orange 914 at devens bmw autox

[White951]

Hey,

How did you do? I was driving the white 944t.

John

[David McLaughlin]

Hey, I'm here. You lucked out. I was watching your runs closely in the afternoon. I was hoping to pay you back for my slight off course excursion, and on one run, you missed a gate entirely. Fortunetly for you, the turn one guy with the radio didn't see me signal the DNF. Maybe I'll get my chance at the PCA event in a few weeks. BTW, did you have any more problems with your steering?


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Dave
1970 914-6 (soon GT)

[White951]

What do you mean pay me back. I don't recall causing you to miss a gate. My steering seems OK. I will remove the undertray to see if the pump is loose. I saw a few missed gates by people also. One was the black 911 turbo. It was so windy that the two on my left and right with the radios coudn't hear me yelling. I ended up 11 out of 29 with my best run being the last with a 60.03 with no cones. I think if I had on more run I could have got into the top 8. I figured out on my last run to take the gate that you missed when I was working wide. In other words after you come off the last slalom cone don't head straight for that gate. aim to the right after the slalom and gradually turn so you are then pointing to the opening of the gate. Unfortunately after all my runs I figured out where I could have made up the time while working the course. Right after the point you missed the gate there were two other gates and a long strech. Right before the long stretch I thought there was another gate because of a pointer cone. I slowed down expecting another turn. I should have floored it and kept going. I saw a lot of people make the same mistake. I am glad they are doing the same course next time.

John Pajzer

[Dave at Pelican Parts]

Get all of your turning done before the gate. That is almost always the way to deal with gates. Most of the rest of the time, you still want to get most of your turning done before you get into the gate. The rest fall under "special circumstances".

It's the same things with slaloms--you get the car turned before you get to the next cone.

--DD

[David McLaughlin]

No, you didn't cause me to miss a gate, you were just kind enough to point out that I missed one. I was only joking about getting even, although you did miss the second chicane after the first slalom. I tried to tell the turn one radio guy, but he was too busy talking with his wife instead of watching the course workers. BTW. We will be on the yellow course on the 12th, not on the orange.

Dave is absolutly correct about straightening out by the time you get to the gate. I find this rear wheel drive with oversteer very interesting. The car turns in so much easier and remains more stable than my GTI. I can't wait until i start working on the suspention, this car whill really kick some asphault.

Now, for the PCA autocross. Maybe I can get the car cleaned up a little better so that it doesn't look so beat.


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Dave
1970 914-6 (soon GT)