turn in too early, use brakes/throttle lift off to line up the car, let the rear come around, and get on the throttle early. It's how to drift a FWD car at small slip angles through an autocross course, and it works for me. It's why rally drivers excel at drifting and time attack. How it will work with Hoosiers is anyone's guess, but I hope it looks something like Ted Lewis.

John Lawson

Sharpening the Saw

Somebody once said, you can cut more wood by taking some time out to sharpen the saw than by just continuing to cut with a dull blade. There are a lot of ways to sharpen the saw. In this economy, you may find yourself with several dull saws, a few files, and lots of time on your hands.

One way to sharpen the saw is with a school such as Evolution. There was plenty of participation in October's school, and even some senior autocrossers found ways to hone their skills. I got an instructor to ride along with me at PIR last weekend, and welcomed his advice on picking the line into the infield course. Just having an experienced hand on board will result in faster lap times next time out.

Another overlooked way to sharpen the saw is to clean the shop. My dad came to visit, and brought the huge bench vise I asked for. While he was here, we went to the hardware store and bought everything needed to build a workbench and storage cabinets. Wow, what a difference it makes to have a place to store tools in an organized fashion! I cleaned out my existing tool chest, bought some organizer trays, and sorted my hardware. I threw out a few bags of garbage in the process, and got rid of a few things on Ebay, too.

Finally, there's the car. Even if you aren't fortunate enough to buy that new go-fast part, there is all that maintenance you've been putting off until the "off season", which really doesn't exist here in Southeast Arizona. New brake fluid, spark plugs, drive belts, bolt tightening and inspection go a long way, and don't cost much. Now just in case you do get that new part for Christmas, you have a clean shop, a solid platform, and a sharp mind to build on. If not, well, there's always the tax return to look forward to.

Though I will be giving up the website, I hope to continue contributing through The Shop Rag. This has been a great learning experience, and occasionally a place to vent. I will leave you with the 2009 schedule and PAX tables.

Happy Holidays