> So which is it, Sonya or Stacy? Is Stacy her real name?
> Inquiring minds want to know ;-)
> Mike
>
Just for the record.... (and as an introduction to the list)
here are my comments on the SUV topic and a couple others
including some actual auto cross stuff!! Sorry about all the ramblings
below,. I guess I got carried away...
So just for the record.... I am not Katie's Stacy. ;-)
Seems like I am already repeating myself.
My first name is Stacey, but with an "ey".
I am a 46 year old 260 lb male so please do not get me confused with Katie's
friend. ;-)
( Comments on the SUV stuff)
My wife and I do however own an SUV (I guess you would call it that)
But it is a lightweight 92 Ford Explorer 6 cyl, 4 door,
5 speed that gets about 30 MPG and has a hard
time getting from 0 to 60! Did I mention it is a 2 wheel drive?
many people are not aware that they made non 4 wheel drive
Explorers. It is way more environmentally green than my Camaro.
When I drive the Ford, it tames me and makes me a wimpy driver.
No aggression at all. It has no acceleration and no engine sound. It is alot
like the old 64 Ford Falcon wagon my dad had when I first got my
license in '71. Dad always said it was a "Found On Road Dead" car. It sure
drove that way, alot like this Explorer.
But then when I get in my car it just wants to go and I am
way more aggressive. Not that my Camaro is very fast or anything but
it is much more fun to drive.
We do not tow with the Explorer as it can barely get out of its
own way. I use the 57 Chevy Pickup to haul big stuff to the dump
or from the lumber yard.
I have however folded down the rear seat in the Explorer and
hauled our full size kitchen stove in it and the dishwasher,
and 2 sets of mattresses, beds, lumber, X-mas trees and other
stuff (all at separated times). Also it is usually full of beach gear,
skim boards, towels, clothes, earthquake and mountain
road survival gear etc. and anything a 13 year old boy would
need.
Does this qualify as a real reason to own one?
Ah, propably not but then it is lighter on the environment than
my Camaro and many other cars so not all SUV's are made alike.
We also use the Explorer to carry all our other hobby stuff around
every other week. It does not fit in the Camaro what with
the chairs, tables, tents and the actual hobby stuff.
My wife is the primary driver of it. She has not hit anyone in
the last 25 years so I guess she does not fit the typical SUV driver
mold.
(drifting into comments about women drivers - please do not take offense)
Although she did get run into the back of by a woman in a
VW Passat a few years ago while waiting to turn left. The Passat
driver was adjusting the radio or something and totaled the front
as she braked and ran into the rear bumper tweaking it a bit.
Come to think of it I have been rear-ended twice and they were both
women as well? Both times I was stopped in traffic and they
just rammed into me. Well actually once she ran into the person behind me
and then they got pushed into me. Her excuse?.... She was looking at
the cows in the field and did not see that the cars had all stopped.
So in a combined 60 years of driving we have been in 3 accidents
all caused by women rear-ending us. Is this a trend??
In fact when I am on my Harley the drivers that just pullout and
cut you off the most are women on cell phones or women talking
to other people in the car. I have nothing against
women mind you. Or women drivers, just the ones that cut me off
and almost send me to an early grave. That happens a lot on motorcycles.
Most guys seem to look at the bikes and wish they were on theirs or
something but some of the other drivers just have that SUV mentality I guess!
Although I think that the mini-van drivers are worse.
But my wife in the Explorer is not a danger to anyone except possibly
herself and my son if she has a tire blowout but at the speed she drives
I do not think its a real problem. Mostly just around town stuff 30-40MPH.
(comments about my first auto cross experience )
Anyways.... I just joined SCCA back in Jan and ran my first autox down at
NASA AutoX on Jan 20th. It was a real kick and my 13 year old
son had a blast taking some G's in the Camaro.
Also a big thanks to Todd Pokorny for giving me an intro ride!
That ride gave me something for me to shoot for in the future.
I also met George Lawson and he was very helpful in showing
me the ropes and taking me for a walk on the course be for
I made my runs. He also got me the ride with Todd.
I have not made it up to Oakland yet to do an SCCA run yet but
that is because I hate early Sunday mornings. To get up there
from where I live (not far from Dennis I understand) I would need to
leave by 6:00 or so. But I will do it soon I hope.
I need some tires too, my autocross car is my daily driver Camaro
with 77K on it and the current set of tires have 27K on them now
so I guess I need to buy new street tires and some Kumo's and wheels
if I want to do much of this auto cross stuff. Money, money
money....gonna have to wait a bit.
Any suggestions on wheels and auto cross tires for a 97 Camaro Z28
6 speed stock setup with 16" wheels?
Sorry for rambling on so much!
Hope to meet some more of you at an autocross soon,
Stacey
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