First AutoX event!!!

So like...

This past Sunday, I hit up an AutoX event (which I believe was in Dothan, AL) with two good friends of mine. I didn't know what to expect so I just sort of went with the punches.

So we got there, and at first there was only maybe 4 other vehicles aside from our own and I'm like "Dude, are you fuckin kidding me? I drove 2 hours for this?!" but it was still early. We got there about 9:45am and by the time 11am rolled around there was a good number of people.. prolly close to 60+ cars. I know other autoX events have more, but this was a good turnout for my first time and I had a BLAST.

I took the BMW out there and ended up running in A-S class. Since I've never done anything like that before, I actually had a few guys offer to ride with me throughout my first few runs. (These are guys that have been doing it for a long time. Not randomites.)

I shaved off 29 seconds from my very first run (which I was pretty much put putting around through so I could get used to the course) to my very last run which I ran the entire course in 70 seconds (it was like 70.463 or something) Some of the other guys were running the course in 54 seconds but I think the good times were around 60 seconds or so with averages of 64-65. I'm not real sure. But I do know that for my first time out, I did REALLY good..

Not once did I hit a cone or spin out (kinda hard to do that in that car, anyway) but I jumped in, tackled that shit and I'm addicted. it's definitely something I'll do again. That and next time I hit up an AutoX event, I'll do a shit-ton better since I'm more familiar with reading cones and have a bit mor confidence when I run again.

My friend has videos, I will post them up when I get them. ;D

Autocross is definately fun, I use to years ago at Bronson Field, its definately addicting, and a whole lot of fun. Glad you had fun, its definately something everyone should get involved in because it improves your driving skills.

I miss going out to Bronson Field ... we haven't had an Auto X here in years

A few miles west of pensacola off of 98, a shame, the place is used as a land fill now

It's a former military airfield , then it has been used as a staging area for Hurricane Ivan debris ... it's clearing out now though , the military still has an awesome Campground and Boat Launch / Fishing / Boating area too , with pavilions , grills , volleyball nets , etc. ... there is also a General Store there for the Campers ... the reason Auto-X was banned from there was idiots doing burnouts , and trying to Drift outside the Race Course areas ... damn kids

Is the debri from Ivan nearly gone?, it would sure be nice if the SCCA came back with events, I miss going out there every month

Pourman wrote:

It's a former military airfield , then it has been used as a staging area for Hurricane Ivan debris ... it's clearing out now though , the military still has an awesome Campground and Boat Launch / Fishing / Boating area too , with pavilions , grills , volleyball nets , etc. ... there is also a General Store there for the Campers ... the reason Auto-X was banned from there was idiots doing burnouts , and trying to Drift outside the Race Course areas ... damn kids

Augh!! Gay!!!!

This place is filled with too many ricers!!! We need to beat them all down with tire irons ;D

It's been so long now , I don't remember the guys name that ran the local SCCA chapter ... Danny from Fighters would know , as I'm sure some others from the old days ... there was talk of using Wolf Field over in Lillian , but that got 86ed too

Sunny South Raceway does auto-x events. It is in Alabama, decently close to Pensacola. Im not exactly sure where.

This is a good place to get some good info...

http://www.gulfcoastregionscca.org/ is the main site.

http://gulfcoastregion.proboards45.com/index.cgi is the forum they have there.

The next upcoming event is February 24th 2008.

I know last year they were holding monthly scca dinner meetings at Cock of The Walk. I think they have a new spot for this year, I don't know what it is though...you could find out on the site.

Valhalla had an event at the Pensacola Fairgrounds last Summer ... don't think anything is even tentatively planned for this season yet at all

Thanks for the site, funny they still got everyones times from old events, I'm in there a few times, hopefully when I get my car done, there will be some events, because I will be all over that.

http://www.scca.com/ ... Join for access and discounts all over the region

Pourman wrote:

Valhalla had an event at the Pensacola Fairgrounds last Summer ... don't think anything is even tentatively planned for this season yet at all

Not around here that I know of. They do have a schedule posted on the site I listed above for events at Sunny Southern Speedway. Though, I did just put up a post in their forum asking if there was anything planned for the P-cola area. Their forum isn't exactly jumpin though.

Pourman wrote:

It's been so long now , I don't remember the guys name that ran the local SCCA chapter ... Danny from Fighters would know , as I'm sure some others from the old days ... there was talk of using Wolf Field over in Lillian , but that got 86ed too

Is it Allen by any chance?

Doesn't ring a bell ... I looked at that schedule too , are ALL the events on that calender for that raceway ?? ... it's not really that far away ... I drive to Mobile and Biloxi pretty frequently anyway , never knew that was even there

I think they are all there but I am not sure.

Dont do autocrosses. Its only for grocery getters and soccer mom vans. Thats only for people who dont have the $ to put big HP in their car and go in straight lines at drag strips for 10-12 seconds........


Na, I miss Bronson as well, those were some of the golden days of the GCR and where i got my start in auto-x back in 2000. Actually Bronson is now being turned into a parachute jump school for the Navy and Air Force to train on. All the old runways and tarmac are being torn up or have already been torn up. If you look at a recent satelite shot on google maps, you can see how much they've torn up.

We knew that was gonna happen before Ivan hit. Ivan just sped up the process of us loosing it.

Since then we've looked all around for new sites and didnt have much success. We talked about the pensacola fairgrounds, but the pavement we felt just was sturdy enough to handle a big autocross. This could be seen at the 2 Valhalla events held there as large chunks of the pavement were being torn up as cars made their passes.

Luckily the owner of Sunny South Raceway over in Grand Bay offered to let us run in his paved paddock area to his track. Its not exactly near the speeds we used to get at Bronson, but the tight technical aspects of the courses I design there really help you sharpen your skills for the bigger events as I like to emphasize all aspects of car control.

Also dont forget to note that in June, July, and August we will be having our autocrosses on Saturday night under the lights of the parking lot at Sunny South. Not many places in the country you can go to to do a nighttime autox. Closest being Atlanta.

Good stuff. You joined! Good to see you here man.

definitely a fun time.....but cars take a beatin.....use to run auto-x all the time, and after every event either something breaks or wore out.....remember crackin my rotors from over heating them....notheless great time....

asuaruto~tenshi wrote:

This place is filled with too many ricers!!! We need to beat them all down with tire irons ;D

Pure Genius!

ohmigoshness!

Thank you guys so much! I'm totally all over this!!!!

Hopefully I will see some of you at these events, yes? ;D

Well, I'm always at the events at Sunny South. Guess it has something to do with the fact I set up registration and sanctioning, design and setup the courses, and do most of the timing of the event. So yeah, you'll probably see me there.