My first rally car DRIVE

This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and I've been one of the few rally fans in the USA since I was 6. I play lots of sims, including GPL (-30 GPLRank btw :)) N4, and recently I started previewing Rally Trophy. Anyway, here's a story of my first drive in a rally car that I posted on a US Rally email list. I drove a 92 Open Class Eagle Talon TSI, about 2500 pounds with 300hp, turbocharged, and 4wd. (very modified, completely stripped) I have to remind you I never drove more than 100 feet with a car in my life, and it was on my uncle's straight driveway in the automatic family car. So here goes my tale. Oh and BTW, if you have any questions about how it relates to sims or anything, don't hesitate to ask. :) Here I am at the end of the Rapadian Rally after getting a little ride with Rohit Panjabi in the Talon and standing around with everyone else as the winners take beer cans and have a chaimpaigne, errr beer fight on the wood crate podium constructed from scraps just moments ago. As the carbonation wears down, I anxiously go up to Rob Bergstrom and ask, "Is the drive still on?" and he says "Sure". I told him I never drove stick before, but he didn't seem to hear me. He decides he's going to pull out, which is good, as I don't want to stall in front of EVERYONE. Anyway, I hop into the co-drivers seat and someone in the crowd yells, "Let him drive!" I had a little smirk as I went into the car as they had no idea... Ah, but before we get to the story, how did I get the oppurtunity? Well during the BBQ, I overheard Rob saying that a fifteen year old did a RallyX somewhere and it was legal because it was on private property, so I say, "Techincally it would be legal for me to drive." and Rob goes, "sure why not? Summit! Can Alex drive your car?". Summit, as casual as ever says, "Yeah sure, just wait until after the awards ceremony." The first thing that goes through my head is, "Is everyone here insane?" and "I never drove manual before, let alone really a car, how am I going to do this!?!" I take a look at the monterous open class Eagle Talon TSI, which was clearly stripped down to the bone and had loads of power and start to feel butterflies in my stomach, more than I've ever felt in my life. Now I'm in the car with Rob, we pull out, and he tells me he'll hand over the controls once we get to the RallyX course. We arrive, and he says he wants to take a fun run, so we strap our belts tight, put on the helmets in the car, and take off. The extreme take off speed wasn't a suprise as I had already taken a run with Rohit, but it was clear to me Rob knew the course much better. We're sliding around completely on the edge, the outside tires on the inside of the corner, running over sapplings taller than the car, and occasionally scaring the crap out of me thinking there could be a stump or rock lurking beneath the tall grass and shrubs. Already, the first run is done, where I already had a big grin on my face, and Rob says, "Okay your turn." We switch seats and I can't believe that I'm sitting in the DRIVER'S seat of a fully prepped, extremely fast, rally car. I press the clutch in, shift it to first, and rev it up twice. All I could think of was four letter words. I don't want to stall it and look like an idiot, so I rev it up to about 3500-4000 rpm and I let out the clutch slow. I feel it start to engage and I quickly let off fearing I would burn up the clutch and the car takes off, a little too fast for transiting 50 feet to the start of the rallyx stage. Rob says go, and I take off. I shift up to second no problem (I do have an Act Labs shifter for my racing sims and a little clutch :)). Rob says, medium right into medium left. I turn in suddenly dabbing the brake with my left foot expecting it to initiate some kind of slide, but it doesn't so I understeer and go a little wide, then it screws up my rhythm going into the medium left. Bah, Rob tells me the car is neutral under braking so as I just drive through the first section of the course, I'm just trying to think of how to get the thing to turn. Finally, exiting the very long hairpin right at the tower, I have my foot down, dab the brake, the car rotates right towards the straight, I slam the gas and have a great four wheel drift going and take off at the exit. Ok, now right into 2nd, step on the gas, and VROOOOM and no torque. Ah, 2nd didn't go in, press in the clutch, push it in, take off again, then I reach 3rd for a brief second before Rob says hairpin right, so I slow down, left foot brake in, keep the gas on to keep the turbo spooled up, dropped the brake, slam the gas, and the back end comes right around, points down the road, and launches me forwards. A tiny little countersteer and Im off on my way to an off camber square left, get through it, drift a little bit, and the run is done. Finally feeling I know somewhat what to do, I beg Rob for another run. He reluctantly says, "Ok, ONE more, but that's it." Ok, 2nd run, rev the car up, launch off the line, go to 2nd, come to that medium left, medium right and butcher it again, but not as bad. Come to the hairpin left, lfb in, power out, get one wheel in the grass, slide around and launch down the next section. He calls long medium right tightens. I remember this corner from last time too as I locked up the brakes here not listening (still drove it through though, no reverse) so I come into the corner, see the tires that I almost hit, dab the brakes with my left foot, the car rotates slightly, grips, then launches down the next short straight until having to shift to first for a hairpin left. I try a little pendulum turn, but I realized how much harder it is to throw the weight around in a real car unlike a video game. It helps a little, the car turns, slam on the gas after lfb'ing in, the car rotates, and then flies down the next straight. I shift into 2nd, the road banks left, then Rob yells, "easy right into easy left" I drag the brake a little bit with the gas on to slow it down a little for the turns and 4 wheel drift a little, then he yells, while in the easy left, "off camber medium right" so I carry my momentum from the easy left and try to throw it into the medium right, Rob tells me to aim for the sappling, so I do and just barely miss it with a 4 wheel drift I was happy with, then he yells, "hard left into long hairpin right" so I hop my feet over to right foot brake and shift down to first while going through the hard left, and then I swing into the hairpin right, slam the gas, drift towards the outside, realize I won't make the end of the corner so I give the brakes a little dab, it rotates more, then I just slam the gas. The wheels grip right away and it launches me down the straight, but before I'm even out of the corner, I have to shift into 2nd, this time, the gear grabs, then 3rd and the revs start going pretty high and the field feels like it's going by pretty fast, but I wouldn't dare to life. I keep my foot down and reach an estimated 60mph, and Rob calls, "hairpin left" so I shift down two gears, maybe to 1st a bit early, hop my feet over to lfb, and then I do a little pendulum turn, this time a little bit bigger, and it nicely carries into the hairpin, then I slam the gas and the car comes roaring out sideways and I struggle to move my arms fast enough to countersteer, but I don't have to too much and almost over correct, but keep it on the road. Then I shift up to 3rd again for a brief moment, before going back to first for the final, off camber square left. I try to go for broke here and turn left, then turn as hard as I can right with a hard dab of the brakes, and then just when I start to turn left, I slam the gas and go through sideways and hear a little, "whoo!" from Rob, power down the straight, then slow down because I know it's over. I stop the car and catch my breath. I know realize I'm drenched in sweat with a huge grin on my face. I asked Rob, "How was it?" and he said, "Well you did better than a lot of people I rode with and you have massive potential, keep with it." (got about the same quote in a personal email a day later, heh) Now, after pushing the car to it's limits, I easily and casually drove back to the awards ceromeny on the other part of the farm, and pull in like I've driven 1000 times before. Driving on the way back, I was a little upset that I couldn't get a good big pendulum turn in and that I butchered a lot of corners my first run, and then I thought, "My god, I never drove manual, let alone really a car!" and I say it out loud accidently, and Rob goes, "Really? Well you didn't seem to have a problem with it" So I drive back to service pull in, get out, with the biggest smile on my face and Rob says, "Well you might as well quit now as all your rally careers are over." Well, Rob's words to everyone when I got out of the car might have been *slightly* exaggerated, ;) but I can only wonder what it will be like WHEN I drive next time. :) Thanks, Alex

