Thanks for the honesty, z3papa.
The first video with the guy (Ben Thongsai, you may/probably know him) pointing all over the place is a video that I should have never posted as is. Everyone looks at that first run or two and then assumes that is how all runs were. I do acknowledge that I suck, but the beginning of that video is
not a very fair/complete representation of me.
To explain that first run, out of the box I immediately DNFed by going the wrong way around the first slalom cone (this was 100% due to a total brain fart as I did completely know - and it was very clear - that I was supposed to go to the left of the first cone). Ben was pointing this out so I shifted to third and kind of just focused on trying to learn the course (I had walked it only twice, and it obviously didn't transfer to my memory very well). After the larger radius left hand 180* I was accelerating hard and didn't see the first cone in the 2nd slalom. So he urgently pointed this out, so I tried to save it and make it around the 1st cone, causing me to go a bit sideways and I overcorrected. I acknowledge that my skills (or lack thereof) are poor, but please do not focus on the initial runs in that video to make a judgement about my
driving. Course memorization/analysis sure, but not driving.
For the latest autocross, I purposely did not post my initial laps with an instructor, because if I did I would get more comments about "why did you shift into 2nd so early? why were you braking so early? why did you not accelerate harder? why didn't you take that first turn wider? why did you almost miss that first gate? etc." The answer is because per my instructors' (multiple) suggestions, the first 2 runs were to be spent just taking the car through the course, simply trying to learn the layout at moderate speed. Again, I know I suck but if you're going to critique me please focus on the later runs when I truly am doing my best and trying to drive the car at my limit.
I do understand and respect your experienced suggestion about "if you are simply 'driving' the course from point to point then you'll never advance", but honestly, what do you expect a new person to do in their first couple runs? The instructors that I have worked with have all told me that the first run or two
should be spent learning the course. Like I said, I walk the course a few times beforehand but it only has a limited transfer into my memory. I know how it looks and where it goes from 4mph at 5'8" from the ground (I'm short!), but when you're going 20-55+mph at ~4' or whatever from the ground it is a new course to me. Autocross school and additional experience would help this, and I do plan to attend at least one next season for sure! Maybe if you are an instructor there you could teach me, if I haven't scared you off already
I know who Jeff is but have never really spoken to him or had him ride with me. Robin was my girlfriend's instructor at the Car Control Clinic that we went to in March. In my long video that was admittedly "hard to watch" you will see that Robin did ride with me and gave me some good tips afterwards (that run can be seen at this
that run can be seen at this direct link)
But I do appreciate your feedback. Other than course dissection/memorization before driving, what the major issues (I know there are many) that you see with my "least terrible"/later laps?