Sunny San Diego Autocross 08/02/98 >>>>>L200247

[L200247@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

<I do apologize for the late report.>

Yeap! Sunny San Diego! Wow! What a time! I love San Diego. This was the 
second time I was down there for their autocross. Fall Fling is what 
they called it. It was a hot brisk day... I arrived at the airport at 
9:40A, got to the autocross at 10A. They already started running 
practice laps... so I speedily went to register to drive Jim Powell's 
Estoril Blue 98 M3... 

Yes.. Jim was kind enough to let me drive his M3 on the course.. What a 
brave guy! ;-)

The autocross course was HUGE! It always is... they have sooo much 
space to play in! I got to drive some practice runs (it was a good 
thing Jim and I were in different classes) and I also was passenger in 
a couple of other cars where I could get more familiar with the course. 
I had a couple of instructors go out with me on the track when I was 
driving... I want to thank Jeff, Jim, Dan Tackett, Shawn Sullivan and 
Fred Larimer! These guys are the best!!!

After practice runs.. it was my turn to be conehead.. It was hot.. the 
sun was heating down on my skin... I was wearing converse too.. and I 
could tell they were melting on the grid... woo hoo!! HOT HOT HOT!! So 
while being conehead I was standing outside with a guy named Evan. A 
very hip guy to be around.. he made me work though.. <G> ;-) We worked 
as a team because on turn 7 lots of people were hitting the cones.. it 
was because of a 75+ mph speedway to an apex. There was no hanging 
around by being a conehead there!

It was my turn to drive... and in woman's class... I did really well! 
The M3 is WAAAAY different than an 02.. I was still cool while on the 
course cause the A/C was on.. <G> You guys would be proud of little 
me.. I came in second in woman's class.. ;-) (shhhhhhh to those of you 
who know!!) and my time was 102.?? Average time was around 99.0 I hit 
no cones. And got the hang of it real quick! 

What I like about autocrossing is the thrill you get from cleaning the 
course and getting faster times by being smarter the next run around.. 
it's kind of like educating yourself.. You swipe turns... know speeds, 
when to brake,,, looking ahead to an apex.. I noticed there are no 
slaloms in SD autocross... 

Fred Larimer is such the sweetheart ... he drove down in his RX7.. 
which was quite loud on the course <buzzzzzzz> But he gave me pointers 
on when to brake etc.... and Jim Powell is the other sweetheart who was 
very brave to let me drive his M3. It was very fulfilling to meet you 
both.. and to meet familiar faces too! Sorry I missed you this time 
Leif! I looked for yah! I hope you had an eventful time in Europe! 

It was great to see Sean Steele, Jeff with the racer 02, Mark ? who is 
also a board member in the SD chapter. Sorry I forgot your last name.. 
Mark was conehead with me out there with a couple of other dudes.. we 
had turn 3 and that was a real easy task... glad to have met you Mark! 
Thanks for helping me understand about understeer and oversteer.. !!

Well... the day was totally grand! I missed you Carl Nelson! I hope to 
see you next time!

People call me crazy for going down to SD for a day to autocross.. but 
you know.. IT'S ALL WORTH IT! SD has some super great people, great 
rides, and we all have fun! Don't worry Golden Gaters...  GGC is home 
for me!. It's just too bad that 3COM hogs up the schedule.. ;-)

Hmmm... wonder how a Bavaria would do on an autocross course.. A racing 
Grocery Getter???! <Mischievous grin!>

Hope to meet you all again! 

Lisa
02 princess
72 2002
72 Bavaria
BMW CCA 130542 
Cupertino, CA GGC

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