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Since my autocross car is still waiting on parts and I had signed up and paid.. the SSR got to participate in an autocross last weekend. There was a good selection of cars there Lotus, Mustang, Firebird, New GTO, VW, Subaru, Scion, Corvair, Lighning (aka the cone killer), BMW M3s, and others. The course was set up at the end of an airport runway. I was a little disappointed since the course had tight turns and was narrow - not really good for the SSR. My runs were still a total blast as this was the first opportunity to see what the SSR could do in the handling department. All my runs were in first gear for the entire course. After the hard righ left just parts the start there is a little straight and slalom. This was the only place I could go full throttle and hold it for more than a second or two. One of my runs actually found to rev limiter (very briefly) through this part. Next was a series of left right turns followed by a 180. The left to right to left was a challenge in not giving too much gas or brake. The SSR was very controllable and didn't do anything bad or unexpected even though you could get the rear to slide (drift) a little with the gas - both on and off throttle. Coming out of the 180 you could roll onto the throttle while keeping the rear from sliding too far out, then hammer it for the straight, hard brakes, hard right hard left, more gas, brake, turn, gas turn, brake, turn... to the finish. One run I thought for sure I was going to loop it (spin out) as the rear got way out of line. Saved it twice in one run and didn't get any cones (obviously pushing it a little too much that run). Times were around 1 minute 4 or 5 seconds. FTD was 55 done by a Subaru STI. Slowest was 1:37. Made my day when I found out my heavy, long wheelbase, wide SSR beat both of the M3s!
Here's a couple of pics that were taken at the event.
Here's a couple of pics that were taken at the event.
