SGT/SC#0471 Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I went to the novice school today!! As those who can remember from last August posts on the old site after getting my car July1st I am ssssooooooo freaking stoked on this car! I will post more after tomorrows event, today was the school and 9 trips around course and 1 with a very nice and national champion instructor. The SCCA had a great event and the people were top notch! I ran a 58.23 initially, then my instructor ran the car with me in it and got a 49.083 hitting one cone. I then saw the light....I got as fast as 50.694 no cones, and a 50.437 1 cone. Man I thought this car was fun before......I will save the praise, and spare you my drivel... these cars are very well liked by the autocross guys and two of them want one real bad. I now know why...unbelievable and very forgiving car!! I am trying for pics tomorrow. AWESOME!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsey Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I've got to ask, do you guys ever get nervous your going to wreck your cars? I really want to do this, but since it's my only car and DD I'm kinda nervous about a crash. I'll get to do the SRT track experience this fall with Chrysler's cars so I'll get to have some fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reino Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 I went to the novice school today!! As those who can remember from last August posts on the old site after getting my car July1st I am ssssooooooo freaking stoked on this car! I will post more after tomorrows event, today was the school and 9 trips around course and 1 with a very nice and national champion instructor. The SCCA had a great event and the people were top notch! I ran a 58.23 initially, then my instructor ran the car with me in it and got a 49.083 hitting one cone. I then saw the light....I got as fast as 50.694 no cones, and a 50.437 1 cone. Man I thought this car was fun before......I will save the praise, and spare you my drivel... these cars are very well liked by the autocross guys and two of them want one real bad. I now know why...unbelievable and very forgiving car!! I am trying for pics tomorrow. AWESOME!!! Do you still have stock brakes? If I remember right you havent changed them and if you didnt how did they stock hold up? Ive wanted to do this but am a little worried about the brakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timack Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 These cars are AWSOME in the curves...near a minute of adrenaline vs. seconds on the strip... Don't worry about spinning out, hit a cone or two, nothing hurt but your pride, you'll get over that! As for brakes, just be sure to idle around a bit to let them cool, don't park with warm brakes... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShowCar Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Good for you. Autocrossing is what these cars were built for. The brakes will be fine for cone racing, its when you hit them after a 110mph straight then turn is where they are HORRIBLE. Right after that session I upgraded to Hawk HPS PLUS and didnt look back. Now the Shelby will get the same brake pads before I do another school. Maybe cooling ducts too. Good luck and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Do you still have stock brakes? If I remember right you havent changed them and if you didnt how did they stock hold up? Ive wanted to do this but am a little worried about the brakes. Our stock brakes are not a concern when autocrossing...you're not going that fast, and not for very long...but track use, that's a different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reino Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Our stock brakes are not a concern when autocrossing...you're not going that fast, and not for very long...but track use, that's a different story. Cool, thanks but your not helping me justify new pads and ducts to the wife. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilmor Posted April 6, 2008 Report Share Posted April 6, 2008 Cool, thanks but your not helping me justify new pads and ducts to the wife. Well...umm...uhhhh..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Well today was WET dang! Still had a great time with alot of geat people, some of whom were there yesterday. And 1 V-6 Mustang! Traction was limited. The v-6 spun out. I hit no cones at all or gates but only ran as fast as 56.679. Track looks dry in the pics but it was wet and raining. I could not even sqeeze a little gas at my skill level. And spaced the track walk-had wrong order of business. Next time. I am not a wet weather limit tester...yet. Several others were, like the Lotus who slid sideways into a cone at speed and broke his plastic side grill. And the new vette who has ALOT of mud in his undercarriage after sliding and then braking in the mud/grass. Some other folks just had the skills and drove great in the rain!! Cool! All in good fun. Funny my first run in class yesterday was sketchy at 58.213 missing gates, hitting cones etc... and today I felt like I was crawling in the rain and got a 56.679. Funny about the brakes...I had about 3 people comment on how good the brakes worked when I jabbed them hard. They worked great for this. Kelsey do it man!! I was told and found my daily commute more dangerous than the event today. The people are very cool and man you will be shocked at how freaking fun it is. My off hwy adventures with this car was