Autocross 7 runs at 110% efficiency!
by Fred Beck and Justin Hughes
Fred Beck and Justin Hughes (photo by Aimee Reveno)
The focus during the driver's meeting is safety. (photos by Dan Mull)
The penultimate Massachusetts BMW Retailers Autocross of 1999 took place on another partly cloudy day, with rain threatening at times. But once again our weather deflector shield held off all but a few sporadic sprinkles, and the pavement remained dry all day. Course conditions were excellent - a bit cooler than the midsummer events, which provided more traction for cars running street tires.
It was a bountiful day, with 5 runs for everyone (the fifth set of runs being the equivalent of 66 fun runs), and a cornucopia of low times to be had by all. Autocross Chair Fred Beck broke into the 1:14s, blasting past most of the M3s with his 1973 2002tii.
Dave "CS" Spragg edged Fred out of first in Class E with a 1:13.912 second run for BMW FTD. Non-BMW FTD was taken by Stan Jackson Jr., beating his Dad, Stan Sr., by 15/100's of a second in the 1972 Lotus pavement hoover. Moreover, Stan Jr's 1:11.479 is the fastest time of the year so far! And, to his tremendous surprise, Justin Hughes found himself taking third place in class G - in a 1995 Saturn.
How Are We Doing?
In order to compare this year's operating procedures to those of previous years, we returned to our old friend, the RER, or Run Efficiency Rating. We ran a total of 328 runs between 9:26 am and 4:15 pm. We sent a car every 74.817 seconds, yet the average time a car spent on the track was 82.451 seconds.
By sending a second car while the first one is still on the course, we were able to achieve an RER of 110%! This is a great improvement over the 92.5% RER we calculated way back in event 5 of 1998. Yet another way to improve your DSQ (Driver Satisfaction Quotient). Shagadelic, baby, yeah!
Even better, there have been exactly zero DNPs in the past three events! Everyone who drove in these events qualified in the event standings, so even novices are finding the course. This is due to a combination of course design, course maps with our cone numbering system, and the Novice Instruction Program (NIP). We feel that these three factors are tremendously helpful to first time autocrossers, allowing them to learn the course and NIP their bad habits in the bud.
Season Standings and Statistics
As of event 7, 61 registrants have qualified in the season standings by placing in four or more events. Eighty-three have qualified in at least three events, which means that another 22 could qualify for the season by running at Autocross 8. So far, 227 distinct car/driver combinations have participated this year, including 122 BMWs and 105 non-BMWs. Interestingly enough, 40% of the BMWs are M-cars! Apparently many owners wish to drive and enjoy their cars as they are meant to. We are also happy to report that first year autocrossers comprise 29% of all drivers.
Billy Bacon continues to leave flaming strips of pavement behind him wherever he goes. With 1st place in G secured, and rapidly overtaking Rob McAlpine for 1st place in class H with times in the 1:13 range, Billy's progress as a novice is outstanding. Our closest trophy battle is in class C. Bill Cotton and his '95 318ti CS leads by a hair with 47.0 points, closely followed by John Newcomer and his '97 Z3 1.9 with 45.0 points. Class E is largest BMW class, with 39 cars. Class G is largest non-BMW class, with 33 registrants. Class trophies will be awarded at the 4th Quarter Meeting at BMW of Peabody. A novice trophy will also be awarded to the most improved novice this season.
Looking Ahead
While there will be a final report in January, we would like to take a moment to thank all of the participants for helping create an excellent year. We have really had a lot of fun, everyone continues to learn and bring their times down, and we have made a bunch of great friends. What more could you ask? If you enjoyed this season, get involved with planning for the next season. We are looking for a new site, so if you've got any ideas, or want to volunteer your time and expertise (whatever it is) toward next year's events, please contact either Justin Hughes (hughes@boston-bmwcca.org), or Fred Beck (fbeck@boston-bmwcca.org) with your interest.
Finally, if you liked autocrossing, you've got to try ice racing! The Boston Chapter Ice Racing Series is an autocross on a frozen lake, is really a blast, and is an excellent way to learn car control in a safe environment. (Really!) Stay tuned for details - we hope to hit the ice in early February. Now, remember to come to the 4th Quarter Meeting to pick up your trophies, munch some great food, and reminisce about the season past. See you there!
The 1999 Boston Chapter Autocross Series is sponsored by the Massachusetts BMW Retailers.
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- November/December 1999 BIMMER
- Behind the Wheel: Kudos All Around
- Under the Hood: Aught Aught?
- Crushing The Cones: Autocross 7 runs at 110% efficiency!
- November/December 1999 New Members
- Turns To Take: Watch The Sign
- 1999 Boston Chapter Concours: Fit To Be Tied
- 1999 Boston Chapter Concours: Fit To Be Tied Photo Gallery
- Dinan Tech Session at BMW Gallery Norwood: Performance Without Sacrifice
- 1999 New England Grand Prix Chapter Challenge: Four For Four
- BMW CCA 30th Anniversary Model Cars
- 2000 Boston Chapter Elections
- October 1999 Board Meeting Minutes: Special Voting Board Only Meeting
- More Boston Bimmer articles by Fred Beck
- President's Page: Mr. Beck Goes To Washington November/December 2000 Bimmer
- President's Page: Calling All Members October 2000 Bimmer
- President's Page: Bonjour, Chapitre de Boston! September 2000 Bimmer
- President's Page July/August 2000 Bimmer
- President's Page June 2000 Bimmer
- There are 51 more Boston Bimmer articles by Fred Beck
- More Boston Bimmer articles by Justin Hughes
- 2003 Boston Chapter Ice Racing Screen Saver: Ice Racing In The Summer June 2003 Boston Bimmer
- 2002 Autocross Series: A Wild, Tail-Happy Ride January/February 2003 Boston Bimmer
- The Ultimate Drive for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation: Boston Chapter Tradition August 2002 Boston Bimmer
- 2002 Boston Chapter Ice Racing Screen Saver: Winter All Year Long May 2002 Boston Bimmer
- Autocross 2002 April 2002 Boston Bimmer
- There are 57 more Boston Bimmer articles by Justin Hughes
