Originally Posted by Stielow (Post 303370)

Well I did my first SCCA AutoX today in 15 years. It was just liked I remembered. Due to the fact I haven’t been to a Detroit Region SCCA AutoX in a long time I sent the “Director” of AutoXs an email as to what I should do. He said you HAVE to be there before 8:00 to get teched and the first car would be on track at 9:00. OK! I got up at 6:30 this morning got ready and hit the road in my car with visions of cones in my head. I got to the parking lot at 7:45 sharp to see 6 other cars in the parking lot? OK so now I’m here let’s get teched. Some old guy looked at my car for 30 seconds and put a green dot on the windshield and a sticker on my helmet. OK now it is 8:00 LET’s GO because I’m excited. Not so fast you need to go register. OK LET’s GO. I went over and stood in line. When I got to the front of the line the grumpy SCCA lady said I need to see your SCCA card. I said well I registered on line and I didn’t bring it with me. Well after some phone calls I got my number and I was READY to go. At 9:30 we got to walk the parking lot. We walked the lot until 11:00. Alright NOW I’M ready to go. “Not so fast you are in the second run group so you need to work the “Course” as a cone chaser”. OK LET’S GO. I stood in the middle of a parking lot in full sun for 2 ½ hours in 95 degree heat. So when I finished my worker session I got to RACE……I belted in my car sunscreen in my eyes and sweat beading up on my sunburned face. I lined up and launched my car I ran up through first gear….wait….I stayed in first gear for the whole lap. OK I still have visions of cones in my head and I think I can go a little faster. 38.6 seconds later I did go faster……Yeeeehaaaa.
So, for sweating my butt off I got 5 – 38 second laps in a parking lot in Detroit. So for my $25 entry fee I got 3.2 minutes of track time. Or it cost me $7.81 a minute for “track” time. I can go to my local track and run a track event for $200 for 4 – 20 minute sessions. So that is $2.50 dollars a minute for track time and I DON’T HAVE TO STAND IN THE SUN. Humm.. so Auto crossing is cheaper?

As I drove home past all the blight in Detroit with my A/C blowing ice cold on my sun burned face I had a chance to reflect on the day……I still think this sport of ours has a place in it for everyone. If you do something and you like it keep doing it. If you don’t then stop. We all got into this to have fun. I’m going to stick to open track events and the muscle car shoot outs and suck it up during the AutoXs.

I get it. I understand AutoXing. It is just not my cup of tea…..


Check out my fancy numbers.

https://i439.photobucket.com/albums/...l/DSC_3148.jpg

Originally Posted by mpozziCPL (Post 304109)

Mark ... if you eat enough brussels sprouts, you WILL learn to like them!!! :thumbsup:

And you did an outstanding job with the painter's tape as those numbers don't look bad at all!! Can't believe the event didn't get underway until 11AM and you worked course for that long?? Wow ...

Cheers,
Mary P.

Originally Posted by Stielow (Post 304119)

Mary

My skills with painters tape are strong. No expense spaired :unibrow:

Well the first run group had 55 drivers that all ran 5 times so let's assume 30 seconds a run. That is 2 hours and 17 minutes. So my 2 ½ hour working the cones was a close estimate but it felt longer.

Undeterred my buddy talked me into trying the Corvette club AutoX in a couple weekend. He said they run a better program. So if you don't like brussels sprouts try lima beans.

I'm also doing an AutoX at the LS Fest next weekend. Good practice for Optima because they have the stop box deal.

Looks like the AutoXs you do out West are better than our stuff here in MI.

Mark

Originally Posted by mpozziCPL (Post 304204)

Yes, our autocrosses are pretty fast and some are third-gear courses. Very fun. You'll probably like the Corvette event a lot better if they set up their courses for that type of car.

Hate those stop boxes ... and lima beans, too.