not well organized, this rules. The two cars that had big spin (loss of control off track) issues were not banged up at all. No dents. Drive where you are comfortable, thats what I did in the rain and hey it was still a kick! I also had alot of comments about the car being "high horsepower"....interesting. I also had alot of people comment on the flatness of the car in the curves. My biggest thing was how I really realized how totally easy it is to "save" a seriously (not street) very unskillful move with the car. I also learned some throttle modulation, but have a long ways to go. Balanced...key word and FUN! I might try leaving the TCS on if it rains next time. I was too excited to think of this at the time. Haha. Pics are not so hot but here they are. I could go on and on....bottom line...Super fun and my feelings about the performance and general vibe of this car is now multiplied...these cars rule! This car draws a crowd, even among the not so easily charmed! (but I already knew hat, I bought one haha) Rock On! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelsey Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I'm sold now, I've got to try this! Is there any website that I can go to to find the school you guys are doing? It'll be a good start until I get to the SRT experience where they let you drive a new viper on an autocross course! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT0701 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Congratulations! I'm with you, this is an awesome experience, made better by the car we have. Track days and auto crossing rule. I encourage any of you that get an opportunity to not pass it up. I agree on the brakes, it is one of my planned mods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboy Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I've got to ask, do you guys ever get nervous your going to wreck your cars? I really want to do this, but since it's my only car and DD I'm kinda nervous about a crash. I'll get to do the SRT track experience this fall with Chrysler's cars so I'll get to have some fun! where's the nearest place i can go to do autocross? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatboy Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Well today was WET dang! Still had a great time with alot of geat people, some of whom were there yesterday. And 1 V-6 Mustang! Traction was limited. The v-6 spun out. I hit no cones at all or gates but only ran as fast as 56.679. Track looks dry in the pics but it was wet and raining. I could not even sqeeze a little gas at my skill level. And spaced the track walk-had wrong order of business. Next time. I am not a wet weather limit tester...yet. Several others were, like the Lotus who slid sideways into a cone at speed and broke his plastic side grill. And the new vette who has ALOT of mud in his undercarriage after sliding and then braking in the mud/grass. Some other folks just had the skills and drove great in the rain!! Cool! All in good fun. Funny my first run in class yesterday was sketchy at 58.213 missing gates, hitting cones etc... and today I felt like I was crawling in the rain and got a 56.679. Funny about the brakes...I had about 3 people comment on how good the brakes worked when I jabbed them hard. They worked great for this. Kelsey do it man!! I was told and found my daily commute more dangerous than the event today. The people are very cool and man you will be shocked at how freaking fun it is. My off hwy adventures with this car was not well organized, this rules. The two cars that had big spin (loss of control off track) issues were not banged up at all. No dents. Drive where you are comfortable, thats what I did in the rain and hey it was still a kick! I also had alot of comments about the car being "high horsepower"....interesting. I also had alot of people comment on the flatness of the car in the curves. My biggest thing was how I really realized how totally easy it is to "save" a seriously (not street) very unskillful move with the car. I also learned some throttle modulation, but have a long ways to go. Balanced...key word and FUN! I might try leaving the TCS on if it rains next time. I was too excited to think of this at the time. Haha. Pics are not so hot but here they are. I could go on and on....bottom line...Super fun and my feelings about the performance and general vibe of this car is now multiplied...these cars rule! This car draws a crowd, even among the not so easily charmed! (but I already knew hat, I bought one haha) Rock On! i see a tiny white speck...where's your telephoto lense? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted April 7, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Yeah my wife has a crappy camera! She is afraid to autocross the car, and is more into 1/4 mile. I am building a car for that, if I ever get finished...Haha! I think you could google SCCA, your area and autocross and find something in your area. I got turned on by a Shelby forum member who is into it. The SGT is THE car to have for a class called F/Stock I believe. I am going to keep practicing... and I am going to the next event as a novice again. Some of these guys can really haul butt, cool to do and to attend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwhite1967 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 You Arkansas guys might be interested in hallettracing.net. