Eric,
I'll post this publicly to avoid pi$$ing on anybody else's wheaties :) My
point (and Andy's) wasn't specific to the last event or any particular event
except those on asphalt. It was a general thought, with data gathered by
Andy over several years of autocrossing to back up the thesis. It was NOT
meant as a detraction on your course or driving (Good Job, BTW)
Getting FTD and placing first on the Index are 2 separate things. Scott
Whittle did get FTD, but only placed 42nd on the index. That means that the
index wasn't accurate for THAT PARTICULAR COURSE. It did not mean that we
should throw out the index. I just got Andy thinking (and me too when
presented with the idea) which resulted in trying the "asphalt" index on
other results, which resulted in similar changes in position for cars on
slicks.
Once again, I was trying to start a creative discussion, not a stock vs. mod
war
Dave
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Buckley" <ejbuckley@earthlink.net>
To: "Ax List (E-mail)" <autox@autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 25, 2000 10:10 PM
Subject: RE: Asphalt Index
> Dave Whitworth wrote:
>
> <big snip>
>
> > This got Andy thinking: Is there "correction" that could be
> > made to the PAX for asphalt course?
>
> Good grief. I finally win index and it's such a shock they want to
overhaul
> the PAX! :0
>
> Seriously, I don't think that asphalt is the problem. You may recall that
I
> designed the course. My original layout had a soft launch, two decreasing
> radius turns and a pretty significant kink in the middle of the high speed
> sweeper which would slow things down.
>
> The safety steward liked the course. Most of the regular drivers liked the
> course. Then a bunch of the mod guys started crying that it was too tight.
> The event director caved in and opened everything up. The result was an
open
> course that was basically just one sweeper following another. This has
> happened several times this year. I've rarely had to shift down to first
> whereas I usually do it on at least one or two parts of a course.
>
> What's my point? Simply that prepared and mod cars have much better hp to
> weight ratios than street cars. Therefore an open flowing course with no
> heavy braking or acceleration zones doesn't allow them to fully exploit
> their PAX.
>
> I always get excited when I see courses like what we've been running all
> year because I know I'll do well on index. I intentionally don't design
> courses like that because people will (rightly) accuse me of favoring my
> car.
>
> Do you think Sam Platt cleans up at Southern Illinois Airport because of
the
> concrete or because of the hairpin turn followed by a long straight? Sam
won
> index on a course at Gateway (same sight as Sunday) last year, taking FTD
in
> the process. Interestingly, that course featured a tight turn followed by
a
> long straight.
>
> As for Andy's results, keep in mind it was mighty windy Sunday and wind
> really messes up that big A mod wing. I was working course when he ran and
> you could see the car getting knocked around by the gusts.
>
> Eric Buckley
> 7 STR: 98 Integra GSR
> St. Louis Region
>
|