so do you masturbate like all good little 14 year olds do?

Jealous retard... "TRUSRS85" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > so do you masturbate like all good little 14 year olds do?

Wow that's awesome! Sounds like you did very well! So are you going to stick w/ it? I bet you could start off in some type of 2wd class for pretty cheap. Good luck! Sam 2001 GSXR 750 "Alex Kihurani" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:GIts7.365$[email hidden]... > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and I'vebeen > one of the few rally fans in the USA since I was 6. I play lots of sims, > including GPL (-30 GPLRank btw :)) N4, and recently I started previewing > Rally Trophy. Anyway, here's a story of my first drive in a rally car thatI

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> posted on a US Rally email list. I drove a 92 Open Class Eagle Talon TSI, > about 2500 pounds with 300hp, turbocharged, and 4wd. (very modified, > completely stripped) I have to remind you I never drove more than 100 feet > with a car in my life, and it was on my uncle's straight driveway in the > automatic family car. So here goes my tale. Oh and BTW, if you have any > questions about how it relates to sims or anything, don't hesitate to ask. > :) > > > Here I am at the end of the Rapadian Rally after getting a little ride > with Rohit Panjabi in the Talon and standing around with everyone else as > the winners take beer cans and have a chaimpaigne, errr beer fight on the > wood crate podium constructed from scraps just moments ago. As the > carbonation wears down, I anxiously go up to Rob Bergstrom and ask, "Is

