Autocrossing my '72 911 T/ST in Excellence

[Randy W]

Honest, I did not come up with the title for my latest article in Excellence magazine (King Cone)! Still, I’m very honored that Excellence featured my 1972 Porsche 911 T/ST in issue #205.

This spring, Pete Stout suggested I write an article about my experience of autocrossing a 911 competitively at a national level. So, I registered for the PCA Porsche Parade driving competition with my co-driver Jeff Barstow. We ended up claiming the top class (MO5) win in Salt Lake City in July. Jeff was 3rd fastest overall and I was sixth.

Although I have posted autox advice on this forum before, the last time I posted about any wins was ten years ago!

Back from Two Weeks of Autocrossing with Trophys

Writing this article was an interesting exercise. I pulled info from several sources: notes I made from a dozen years of autox, books by Dick Turner & J.B. Miles, autocrossing videos, and my experience at the Evolution Performance Driving School. Perhaps the most important advice was received from national Solo 2 champion Andy Hollis:

AutoX Tips

Several of Andy's tips were included in my article:

“You will drop more time by correctly positioning the car nearer to the cones than you will by adding 1 or 2 MPH in speed.”

“To go faster, the arc you are running must be bigger. A bigger arc requires less steering. To make a bigger arc that is centered in the same place, the arc must start sooner.”

“Brake earlier and less. [It’s] better to start braking a little earlier to give some margin of error. And by braking less you can either add or subtract braking effort as you close in on the turn-in point.”

“Use your right foot to modulate car position in constant radius turns, not the steering wheel. Unwind the wheel, then add power.”

“Attack the back. For slaloms, getting close to the [backside of] cones is critical for quick times. Hands follow the eyes, car follows the hands. Scan ahead, don’t stare. Keep the eyes moving.”


Thanks to Andy and my co-driver Jeff for continuing to help me learn to improve at autocross! Cheers!

Fast runs at 2012 PCA Parade, mine first then Jeff’s:

[356RS]

Your having way to much fun Randy. Beautiful car & well set up. Congratulations on the Excellence article and great video too.

[Lukesportsman]

I've done open track and love it, but always wondered about auto-X. I have several friends and even my father has.............but these videos and like don't help my confidence. How long does it take for the cones to seem instinctive? Is it easier to read in person than on a 2" screen shot Many argue to start on auto X and then move up to faster road coarse work, but I've never had trouble figuring out where the tarmac is going, LOL.

Congrats on the article, and quite a nice looking/running stead!

[Randy W]

Thanks,, guys. Fixed the video size, Luke.

Autocross is surprisingly challenging. It takes a number of events to learn to read and memorize a course so you are not looking cone to cone.

Learning car control skills (where you don't hit anything besides a pylon) is the part that's most beneficial before moving on to track work. That plus looking/planning ahead and being smooth with your inputs.

[tobluforu]

Good job Randy. If no one knows, Randy has been doing this for years and has won some of the top events in auto-x.

[paulgtr]

been auto crossing the past two summers and it has helped so much with my confidence on the track!
everybody should auto cross. even if you don't go fast it helps you so much in understanding the limits of you and your car.

[H-viken]

Nice looking car Randy! Do you have some detailed pics of it (interior etc)?

/Johan

[Jack Olsen]

Beautiful!

[Dantilla]

Thanks for posting, Randy!

Randy's car is stunning, and both Randy and Jeff are two of the nicest guys to hang out with at an Autocross.

I've instructed with Jeff at several events, but I can still learn much from him!

It is truly an honor to know these two gentlemen.

Congrats on the article.

[ivangene]

Randy

awesome!!
Jeff had some nice runs - we north westerners cleaned up @ auto X !!!

See you at the track (how are we planning to get through the winter?)

[911pcars]

Excellence Randy! :-)

Sherwood

[Randy W]

Originally Posted by H-viken

Nice looking car Randy! Do you have some detailed pics of it (interior etc)?

/Johan

Thanks for your kind words.

Here are some "snaps" I've taken recently. For some reason I never get around to photographing my own car properly!

