THSCC Forums

I got something for your angry mob right here!

Season points are up.

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The person with too many names...
Mary E./ME/Emmie Fisher/Daniel/Daniel-Fisher
(& some others not suitable for posting!).
Help support our habits; BUY http://virginiabreeze.us !

Awesome.. you guys rock!

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2001 Honda S2000 - SOLD
2012 Boss 302
2003 BMW 330i

But then, we've known that for years!

I just wish that there was a way to gain points for my runs in the Novice class. It seems that a year end Novice trophy would be nice especially if one started a season as a novice. I am sure the big fear is that by season's end there could be a handful of novices trouncing others in the NOV class.

However using me as an example (zips up flame suit), I happened to do pretty well as a novice and got bumped. So now there really is no way for me to compete for anything other than a pat on the back and a "good luck next season".

I think too that having a year end novice award, would be a nice carrot and encourage other novices to stick with it and compete for something with people at thier same level before getting thrown into thier respective open classes.

Again this is just one man's thoughts and ideas. Just curious what others thought and if this needs a dedicated thread, let me know and I can start it there.

Jeb,

I'm curious: Have you met anyone in ST that is not a NOV and have you ridden with them or got their input on the course prior to the event? The gain that I see is that you now run with faster people. Hopefully they will help you out and pull you along. Nov's typically hang with Nov's at events...and that's fine...but the experience of the people in the open class is hard to beat. So, by joining them you could be learning more and doing it more quickly.

I trophied out after my first event and was welcomed into AS by very helpful people. I was DFL for a bit but started doing OK after a few more events. I,m not sure if I would have progressed as much if I were competing with NOVs throughout the year. But, that's just my take from my experiences. Hopefully the crew in ST are as nice as the guys in AS were.

By the way, I see you periodically as I'm pulling out of the neighborhood next to your store on workday mornings.

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Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

Absolutley. I have had some great mentors at all of my events. Cosby, Chris Brown and this past Sunday, Richard Casto. I guess I am lucky in that I know a few people already in this club. At the same time I am not too shy or prideful to ask for help.

I can really see both sides, but as a newb, being able to compete for a trophy does hold some appeal I guess. It isn't the end all of it, but again something that might actually help out and prevent some attrition of Novices. I dunno I guess more than anything I was just thinking out loud (typing) to get others' takes on it.

I think I see you too in the mornings. I know Keith Q. lives nearby as well.

I'll take the bait. I started my "autocross career" by winning my first ever novice class at the Bomb Alley Grand Prix Yeah, you'll have to scroll through it to see my lame ass times, but I had a blast. See also the names in the back half -- they're frontrunners today. Actually, I was surprised at the names that were there and their former rides. Pretty cool.

Evidently I took to this diversion like Dr. Evil takes to sea bass with frickin lasers on their heads and did pretty well in open class the next year in STS. I had just purchased the Miata and was reluctant to run the Contour anymore when the coworker and then grand poobah Scott Johnson let me know how close I was between 3rd and 2nd in STS that year with one event to go. I'll never forget Richard Casto's look when he saw me roll up next to him in the pits that car instead of the Miata, and he proceeded to spin on more than one run knowing what was in stake -- whomever beat the other for that event took silver. No hate for RC; he is a good driver, but I was on a mission. For the silly amount of time and money that we spend on this sport, that little bit of "oh yeah" is worth more than dollars can spend. After that, at the Christmas party, I was honored with Rookie of the Year. Naturally, I was in the water closet losing some of the Anheuser-Busch weight that I brought in with a six pack, but that's another story.

Long story short, don't be afraid of the fast drivers in this club. They WILL force you to be faster. I've run with "slower" clubs (Tarheel is a FAST club; run with another and you'll see what I mean), and I'd rather be fourth in class with a top 12 raw than get a bogus trophy any day of the week. Embrace the challenge of faster drivers in your class -- it will force you to check your comfort limit at the door, push yourself and your car beyond what you thought that it would do and make yourself faster.

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Has no responsibility whatsoever.

Jeb, I think I've seen you before, but don't think I've met you. I'll assume that you're a nice guy, though. What your post leaves me wondering, and what others from novices over the past year have left me wondering, is "what's this obsession with trophies"?

