"Gotta get yourself a fast car..."

Went to a PCA auto-x this weekend in my dad's Miata. Had the announcer use me as the example for how clean, smooth, fast lines are supposed to look. Even on full-tread RA-1s (the car is mostly a DD/Track car) I whupped almost everything there, including most of the purpose-prepped 914s. It took cars on real auto-x slicks to turn faster times.

So, I'd pull in and people (one in a turbo Carerra) would compliment my driving and tell me, "You're looking pretty good out there. Now all you need to do is get yourself a fast car... like a Porsche."

Dad and I just looked at them and said, "What are you talking about? I'm faster than most of the Porsches. And we could build 5 of these however the heck we wanted for the price of your car."

It was very satisfying.

Reply to those guys by saying, "That's a heckuva car, now all you need to do is get yourself a good driver.....like me."

There is something to be said for understanding the whole envelope. I, like you, learned to drive in horsepower "challenged" momentum cars... so it was a huge shock when I finally got in a car that could induce wheelspin exiting a 4th gear 120MPH sweeper... where you not only have to conserve momentum but have to modulate the throttle EVERYWHERE to keep it from trying to kill you.

I think people who never had to learn a momentum car are at a disadvantage because the opposite scenario is scarier to learn. I also think the HP challenged are a little quick to judge those who can't just open the throttle all-the-way right after every apex and expect the car to stick.

Long/short: You need an ACR Viper and they all need Miatas :)

Solve both issues start with a 1st gen RX7/Miata then add a LSx

yeah, I drove a viper at one of our autox races in STL in between driving my STS2 (at the time) miata.... definitely a different experience!

Salanis wrote: Went to a PCA auto-x this weekend in my dad's Miata. Had the announcer use me as the example for how clean, smooth, fast lines are *supposed* to look. Even on full-tread RA-1s (the car is mostly a DD/Track car) I whupped almost everything there, including most of the purpose-prepped 914s. It took cars on real auto-x slicks to turn faster times. So, I'd pull in and people (one in a turbo Carerra) would compliment my driving and tell me, "You're looking pretty good out there. Now all you need to do is get yourself a *fast* car... like a Porsche." Dad and I just looked at them and said, "What are you talking about? I'm *faster* than most of the Porsches. And we could build 5 of these however the heck we wanted for the price of your car." It was very satisfying.

I think you missed his point. He was saying that his wee-wee was still bigger than yours.

m

dammit keyboard number 5 this year

Salanis wrote: ... Dad and I just looked at them and said, "What are you talking about? I'm *faster* than most of the Porsches. And we could build 5 of these however the heck we wanted for the price of your car." It was very satisfying.

That's not the best way to get invited back. Maybe something like "I'll bet your car's a handful at autocross speeds. What sort of times are you able to turn?"

Besides, you're in a Miata on R compounds. You're supposed to be faster than most of them on a typical autocross course.

Yeah, but they don't know that.

Am I the only guy that says "I'd love to someday" ?

Autolex wrote: yeah, I drove a viper at one of our autox races in STL in between driving my STS2 (at the time) miata.... definitely a different experience!

Come to the dark side where there is always enough displacement to melt tires, we also have cookies..

I drove a GT2 (not mine) at an autocross once, the comments I got were "you can make a fast car look slow"

I think it is all relative and people will place whatever they are driving above whatever anyone else is driving, that is why they got what they got. Rationalization.

EricM wrote: I drove a GT2 (not mine) at an autocross once, the comments I got were "you can make a fast car look slow" I think it is all relative and people will place whatever they are driving above whatever anyone else is driving, that is why they got what they got. Rationalization.

I make my slow car look slow! And am always looking to drive someone else's car so I can make theirs look slow too!

The guy, although dickish, is right. A turbo Carrera is much faster than a Miata, but as you showed him, you're a hell of a lot quicker.

Salanis wrote: It was very satisfying.

I hear ya bro. Our local SCCA region holds autocross at least once a month, sometimes twice. The local PCA holds one 2 or 3 times a year. We all know how valuable seat time is, but these Porsche guys don't seem to get it.

Since they don't have the proper equipment to hold their own events, we co-sponsor the event by lending our timing trailer. cones, etc., in exchange for pizza and beer the evening before the event, when we set up the course.

