[Shotimes] OT: Ebay discount coupons ...now SOLO

[Leigh Smith]

Well I too was a mid-packer for the first couple years of my driving. Then
something happened. I had a (lucky) abnormally good run one day, and a
national champion came over and befriended me, and shared some racing tips
and a co-drive with me. After that, I was hooked big time, and no longer
content to run mid-pack. I was fortunate enough to be able to run with the
front runners for quite a few years, and it sure was fun. I was able to do
it consistently in autocross and the Pro-Solo series, and on only one set of
very good tires a year. (About 400 auto-crosses with 100+ class wins). I
also ran a dozen track events and several driving schools. Every time I ran
a track event it was much more costly in terms of tire wear, to run the
right tire, and stay with the front runners. Track was a lot of fun, and the
adrenaline factor certainly went up a notch. But if I backed off and ran a
less aggressive tire, it messed up my feel for the "good" tires for several
races.
I just made a decision that I could afford to run with the front runners in
auto-cross, for the same amount I would spend running mid-pack at the track.
And I chose to run in front. I've got about 2 dozen FTD (Fastest Time of Day
Trophies that I'll always cherish, even though the car is long gone now, and
at 50+, I doubt if my reflexes are as good as they used to be. Jerry and I
set track records at the local Malibu Grand Prix that stood for 10 years. We
used that place for weekly driving practice. I could still run auto-cross or
track and be a mid-packer, but that lost it's thrill for me long ago.
Running a track event mid-pack is certainly fun and has a certain appeal to
it.
But I'll bet you noticed that there always seems to be a group of guys a
second faster than everyone else. It's not the car.
I'll make the offer that if any of you ever want some tips on what it would
take to make that last one second jump, to take the leap to be a front
runner, I'd be glad to share some tips. I'll pass along the secrets that
were passed to me. If you ever have another convention on the east coast,
I'd love to attend. Maybe I could help. Hmm - Isn't next year in Memphis?
Lee



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donald Mallinson" <dmall@mwonline.net>
To: <SHOtimes@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 11:32 PM
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] OT: Ebay discount coupons ...now SOLO


> If you are running the autocross versions of tires on the track, then
> that is your problem!  That is what your note  seemed to imply that.
>
> Most race tires come in both autocross and road race versions.  The Road
> race version is a bit harder, they take more time to come up to
> temperature.  Also, you don't really want autocross tires heat cycled,
> but it is almost a necessity for road racing.
>
> Don Mallinson
>
> Leigh Smith wrote:
>
> >Understood;
> >It's just that the group I ran with included 5 national champions, and we
> >all ran the fastest tires available. They do make a difference. Worth 1
to
> >maybe 2 seconds.  They would last from 10-20 autocrosses but go away in 2
or
> >3 track events.
> >But man were they great fun while they lasted!
> >BTW long lurid 4 wheel drifts are great fun! You should try it more
often!
> >Lee
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