SCCA 2015: Topsy-Turvy, Hella Curvy Regional Championship Weekend #2

February 11, 2015

It is awkwardly refreshing when a course designer is able to really deliver a challenge to the drivers in a SCCA autocross. Being a part of the Southern Pacific region, we are rather spoiled with a multitude of surfaces, amazing weather, and die-hard career Autocrossers. With these factors, the pace was set this past weekend to go fast or go home (however, please come back for the next event).

I was fortunate enough to jump in the FR Sport Subaru BRZ during practice on Saturday for a couple runs thanks to my teammates Max “Benji” Hayter and Cat Tran. Since I wasn’t able to walk the course earlier in the day, the only other option was to hope in the passenger seat for a couple of ride-alongs so I could view the course. If anyone has tried to remember a course at full speed, it’s not easy. Luckily, I was able to catch 3 rides, which I was only hoping would suffice for my recollection capabilities.

After my first run, the only thing running through my mind was that I just witnessed organized chaos: busy, a bit of an eye-sore upon first glance, but in the end, a brilliant design! I cannot remember a moment in which the car was settled for more than 2 seconds. The course went from transition, to transition, to transition, from start to finish. This was a great practice. Although I was only able to get five runs in, it felt like a successful practice. The car felt great, I gained confidence, and we were ready for Sunday’s championship event.

On Sunday, the course was switched over and appeared to have a bit more…flow. In hindsight, the FR Sport Subaru BRZ may have been a tad pushy mid-corner and a bit snappy on exit of a high-speed turn. However, I couldn’t complain with the set-up that FR Sport and my co-driver Cat provided us. Yes, the course was frustrating and I couldn’t seem to get the “perfect” run down, however we came out of the day with a comfortable margin to take first in the STX class. Once again, I’m happy that we were able to deliver in the first two events for the FR Sport Team.