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I start from the begining.
According to earlier schadule Steve and I were supposed to meet at 5:30AM in Vancouver. So I meet up with him and guess what, he is got two radios so we can talk while driving. We leave Vancouver around 5:45AM and we had some breakfast at the first Denny's we saw on I-5. The trip down there was pretty fast since there was no traffic on the highway. We got to the event site around 8:45AM and all we see is a sea of import cars and couple of Corovettes.
First thing we try to find Mike Leuty and ask him how the registration and grid works. The setup was three different groups. Each group registers at different time during the day. Our registration was at 10-11 so we decided to change tires and head over to the side of the course to watch the cars run.
A background on "Enduro" racing for those who are not familiar with it. The course setup up is similar to any other Solo2 course. THe difference is each competitor goes on the course and runs 4 consecutive laps. The first lap is a warm-up lap and the time is not counted. The last three laps are timed and the best of the three is chosen.
First impression on our face was this course is scary. To give you an idea the site is Boing Plant parking lot with 5 or 6 huge lightpoles in the middle. There is bumps and off-cambers all over the place. After seeing couple of cars run, we figured it is a really fast course. It was so fast that some of the cars in the morning launched off one of the bumps and were in air for good 2sec or so. So after 10runs, they ended up changing the course a little bit to slow ppl down.
Fast-forwarding to 11AM we finished our registration and head down to the course to walk it couple of times. The course looked pretty open, but our fear again was the off-camber and the bumps all over the site. Also first time for both of us running on ashphalt didn't make things easier. after 3 times walking the course, we were sure we didn't have problems memorizing the course since it was designed very well.
Steve was running first and I was working. He was second car on the course. He comes out of the start line taking it easy since it was a practice lap and as soon as he goes by the first 180-turn, you hear his turbo spools on like crazy and the the nice roll of the "black-fridge" adds a nice view to the sound of turbo. He was pretty smooth through the course and each time around, you could tell he was getting tighter and faster. He ended up with a best time of 47.1 and he had a 46.xx with 1cone unfortunately. Considering the fastest times of the day was around 41sec, he did a really nice job.
Walking back from the workers station, I was pretty nervous and excited at the same time. I had this feeling in my stomach that I never felt b4. I guess inside I still had a fear of the course. Sitting in the grid, I found out that my only opponent is a really nice red miata which is turbocharged and is running 5PSI boost. That even pumped me up more and we are both talking on how each person is better than the other and we are getting pumped up.
Finally came my turn and i slowly pull up to the line. I see on my left side Mike Leuty standing beside the start line and he gives me a thumbs up and tells me that it's about time. I had butterflies in my stomach feeling like I am on a rollercoaster and it is reaching the very top and it will drop down anytime. I get the start signal and I dump the clutch. I get a small wheel spin and I remember IT'S ASHPHALT. Go through the first gate I figured out there is more grip on the course than i expected from the pavement. So I push out hard to the first 180-turn. I brake too late and the car oversteer. I let the car balances and back on the gas I go through the first slalom and I notice that it's really open and have a note in my mind for the second time around. The sweeper was really nice and it was the biggest radius I've ever seen on a turn in my limited autox experience.
I go through the last slalom on the end of the course and get ready for the 1st timed lap. Through the lights, car comes out screaming towards the 180-turn and I remember that it's pretty tight, I brake early and get the ready for the slalom. The car lines up perfect and I shout through the slalom. While I am in the middle of slalom I notice this big jump and my car is almost air-born through the first cone and the car settles down at exactly the right time to make the second slalom. I was so excited; words can't describe it. Same thing happend in the slalom right after the sweeper.
I think my fear of the off-cambers and bumps was almost gone by this point, so I push the car harder coming towards the 2nd timed lap. I get the same air-born feel right b4 the slalom and I lined up perfectly for the coming gate. go through the course for the third timed lap and I see the sign to exit the course. I slow down right after the finish light and drive slowly out of the course.
There was something different after I ran this course. I get out of my car after parking it in the pits and I'm a shaking like crazy. I couldn't control myself. I wanted to scream so loud
. I start walking toward the spectator area totally shocked and the first person I notice is Mike. I started talking to him and he totally noticed that I was really excited. I told him that this course without a doubt is THE BEST COURSE I have ever ran.
My best time end up being a 46.7 which was 2sec slower than the Turbocharged Miata. But I didn't care too much since I had one of the best runs I've ever had.
So I kinda wondered around for an hour or so still in shock waiting for Steve to finish his work assignment. We both agreed that this course was one of the best courses we've ever ran.
We started changing our tires back we just noticed that it's 3:40PM. We both lost track of time b/c we had so much fun. We both went and thanked Mike and left the site around 5PM and head down towards Vancouver after we had some lunch. WE got to the border around 7PM and there was a huge lineup which we were stuck at for good hour or so. I got home around 9PM and couldn't resist writing this b4 going to sleep.
It's like I saw the light and I have a different feeling about autoxing now. It's not about just winning a trophy no more. It's about having fun and learning a big deal from it.
Definitely one of the best experiences I've had in my life and today is a day I will not forget ever.
Thanks to Steve Kibble, Mike Leuty and all the members of WWSCC and Everett Boing Car Club for giving me the experience of a life-time.
