I wouldn't worry too much. Beside my lack of skills, I found in my RX7 TT that as I added horsepower my times generally increased because of how tight the courses are. You just end up spinning tires and sliding around. Fun? YES. Fast? not so much.

I'll keep checking here to see the dates. Thanks for offering to be flexible.
Gary

 

You can count me in! I'd like to give AX a shot...

Can I blast down the runway afterwards for a 1/4 mile shot?

 

The runways are always open for the Brave!
The cops chasing after you just give you more motivation.

 

LOL! I wouldn't advise heading over to Paine Field to play chicken w/ a loaded 747 trying to land.

We don't practice on the runways, what we have are 3 large parking lots that make for a good place for autoX. The longest length that a car can travel in our lots is probably longer than a 1/4 mile, but the Everett lots are not flat. They were designed to allow water run-off so there are ungulations and areas where the course will have banked or off-camber turns, slight uphill and downhill runs. Don't worry, the grades are so mild that no one ever catches air but it makes for a much more interesting and challenging autoX experience, IMO. I've heard that as far as autoX courses go, you either love the Everett lots or you hate them. We'll see if we can set up a course where we can make the tachometer throughly bounce off the 350Z's rev limiter in 2nd. That should open the possibility for a 3rd gear shift.

Okay, so far this is how we're looking:
Drivesolo (AX)
BA Cutler (AX)
Lateapex (AX)
Mrs. Lateapex (AX)
Rahtok (AX)
MaximXL
MadMax76
PDX_Racer (AX)
Cryptic (AX)
7 eleven (AX)
DrVolkl (AX)

Anyone else interested?

 

Okay folks. I just found out that the requests for BEAC practice days (generally on Saturdays) will be submitted to Boeing tommorrow. This will pretty much define what days will be avalible for the year.

There will not be any requests for any days this month but there is a possibility for practice days next month (Feb), so if there is any interest in doing this meet/autox practice in February then I'll need to find out what weekends works best for the people that are interested in order submit it by tommorrow morning. Sorry for the short notice, I just found this out a few minutes ago.

Since February is just as cold and wet as this month and since it's no fun autoX-ing in the cold and in the rain, I would probably opt for doing this meet in March at the earliest.

Let's here what you think about this.

 

The first weekend in March -- I'll need some practice before going to San Diego.

 

Either or. Driving in the rain is a challenge too... it's good to know where the line is between following the cones and going over them!

 

Ok all you NW 350Z folks,.... I've heard back from the 350Z BEAC guys and it sounds like Saturday of March 5th, 2005 is the day that would work well for us for a NW 350Z Meet / BEAC AutoX practice day in Everett. This is a tentative date for now. For those of you interested in joining us, does this day work for you? If not, speak up and let's try an come up w/ on that works best for everyone.

If anyone has any question, ask them now or forever hold your peace.

 

i am interested to view but not in for Solo.


been to a few of the WWSCC events there last season... the west lot bugs me for some reason.

 

I hear ya. Yeah, there are a few people don't like it cuz of it's terrain changes. Lots the size of Everett West are very rare. I think a distinct advantage one gets when running in Everett West is knowing the terrain.

I hated it my first year of autoX in Everett, but the more I ran it began to like it more not just cuz I was getting faster, but because it was more fun to drive than Bremerton Motosports. I loved it when there were elements in the course are "banked" in your favor, it becomes a bit of a roller coaster ride when you can take some corners a lot hotter than you could if it were flat.

I do wish that Evt West had less obstacles (lamp posts & drains) so more course configurations would be possible. That does bug me.

Okay for now the list looks something like this:
Drivesolo (AX)
BA Cutler (AX)
Lateapex (AX)
Mrs. Lateapex (AX)
Rahtok (AX)
MaximXL
MadMax76
PDX_Racer (AX)
Cryptic (AX)
7 eleven (AX)
DrVolkl (AX)
Drift350

 

So, are we locked in at March 5 then? What time do we assemble at?

 

March 5th is the tentative date for now. Someone mentioned it and I figured that would be good cuz the weather should be a little more favorable than in Feb (I could be completely wrong).

On the 2nd Weds of next month, we'll know if that date is definate, when the schedule for the Evt West lots is approved. As far as I can see there should be no problems with that date.

If anyone else would like this meet/practice to happen later on for the possibility of better weather; let's hear the suggestions that you'd like to make.

As for details, I'll collect e-mails later on so I can forward the e-mail notification that goes out to BEAC members for practice days to those that are planning to run. Times and other info will be in it. If you have questions about the sport of AutoX itself; contact BA Cutler or Lateapex.

 

the obstacles, pavement variations, and all the rocks/broken asphalt.

i DO like the small elevation changes, though.

wish they'd open up the old parking lot at the Renton plant that is now home to Fry's. large lot, usually never used, and very few obstacles... and the bits of gravel around can easily be sucked up by a street sweeper. best fo all, a lot of open space to build many different courses suitable to pass the safety steward's eye.

 

...and it's a lot closer than Everett for me!

 

I mess around w/ my sprint kart down at the lot north of Fry's (old Boeing territory) sometimes and the section of lot between the 2 entry driveways (the center section) is horrific. The north end is great and so is the south end (because it's ofcourse Fry's section), but the center part is really broken up bad. It's kinda like Oxbow in it's condition (more dirt, less goose poop). I found this out the hard way by making the mistake of taking the kart over into that area.

But Boeing recently sold the large parking lot just west of the Fry's lot. It was repaved just a few years ago. From my recollection is was pretty spacious. Dunno who owns it now, but all the entry points to it have large concrete barriers preventing any vehicle from entering.

I dunno if you recall the SCCA event 2 years ago that was held in West Seattle? Man! That was an autoX spot to die for. Where else in Seattle could you autoX where you had a lot as flat, smooth and w/ a killer view of downtown? It's a shame that because one person complained about the noise that we may never see it again.

 

There was a thread or two in the WWSCC forum that talked about that lot. I think that at one time an autoX event was held there when Boeing owned it. Can any of the seasoned local autoX guy's confirm this? I think the word now is that it is not possible because it's no longer large enough w/ Fry's parking lot taking up part of the lot.

 

sorry, grew up here but took a 10 year leave of absence and recently moved back.


drivesolo:

the leftover parking lot is still a nice size, and definitely large enough to support an autox event.

 

I would have to agree w/ the WWSCC council. It may be big enough for a go kart, but it's nowhere as big as Evt west. Evt west is about twice the size of what's left of the Renton lots. Remember there is still a need for the pits. That would be almost 1/2 of existing Renton lot on a day that almost 200 people run.

What event(s) did you run in Evt West last year? What car and class did you run in?

 

1997 Honda Prelude

#51 Street Mod


ran a single WWSCC event... i want to say it was in April or May, cant remember off hand, though. i will say the weather was borderline ****, but it dried up enough for me to run.

 

Did you run in the UWFSAE Slush event (2/29/2004)? The only '97 Prelude that ran in WWSCC last year ran at that event. The car number and class was differnt than the one you mentioned above.

There was a '97 Prelude that ran in the NWR-SCCA Event #10 (10/24/2004), but was driven by a different driver than the one that ran in WWSCC. You mentioned SM which is an SCCA class.