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT0086 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 I went to the novice school today!! As those who can remember from last August posts on the old site after getting my car July1st I am ssssooooooo freaking stoked on this car! I will post more after tomorrows event, today was the school and 9 trips around course and 1 with a very nice and national champion instructor. The SCCA had a great event and the people were top notch! I ran a 58.23 initially, then my instructor ran the car with me in it and got a 49.083 hitting one cone. I then saw the light....I got as fast as 50.694 no cones, and a 50.437 1 cone. Man I thought this car was fun before......I will save the praise, and spare you my drivel... these cars are very well liked by the autocross guys and two of them want one real bad. I now know why...unbelievable and very forgiving car!! I am trying for pics tomorrow. AWESOME!!! I'm glad to hear that you attended the NWR SCCA Solo School and that you had a good time "exercising" your SGT. Apologies that I didn't make to the event on Sunday... running in the rain this early in the season really dampens my enthusiasm. I should be entering the remaining NWR SCCA Solo Events though, so I hope to see you at a future event... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT0086 Posted April 7, 2008 Report Share Posted April 7, 2008 Information about the Arkansas Region SCCA Autocross Schedule/Program can be found at: http://www.arscca.org/ Although depending on your location, an SCCA Regional Club in neighboring State might have events closer to your location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT1638 Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Information about the Arkansas Region SCCA Autocross Schedule/Program can be found at: http://www.arscca.org/ Although depending on your location, an SCCA Regional Club in neighboring State might have events closer to your location. If you are in the PNW, you can find info and contacts on Oregon Region SCCA Solo at: http://www.oregonscca.com/content/section/3/287/ You can find the SCCA Region closest to you from www.scca.com and track down the solo events and contacts from there. There are lots of groups to run solo with, but I have to recommend SCCA for obvious reasons (see avatar). Wrt the safety question raised above. Solo is generally very safe. You might spin off course, collect a cone in your undercarrige, get some mud in your wheels etc if way off course but the courses are designed so that when (not if) someone spins out, there's room to safely recover without bending sheetmetal or damaging people (only egos typically get hurt). It is not a wheel-to wheel, nose-to-tail, high speed on track event. Big parking lots with space to lay out a good course are best. I can't speak to/from insurance coverage angle, but if anything does happen you can always truthfully tell your insurance agent it happened in a parking lot Precise car control is much harder than it looks and very much more fun than anybody can tell you. The SGT is an excellent car at Solo events. Have fun out there. Todd 07SGT1638 and Oregon Region SCCA Road Race Director Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SGT/SC#0471 Posted April 8, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 I'm glad to hear that you attended the NWR SCCA Solo School and that you had a good time "exercising" your SGT. Apologies that I didn't make to the event on Sunday... running in the rain this early in the season really dampens my enthusiasm. I should be entering the remaining NWR SCCA Solo Events though, so I hope to see you at a future event... Rick I will be at all of them as well I hope. Thanks so much for the encouragement and the info. Several guys thought my car was yours at first. I look forward to meeting you in person, you got some very nice compliments from folks concerning you and your car. Right on! I had a blast! I could understand about the rain. I also joined the SCCA, at the Sunday event, and you were right the folks I met were first class all the way! Cheers! This forum really helps connect us all together...cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
07SGT0086 Posted April 8, 2008 Report Share Posted April 8, 2008 Rick I will be at all of them as well I hope. Thanks so much for the encouragement and the info. Several guys thought my car was yours at first. I look forward to meeting you in person, you got some very nice compliments from folks concerning you and your car. Right on! I had a blast! I could understand about the rain. I also joined the SCCA, at the Sunday event, and you were right the folks I met were first class all the way! Cheers!This forum really helps connect us all together...cool! No worries, I'm glad to hear that were able to get into the Autocross School and that you enjoyed your introduction to Autocross. And welcome to the SCCA as well... as you found out the the NW Region SCCA folks are good people. I look forward to meeting you at future events too... it would be great to see other SGT's come out to the local Autocross Events. The next NWR Autocross (Solo) Event is scheduled in Packwood, WA (see http://www.nwr-scca.org/solo/Schedule.asp for schedule & directions). Packwood is approx twice the travel distance when compared to Bremerton, but the site there is much better with a large open asphalt pad allowing for high speed sections and longer duration courses.... its worth the drive if you have the time. More later.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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