5-18-10.

Autocross is in full swing after my hiatus of a year or two.  Work stuff, car not ready, all sorts of things have been keeping me from it.  And I got a little burnt out too after the last seasons with the Miata.  I had been concentrating more on rallycross, which didn't materialize this past year due mainly to lack of snow.  And I also didn't pull off first for '07.  Ended up getting second place in season points for CSP two years running.  Not bad, but not first.

Anyway, I've started updating the site a hair, and here are some pictures from the first autocross event.  It went well, though I figured out I had unloaded my rear suspension with the removal of jack/tire/tools to the point that the rear was positive at static.  Didn't do too well with that.  Beat over half the field though, so not too bad a showing on cold race tires and a car set up more for rallying.  I've lowered the rear to correct the camber issue, should have better grip this next saturday.

There's a thread on ratsun.net here regarding that past autocross.  This time though, not only is the camber fixed; the 510 is also painted in Kubota orange.  She's all one color except the hood which will remain black for non-blinding purposes.

Results are here in raw time only.

 

6-22-07.

Wheeee!  The season is going pretty well so far.  I have a 1st, a 3rd, and a 1st for the first three events.  We lost our venue at Newport Cinemas, so we have been racing at Spokane Raceway Park.  The last event was a very fun, fast course, and it worked quite well.  Fortunately I got in the groove despite the day going crappy with timing issues up the wazzoo.  And besides getting first place, I was 7th overall, behind a lot of SM cars, which made me exceedingly happy.  Now I just need to repeat that for the rest of the season!  Easier said than done, but I'll give it a heck of a shot!

Here are few pictures from event 3:

 

These are overcooking the slalom entrance while still trying to make the turn-in.  Didn't work.  ;)

 

This was one of my later runs, note no smoking or cones being thrown.

 

10-13-06.  The Official Schedule and Results: http://www.autosportsnorthwest.org/schedule.html

The season is now over and Mia had a wonderful time.  The suspension clunks have seemed to disappear, so I can only assume it was the car getting settled into it's groove.  Also, we tightened the poop out of the alignment bolts as that was some of the noise. 

Octocross was this past weekend, and it was a blast, aside from running in the dark on Saturday and sacrificing some runs.  Sunday brought home the bacon with a 1st place for CSP, my second this season!  Better yet, the results left me with 2nd place overall for CSP class.  Next year, I'll have to beat the venerable Clay in his SRT-4 Neon. 

Results are in!  check them out here: 2006 Season Points.

Also, the ASNW gallery isn't working due to hackers, so I made this gallery for all the Octocross pictures: Octocross 2006 Gallery.

 

 

Did I mentioned it was freaking bitterly cold both days of Octocross this year? BRRR!

 

Here is a cockpit video of Mia taken by my dad at Newport Cinemas. This wasn't the fastest run, I think I stayed in first the entire time:  Right click and save target as, video is 129 mb!  http://www.mattalbertson.net/autocross5.avi

 

And here is actual proof of at least one 1st place this season.  However, I need to buckle down and get a few more.  I don't like third place.  On the plus side, it's better than 13th with the truck and 510!  ;)

 

I really do enjoy autocross.  If you like to drive fast and can't find a venue, (or keep getting pulled over by the cops) show up to one of the ASNW events.  The website is here: http://www.autosportsnorthwest.org

We are cone-dodgers.

You've probably seen us in the parking lot of Spokane Community College (our new, nicer pavement venue is the old Newport Cinemas) or out at Spokane Raceway Park.  This form of racing is one of the cheapest you'll find.  And really, it's an introduction to semi-professional racing.  The main idea is shorter courses with technical curves.  If you think you're fast, think again.  All the horsepower in the world doesn't make a bit of difference if you don't know how to drive.  This means not wasting time showboating around the corners.  With the recent drifting craze, you might think you can power slide it around and show everybody up.  The veterans and myself can assure you: drifting is fun, but not fast.  At least, not on pavement.  However, we have started holding drift competitions via ASNW since the sport is fun and emphasizes vehicle control.

This is me in the 510 before I reluctantly sold her. :(  Earlier this year. (2006)

 

This is my uncle Steve at Thunderhill Raceway in California.  Opposite is myself in the D21 race truck at SCC, 7-11-04.

 

If you do decide to show up to the events, SHOW UP EARLY!  There will be stricter control this year, because with the number of people last year, we were getting significantly behind due to stragglers.

First Event:  Post Falls Greyhound Park, 4-17-05

 

Spokane Raceway Park Oval Course, can't remember when.

 

Spokane Community College, 6-12-05.

 

The above pictures are during crappy weather.  Here's a nice sunny shot.  

July '04

 

Octocross '05.  Spokane Raceway Park.  Borrowed Dad's car, and got first place in GS at this event!  And I still haven't bothered to get my trophy, which I keep forgetting about.