WIL @ Canadian Nationals

[Kreutz73]

Ok... Eric 'not-related-to-Julia' Roberts wasn't at this one so I'll break the ice.

It was a 3 day event so it might be a long read...

1) The 407 is worth it's toll during rush hour... Mike W left Cambridge 45 mins AFTER I left Guelph and rolled into Barrie right behing me.
2) The FTD race at test and tune is competitive enough to blow two subis
3) Parking lot alignments are fun, especially if you do it while watching nearly everyone else drink your cold beer
4) I've got to remember to be careful when standing up after putting on my rear wheels... the end plates on the wing will leave a mark
5) Some people will go just as hard off the track as they do on.... others try to pace themselves at those evening festivities... then there's CP Bill who will purposly get a HUGE hangover the night BEFORE to ensure he wouldn't abuse himself too much when the rest of us show up - well played Bill!
6) Barry will abuse himself so bad the first night that the next night he will lay in bed and call himself a pussy (the whole Irish thing must just be an act)
7) Walking into Queens saying 'I got the first round of shots' is the TSN turning point for the night... it's all downhill from there and just like a roller coaster your arms will be in the air as painful as it might be to watch
8) Timing equipment can be fixed just by taking it apart and switching fuses... even if the fuse isn't blown
9) All subaru drivers should just go ahead and trade their rides in for corvettes
10) Carl and Bruno could change an axle blindfolded and with both hands tied behind their backs!
11) Quentin has the coolest job!
12) Barrie can host a kick a$$ national event!

Awesome weekend!

I hope we do it every year - maybe we can go back to the days of the 12 venue Canadian National events. 1 weekend... 1 course... 12 cities... 1 true national champion.

[rustysteel]

What I learned - lots...

1. Getting there just before the Scion guys left on Friday and being the last (or so) one to take out an FR-S - lucky.
2. HS is a dead series and I need to get my EG civic gutted and ready for next year.
3. Hoosiers are much better on the front, Toyo's on the back.
4. Driving your future tow car to Nationals is awesome.
5. Even when I get the Civic ready for next year's series I'll still throw the Legacy rims in the back - just in case.
6. Autocross people are always there to lend a hand and willing to help out, no matter what. It's why I love it so.
7. Getting free used RA1's because somebody noticed you were running 205/50/15's - priceless.
8. 'Grocery Getter' is actually a compliment.
9. Driving home against all the traffic going West on the 401 made me happy.

Thanks for great courses, great times and lots of laughs.

Hoping to make it out to many more regional races next year.

Glenn

2003 'Grocery Getter' Subaru Legacy wagon.

[Saj5DJ]

1. I autocross better with the remnants of a a hangover pulsing in my skull.
2. My car is getting really pretty damn quick. Roll on next year.
3. Despite doing this for three years now I still have the ability to not look far enough ahead at the worst possible time, resulting in massive conage on what would surely have been my fastest run.
4. The 'race a cheap Miata until I can afford an S2K' plan is going down the tubes. Love my Miata. It's going to get some Christmas presents.
5. Paul K is a fussy sleeper when he's been drinking beer, tequila, jager, sambuca, whiskey and vodka. He is also a ridiculously bad blanket hog. I'm going to blame this on my being too tired for Saturday night.
6. We CAN take guys from Time Attack to Autocross. Doesn't always have to be the other way around.
7. You must wear underwear or find yourself severely disadvantaged in the Hotel Olympics.
8. Don't let Mike Wolf tell jokes.

[Travis]

1. Hankooks. Hoosiers. Helicopter.
2. When using small run groups: a) It's REALLY hard to put down consistent times since tire temps are changing each run. b) you'd better know how to set hot pressures on your tires instead of just cold. I don't yet.
3. Using number magnets on your car 3 days in a row leaves an obvious dust outline behind.
4. It's great to get a free tshirt so that you have something clean to wear on the drive home.
5. I can only dream that I'll be half as fast as Alan R in his Caterham when I reach his age.

