Edit: Changed title to reflect where the discussion ended up going. I'm no longer looking for a Toledo codrive...

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I'm going to be on the east end of the country in the week before the Toledo Pro, so I figure it wouldn't be much of a stretch to drop into Toledo on my way back. My car will be resting comfortably at home 2300 miles away, though, so if I go, I'll need to borrow a ride.

Is anyone with a reasonably well-prepped car looking for a codriver? I'm willing to give you $200 for your trouble. If you're interested, please reply on this thread or PM me.

Thanks,
Stephen Hui

 

Pinging the thread once more before I broaden my search beyond B Stock...

 

Well, I was discussing sharing my ride with Joe Goeke and his wife. He seemed interested, but he has yet to respond to the message I sent him a week ago to reconfirm. If he doesn't pipe up soon I'll have a moderately prepped 8 there with a spot open, though on not-optimal tires ATM.

I'm going to the pro, since I'll be a short drive away for 2 weeks (Pennsic War starts the Friday of the toledo pro).

 

I think Joe's on vacation in Europe right now -- that's presumably why he's not responding. (He didn't respond to my mail either. ) I don't want to cut into line in front of him, but if he explicitly tells you that he's not interested, look me up.

Thanks!
Steve

 

One last bump...

 

No.. this is...

BUMP. (At least for now anyway)

 

I will be participating in my first autocross event (with any car) this Sunday, 7/17, at the Toledo Express Airport. It's hosted by the Northwestern Ohio Region SCCA. Is this the same event that you guys are talking about? So far I'm the only car pre-registered in B-stock class.

 

Nope. The event we're talking about is on Aug 5-7.. but at the same facility. If you have time, come by and check it out that weekend. You'll see some really fast drivers, and a different format of auto-x.

--kC

 

Cool, maybe I will. What do you mean by "a different format of auto-x"?

 

ProSolo is a different type of auto-x where theres 2 courses being run at the same time by competitors... and they're mirrors of each other. They line up against each other in front of a drag-light staging tree and then the lights go down, they go each doing their own side of the course.

When they finish, they switch over to the other side and go at it again.

You run 4 times sat morning, 4 times sat afternoon and 4 times sunday morning. Your best right side and best left times over the 12 runs are added together and that's your final time.

The class winners and those closest to the class winner go into what is called the Super Challenge Sunday afternoon which is a handicapped elmination. Round after round, the fastest win, and the losers go home packing. The challenge round is why most prosolo comeptitors participate... its a real ***** to the wall who's got it competition... and FUN.

--kC

 

It's all yours Steve. Anna and I are driving out!
---JHG

 

disagree, most competitors consider the Class competition to be the ticket with making the Challenge a nice bonus. Even the experienced Challenge competitors will tell you that winning is often as much luck as skill. Unfortunately the people running the program still don't get it, they keep trying to make it something it's not (like focusing emphasis on the Challenge) yet can't comprehend why it's not working ...

 

See.. I disagree with that. The challenge is what draws *me* and I know others feel the same. Yes, you must 1st win or at times place in the class to make it.

If I don't make it, I wasn't fast enough. I drive my best to *make* the challenge. If i win the class, even better.

I may very well be in the minority by thinking this way as I've only been doing it for 4 years... but that's my perception of it all, especially when $$ is on the line. I'm not minimizing the class competition by saying the above as that's a big part of it all and I love the class competition too, but getting INTO the challenge is a very difficult feat for some/many classes.

Making it into the challenge is a very big 'reward' to me for having driven my best in a very talented field of competitors, not just 'a bonus' or afterhtought for having done so.

--kC

 

that's only because you run in a competitive class, plenty of people make the Challenge with little or no real competition and then only run against their own time, that's part of the joke ...

 

If it's a joke, I don't get it. You have to have 5 cars in a class through bumping to elminiate this 'joke' from happening. If there's no competion then it's a shallow victory for the guy. How many people have made it to the top 4 who you have preceived in running in a class with 'little or no competition'?

IMHO, that cannot happen because they'll get beat by a better driver in the challenge.

--kC

 

Yeah, you dont get it.... There are always events that have a "class" of 5 cars but do not have the level of competition of the others. There are always "soft" classes at pros. Look at STX on the west coast. Sure there is always 5 cars or more. 9 times out of 10 the 2nd place car was some guy in an STS car. Now does that mean the guy that won STX was not driving 100%, maybe. Does that set him up with some sand, I think so. That happens all over the country in a number of classes.
I agree with Mark, I think the challenge sucks. I would much rather see a tour format where somehow you have to run two good days rather than two good runs. Now if you have a weather event the whole thing comes down to one day. Weather at a tour still means you have to be quick two days. If it was dry sat and you run good at a pro, then have rain sun you dont even need to bother with sun runs. Then on top of that take your rear drive car in the challenge on a dry index VS an AWD STX/ESP/SM car.
I will run the challenge if I get in except in KS, at that point it is just one more chance to break your ride before the big show.

 

I think many members more experienced than yourself would disagree ...

 

I'll agree here on some points. There's something frustrating about getting beat in the challenge and having your opponent meet you to shake hands and say, "Well done man, you forced me to break out." In Wendover I drove to a 0.2 or so lead on the first side and got completely obliterated on the other side. It was pretty obvious my competition took a few bags out of the trunk after our first run. I don't blame him at all, he's just playing by the rules.

I like Pros. I like having a shot Sunday morning to turn everything around, and having to show up Sunday morning even if you had a 1+ second lead on Saturday. This should mean a lot given my experience with Sunday mornings this year Go into day 2 at a Tour with a full second lead and you're pretty much on cruise. All of a sudden a two day event becomes a one day event and a few parade laps. How much pressure do you think Ron felt on day 2 at the Atwater Tour?

 

Maybe if they wouldn't run the same class together on Sat morn and afternoon and Sun morn then some sand could be avoided???. Try to avoid having cars that are in the same class running L/R at the same time. Run an HS car with a GS car. A DS'er with a CS'er or whatever. Luck of the draw for position. Still should get most classes on course within 20 minutes or less of each other.
I think that would alleviate some of the possible sand that seems to weigh some cars down.

No biggie though. I just don't do PRO's. Besides being "flawed"(challenge rounds/sand)imo, they are hard on clutches/trans etc and doing all of your runs in succession makes it "over" pretty fast for me.
I like to do a run and stop and think and get car ready for next time.

LOTS of people seem to like the PRO's though.

FM

 

I like the Pro's. I go to compete in my class and try and get into the challenge. The bonus challenge is even more fun than the super in my opinion though, but maybe thats just because I am slow.

 

You have some good points about the tours..... So I guess we all like pros, just not the challenge. So lets just chuck the challenge and go for more class runs. :D Or so the challenge does not take half the damn day up.... Just the top person in each class gets in.

 

We could have the best of both worlds. Keep Saturday Pros the same. For Sunday, do a new course and run it as if it was Saturday. Score it like a Tour. So it's essentially 4 courses (2 sets of mirror courses) with 4 shots at each course (2 morning, 2 afternoon). Combined fastest runs for each course wins. Talk about bang for your buck!

 

The Pro Solo National Tour Series? :p

 

I love the idea... However I am sure it would get killed by the natl office because of the amount of work.

 

No point in changing the course twice. Every time I have setup a course it has taken over 2 hours. Are you going to be the one to stick around and do that just to have a little different course the next day?