stripethree

Double trouble in Tuscon this weekend, with a double event to make up for no event last month due to an issue with obtaining the site. We ran the course pictured above in the morning then switched the start and finish to run the course again, with a few additional tweaks to account for some bad pavement and gravel. The afternoon course actually turned out better than the morning course; it flowed better and wasn’t hampered by a large gravel trap in the loop.

During the morning event I ran 49.995 +2, 48.846, 49.141, and 49.378 which was good for 13th overall, 8th with PAX, and 970 points. The afternoon event I did just as well running 48.995, 47.845, 48.055, and 47.830 which put me 13th overall, 9th with PAX, and 957 points. Both events I beat the rest of the STX Open field (5 cars in the morning, 4 in the afternoon) but over a second and a half, and I was on the heels of the top set of drivers running in the PAX category. The PAX category is usually were the top drivers run and go head to head with one another despite having cars in different classes. I’m considering running in the PAX category for a series or two next year to see how I can fair against the toughest competition.

Here’s the video, again a little washed out. Either the tape is bad or the camera is not doing well, I really hope it’s the former. My passenger on some of the runs is a local Mini driver who has never autocrossed but I managed to convince her to come out, watch, and ride along. Jana got to ride in a nationally competitive G Stock Mini driven by the current DSP National Champion and I think that sealed the deal in convincing her to bring her Cooper S out to drive soon.