[mikewolf]

1. Miatas with stock drive trains can still break.
2. Having people offer you rides in much faster more expensive cars make you forget you ever had a miata and realize how great autox people are.
3. I'm a better wingman than driver.
4. Quentin is awesome!
5. Jesus can dance
6. Driving corvettes is lots of fun even if the times don't reflect it.
7. Driving 3 different cars in three days does not lead to a good finish
8. Swimming after a day of autox make you feel awesome. Swimming after drinking all night and sleeping 3 hours on the floor make you feel a little better.
9. Lack of sleep catches up to you, but a mild stimulant can put it off for a while.
10. The winter is way too long. I miss my autox friends already. Maybe we should have a winter event where we just go out drinking, but not do any racing so we can sleep in for once.

[bbqman]

1. The ITR will up on first try after 12 months of storage- (or did we know that already?)
2.Reliable car doesn't guarantee reliable axle.
2b. Subies are not the image of reliability.
3.I hate parking lots- see #2
4.Sylvain is fast driver- not just the owner of a fast car.
5.Don't under estimate a Focus.
6. STF needs fixin'-
7. Quentin is a nice guy!
7a. Bill R is unbelievable.
8. I am always happy to see my friends- Nationals rock for that.
9. Allergies suck
10.I am getting old.
11.Queens needs more clean shooter glasses, at least when Paul walks in.

[Travis]

Originally Posted by bbqman

9. Allergies suck

You're not the only one. It's as if Barrie was hosting the Ragweed Nationals that weekend.

[JoeT]

Originally Posted by Travis

You're not the only one. It's as if Barrie was hosting the Ragweed Nationals that weekend.

Tell me about it, my eyes still feel like sandpaper..

[rustysteel]

I forgot one:
10. Driving for about 20 minutes on the way home before you realize the heated seat is on, because sun stroke.

[Fentin_fury]

1- The Z is not invincible
2 - Tashko snores
3- Alan R is correct - friendships, fun, passion, volunteer
4 - Thank you Mavis
5 - I am going to Lincoln (Neb.) next year
6 - Daughters can be "wing men" - according to Mike
7 - Mike - a wing man in the true sense
8 - sunscreen is necessary (you would think I would have learned that)


Big thanks to the event organizers. I am with Mike - let's find a winter activity. I like turbo powered sleds!

Q

[Ziploc]

In no particular order.

-Autoslalom test days have a 'one more time' kind of addiction.

-Turns out I actually can get a tan. (Or so my co workers have said)

-Barry is my long lost brother. Somehow the two of us managed to buy Speedster Miatas, white helmets, and gold visors.

-I love feeling the grip change when going between two different pieces of pavement.

-While slow and sideways, sweeping the sand/dust in the morning can be fun.

-It was very comforting to have other drivers express concern when your car decides to suck up some oil from the valve cover vent and blow it out the exhaust. I was freaking out a bit, but thankfully my fellow competitors helped me determined exactly what it was, and that it wasn't a big deal. Still, it was a good reminder that my fellow competitors are actually just really good fellows.

-Powersliding an off camber downhill left hander into the stop box can splash oil (if slightly overfilled) into the valve cover vent (which sits on the right side) causing those watching to first applaud the slide, then immediately recoil in worry when blue smoke plumes out of the tail pipe.

-Said powersliding run was only .1 second slower than my fastest indicating that I probably could have gone faster.

-I still can't believe I was thinking of skipping this. What was I thinking! Big ups to those who didn't take my nos.

So glad to be part of the community. Cheers to you all!

[13inches]

I learned that in a full racing bucket, presumably fully harnessed in and with a HANS on, Gunter was still somehow able to shut the door on his car when it flew open during a run.

I don't know how he did it, but he did it.

[needboost]

1 - Autox is FUN!
2 - Nationals is even more FUN!
3 - I need to run more regional events to see old friends that I haven't seen in years.
4 - Barrie has a very interesting selection of bars. Glad I had great tour guides.
5 - Barrie wild life in said bars are very hungry and aggressive towards out of town meat.
6 - You can get alot of people in a EG civic. Just ask "lap guy".
7 - Sometimes heat exhaustion/dehydration doesn't always kick your ass until a day later.
8 - When are we doing this again?

D.

[AlienDNA]

Originally Posted by rustysteel

I forgot one:
10. Driving for about 20 minutes on the way home before you realize the heated seat is on, because sun stroke.

LOL! Been there!