Cheers,
Mary

Originally Posted by Stielow (Post 304129)

I'm going to assume it is the cover for Nov. But you never know with magazines. :willy:

When I get it in my mail box I'll know for sure...:cheers:



http://i439.photobucket.com/albums/q...romo-11-10.jpg


Too bad my car broke down there. But, Mike's Elco was a lot of fun.


Mark

Originally Posted by Jimmy Sean (Post 304232)

Doesn't the cover say October? I'm mot trying to be an ass, just saying.

Originally Posted by Stielow (Post 304253)

Your right it says October. I didn't look that close. :thumbsup:

Originally Posted by qship510 (Post 304847)

Anybody ask this yet?

Mark, how do Red Devil and Jackass compare?

Originally Posted by qship510 (Post 304847)

Anybody ask this yet?

Mark, how do Red Devil and Jackass compare?

Originally Posted by clill (Post 305061)

R.d.=p.o.s. :D

Originally Posted by Stielow (Post 305060)

I learned a ton off Jackass. The 2nd time around was much easier. Due to the fact we documented the build of JA so well it was easier to do a second car.

We had already sorted out:

• Wiring harness
• Engine Cal
• Clutch
• A/C
• Cooling

The main difference is I built the whole car in my shop. I was able to get stuff done just the way wanted it. When you have a shop do it sometimes things are not done exactly like you want them.

JA is a great car and part of the reason I did a bigger engine is to make Red Devil different from JA.

My car was going to have a cammed up LS7 in it until SEMA last year. I drove JA and I wanted a blown engine. Then I drove a 7.0L LS9 and I knew that is what I wanted.

JA and RD both idle at 650 RPM, A/C blows cold, no cooling issues, stop on a dime and hauls butt.

My car would not be as nice as it is if I had not done all the cars I’ve done in the past. I learn something from every build.

Mark

Originally Posted by clill (Post 305061)

R.d.=p.o.s. :D

Originally Posted by formula98 (Post 305064)

Any chance you might publish a book that covers the build's? I would buy one! I'd buy a photo copy of your notes!

Great build!

Originally Posted by clill (Post 305559)

Stielow is on his way back from LS Fest. I believe he won the speed stop challenge, the 1/4 mile and the overall. He came in second to Brian Finch in the autocross. Now he needs to go back to the Walmart parking lot to practice up on Autocross.

Originally Posted by awr68 (Post 305584)

Congrats Mark! Sounds like a great day!! And big improvement on the autox!!

Originally Posted by clill (Post 305559)

Stielow is on his way back from LS Fest. I believe he won the speed stop challenge, the 1/4 mile and the overall. He came in second to Brian Finch in the autocross. Now he needs to go back to the Walmart parking lot to practice up on Autocross.

Originally Posted by BonzoHansen (Post 305637)

:lol: :lol: :lol:

Originally Posted by Stielow (Post 305649)

I'm going to have to admit this AutoX was a good time. It was over a minute long and had some moderate speed stuff in it. I had a chance to run it a bunch of times and my time got a little better each lap. I can say I never could get the car to WOT unless I wanted to just do a burnout.

We didn't have to shag cones so, between runs we could just hang out and BS. Much better than standing in a parking lot.

I'm still a little off pace but I think I know how to sort that out. I will change a couple small things and I think I will be ready for SEMA and Optima.

Mark

Originally Posted by jeff71 (Post 305862)

Here is a video of Mark at Chevy High performance Shootout.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIddqb-xn5k

Originally Posted by clill (Post 305559)

Stielow is on his way back from LS Fest. I believe he won the speed stop challenge, the 1/4 mile and the overall. He came in second to Brian Finch in the autocross. Now he needs to go back to the Walmart parking lot to practice up on Autocross.

Originally Posted by conekiller13 (Post 305914)

Nice video Mark.....one thing I couldn't help noticing though was your forklift driving style. Every driving driving instructor I have ever sat next to has been known to paddle those who let the steering wheel spin through an open palm. I'm sure Mary Pozi can back Me up here. Some good shuffle steering will help keep you from getting behind on Your steering inputs and causing some of those under-steer moments.....just a friendly observation.