the > drive still on?" and he says "Sure". I told him I never drove stickbefore, > but he didn't seem to hear me. > He decides he's going to pull out, which is good, as I don't want to stall > in front of EVERYONE. Anyway, I hop into the co-drivers seat and someonein > the > crowd yells, "Let him drive!" I had a little smirk as I went into the caras > they had no idea... > Ah, but before we get to the story, how did I get the oppurtunity?Well > during the BBQ, I overheard Rob saying that a fifteen year old did aRallyX > somewhere and it was legal because it was on private property, so I say, > "Techincally it would be legal for me to drive." and Rob goes, "sure why > not? Summit! Can Alex drive your car?". Summit, as casual as ever says, > "Yeah sure, just wait until after the awards ceremony." The first thingthat > goes through my head is, "Is everyone here insane?" and "I never drove > manual > before, let alone really a car, how am I going to do this!?!" I take alook > at the monterous open class Eagle Talon TSI, which was clearly strippeddown > to the bone and had loads of power and start to feel butterflies in my > stomach, more than I've ever felt in my life. > Now I'm in the car with Rob, we pull out, and he tells me he'll hand > over the controls once we get to the RallyX course. We arrive, and he says > he wants to take a fun run, so we strap our belts tight, put on thehelmets > in the car, and take off. The extreme take off speed wasn't a suprise as I > had already taken a run with Rohit, but it was clear to me Rob knew the > course much better. We're sliding around completely on the edge, theoutside > tires on the inside of the corner, running over sapplings taller than the > car, and occasionally scaring the crap out of me thinking there could be a > stump or rock lurking beneath the tall grass and shrubs. Already, thefirst > run is done, where I already had a big grin on my face, and Rob says,"Okay > your turn." > We switch seats and I can't believe that I'm sitting in the DRIVER'S > seat of a fully prepped, extremely fast, rally car. I press the clutch in, > shift it to first, and rev it up twice. All I could think of was fourletter > words. I don't want to stall it and look like an idiot, so I rev it up to > about 3500-4000 rpm and I let out the clutch slow. I feel it start toengage

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> and I quickly let off fearing I would burn up the clutch and the car takes > off, a little too fast for transiting 50 feet to the start of the rallyx > stage. Rob says go, and I take off. I shift up to second no problem (I do > have an Act Labs shifter for my racing sims and a little clutch :)). Rob > says, medium right into medium left. I turn in suddenly dabbing the brake > with my left foot expecting it to initiate some kind of slide, but it > doesn't so I understeer and go a little wide, then it screws up my rhythm > going into the medium left. Bah, Rob tells me the car is neutral under > braking so as I just drive through the first section of the course, I'm

just > trying to think of how to get the thing to turn. Finally, exiting the very > long hairpin right at the tower, I have my foot down, dab the brake, thecar > rotates right towards the straight, I slam the gas and have a great four > wheel drift going and take off at the exit. Ok, now right into 2nd, stepon > the gas, and VROOOOM and no torque. Ah, 2nd didn't go in, press in the > clutch, push it in, take off again, then I reach 3rd for a brief second > before Rob says hairpin right, so I slow down, left foot brake in, keepthe

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> gas on to keep the turbo spooled up, dropped the brake, slam the gas, and > the back end comes right around, points down the road, and launches me > forwards. A tiny little countersteer and Im off on my way to an off camber > square left, get through it, drift a little bit, and the run is done. > Finally feeling I know somewhat what to do, I beg Rob for another run. He > reluctantly says, "Ok, ONE more, but that's it." > Ok, 2nd run, rev the car up, launch off the line, go to 2nd, come to > that medium left, medium right and butcher it again, but not as bad. Come

to

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> the hairpin left, lfb in, power out, get one wheel in the grass, slide > around and launch down the next section. He calls long medium right > tightens. I remember this corner from last time too as I locked up the > brakes here not listening (still drove it through though, no reverse) so I > come into the corner, see the tires that I almost hit, dab the brakes with > my left foot, the car rotates slightly, grips, then launches down the next > short straight until having to shift to first for a hairpin left. I try a > little pendulum turn, but I realized how much harder it is to throw the > weight around in a real car unlike a video game. It helps a little, the

