Newbie Course Question

[Randy Gonzalez]

Link to PDF of Sunday 6/23/2013 Course Layout:
download/file.php?id=2554

Referring to the course layout from Sunday 6/23/2013 I've got a newbie type of question. There is a section at the top of the course with three cones (up near 19 and 20 in the upper right), a cone with a pointer (north of 21), and two single cones (above 20 and 19). The course in this diagram is drawn as a slalom (up through the 19 gap, back down through the 20 and then up through the 21). My question is...why is that a slalom? I know the rules say something about 3 cones in a line...but with that pointer cone (directly above the number 21) at the "end" of the slalom and the fact that the cone above 19 would have been just about impossible to get around without stopping and backing up (i.e. it couldn't have been an optional left or right slalom), I couldn't see that as a slalom. Or at least it would have been a slalom that required you to know the position of the pointer cone at the end (directly above 21) before entering it.

Maybe it's obvious to the seasoned veterans, but it looked confusing to me (even on Saturday where it was the pointer cone first I had to look walk it through a few times). I really made sure to watch the other guys out of fear of getting lost in the first 100 feet (although I did get severely lost on my first Sunday run missing the left over to the hair pin)!

From the rules: Any series of three (3) or more course markers which are generally in a line and have the effect of a slalom are considered to be a slalom. Additional course markers associated with the slalom markers to form gates, “boxes,” etc, do not cancel this limit.

So I guess my questions specifically are: does the pointer cone north of 21 have any affect on the rule (or is it just one of the 3 cones that define the slalom). Was the fact that you couldn't have gone around the one above 19 on the other side relevant? I'm just trying to understand fully.

Thanks!

[Craig Naylor]

Hi Randy,

That's a really good question, and it has to do with timing. No, not the timing like you got a 69.???, but when the map was drawn. That was the best placement for driving the other direction like we did on Sat, but not for Sunday. Jeff was doing his best Sat evening getting the course changed over so people could walk before they went home. I believe he was making major changes first, then dealing with little details. (Thats what I would have done too)

I do recall walking before he finished all of the subtle changes on Sat evening, and noticing that too. Why make the last cone of the slalom, not the first one the directional indicator? I can tell you on Sunday morning there was a directional cone at the first cone. I can't confirm or deny whether the last cone still had one or not without looking at someones posted video. I just remember that the directional challenge was solved, and one did not have to count backward as one drove to solve the entry side.

So I think the long and the short of it is, John drew the map before all the little subtle fixes took place.

[Craig Naylor]

On the other hand...

two cones on their own indicates a gate that must be traveled between. Rodger Johnson (the course design guru) recommends always using double cones to indicate such (And Jeff did where such was intended), but not all designers are aware of this, or implement it. A single cone that a designer wants you to go on one side or another can also have a directional cone (not just slaloms). So with that said, one could (though incorrectly as the fix was implemented), make the argument that the first two cones were a gate (badly marked) with a single cone (direction dictated) following it. And that would solve the rule definition aberration you quoted above for a slalom.

So to answer your last question, If you had gone as you described, and the pointer cone was not fixed (vs. as drawn), and made the above argument while I was the Event Chair, I might take a DNF away from you. But I would also tell you what was intended, and when you made the correction, save some other issue on course, your time would drop so significantly, it wouldn't matter in the end.

[Randy Gonzalez]

Thank you for the input Craig. And just to be clear, I'm not in any way trying to be critical of the course designer. I appreciate the efforts of Jeff and all of the folks helping out to make this endeavor a great time for all. My question is simply for my education and an attempt at truly understanding the "game". I just reviewed a few of the Sunday videos and you are absolutely correct. There was a pointer at the start of that slalom. I'm such a rookie that I guess I didn't notice it....or more likely I was expecting it to be the same as Saturday and just remembering the whole thing wrong. I kinda had the same question backwards on Saturday because the 3rd cone in that series really wasn't a factor...once you rounded the second cone, it was on to the next turn. Fortunately I eaves dropped on a few of the experts as they walked the course and made sure I knew where I was going.

Probably didn't help with my confidence when my first run on Sunday I came out or that gate right past the first slalom and literally screeched to a halt and yelled to the nearest course worker "Help! I'm lost...which way?!?"

[Rick Brown]

Probably didn't help with my confidence when my first run on Sunday I came out or that gate right past the first slalom and literally screeched to a halt and yelled to the nearest course worker "Help! I'm lost...which way?!?"

Actually a better thing to do than continuing looking for where to go and ending up going the wrong way on course or encountering another driver or worker.

[KJ Christopher]

So I think the long and the short of it is, John drew the map before all the little subtle fixes took place.

Reviewing my video from Sunday, this is the case.

[Mako Koiwai]

At your stage, always feel free to tag along with a more experienced driver for at least your first walk. Don't try to remember all of the cones. Just pick out key cones. Always look at combination of corners that can be taken as one big arc. Tight is Right. It's not road racing so typically you're trying to take the shorter line not the longer line that yields (slightly) higher speed but longer time.

Note that on Sat. Ryan Buetzer (RTR Crusher) went pretty much straight towards the pin turn, saving distance, but he also downshifted to first, something most of us try to avoid.

THE Andy Hollis Tip Collection: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=44932" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Although Tip 2 seems in conflict with usually using a late Apex in most AX corners?

Comments from the elite drivers?

[Bill Schenker]

My rule of thumb is I have no rule of thumb. Too many variables that impact tactics/choices. And yes, you can start a turn early and still late apex.

[Mako Koiwai]

Well yeah, you aren't going to wait until the last moment and force the car to make the turn

[Randy Gonzalez]

Thanks for the additional input and the link to the tips. All good stuff!

I've got a lot to learn for sure. Fortunately, I've found that everybody at these events has been very friendly and helpful. And yes, I'll be asking for advice and a bunch of other newbie questions as I figure this thing out!

[Jesus Saucedo]

... Fortunately I eaves dropped on a few of the experts as they walked the course and made sure I knew where I was going.

I've been doing autoX for a bit over two years....and I STILL do that!
Nobody's placed a restraining order yet