Your first year, maybe your first 2, is a learning period. Use it as such, and work on your driving. Pick a mark, someone who's significantly (but not tremendously) faster than you and try to catch them over the course of a season. Ask other drivers for advice during free times in the pits, discuss techniques for features near you when you're working the course. Tag along with "expert" drivers during course walks. Take an Evolution school. Run other clubs events. If you ask the fastest drivers who run with this club, this is what almost all of them did to get that way.

IMO, Novice is a good idea to let people in and "get their feet wet" without being eaten by sharks. But giving it a season trophy over-emphasizes its importance. In 2 years you will not still place any value on your NOV trophies. If you do, then it'll most certainly mean you've stopped autocrossing.

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Carl Fisher

Be Cool to the Pizza Dude:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=4651531

I guess I can sum up the desire to trophy pretty easily. It adds a sense of validation to what we are doing. Heck if it wasn't important, I doubt anyone would even stick around at the end of the events to hear the "results"....

I defintily see my first year as a learning experience. I was a member for a year back in 97 or so and pretty much felt like an outsider and that there was noone there to teach me. Now, the club embraces novices. I feel like at this point, I know a lot of the basics. Now it is time to apply them and make myself better.

Hopefully I can dig this series of posts up in 2 years and just chuckle...

well Jeb, as a member of the only ever in the history of THSCC year long novive class, i feel your pain. i have a beautiful year end 9th place trophy for novice last year. i am glad to have it.

getting your ass kicked by this bunch is actually a badge of honor. i don't like it, but i respect it.

while i agree with Carl to a certain extent, everybody wants to finish ahead of somebody. and somebody ultimately finishes last. it takes as much if not more character to finish last on a regular basis as it does to trophy. personally, i would rather remember my firsts (experiences) fondly while i revel in my succsess. not that i have that good fortune just yet. natural talent is foreign and abhorrent to me.

maybe when you become president, you can lobby for year-long novice class to return.

Jeb,
I was in the year long novice class also, as was Gwen. and while the trophies really meant something to us at the time and the year end sixth place is a beautiful plaque, the rest of them( there are only a few) don't mean too much right now. Thats only one year ago. Constantly winning means you have no competition and thats not the way to get better. If you want trophies go run with other clubs, we do, and you'll be amazed at how fast you are. You may not trophy but in raw and pax times you'll move up. This is a fast club, I enjoy my HS class cause Mary is my goal. She's killin me right now as is David Teague but when she doesn't show for an event I run the vette in ASP, first place in a one car race is burning up rubber. You've obviously won in novice class or you wouldn't be in the classes now, so pick another club and try them on for size, and you'll be pleasantly surprized. And when you race with THSCC pick the brain of your competitors and use it to get better. And have fun, Don't let the urge for wood dampen a really good learning experience, and a good time. To some this sport comes naturally, others must work to get to the top and some of may work as hard as we can and never get to the top. The real reward in any journey to the top is not the final destination but the trip that gets you there, and the people you meet on the way...

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2004 C5(415whp,390ft/lbs),
1997C5,1997Trans Am, 1986 C4,
1990 Miata, 1976 MGB,1997 Protege, 1989 MR2

Lets approach this from a different angle and revisit what we learned last year with the year long novice class.

-With a year long novice class, some aspiring Novice WILL buy a set of R-comps. After he waxes the field of street tired vehicles, others will join him.

-Novices who start running 1/2 way thru the year can do a couple of things
-Screw up points races amongst Novices who started at teh first event
-Get disenfranchised by the R-comp running Novices
-Novices who cant/dont want to afford R-comps are in the same boat again

Or you run it like we have now...

Pick your poison...

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02 Focus SVT
STF 9

Thanks Wes. This made me remember my first event. Same year. But out at Laurinburg. Yes. That would be:

Adrenalin Antics
A Bowie Gray, Jr. and Thomas Lackey Production.

Going from the school's 13 second mini courses to the 1.25 mile test of noob, intestinal fortitude. . . good times.

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Not spectacular just decent.
I'm not sure what I'm driving.
Maybe an ITR in DS.
Or half-assed STX prepped 330.

all very true Ryan. i support the decision made regarding the change. just being foolishly nostalgic.

Thanks for the thoughts and perspectives guys. I am sure I will be tugging on some shirt sleeves at future events and asking "hey mister, can I ride along?"