Slipstream - September 2018

Autocross Event 6: Mirrorcross at Mineral Wells
By Mark Schnoerr, Region Autocross Chair
The Porsche Parade took away some of our usual
autocross participants, and the extreme heat on the vast
Mineral Wells pavement made it a tough day for those
who did come out for the final MirrorCross dual course
event of the season. Everyone was happy that the final
four events will be back at the nice and shady Lone Star
Park site in Grand Prairie.
photos by LightSpeed Images
P1 - 'PCA 1'
Total Entries: 2
Best RT
Best 60ft
Total
1T P1 168 Carolle Liu White Boxster 987
0.727
2.319
106.57
2 P1 7 Amir El-Baghdady Maroon 944 S2 1.574
P4 - 'PCA 4'
Total Entries: 2
1T P4 954 Mark Schnoerr Lime Green 914
Best RT
2.395 RL
Best 60ft
0.611 2.268
Total
99.036
2 P4 914 Sigrid Schnoerr Green 914
P8 - 'PCA 8'
Total Entries: 3
0.609
Best RT
2.199
Best 60ft
1T P8 428 Owen Coulman Guards Red 911 GT3 0.539 1.88
99.327
Total
94.869
2 P8 71 Steve Farnham Yellow Cayman GT4 0.807 2.129
3 P8 171 Sherry Farnham Yellow Cayman GT4 0.536 2.207
95.017
98.377
Mirrorcross is a dual side-by-side drag-race
style start with a very quick first straight
followed by a few difficult turns before the
courses peel off in opposite directions and
look like a normal autocross layout.
Due to surface imperfections, the course are rarely exact
opposites, which was made clear by the time differences
between the left and right courses. The participants
swapped sides after each run for a total of six attempts
to set their fastest time on each side, which were added
together for overall class position.
The start is very exciting because of the real drag race
style Christmas Tree countdown start, staging lights,
reaction time, and 60-foot time that a critical to set your
fastest time. A perfect reaction time is 0.500 seconds.
Less than that is a red light DNF, while more than that
means you left some time at the start. The 60-foot time
tells how well you got off the start and made it count by
getting the power down.
Owen Coulman was fastest Porsche in his 996 GT3,
with the Farnham family GT4 right behind him. Steve
and Sherry best run reaction times (RTs) of 0.807 and
0.539 to Owen’s best at 0.539. Owen demonstrated the
terrific GT3 acceleration and weight transfer to lay down
a stunning 1.855-second 60-foot time. Interestingly, the
914 2.0 driven by Mark and Sigrid Schnoerr was cutting
0.611 and 0.609 best RTs and, demonstrating the light
weight and perfect 60-foot in first gear, laid down times
almost identical to the GT4 to that spot. Of course the
GT4 motored away after that.
Next event at Lone Star Park is set for September 16.
Hope to see you there!
Above: Owen Coulman and his 996 GT3
Below: Amir El-Baghady’s 944 S2, Carolle Lui and her 987 Boxster
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