Wichita Autocross today (7/27/14)

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake)
07/27/2014 at 17:13 • Filed to: AUTOCROSS

Some nasty weather greeted Wichita as our alarm clocks went off, but the weather turned out to be just about perfect. Cloudy and a little rain, but I'll take it if it keeps the temperature down at the end of July.

The weather scared off many people, so we had a small group today which meant we were able to get an extra run in.

I finally had some new competition in G-Stock - A Focus ST. Very good driver in that on Ventus RS-3's, he kicked my butt, beating me by 2.5 seconds. Still, second place in G-stock and middle of the back overall, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

Go Pro videos. Run 6 was my best. Overall a very fun course

Run 1 was actually pretty damn good, but I left traction control on...dat bead tho

Run 2 was terrible. I realized I forgot traction control, tried to turn it off after the start, then missed my shift on the lane change. As if that wasn't enough, I missed a turn near the end...

Okay, Run 3. Traction control off! Then I went way too fast at the start and understeered for days...

Run 4. Clean, but pretty slow. I knew I had some more time in me

Run 5. Good. I wanted to be closer to the ST though...he was 2 seconds ahead of me

Gave it all I had, changed my shifting (stayed in second for the first half instead of doing most of the course in 3rd), didn't really make much of a difference. Shaved a few tenths off. I don't know that I realistically could have gotten much more out of the Sonic today. Good enough for second, and I was happy with my driving today (besides the two DNFs...)

What do you think of the camera angle? I think it's the best I've done. I need a mic though, so much wind noise. Any recommendations for a good cheap mic? I'd probably tape it to the heatshield in the engine bay for dat intake noise, or just in the cabin of the car.

DISCUSSION (21)

Viggen > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 17:17

Jayhawk, when's the next autocross in Wichita?

Jayhawk Jake > Viggen
07/27/2014 at 17:20

August 10th

http://wichitascca.org/SoloII.html#Sc…

Firewrx234 > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 17:22

Very cool! I want to do one of these one day but the cars at my house are a PT Cruiser and a Charger R/T with brake issues that I need to sort out.

Some day though!

Viggen > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 17:23

Darn that might be too soon for me.

jkm7680 > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 17:25

Nice quality! I'm not too sure about a good, and cheap mic. Usually the two don't really go together well, Haha.

Jayhawk Jake > Viggen
07/27/2014 at 17:26

There's one basically every 2 weeks

Jayhawk Jake > Firewrx234
07/27/2014 at 17:26

A PT cruiser could do it.

It wouldn't be fast, but it would do it

daender > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 17:27

Good angle, but attack the slalom cones tighter and sooner!

Jayhawk Jake > daender
07/27/2014 at 17:44

Thanks, and you're right, I'm a bit reactive instead of proactive in the slaloms.

Firewrx234 > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 17:49

Oh man the looks I'd get lol

Jayhawk Jake > Firewrx234
07/27/2014 at 17:51

My Buick Is Too A Real Muscle Car autocrosses his Buick Le Sabre, you'll be fine

Local Miata Bro > daender
07/27/2014 at 17:51

Do what this guy says, and you will beat the ST

Firewrx234 > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 18:04

Yeah but his Buick can move itself. Have you ever driven a PT? Can you say uninspired? Besides, I'm not sure the wife would be to happy with me auto-xing her car.

(Note the "Rachel" penguin license plate and Mickey ears antenna topper. Not to mention the IU memorabilia that is stickered to the rear and side windows.)

therevengeofthesaab (really likes pre-2005 hondas right now) > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 19:08

How to you manage to know your way around the cones??

Viggen > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 19:27

I don't know if I should enter my car. It's my only car, I'd hate for it to break two hours from Ft. Riley, I don't have a helmet, my tires squeal at anything over 25mph, not to mention a four door FWD sedan isn't the most nimble of cars.

Jayhawk Jake > therevengeofthesaab (really likes pre-2005 hondas right now)
07/27/2014 at 19:28

It's 100000000x easier than you'd think.

First of all, the cones mean things. A cone on it's side is a pointer cone: it points to the side of the cone you must go on. If there are multiple single cones in a line led by a pointer, it's a slalom, and you slalom continuing the direction of the pointer. There are also gates, like the start and finish line, you drive between them.

So that's a simple breakdown of how to interpret the course. To know where to go you walk the course before you drive, often multiple times. At most events I believe there is a novice course walk led by an experience driver, this is very good for learning the course and getting some insight into how to drive the fastest.

Before you run at speed, you also do a parade lap where you drive the course slowly.

So TL;DR: it's not anywhere close to as difficult as you think, and repetition.

Jayhawk Jake > Viggen
07/27/2014 at 20:00

I'm sure you'd be fine, people run silly things all th time.

Would Salina be better for you? There are autocrosses there too. I'd like to check it out sometime, so we could meet there

http://www.salinascca.org/?page_id=10

Viggen > Jayhawk Jake
07/27/2014 at 20:47

Either one works. I think I just need to get a helmet.

Jayhawk Jake > Viggen
07/27/2014 at 21:03

I know wichita has loaner helmets, I'm sure Salina does too.

If you want to do it often, buy a helmet. I got mine from revzilla for $125, the HJC CL-17. It works I suppose? I like it, but it's the only motorcycle helmet I've ever worn, so I have no reference. It's comfortable

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Viggen
07/30/2014 at 13:30

Dude, have you *seen* what I bring to these autocrosses?

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jayhawk Jake
07/30/2014 at 13:32

I like that camera angle. Very video-game-esque. Also damn, that looked like a really fun course :/