One of the members, an old friend of mine, drives a Boxter. When I bested his time by 5 seconds, he remarked that he needed a faster car. At the next event, he showed up with a newer, more powerful Boxter. This time I beat him by only 3 seconds (on a ~60 second course).

Over the last several years, I have only been outrun by one Porsche: a trailered, gutted and caged 914-6. He got me by half a second, but my co-driver got past him while driving my car, so the car has never lost to a PCA driver, even though I have.. once.

The satisfying part? I drive a Neon. Really ticks them off.

He He He. I use to go to the test and tune session days up at NHIS. I was up at one with a friend of mine. He built 911's for the track for people and instructed the owners on driving them. The best day of my life was when after a session he came over to me and in a completely serious tone asked me if I could please not pass his clients (they were in 911's and I was in my 924s) as it was making his clients very upset that they were getting passed by a 924.

Proof positive that the amount of money you have and or the car that you drive does not dictate how good a driver you are.

The funnies was in that same session the Carlson's were testing there Volvo. Nothing like getting passed by a 240 that had the sheet metal from 4-5 different cars on it (all different colors) with open headers at full song in the south oval of NHIS. A humbling experience.

Or the time I was at a test and tune day and Bobby Rahal was testing a car as well. I was passes 3x on the same lap!!!!!!

If they have to make that kind of comment about how you drive and what you are driving it is proof positive that you are making them nervous.

Let's face it though, auto-x probably isn't the place where many of these cars are expected to be "very fast". Right? I mean, if 200ish whp cars are traction limited at an auto-x, then another 100+ hp (plus more weight, in most cases) wouldn't make it faster (?). I suspect that as speeds go up, the Porsches would start to shine...

(I am, for the moment, ignoring the "driver factor")

The satisfying part? I drive a Neon. *Really* ticks them off.

I used to get the same cheap thrills when driving my Escort GT. Boxster S owner: "You beat my time in what?

Actually, I also had the BMW and (on so-so street tires) it was about 2 seconds slower than the Miata.

Mostly, I just find it silly and a bit vexing to have people talk down about the car I was driving. I really enjoyed being able to turn their comments back on them.

Salanis wrote: Went to a PCA auto-x this weekend in my dad's Miata. Had the announcer use me as the example for how clean, smooth, fast lines are *supposed* to look. Even on full-tread RA-1s (the car is mostly a DD/Track car) I whupped almost everything there, including most of the purpose-prepped 914s. It took cars on real auto-x slicks to turn faster times. So, I'd pull in and people (one in a turbo Carerra) would compliment my driving and tell me, "You're looking pretty good out there. Now all you need to do is get yourself a *fast* car... like a Porsche." Dad and I just looked at them and said, "What are you talking about? I'm *faster* than most of the Porsches. And we could build 5 of these however the heck we wanted for the price of your car." It was very satisfying.

Boy was that the wrong answer. The correct response is to waffle around a bit and say things like, "gee, aw shucks, I dunno if I'd like it very much" and con the guy into letting you hoon on his GT3 RS for a few laps.

In reply to Salanis:

maybe it was more of a backhanded way of saying "hey, you're really quick, imagine what you could do if you could utilize all the forward traction from those r-comps"

I have a picture on my wall that shows me passing a 911 on the front straight with my ZX2/SR at Lime Rock. I'm sure he let me by, but it is a bragging point. Best one though is a Corvette getting the passing flag to let me by. And then, two different times the guy in charge says to me, "That car shouldn't be that fast". I just smile.

there is a driver with CCRSCCA that drives a Boxster and is in the running for FTD every time he runs (he also instructs with Evolution Driving School) but other than that I tend to outrun most Porsche's with my STS CRX... not all but often enough to be very satisfying

Jay wrote: Boy was that the wrong answer. The correct response is to waffle around a bit and say things like, "gee, aw shucks, I dunno if I'd like it very much" and con the guy into letting you hoon on his GT3 RS for a few laps.

Dang! I knew there was something I could have done better. Oh well, next time...

There's one nice guy with a Carerra turbo that I keep telling him he has positive camber up front, and he'd be way faster if he got a proper alignment on the car.

If I had to pick two different cars, they would likely be very different in temperament. I.e., not a Viper and a Vette, or a Miata and an MGB. Something from one end of the spectrum and the other car from the other end. Not necessarily in terms of weight and power; could be engine placement. But it would add a nice variety. Not that I would ever decline having a Viper and a Vette, or a Miata and an MGB