So You Wanna Go Racing

By Ashford Little

As I sat in line awaiting my turn to run the autocross course, Michael Campsmith walked up to me and asked if I was ready.  I replied that “I didn’t know”.  He asked if I had ever run an autocross before, to which I replied “No.”  He then asked if I had walked the course that morning to which I also replied “Um, No.” That’s when he said “I think you are in big trouble.”  By this time I was feeling rather small and sheepish, so when he asked if I wanted him to ride with me to show me the course, I almost leapt at the opportunity.  

While I may not have run an autocross course before, I felt that I had a few things going for me.  Living in Atlanta and navigating the highways and byways imparted me with a little confidence that I possess far greater talent than your average driver.  I am also a male, so naturally I think I’m a damn good driver.  Finally, I had tinkered with the suspension of my TR6. So if you combine those things then how hard can this be?  Besides you are only driving around a bunch of orange cones… right?

 Well, things got interesting REAL fast when I started down the course, with left and right directions being fired at me from my noble co-pilot. Despite this experienced veteran lending me a hand, I found it easy to rocket off in the wrong direction.  I think I was called off-course at least once during that first run.  With the first run under my belt one would think that I might have learned a thing or two, but I took Michael’s offer up to accompany me on the second run of the day.  

The second run went little better, and I thought it a good time to assess my situation.  With my confidence shaken and wondering if I possessed the ability to run through this course at whatever lowly speed without going in the wrong direction, I procrastinated for a half hour before getting back in the saddle.  Alone.  

I ran the next two runs on course at less than earth-shattering speeds, but managed to turn in a respectable 79 seconds including a one cone penalty.  By now my appetite had been whetted.  This was actually fun and it was not nearly as boring as my preconception of it was: how much fun can running through cones in a parking lot be?  

But since I have now been baptized in autocross, I also know that things need to change to be able to run well, and not look foolish doing it.  First, I need practice, but that I can get.  Secondly was that my car handled like a slug.  The car pushed, brakes were non-existent, all-season radials are NOT autocross tires and the carbs were acting up badly.  That guy in the Hyundai with an automatic probably posted better times than I did.  

All of these things can be fixed and all it takes is…. Money!  So thank you VERY much for introducing me to this evil sport.