What I learned at HADA #1.

[P90Puma]

First of all thanks to the organizers, biggest hada event I have ever been too, smooth as silk. Much thanks to the Gary M for letting me drive his miata.

1. V710's are amazing. As is Gary's car.
2. I can drive?
3. People butcher your last name and wonder who the heck you are when you are in the top 5 (at one point, finished 6th overall, 3rd in class) coming out of nowhere.
4. 6+ months is too long without AutoX.
5. You need to bring more then 1gb SD card's for pictures.

I am sure I will think of more later on. Will post pictures sometime too.

[P90Puma]

Oh yea, GTech's suction cup sucks.

[P90Puma]

http://s203.photobucket.com/albums/aa118/P90Puma/HADA%201%202009

Let me know if the link is broken, I didn't bother to process the images at all.

Edit: It was just pointed out I was listed as class 4 at some point during the day, I was in a class 2 car. However, I could swear at the driver's meeting I was placed 3rd in class 2? As posted elsewhere, it doesn't effect me, but may affect others running the series. Just a FYI to the event guys.

[BarbyCar]

1) Sylvester was right - there was ftd in my car today, every run I screwed up at least one thing badly. Come to think of it, there's ftd every day in my car. Question is, where the heck did I hide it?

2) When you let someone co-drive your car, make sure they know how to start it. Especially when you are marshaling and he isn't.

3) When you let someone co-drive, be prepared for them to be faster than you. It'll hurt less if you expect it. I've done it twice now and been beaten both times....Maybe there's a point in that.

4) If you don't do what Ryan says he'll smack your helmet.

5) Opal can quiet down a group of chattering guys faster than any guy with a gun.

6) Having more power than you really know what to do with means you should go learn some more. Which brings me to Steelrat's favourite quote:

7) Boost is good.

8) Make sure your pit monkey actually changes the wheels at the end of the day and not just the lug nuts.

9) PICK-UP TRUCKS are faster than Civics, or at least, they make more smoke so they must be.

10) When a tyre looks low don't just assume it's a slow leak over winter - it could be a loose valve.

[engsr]

3. People butcher your last name and wonder who the heck you are when you are in the top 5 (at one point, finished 6th overall, 3rd in class) coming out of nowhere.

I swear, I'll get it right the next time. :D

It was just pointed out I was listed as class 4 at some point during the day, I was in a class 2 car. However, I could swear at the driver's meeting I was placed 3rd in class 2? As posted elsewhere, it doesn't effect me, but may affect others running the series. Just a FYI to the event guys.

You indeed finished 3rd in Class 2 - good runs! The car you were driving was a Class 2 so we changed your classing some time during the day - actually, we did that to several cars. But as noted in the driver's meeting, there were several cars mis classed due to my very slow reacting brain yesterday (did anyone else freeze their ass off, or was it just me?) So when I get the results, I will go through them and place the cars where they should be since I did all the proper classing for all cars last night.

Thanks again to those who came out. See you at the next event.

[nrg3k_civic]

- it can still be cold in may
- you still need sunblock, even if its cold
- 2-7 year old pit crew are not heavy enough to torque lug nuts
- co-drivers are often faster than the car owner (i take it as a compliment to my car setup skills ;)
- who needs power or experience for fastest civic driver ;)
- v710s rock
- v710s rock even more when they are hot
- a lap that feels slow and boring can actually be very quick on the clock

A great day and a wonderful way to start off the autocross season. I'm not entirely sure if my time at the track has helped me or just confused me (autox and track driving is SOOooooo different).

DJM:>

[Kittynne]

(did anyone else freeze their ass off, or was it just me?)froze my ass off, *and* sunburned my face ... great combination

not race-related specifically, but some things I learned (from my first ever event like this -- as a spectator):

1. If you're helping to babysit young children, consider harnesses and leashes.
2. Mothers everywhere are right: wear sunscreen even on cold days.
3. Someone who's at their third event, using a borrowed car, can kick the toosh of the owner of the car.
4. It is important to always know the location of the nearest Tim Hortons.

By the way, I went on my first ride-along yesterday, and that alone was enough to make me want to come back. Is this where it starts? hehe.

[pablo13]

yes i was freezing as well - i was the dumba$$ in the shorts

i am also recovering from a burnt face -dammit - i had sunscreen with me

had a great time at my second event - it was very well run indeed

see you at the next one!

my girlfriend got some great pics yesterday - here is one of them

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd146/pauldunlop13/car%20pics/HADA%20events/AvatarDSC_6443-.jpg

[Travis]

1. When the track is dirty and you enter a corner too tight, you'll end up on the commonly used line whether you like it or not.
2. When you buy a jack from princess auto (or anythign else, really), you need to tighten the screws regularly or else it will fall apart on you.

[P90Puma]

my girlfriend got some great pics yesterday - here is one of them


She get any other cars? All I see in the album is your car, if not, then it isn't the end of the world.

[Silvia_Drift]

1) Even crappy Hankook R comps make a huge difference.
2) I beat Trung in a heavier, more flexible version of the same car :P (he was on steet tires though lol)
3) Late braking doesn't really work too well, its more about carrying speed.
4) Sometimes inducing oversteer is faster than trying to plow through a corner.

Anyways, looking forward to the next event. And does anyone else have any more pictures?

[pablo13]

^ not this time - she was only there for about an hour - and took my camera with her when she left

I will get pics at the next event for sure

[nrg3k_civic]

video of my fastest run in class 3 (i think i was 4th or 5th in class and 9th overall). my co-driver came 3rd overall and 2nd in class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOXtOK6vnsQ

DJM:>

[Kittynne]

^^ did the vid she took when she went for a ride-along work out?

[mikewolf]

WIL:
1 When towing a tire trailer, one tie down is not enough to strap the tires down.
2 Going from cut springs and always riding on the bump stops to a decent suspension setup that actually has some travel takes getting used to.
3 The new suspension setup is probably faster once I fugure out the driving part.
4 I need to be more consistant. Only 2 clean (but relatively fast) runs out of 6 :eek:

[pablo13]

Here what I want to learn from the event

why did someone put a circle of white shoe polish on my trunk - near the end of the day?

Any idea of what this was supposed to mean?

Thanks

[zoltan]

video of my fastest run in class 3 (i think i was 4th or 5th in class and 9th overall). my co-driver came 3rd overall and 2nd in class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOXtOK6vnsQ

DJM:>

I actually came 4th overall :) I second (or is it third now?) the sunscreen bit.. my nose is redder than a 60 yr old alcoholic's. My learning experiences:

- you can never bring enough clothes... damn wind
- torque steer sucks
- small steering wheel and torque steer sucks even more
- FWD cars drift easier than RWD cars when the rear shocks are too hard along with cold, over-inflated rear tires
- slammed pickups with welded diffs and small block v8's don't require steering wheels to turn...only a gas pedal
- beating the owner in his own car gets you all sorts of attention :)

I'm off to apply more aloe on my poor nose.

[Gen1GT]

Does anyone have any information on the HADA vehicle classification rules?

[engsr]

The classification system is loosely based on the SoloSprint rules, as we have changed certain aspects of it - the power/handling index is 30/70 (not 70/30) and suspension PIPs are doubled.

If you would like, send me an email - autoslalom(at)hadamotorsport(dot)com - with your car make, model, and modifications, and I can find out where your car sits for our series.

Thanks.