Thanks for a GREAT Novice School

RobLupella · **Posted:** Mon Apr 25, 2016 8:59 pm

The annual THSCC Novice school was a big success. We had over 40 Novices show up to get skoolin' in the fine art of Autocross. All of them did a great job. We had great weather, and a bunch of impressive students. Rob Keehner and Talya Dressler designed two challenging courses that were both fun and instructional.

I also want to thank all the instructors who gave their time to help the novices improve and spent many an hour sitting in the cars making sure that everyone got better.

All of this instruction translated into some impressive results the next day at the event. We had 27 Novice entries, most of whom got skooled the day before. I saw some marked improvement in their driving.

So a big shout out to Students, Instructors, and Staff who helped put the school together. I'm really looking forward to next year's class!!

BriceJohnson · **Joined:** Thu Apr 13, 2006 7:33 am **Posts:** 2230

A very well run event. 5 runs, done before 5 for 100+ cars. Great course design, high speeds, some tough elements to really push you as well. The turnaround at the end of the runway was really tricky. I still am not sure if downshifting was the right move for me or not there, but apparently what I did worked ok. It was super fun to drive the mini again after 2+ years. Its certainly different than the Miata. Lots of power, gobs of torque, but you have to wait until a LOT later to get on the gas.

Matthew Ryan · **Posted:** Tue Apr 26, 2016 9:18 pm

I loved the school, the seat time helps a lot and no stress about clock or cone penalties so you can focus on improving I finally figured out how to trailbrake the mini and not push & understeer all through the corner. Sunday I had much less drama on the hairpin turn arounds but I cone choked on the slaloms again

Michael Byrne · **Joined:** Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:37 pm **Posts:** 20

Really enjoyed it; can't thank you enough. Special thanks to my instructor Rob L.

Michael

Michael Byrne · **Joined:** Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:37 pm **Posts:** 20

Matthew Ryan wrote:

I loved the school, the seat time helps a lot and no stress about clock or cone penalties so you can focus on improving I finally figured out how to trailbrake the mini and not push & understeer all through the corner. Sunday I had much less drama on the hairpin turn arounds but I cone choked on the slaloms again

Tell me about it! It appears that a cone penalty on the second slalom was the difference between my finishing 13th and finishing 8th.

The takeaway, I guess, is: "Don't hit a cone."

RobLupella · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2016 12:33 pm

those slaloms were difficult to keep patience on. It was really difficult to not get behind and the either try to "catch up" or not give up enough speed/cone distance to not hit one. The whole course pretty much rewarded patience. Watch Carlton or Andrew's videos and their hands and you will see how smooth they are while still having quick hands to get through. I do find it informative that Andrew didn't shift for the first pivot. I understand the second, but I wish I had thought to try that......

Chad Culbertson · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2016 2:13 pm

RobLupella wrote:

those slaloms were difficult to keep patience on. It was really difficult to not get behind and the either try to "catch up" or not give up enough speed/cone distance to not hit one. The whole course pretty much rewarded patience. Watch Carlton or Andrew's videos and their hands and you will see how smooth they are while still having quick hands to get through. I do find it informative that Andrew didn't shift for the first pivot. I understand the second, but I wish I had thought to try that......

Watch my video if you want to see how not to do it, lol.

I get late in the first slalom and make it sloppy, and pickup a cone on the way back I think. Back slalom I turned in too early and got one with the front tire and/or didn't carry enough speed to push the car further out. This run cost me 2 cones but was my fastest of the day, if I just had a little more patience I could have cleaned it up and made the run even quicker. As it was it was a 58.8 something.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MhdQ7G5Cwv0

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

RobLupella wrote:

those slaloms were difficult to keep patience on. It was really difficult to not get behind and the either try to "catch up" or not give up enough speed/cone distance to not hit one. The whole course pretty much rewarded patience. Watch Carlton or Andrew's videos and their hands and you will see how smooth they are while still having quick hands to get through. I do find it informative that Andrew didn't shift for the first pivot. I understand the second, but I wish I had thought to try that......

I have a GoPro again, so I'll post up my video(s) tonight.

The one thing I harped on last weekend was turnaround/pivot cone elements: you can never gain time there, you can only lose time. If it feels painfully slow, you're doing it right.

e: now with bad video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXFvyHb ... e=youtu.be

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2016 4:36 pm

It was a great course, definitely a challenge to drive well.

