experience, you realize that everyone is focused on so many other things that no one even notices. Soon you realize that if you don’t lose control a little now and then, you’re not really pushing to learn the limits of the car. Instructors are not required after three or four Autocrosses, but they are always available for those who prefer them. Frequently, experienced drivers will ask other drivers to ride along for a few laps. Everyone benefi ts from each others’ knowledge. Each course is different, and there are many ways to improve your skills as well as your enjoyment of the day. When my husband got us involved in Autocross, we shared a car, and he encouraged our son Kris, a long-time Porsche fan, to join us. As car-sharers, we used to be in the minority. At our November event we had 13 cars shared by 28 drivers. Steve Eguina, this year’s Autocross Chair, has held together the program when there was little interest and even less budget. But, since the fi rst of this year, we’ve had to turn away people at every event because we’re completely full. 110 drivers are about the most we can effectively run in a day, and for 10 months this year we’ve done just that. Steve gets a little help from the rest of us, but he’s the “can do” guy, and I think it’s his love of the sport and his unending commitment to it that somehow makes us all want to work hard for free. Tips and tricks for Autocross registration Now that you’re motivated to give Autocross a try (we hope!), here are a few registration tips to keep in mind. We have an online registration system accessed through links on our <strong>PCA</strong>OCR.org website—be sure to click on “Autocross Information” from the homepage. Once you’re in the system, your individual ID record appears. No further action can be taken until you fi rst select an event date, which appears directly below your name. When you complete this form, you are completing the form for that specifi c event that you have chosen. Car sharing. If you will be sharing a car, identify yourself as such. Simply register the fi rst person normally (We’ll call him “Joe”), then register the second person (we’ll call her “Josie”). Josie selects the “co-driver” button. This will generate a drop-down list, showing all drivers presently registered. Find Joe’s name on this list and select it as the “primary” driver. All done! It really makes no difference which driver is primary or secondary. It is only used to separate you into different run groups so that each driver will still get a full day of driving despite sharing a car. More than two people sharing a car gets a little tricky, but it can be done. Check the boxes that apply. Four questions appear, and these are fairly straight forward. Answering these each time for each event helps us match up students with instructors. Every hour we spend ahead of time preparing for the event pays off for you in an organized, fun Autocross. By the way, if you’ve driven several Autocrosses and liked it, you should consider buying your own helmet. We have reps attend the events frequently to provide this service. Make sure your email address is upto-date on your registration form. This is how we communicate with you about your registration. Please update it if it is not correct. If you have any special needs, please let us know via email. We have one couple who love to Autocross and they don’t share a car–they share a toddler! We can usually find a way to make adjustments to accommodate you if we’re aware of any special issues. We hope that you’ll put your inhibitions aside for a day and come out to an Autocross event, even if just to watch for the fi rst time. You’ll see lots of other cars having fun with their owners, and you’ll have to work hard not to make some new friends. And your Porsche will be glad that you did! 18
Specializing in Porsche Repair and Modifications since 1980 DECEMBER <strong>2007</strong> 19
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