THSCC Forums

It's time to get another great season of autocross action kicked off with our annual Test-n-Tune in Laurinburg! This is a great opportunity to get in quite a few runs to dial things in just to sharpen your skills, adjust your new nifty adjustable shocks, burn off the rest of last season's tires, or just get more seat time to 'experiment' with the car and your technique.

I'd like to encourage folks to sign up early if you know that you can make it. Plus, we're doing away with the preregistration passcode this year, as we don't really feel it's necessary at this time.
Here's the registration link: http://thscc.com/general/info/calendar.php

A couple of important things to keep in mind:
-We'll be using the Golden Knights entrance but please tread lightly and stay away from the painted emblem adjacent to the hangar. This area is off limits because it's super important that we keep our rapport with the site owners that are kind enough to let us play.

-We'll most likely run the same fun, tried & true format we've done in years past: two short courses, one of which with the timer to help tune in your driving styles and equipment tweaks.

-Event Chairs. Maria & Kevin

-Bus Driver. James Short

-Gate Workers. Colin O'Connell & Cash Davidson

-Registration. Debbie O'Connell

-Setup Day Volunteers. We could use a few folks (Lemons folks welcome too) to help on Saturday with test course design.

-Annual Tech. If you plan to come out, please print the Annual Tech form found here: http://thscc.com/autocross/forms/axannualtech.pdf
This is one less thing you'll have to worry about on event days and makes the techs' job easier throughout the year.

-Participation. We'd love to have a good turnout, so spread the word to autocrossers that may be interested in coming out. Since this isn't really the ideal setup for first time autocrossers, we'd ask that a one event minimum is a good idea to keep things flowing.

-Facebook. It's a viable tool we're going to be using this a little more this year to increase awareness about our great events. Feel free to add suggestions on the wall or in this thread elements you'd like to see and our Event Chairs may incorporate these.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=19618301777

See you on Sunday hopefully!

Maria and Kevin are co-chairing.

Make sure your handbrake is working.

I was going to say this, but post it here. I won't be looking for it on facebook.

Also, is this going to be an actual test & tune, or is it going to be a practice session, like it usually ends up being? Or is that up to us? Because if we're going to call it a test & tune, I'd like to run it like one.

If you are referring to stuff like skid pads, they have always proven to be unpopular.

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'07, '08, '11 Autocross VP
'06, '10 Mike Dishman Cup
'21 MX5, '13 Corvette GS, '92 Corvette 383 c.i. 413whp/390wtq, '03 Expedition

Kevin, can you explain the difference?

In my mind a test and tune is more of a normal event that isn't limited to just a couple runs where you can drive some, not feel pressure to get back in line so you can mess with alignment, tire pressures, damper settings etc and then go drive some more and have a timed (albeit smaller course) to do so on. The non timed optional stuff is nice purely from a 'get back into the groove' type thing as it's hard to quantitatively learn/tune anything without times.

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2011/2012 Autox VP
2013/2014.5 President
2013 Top Gun

2015 Fit

22R-EC => 4G63 => D16Y7 + D16Y8 => EJ255 + K24Z2 => K20Z3 + K24Z2 => K24Z2 + M54 => L15B

I think Kevin is thinking about setting up elements that you can use to effectively tune the handling of your car. Skid pad, slalom, offsets, etc., all in individual stations.

The problem the club and other clubs have that is that very few people have cars they can "tune" in that manner, or better yet, care to. - AB

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'14 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD
Super Westerfield Bros - '93 Integra - LeChump Du Jour
STX 93 - Scion FR-S

What I mean is 4 or 5 runs on a long course isn't really conducive to test/tune/get trustworthy results. I would want a short, simple, timed course that I can get a lot of runs (like 15-20 at least) on. We could have one course with several elements, not several stations with one each, because if you're good enough to test & tune, you'll know by feel where you went faster and where you went slower, and you'd want your car to be balanced so that it handles a whole course, not just one thing at a time.

And if it's going to be a warm-up day instead of a test & tune, then I'm thinking it might be nice to include some optional elements that we've seen in the past, so people can use their options to possibly see which way really is faster. I'd want to do this by timing only the section of the course that this option affects.

I don't really care which way it is (t&t or fun runs/warm-up), I just want to know going into it.

Feel free to share your opinion on what you'd like to do, and remember that I'm only going to be there to turn tires into smoke, and to help the rest of you have fun and learn something. So I don't really care what we set up, as long as most of us go home happy.

Last year's T&T was set up like that...two short out n back type courses, one with sweepers, the other more slalom oriented. One was timed, the other not--and included some "optional" type things. I thought the T&T was time (and rubber/gas) well spent, but that may be me.

Sorry I can't make it this year...conflicting work and Y-guides schedule. See you in March.

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Steve Carter
1972 Datsun 240Z-- resto pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/srcartermd
2007 GPW Honda S2000-- STR 86

I liked last years setup.

There was a 25-29s timed course that was somewhat of an alpha shape so it began close to where it ended. On the other side of the runway was a 7-8 cone slalom with and interesting entry, followed by a few high speed c-box and half c-box elements with a turn around and come back.

Obviously it need not be the same thing, but I thought it was well setup.

_________________
2011/2012 Autox VP
2013/2014.5 President
2013 Top Gun

2015 Fit

22R-EC => 4G63 => D16Y7 + D16Y8 => EJ255 + K24Z2 => K20Z3 + K24Z2 => K24Z2 + M54 => L15B

...or know how to do it right. I fall into that category.

I liked last years setup.

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02 Focus SVT
STF 9

Yeah, tuning for me without timing doesn't work well because my fastest runs never 'feel' as fast as my numerically slower runs . When you drive the wrong line you can pull unnecessary G's I suppose . Or if you go wider and a few mph faster and still are slower due to the extra traversed distance etc.

_________________
2011/2012 Autox VP
2013/2014.5 President
2013 Top Gun

2015 Fit

22R-EC => 4G63 => D16Y7 + D16Y8 => EJ255 + K24Z2 => K20Z3 + K24Z2 => K24Z2 + M54 => L15B

So who wants to drive the bus?

Ummmm, you folks wanna start registering or something? 16 folks is going to be mighty thin at L'burg.

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02 Focus SVT
STF 9

To busy fixing broken cars to test and tune them.....

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Stephen Westerfield
2009 Infiniti M35 | 2007 Honda Fit Sport | 2005 Ford Mustang GT |2000 GMC Sierra |1992 Acura Integra LS | Super Westerfield Bros Acura Integra