Omid
According to earlier schadule Steve and I were supposed to meet at 5:30AM in Vancouver. So I meet up with him and guess what, he is got two radios so we can talk while driving. We leave Vancouver around 5:45AM and we had some breakfast at the first Denny's we saw on I-5. The trip down there was pretty fast since there was no traffic on the highway. We got to the event site around 8:45AM and all we see is a sea of import cars and couple of Corovettes.
First thing we try to find Mike Leuty and ask him how the registration and grid works. The setup was three different groups. Each group registers at different time during the day. Our registration was at 10-11 so we decided to change tires and head over to the side of the course to watch the cars run.
A background on "Enduro" racing for those who are not familiar with it. The course setup up is similar to any other Solo2 course. THe difference is each competitor goes on the course and runs 4 consecutive laps. The first lap is a warm-up lap and the time is not counted. The last three laps are timed and the best of the three is chosen.
First impression on our face was this course is scary. To give you an idea the site is Boing Plant parking lot with 5 or 6 huge lightpoles in the middle. There is bumps and off-cambers all over the place. After seeing couple of cars run, we figured it is a really fast course. It was so fast that some of the cars in the morning launched off one of the bumps and were in air for good 2sec or so. So after 10runs, they ended up changing the course a little bit to slow ppl down.
Fast-forwarding to 11AM we finished our registration and head down to the course to walk it couple of times. The course looked pretty open, but our fear again was the off-camber and the bumps all over the site. Also first time for both of us running on ashphalt didn't make things easier. after 3 times walking the course, we were sure we didn't have problems memorizing the course since it was designed very well.
Steve was running first and I was working. He was second car on the course. He comes out of the start line taking it easy since it was a practice lap and as soon as he goes by the first 180-turn, you hear his turbo spools on like crazy and the the nice roll of the "black-fridge" adds a nice view to the sound of turbo. He was pretty smooth through the course and each time around, you could tell he was getting tighter and faster. He ended up with a best time of 47.1 and he had a 46.xx with 1cone unfortunately. Considering the fastest times of the day was around 41sec, he did a really nice job.
Walking back from the workers station, I was pretty nervous and excited at the same time. I had this feeling in my stomach that I never felt b4. I guess inside I still had a fear of the course. Sitting in the grid, I found out that my only opponent is a really nice red miata which is turbocharged and is running 5PSI boost. That even pumped me up more and we are both talking on how each person is better than the other and we are getting pumped up.
Finally came my turn and i slowly pull up to the line. I see on my left side Mike Leuty standing beside the start line and he gives me a thumbs up and tells me that it's about time. I had butterflies in my stomach feeling like I am on a rollercoaster and it is reaching the very top and it will drop down anytime. I get the start signal and I dump the clutch. I get a small wheel spin and I remember IT'S ASHPHALT. Go through the first gate I figured out there is more grip on the course than i expected from the pavement. So I push out hard to the first 180-turn. I brake too late and the car oversteer. I let the car balances and back on the gas I go through the first slalom and I notice that it's really open and have a note in my mind for the second time around. The sweeper was really nice and it was the biggest radius I've ever seen on a turn in my limited autox experience.
I go through the last slalom on the end of the course and get ready for the 1st timed lap. Through the lights, car comes out screaming towards the 180-turn and I remember that it's pretty tight, I brake early and get the ready for the slalom. The car lines up perfect and I shout through the slalom. While I am in the middle of slalom I notice this big jump and my car is almost air-born through the first cone and the car settles down at exactly the right time to make the second slalom. I was so excited; words can't describe it. Same thing happend in the slalom right after the sweeper.
I think my fear of the off-cambers and bumps was almost gone by this point, so I push the car harder coming towards the 2nd timed lap. I get the same air-born feel right b4 the slalom and I lined up perfectly for the coming gate. go through the course for the third timed lap and I see the sign to exit the course. I slow down right after the finish light and drive slowly out of the course.
There was something different after I ran this course. I get out of my car after parking it in the pits and I'm a shaking like crazy. I couldn't control myself. I wanted to scream so loud
. I start walking toward the spectator area totally shocked and the first person I notice is Mike. I started talking to him and he totally noticed that I was really excited. I told him that this course without a doubt is THE BEST COURSE I have ever ran.My best time end up being a 46.7 which was 2sec slower than the Turbocharged Miata. But I didn't care too much since I had one of the best runs I've ever had.
So I kinda wondered around for an hour or so still in shock waiting for Steve to finish his work assignment. We both agreed that this course was one of the best courses we've ever ran.
We started changing our tires back we just noticed that it's 3:40PM. We both lost track of time b/c we had so much fun. We both went and thanked Mike and left the site around 5PM and head down towards Vancouver after we had some lunch. WE got to the border around 7PM and there was a huge lineup which we were stuck at for good hour or so. I got home around 9PM and couldn't resist writing this b4 going to sleep.
It's like I saw the light and I have a different feeling about autoxing now. It's not about just winning a trophy no more. It's about having fun and learning a big deal from it.
Definitely one of the best experiences I've had in my life and today is a day I will not forget ever.
Thanks to Steve Kibble, Mike Leuty and all the members of WWSCC and Everett Boing Car Club for giving me the experience of a life-time.
Omid
, none of Steve 
, none of the leaping Corvettes 
.
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