car > turns, slam on the gas after lfb'ing in, the car rotates, and then flies > down the next straight. I shift into 2nd, the road banks left, then Rob > yells, "easy right into easy left" I drag the brake a little bit with the > gas on to slow it down a little for the turns and 4 wheel drift a little, > then he yells, while in the easy left, "off camber medium right" so Icarry > my momentum from the easy left and try to throw it into the medium right, > Rob tells me to aim for the sappling, so I do and just barely miss it witha > 4 wheel drift I was happy with, then he yells, "hard left into longhairpin > right" so I hop my feet over to right foot brake and shift down to first > while going through the hard left, and then I swing into the hairpinright, > slam the gas, drift towards the outside, realize I won't make the end ofthe > corner so I give the brakes a little dab, it rotates more, then I justslam > the gas. The wheels grip right away and it launches me down the straight, > but before I'm even out of the corner, I have to shift into 2nd, thistime, > the gear grabs, then 3rd and the revs start going pretty high and thefield > feels like it's going by pretty fast, but I wouldn't dare to life. I keepmy > foot down and reach an estimated 60mph, and Rob calls, "hairpin left" so I > shift down two gears, maybe to 1st a bit early, hop my feet over to lfb,and > then I do a little pendulum turn, this time a little bit bigger, and it > nicely carries into the hairpin, then I slam the gas and the car comes > roaring out sideways and I struggle to move my arms fast enough to > countersteer, but I don't have to too much and almost over correct, butkeep

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> it on the road. Then I shift up to 3rd again for a brief moment, before > going back to first for the final, off camber square left. I try to go for > broke here and turn left, then turn as hard as I can right with a hard dab > of the brakes, and then just when I start to turn left, I slam the gas and > go through sideways and hear a little, "whoo!" from Rob, power down the > straight, then slow down because I know it's over. > I stop the car and catch my breath. I know realize I'm drenched in

sweat > with a huge grin on my face. I asked Rob, "How was it?" and he said, "Well > you did better than a lot of people I rode with and you have massive > potential, keep with it." (got about the same quote in a personal email a > day later, heh) > Now, after pushing the car to it's limits, I easily and casually drove > back to the awards ceromeny on the other part of the farm, and pull inlike > I've driven 1000 times before. Driving on the way back, I was a littleupset > that I couldn't get a good big pendulum turn in and that I butchered a lot > of corners my first run, and then I thought, "My god, I never drovemanual, > let alone really a car!" and I say it out loud accidently, and Rob goes, > "Really? Well you didn't seem to have a problem with it" So I drive backto > service pull in, get out, with the biggest smile on my face and Rob says, > "Well you might as well quit now as all your rally careers are over." > Well, Rob's words to everyone when I got out of the car might havebeen > *slightly* exaggerated, ;) but I can only wonder what it will be like WHENI

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> drive next time. :) > > Thanks, > Alex > > > >

>Jealous retard... Damn right I am!! :)

"Alex Kihurani" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:GIts7.365$[email hidden]... : Anyway, here's a story of my first drive in a rally car that I : posted on a US Rally email list. I drove a 92 Open Class Eagle Talon TSI, : about 2500 pounds with 300hp, turbocharged, and 4wd. (very modified, : completely stripped) I hope all your hair falls out by the time you're 20 :-) I had a '91 Talon (non-turbo, 135hp, 3200-3500 lb or so)... I know those cars handle very well but I just didn't have the power that I needed to exploit it... <homer> Mmmmm, 300 horsepowerrrrr... </homer> Dale.

Sounds like you had a ball Alex, are you going for a pro career now or what? Rafe Mc On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 23:41:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" <[email hidden]> wrote: > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and I've been

Well I've started to save a lot of money with part-time jobs for the last 2 years to save up for a rally car. Have about $1400 in right now, need to get a new job :) I hope to get a cheap old Golf for $1000, get a rollcage built for $1200, and then use the rest of the money for other equipment that needs to be put in, entry fees, and some money to add a little more power. Hopefully it will work out :) Thanks, Alex Rafe McAuliffe <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Sounds like you had a ball Alex, are you going for a pro career now or > what? > > Rafe Mc > > > On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 23:41:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and I've

been >

Well I've started to save a lot of money with part-time jobs for the last 2 years to save up for a rally car. Have about $1400 in right now, need to get a new job :) I hope to get a cheap old Golf for $1000, get a rollcage built for $1200, and then use the rest of the money for other equipment that needs to be put in, entry fees, and some money to add a little more power. Hopefully it will work out :) Thanks, Alex Rafe McAuliffe <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Sounds like you had a ball Alex, are you going for a pro career now or > what? > > Rafe Mc > > > On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 23:41:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and I've