Interestingly, in my fastest (but dirty) 56.0 run I was slower through the first pivot by 0.2 secs vs my overall slower 56.7 run because I got on the brakes too soon and for too long of a distance (you CAN overslow a pivot, apparently). I got 0.4s faster on the 56.0 run (now 0.2 overall faster) by being a bit more aggressive on the return slalom, and a tenth faster on the 56.0 run by keeping a tight line through the sweeper. Too wide of an entry into the diagonal slalom on the slow run made that one a tenth slower. On the faster run I shaved nearly 0.5 secs after the second pivot by being on the gas earlier with a tighter line instead of letting the car push wider to the right-hand cone of the first gate.

...And then Coasty McCoasterson appears. :stick:

I swear I thought I was more aggressive on throttle through those transitions but from the exhaust noise you can tell I am not and I don't commit until too late coming into the finish. I think if the stars aligned I could have hit mid-55s but no better. No idea how the X-class does it-- so impressive to watch.

edit: for fun I calculated my theoretical fastest slalom pace, assuming 1.2 lateral G and came up with ~0.89 sec/slalom. I was 0.95 on the way out and 0.9/cone on the way back. Interesting. Will keep tabs on that to see how accurate it holds. The diagonal slalom was a throwaway because of the hard braking right hand pivot at the end made it a non-steady state slalom.

Faster run is on top.
https://youtu.be/b9GXyZRA8xI

Chad Culbertson · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2016 8:39 pm

I had in my mind thinking I could keep the throttle down through the sweeper but I really should have not tried that since it wound up just pushing really wide. I did get a couple runs where I got the entry much better but then started feeding more throttle and pushing wide again and would throttle steer the car a bit but still running wide.

Also a good point on the turn arounds, I should have done them much slower. It's always funny to think after watching my videos how much time I really left out there.

Rob Keehner · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:30 pm

https://youtu.be/i36-jZJteUs

Here's a 57.7 from HS with a passenger.

I'm trying to figure out how to get the graphs from our surveys for everyone to see. However, we learned a good deal from them. Bart Craig wrote them for us. So thanks to him for that and instructing.

Mary Johnson was a lifesaver bringing some hard core logistical assistance when we needed it most. She should be heel of the month for it.

Thanks so much to everyone who came out to ride along and coach. You all did fantastic.

Rob Keehner · **Posted:** Wed Apr 27, 2016 9:45 pm

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1B_Xucw ... #responses

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fxoJD7 ... #responses

Here are the survey results. Makes me think we could do an intermediate school.

Andrew Jonell · **Joined:** Mon Mar 23, 2009 6:43 pm **Posts:** 1350

Or have two annual Test and Tune events. It's been a while since we've had one, right?

e: Rob, the second link isn't working. It might just be a mobile issue, but I didn't see any results/graphs from the survey.

Steven Carter · **Posted:** Thu Apr 28, 2016 10:25 am

Andrew Jonell wrote:

Or have two annual Test and Tune events. It's been a while since we've had one, right?

e: Rob, the second link isn't working. It might just be a mobile issue, but I didn't see any results/graphs from the survey.

"A while" = a long long long time. Great idea. As I understand it, we rent Danville for the whole weekend right? If that is true, why not have a TnT course set up and run by the drivers in attendance on Saturday, limit to say 40-50 drivers (2 heats, THSCC members only) at $25-30 each then have a few stay to help out with course setup for the Sunday competition event after the TnT finishes up around 2pm? More experience for those who drive, club gets more revenue to offset site rental, and there is built in setup help for the next day--could be a winner.

The only way to stop getting crushed at NCAC is to open up more practice opportunities for our aspiring drivers. This could be a big help.

Michael Byrne · **Joined:** Mon Mar 21, 2016 12:37 pm **Posts:** 20

Rob Keehner wrote:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1B_Xucw35bJil8ryNkebJ7RzAbSiOGomJvofgGtFUzpM/edit?usp=sharing_eid&ts=571e6dd5#responses

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1fxoJD7 ... #responses

Here are the survey results. Makes me think we could do an intermediate school.

That would be great if you did.

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Thanks for a GREAT Novice School

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