03-26-2012, 09:23 AM
Dave and I both did the CircuitCross yesterday, him in the WRX and myself in the STI. We also both came to the same conclusion:
I am a giant pussy bitch.
The track was wet, and the off-track was wetter, so a 2-off excursion means a one-way ticket to barriertown. But that really wasn't a huge concern for the rally-bred wizard differentials in the STI. It just had way, way, waaaaaaaay more grip than I had the testicular fortitude to take advantage of.
See, I was expecting cones to dodge, and obstacles to slow me down. Nope. The event was basically "run through Patriot as fast as you can":
![[Image: 534px-Virginia_International_Raceway_-_P...se.svg.png]](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/cd/Virginia_International_Raceway_-_Patriot_Course.svg/534px-Virginia_International_Raceway_-_Patriot_Course.svg.png)
"As fast as Rex can in the wet" turned out to be 27.745 seconds. But the car, well, the car was capable of much much faster. I left all the nannies on, because I didn't want to buy 3k worth of jersey wall in addition to bodywork on my STI.
We ran it counter-clockwise, with the start box right at the beginning of the "cutout" and the stop box right at the "three" label on the above map. The first half was a piece of cake, third gear by the exit of 11 and then just leave it there for the rest of the run. The issue came in the "back straight", which ends in a blind crest at "bitch". Now the correct answer here is just leave your foot in the floor, as you have plenty of room to adjust for the little chicane before 4, but my poor lizard brain just couldn't do it. I could almost hear the car screaming "WTF ARE YOU DOING? MOAR THROTTLE! BE A HERO FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" but nope, sorry Gravel Express. The bank still owns you, so we're playing it safe. And of course, by that point, I'd lost so much speed that I need to make a gear change decision for the chicane, I can't just leave it in 3rd and slide through it.
It was also pretty nerve racking to have the "stop" box be downhill after a corner...I was terrified that I was going to slide, take out the timing equipment, and head directly for the jersey wall. (Which a 944 turbo very nearly did while I watched. :-|)
Despite my utter lack of balls, I had a great time. Now to find something that I can afford to wad up. :thumbup:
I am a giant pussy bitch.
The track was wet, and the off-track was wetter, so a 2-off excursion means a one-way ticket to barriertown. But that really wasn't a huge concern for the rally-bred wizard differentials in the STI. It just had way, way, waaaaaaaay more grip than I had the testicular fortitude to take advantage of.
See, I was expecting cones to dodge, and obstacles to slow me down. Nope. The event was basically "run through Patriot as fast as you can":
"As fast as Rex can in the wet" turned out to be 27.745 seconds. But the car, well, the car was capable of much much faster. I left all the nannies on, because I didn't want to buy 3k worth of jersey wall in addition to bodywork on my STI.
We ran it counter-clockwise, with the start box right at the beginning of the "cutout" and the stop box right at the "three" label on the above map. The first half was a piece of cake, third gear by the exit of 11 and then just leave it there for the rest of the run. The issue came in the "back straight", which ends in a blind crest at "bitch". Now the correct answer here is just leave your foot in the floor, as you have plenty of room to adjust for the little chicane before 4, but my poor lizard brain just couldn't do it. I could almost hear the car screaming "WTF ARE YOU DOING? MOAR THROTTLE! BE A HERO FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" but nope, sorry Gravel Express. The bank still owns you, so we're playing it safe. And of course, by that point, I'd lost so much speed that I need to make a gear change decision for the chicane, I can't just leave it in 3rd and slide through it.
It was also pretty nerve racking to have the "stop" box be downhill after a corner...I was terrified that I was going to slide, take out the timing equipment, and head directly for the jersey wall. (Which a 944 turbo very nearly did while I watched. :-|)
Despite my utter lack of balls, I had a great time. Now to find something that I can afford to wad up. :thumbup:
1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass 442