Slipstream - March 2003

Ladies Autocross School
by Alicia Reich
Have you ever washed your car at 5:30 AM? I did, in
preparation for my first Autocross School, held on Feb
15 at Pennington Field in Bedford. I am not an early
bird by definition, so this took significant commitment on my
part to finally fall out of bed. My Dad told me that the car had
to sparkle like a gem or it would not pass Tech Inspection. Of
course, I didn’t really believe that bluff, but I’m a wee bit of a
neat freak and I just had the urge to make my car shine. With
one exception, everyone else at the autocross school had also
washed their car at 5:30 AM, because they were all clean despite
significant recent rain!
And what beauuutifuuuul cars they were! The Boxsters
are neat, and the 911’s are cool, but my heart was won over by
the new Mini. What a cute car! My snazzy ride is a 1990
BMW 525i (Dad calls it “my daily driver”), which clocks at just
under 100,000 miles. Dad bought it for Mom when it was
three years old, and we’ve taken good care of it since, and it is
now most definitely “mine”.
...My dad told me that the car had to sparkle like
a gem or it would not pass tech inspection...
I am a junior at Ursuline Academy and started driving to
school a year ago, six months after I earned my license. It took
a while for Dad to acknowledge that I was a safe driver and
grant me the freedom of the road in my own car. Although I
have driven a go-cart on a number of occasions and definitely
enjoyed it, I had never participated in a driving competition
before.
Like everyone, I went onto the track as a passenger in
itially as my instructor zipped round the skid pad. While she
was cranking the gas, little old me was mashed against the
passenger door, heavy helmet jammed up against the glass.
Photo by Matt Platts
After the first ride, I gulped and feebly told my instructor
that I have had “minor” encounters with motion sickness
throughout my life. Amazingly, when I took the drivers seat
and slowly passed the first few cones, I found that I had left the
motion sickness behind in the passenger seat!
My instructor, Lisa, specified that the counterclockwise
rotation should feel easier than running clockwise, but I found
my best results when circling clockwise. After my third run
clockwise, the facilitator at my station told me I was driving
with only three wheels on the ground! I was shocked and
started apologizing, but he laughed at my reaction and said a
“three-wheeley” was a good thing. And it sure felt awesome,
too!
Alicia Reich tests the cornering limits of her 525i
After lunch, our group rotated to the slalom and braking
exercises. Out of all the simulations, I found the braking to
be exceptionally helpful. Lisa instructed me to calculate the
braking distance of my car, and then apply that information to
determine a braking point for each corner. This was excellent
information and I find myself applying it constantly to my
driving habit on the road only a week later.
Photo by Matt Platts
A wide variety of cars turned out
Photo Matt Platts
The driver’s meeting was quite brisk!
Photo by Matt Platts
Photo Matt Platts
Bob Benson sends the next student on-course
Photo Matt Platts
Photo Matt Platts
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