Well this weekend was another big weekend. Packwood natoinal tour event, this is the largest autocross event in the north west region... Once again SMF was a full class with 9 competitors... Last years winner Quinn Cambell was back in his little FSP prepped Sirocco. Although this year he came a little more prepared with a built 1.8L motor and a turbo hanging off it. He had also added a bunch of ballast to make min weight this year. Quinn and I were separeted by less then 1 tenth of a second last year. I was excited to get a chance to face off against him again this year. We also envelopem Hayton in his FSP prepped Ford Focus. Don't let the fact that it's an FSP prepped car fool you. It a well sorted out car and Norm is a bit of a freak behind the wheel.. Norm used to campaign this car a few years ago and has won his class at the Canadian Nationals and done well in natoinal tour events before.
Saterday was chalked full of excitement. Norm set a blazing fast first run scratch time with 54.4. He had picked up 2 cones on that run but it looked like he would have no problems cleaning up his run and improving on it. Rob and I both struggled our first runs out. Rob conning away his run and I ended with a DNF after missing a braking point. Quinn sat comfortable with a 56.3. Run 2 I shook things up. Nailing what felt like a perfect run, I came in with a clean 54.0. Norm struggled getting slower and hitting cones again. Quinn picked up a bunch of time but not enough as he finished with a 54.5. Rob decided to play it safe and just looked for a clean run. He came in with 55.3. 3rd runs opened the door for some more placement shuffles. Rob pulled out the stops and laid down a blazing fast 54.1 time, unfortunately a late cone call ment he would sit on his 2nd run. Norm finally got a solid clean run with a 54.5. I looked to improve on a few areas and extend my lead. Getting a little to greedy I picked up a couple cones. Quinn was following me and had to stop for a course worker. This gave him a rerun. Well that 4th run was what Quinn needed to figure out the course. Laying down an amazing 53.3. This left me scrambling to figure out how to go faster on sunday.
Sunday morning was a new day. Quinn sat in 1st with a 7 tenth lead over me. Norm trailing me by half a second. Rob sat another 7 tenths back in 4th. Sundays course was very technical. First runs out were once again chalked full of excitement. Rob struggled his first run out conning it away. Norms codriver came him from his first run with engine bay steaming away. Turns out a piece of the fan broken and put a hole in the rad. This left Norm scrambling to find a car to drive. Both Quinn and I coned away our first runs but my scratch time was 6 tenths quicker. Both Quinn and I cleaned up on our 2nd runs, but Quinn couldn't close the gap. This opened the door for me as I was now only trailing him by 1 tenth between both days. I was struggling with fuel starvation on my run so I knew there was more time to be gained out there. Norm had found an STS prepped CRX to drive allowing him to at least put in some times. Rob continued to struggle running a pretty slow 57.3. Norm at this point still held on to 3rd place. 3rd runs came around. Rob still struggled to figure out the course but was able to pick up enough time to over take Norm for 3rd place. I made a last min decision to adjust the shocks hoping to get the car to rotate more. This worked a little to well, lifting off the throttle for a long decreasing left turn the back end stepped out putting me in a full on drift. I managed to save it, run a perfect line and pick up 4 tenths. Ending my 3rd run with a 54.4. Quinn was unable to improve on his times. This ment Quinns 2nd run at a 55.5 would be his fastest putting me in 1st place over all.
Pictures and videos to follow shortly..
Saterday was chalked full of excitement. Norm set a blazing fast first run scratch time with 54.4. He had picked up 2 cones on that run but it looked like he would have no problems cleaning up his run and improving on it. Rob and I both struggled our first runs out. Rob conning away his run and I ended with a DNF after missing a braking point. Quinn sat comfortable with a 56.3. Run 2 I shook things up. Nailing what felt like a perfect run, I came in with a clean 54.0. Norm struggled getting slower and hitting cones again. Quinn picked up a bunch of time but not enough as he finished with a 54.5. Rob decided to play it safe and just looked for a clean run. He came in with 55.3. 3rd runs opened the door for some more placement shuffles. Rob pulled out the stops and laid down a blazing fast 54.1 time, unfortunately a late cone call ment he would sit on his 2nd run. Norm finally got a solid clean run with a 54.5. I looked to improve on a few areas and extend my lead. Getting a little to greedy I picked up a couple cones. Quinn was following me and had to stop for a course worker. This gave him a rerun. Well that 4th run was what Quinn needed to figure out the course. Laying down an amazing 53.3. This left me scrambling to figure out how to go faster on sunday.
Sunday morning was a new day. Quinn sat in 1st with a 7 tenth lead over me. Norm trailing me by half a second. Rob sat another 7 tenths back in 4th. Sundays course was very technical. First runs out were once again chalked full of excitement. Rob struggled his first run out conning it away. Norms codriver came him from his first run with engine bay steaming away. Turns out a piece of the fan broken and put a hole in the rad. This left Norm scrambling to find a car to drive. Both Quinn and I coned away our first runs but my scratch time was 6 tenths quicker. Both Quinn and I cleaned up on our 2nd runs, but Quinn couldn't close the gap. This opened the door for me as I was now only trailing him by 1 tenth between both days. I was struggling with fuel starvation on my run so I knew there was more time to be gained out there. Norm had found an STS prepped CRX to drive allowing him to at least put in some times. Rob continued to struggle running a pretty slow 57.3. Norm at this point still held on to 3rd place. 3rd runs came around. Rob still struggled to figure out the course but was able to pick up enough time to over take Norm for 3rd place. I made a last min decision to adjust the shocks hoping to get the car to rotate more. This worked a little to well, lifting off the throttle for a long decreasing left turn the back end stepped out putting me in a full on drift. I managed to save it, run a perfect line and pick up 4 tenths. Ending my 3rd run with a 54.4. Quinn was unable to improve on his times. This ment Quinns 2nd run at a 55.5 would be his fastest putting me in 1st place over all.
Pictures and videos to follow shortly..
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