claudermilk
Senior Member
I finally got my car out dodging cones this weekend; I ran the autocross with the Speed Ventures guys at Auto Club Speedway--what a blast. Attendance was apparently pretty light from what they often see, so we got plenty of runs--this is a different setup than Solo II's 3 runs & you're done, then you take a turn chasing cones.
My first two sessions were in the wet, but this was probably a good thing as it kept the speed down and really forced me to focus on grip levels. This was my first time out with the car, with a RWD chassis, and first autocross in about 10 years. At least I did have the old memories of how an autocross works going for me.
So, of course the first thing I do is get a little lost, then spin as I tried to regain my bearings. After that the butt was mostly dialed back in and I started learning how the S197 chassis handles at the limits. I am still a bone-stock GT with Brembos & 3.73 gears, still on the OEM Pirellis.
I was already impressed with the handling of the ancient-tech suspension running on the street & a couple of canyon runs. Now that I could go 10/10ths, I am even more impressed and look forward to what this beast can do with improved suspension components & tires. The back end broke away smoothly, and I quickly got comfortable balancing the car with the throttle around most of the course. I still think I'm overdriving the really tight corners and am still trying to unlearn the FWD mindset on how to rotate the car in those. I'm probably leaving speed on the table in the faster sections as well. That said, on a course that the fast, gutted Fox Mustangs were running low 37's I got down to a 38 flat, so I was hanging within a second or two of them. Not too bad considering lack of experience in the car, and lack of preparation.
My first two sessions were in the wet, but this was probably a good thing as it kept the speed down and really forced me to focus on grip levels. This was my first time out with the car, with a RWD chassis, and first autocross in about 10 years. At least I did have the old memories of how an autocross works going for me.
So, of course the first thing I do is get a little lost, then spin as I tried to regain my bearings. After that the butt was mostly dialed back in and I started learning how the S197 chassis handles at the limits. I am still a bone-stock GT with Brembos & 3.73 gears, still on the OEM Pirellis.
I was already impressed with the handling of the ancient-tech suspension running on the street & a couple of canyon runs. Now that I could go 10/10ths, I am even more impressed and look forward to what this beast can do with improved suspension components & tires. The back end broke away smoothly, and I quickly got comfortable balancing the car with the throttle around most of the course. I still think I'm overdriving the really tight corners and am still trying to unlearn the FWD mindset on how to rotate the car in those. I'm probably leaving speed on the table in the faster sections as well. That said, on a course that the fast, gutted Fox Mustangs were running low 37's I got down to a 38 flat, so I was hanging within a second or two of them. Not too bad considering lack of experience in the car, and lack of preparation.