been >

Well, that's certainly doing your racing on a shoestring :) At least your expenses are pretty low when you're young, so most $ earnt goes into savings. Good luck :) Rafe Mc On Thu, 27 Sep 2001 11:09:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>Well I've started to save a lot of money with part-time jobs for the last 2 >years to save up for a rally car. Have about $1400 in right now, need to get >a new job :) I hope to get a cheap old Golf for $1000, get a rollcage built >for $1200, and then use the rest of the money for other equipment that needs >to be put in, entry fees, and some money to add a little more power. >Hopefully it will work out :) > >Thanks, >Alex >Rafe McAuliffe <[email hidden]> wrote in message >news:[email hidden]... >> Sounds like you had a ball Alex, are you going for a pro career now or >> what? >> >> Rafe Mc >> >> >> On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 23:41:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" >> <[email hidden]> wrote: >> >> > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and I've >been >>

last year my friend did some ice racing on frozen lakes up here in 'ol Canada. Car will run you around $1000 ($500 for the chevette (RWD and ceap), and $500ish for roll-bar and extinguisher and what-not - prices in CDN). Tires were supplied from sponsors I think, and didn't cost much to race. I just may go halvesies on a car for this winter. :-) oh, can you say 'oversteer' bonanza? I knew you could! curtis "Rafe McAuliffe" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> Well, that's certainly doing your racing on a shoestring :) > > At least your expenses are pretty low when you're young, so most $ > earnt goes into savings. Good luck :) > > Rafe Mc > > > On Thu, 27 Sep 2001 11:09:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" > <[email hidden]> wrote: > > >Well I've started to save a lot of money with part-time jobs for the last

2 > >years to save up for a rally car. Have about $1400 in right now, need toget > >a new job :) I hope to get a cheap old Golf for $1000, get a rollcagebuilt > >for $1200, and then use the rest of the money for other equipment thatneeds

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> >to be put in, entry fees, and some money to add a little more power. > >Hopefully it will work out :) > > > >Thanks, > >Alex > >Rafe McAuliffe <[email hidden]> wrote in message > >news:[email hidden]... > >> Sounds like you had a ball Alex, are you going for a pro career now or > >> what? > >> > >> Rafe Mc > >> > >> > >> On Wed, 26 Sep 2001 23:41:26 GMT, "Alex Kihurani" > >> <[email hidden]> wrote: > >> > >> > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. I'm 14, and

I've > >been > >> >

Speedvison showed a 24hour Ice race on a lake for motorcycles and ATV's. Man that musta been coldcoldcold. Sounds like fun tho.. Hope you enjoy your racing. dave henrie "imaswinger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:4mdt7.30681$[email hidden]... > last year my friend did some ice racing on frozen lakes up here in 'ol > Canada. Car will run you around $1000 ($500 for the chevette (RWD and

So sideways one's actually going forward, eh? <g> Jan. =--- "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn. "imaswinger" wrote... > <snip> > oh, can you say 'oversteer' bonanza? I knew > you could! > > curtis

no need for wipers, just roll down the windows for a clear view!! curtis "Jan Verschueren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...

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> So sideways one's actually going forward, eh? <g> > > Jan. > =--- > "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn. > > "imaswinger" wrote... > > <snip> > > oh, can you say 'oversteer' bonanza? I knew > > you could! > > > > curtis > >

Like the man said... stick with it Alex. Congrats. Proof once again quick is either there or it isn't. Swapping between left and right foot braking on a first drive in a 300hp car? -Jeez, I've actually done some races in a form of RallyX over here and I never even thought about doing *that*. Guess I know why I'm simming now instead of holding down a works WRC drive. <g> Jan. =--- "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn. "Alex Kihurani" wrote... > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. > <snip>

Thanks. Well hopping feet over wasn't too bad as the "normal" corners (sweepers, medium corners, etc) were done in 2nd gear, and hairpins and acute turns in 1st. There were two straights where you got into 3rd. Overall, just really, really twisty with a very narrow road. You can see a guy who did the event's incar clip of the rallycross section of the stage. He's obviously much better than me, but I think I would have beaten him in a few hairpins that he overcooked :) http://www.randyzimmer.com/video/rapidan/rapidan1b.mov Thanks, Alex Jan Verschueren <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]... > Like the man said... stick with it Alex. Congrats. Proof once again quickis > either there or it isn't. > > Swapping between left and right foot braking on a first drive in a 300hp > car? -Jeez, I've actually done some races in a form of RallyX over hereand

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> I never even thought about doing *that*. Guess I know why I'm simming now > instead of holding down a works WRC drive. <g> > > Jan. > =--- > "Pay attention when I'm talking to you boy!" -Foghorn Leghorn. > > "Alex Kihurani" wrote... > > This is a story of my first drive in a racing car. > > <snip> > >