Autocross 2009 # 3 by Liam Dwyer
The Connecticut Autocross and Rally Team held its 3rd points autocross of the season Sunday May 17th
at Rowley Springs in Bristol. A total of 73 drivers braved the cool, wet morning and took to a course
designed by Event Chair, Marc Boerma.
It started in our usual spot, all the way to the right of the lot. You launched out of the start gate with a
slight bend to the left but had to scrub speed to make a tight right hand kink. The trick here was to gie
it up early, make a quick turn and keep it tight. You were back on the gas early for a sweeping left
hander that brought you to the top of the lot and into a 4 cone slalom. The entry to the slalom was
slippery with the rain, so again the trick was to give up the speed early and take a tighter line. At the
end of the slalom you went hard left down the far side of the lot. This area had a slight bend in it, but if
you came out of the slalom correctly and didn't push wide, you were able to keep your foot to the floor.
A sweeping 180deg left hander ended your loud pedal fun. This corner was able to be taken faster than
it looked. You ran your entry deep and tightened up your exit....maintain speed keep it clean and you
were rewarded with speed as through a short straight before a tight right hand 180deg corner came up.
Too much entry speed here and you plowed through the corner with no way to make it up. Too little
speed and gained precious seconds. You exited to what we thought was a short straight but an offset
gate kept people honest and hitting cones through the day. You then made a 90degree right hander with
a tight exit into the finish box. Many cars pushed wide here again trying to make up time. This course
rewarded higher grip and torque, those that mastered this, were the faster drivers of the day. The course
also allowed for 8 timed runs and fun runs.
Joe Solury got tired of losing and bought new big fat Kumho XS tires and laid a smack down on all A
stock competitors. Liam Dwyer thought he had him beat with his eighth run until Joe went back out
and laid down a smoking time. Joe took a half second win. C stock was lead once again by Charles
Aucoin and his Miata. Charlie had no problem taken care of Jim Duphiney's (bumped from E stock)
Miata. Matt Cummings' GTi took 5 runs early in the day and took off. It didn't matter as John
Westermann was never able to top his time. John got within two tenths but could do no better. Tom
Duran was third in his Cooper S. Another V-dib took a win Sunday with Chris Carmenini's Golf
hoisting the number one trophy in H stock. Chris's 35.2 second run was almost 2.5 seconds faster than
the second place finisher.
The Tom and Tom Corvette show was moved to ASP....again. Tom Mak finished over a second ahead
of Tom Cavuoto while poor Andy Pyle couldn't catch the lumbering V8s. Jim Velgot earned his first
FTD in over a year and took home top time in BSP. John Jankura drove the black (A stock set up)
Corvette to 2nd and just three tenths off Jims' pace. CSP saw something rare happen....Paul O not take
the win. Quinn Kizis quieted his Miata down AND was still able to take the class win. Chris DiFiore
was almost a full second back in third. FSP was an exciting class to watch Sunday as Matt Skibisky
came within minutes of taking home the class win. Instead, Joe Rathbun was able to get his R comps
too hook and on his last run, just nudge Matt from the top spot. Kevin FitzMaurice and Joe Skibisky
battled in the Legacy all day finishing just behind Matt in that order.
Bob Doiron, who just succesfully completed Landscapers School at Pocono just over a week ago,
remembered how to keep the car straight and drove his relic Fiero to an X prepared win. John Santos
finished just two tenths behind in second with Jay Bode just another two tenths behind him. Course
designer Marc Boerma drove his Mustang to a B prepared win. Dennis Polio finished second and Ray
Covino, in the most modern looking XR4Ti, finished 3rd.
Todd Doiron took a narrow STA class win on his last run non-the-less. Eric Gebhart drove up from
New Jersey just to finish in second place, one tenth of a second back. Nick Fandacone showed how
tough he was in SMA in beating Erica Bonomi. Erica was all excited thinking she had it won, but Nick
played the spoiler. Erica should be somewhat happy as she beat Kris's Evo by just .004 seconds.
Renee Remmers came out of nowhere and took the X novice win driving a Saab 900. Matt Hendel
drove his Acura to a Y novice win barely edging out Ilia Reinfelds on his last run. The time difference
between first and second.....078. Chazz's yellow Mustang vert earned the Z novice win by beating
Kumar's RX8.
Our next event is May 29th at NJMP Lightning course. The next autocross is back in Bristol on June
7th.