[Targalid]

Randy,
I've seen a 72 engine compartment: that looks like something far more high tech! Enlighten me please. Second, in the front I see the stiffener for the shock towers but what are the red things underneath. Thanks.
Signed,
Ignorant but Curious

[Randy W]

This 911 has been under continual development since I bought it in 1998. It was a stock ‘72T when I started and has gone through RS and ST body configurations since then. It has had four different motors and three transmissions. Almost every size Fuchs wheel has been fit to this car at one time.

The current motor is a 1996 3.6 Varioram with Carillo rods, RS valves, 993 Sport cams, solid lifters, race springs, Ti retainers, remapped DME, headers, and a Sycip rally muffler (315 flywheel hp and 300 ft-lb of torque). The gearbox is now an aluminum SC unit with a 8:31 R&P and all the Wevo stuff, Turbo synchros, Guard side cover, early gears, Quaife LSD.

Greg Fordahl installed double adjustable JRZ shocks front and rear early on. Those red canisters control compression (bump) damping. Some of the other trick items include ‘67 S door panels, chromoly low-profile cage, balsa reinforced FG lids, 912 non-defrost rear glass, custom 28 gallon tank, 964 front brakes with in-cockpit adjustable proportioning, and twin fan-fed front fender coolers.

[Craig_D]

Wow, great runs and a beautiful auto-X weapon! You guys must be demons in holiday shopping parking lots!

Well done!

Cheers,

- Craig_D

Edit: I don't know if you have a name for your car Randy, but the first thing I thought of when I saw it, is StormTrooper. Absolutely love it! Question about the tank, did you graft a new top to a stock tank? I don't run a spare and wanted to see about getting that space back for more fuel.

[Randy W]

Originally Posted by Craig_D

Edit: I don't know if you have a name for your car Randy, but the first thing I thought of when I saw it, is StormTrooper. Absolutely love it! Question about the tank, did you graft a new top to a stock tank? I don't run a spare and wanted to see about getting that space back for more fuel.

Yes, a new top was grafted onto a stock SC tank. Then an RSR fuel filler cap was recessed for alternate side filling. Steve Hogue Enterprises in Torrance, CA did the work.

Which reminds me...

Although I have done a fair share of repairs, maintenance and finish work on the car myself, including much of the interior, I didn't have space in my Excellence article to acknowledge all the shops that have played a part in this car's build over its 14 year journey. So here goes:

Squire's Autowerke - initial mechanicals, 3.2L transplant
Marv Engtsrom's Magic Customs - RS body work/paint
Fordahl Motorsports - suspension, wheels, tires, alignments
J&L Fabricating - roll cage
Chris' German Auto Service - phase 2 and 3 mechanical builds, 3.2L/Motec, 2.8L/Motec, 3.6L transplant, transmission rebuilds, electrical, etc.
Redmond European - 3.6L RS build
Eurotech Bodywerkes - phase 2 RS/ST body work
Kelly Taylor, Trace Taft, Harvey Weidman - wheel paint & refinishing
MS Road & Race, Sierra Madre, Pelican, Nick Psyllos, Eric Linden, WEVO - special parts, etc.
Elephant Racing & Game Face Motorsports - ST cooling system, suspension upgrades, etc.
TRE Motorsports - ST body parts, etc.
Steve Hogue Enterprises - custom tank and rear ST flares/bumper
Curtis Autenreith - phase 3 final ST body work/paint

Yes, I'm democratic in supporting Porsche shops all along the west coast! Those who have guided me in my planning include Greg Fordahl, Chris Powell & Staff, Colin Cantrell, Gib Bosworth, Earl Green, Jeff Gamroth, Gordon Ledbetter, Steve Weiner, Dave Bouzaglou, Chuck Moreland, Curtis Autenreith and several other Early S - R Gruppe members. And I'm sure there are more people I'm forgetting.. Thanks everyone!
__________________

[ivangene]

great list - happy to call a few of them friends!

[ruwoodbury]

Randy,
I was there that day running in a different class (much slower!) and I noticed your car right away. It stood out, beautiful car, great stance, nice sound and fast! Afterward I walked past to see what motor you had in the car and said hello.
Great video, it brought back the fun of running the course again (along with the memory of how stinkin' hot it was--105!). Did I mention you were faster then me? Congrats again on the win.

[JeremyD]

Randy - excellent - you have inspired me to sign up for my first autocross in at least 6 years.

car sounds great.