Anybody done an Evolution Auto-x school?

I just signed up for one, it looks like me and the vettes in SM2 but hey I am there to learn, spankin them is a bonus for me.

I have been through phase 1 and 2 of their school. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants to get a bit more serious about autocrossing and enjoy it more too. The course is fantastic. They have a well thought out process that builds your skills throughout the day. The have some informal classroom sessions and then you drive first with the instructor riding along so they can see how you drive as a baseline. Then they drive your car for a run to show you what can be done. It was a real eye opener. They teach skills for looking ahead and tips for memorizing a course quickly that really help. I went through the classes at BeaveRun near Pittsburg, PA. I had the following instructors: Sam Strano, Jinx Jordan, Larry Fine and Mike Johnson. All of their instructors are current or past national autocross champions and they do a great job. The school is nothing too fancy but the layout and process is very well done and has been perfected over many years. They have a pretty decent web site which give the history of the school as well.

I still use the things I learned in their school at every autocross. I haven't been able to do as much autocrossing as I would like but their school definitely helped me out at the Porsche Parade in Hershey in '05 when I ran my 911. I had been autocrossing occasionally for several years before attending the school and I really got a lot from their training. I would recommend signing up for both Phase 1 and Phase 2 if you can make it. It is worth it. And no I am not getting paid for this reply.

It is a fantastic school and you should have a great time. The toughest part is waiting until the next autocross to use your new skills!!!!!

Yeah, I've done the evolution schools (phase I to IV). I can't say enough good things about the course. It will improve your times. You will be a new man when they are done with you.

Have fun,
Kevin

Two words...

"Do it!"

It's been a while since I last ran an Evo school, but it was well worth it, and I'd do it again without a doubt.

A friend of mine is instructing at a couple of Evo schools this year. Definitely keeping him busy...

-Josh2

SM-2 just out of curiousity what does your 914 tip the scales at?
What have you done to put you in SM-2
Just curious as a former SM-2 driver that is having WAY more fun in XP.

2155 lbs in SM2 trim and NASA D trim also. 2150 is the limit. I have all the enterior or welll everything is covered. Main thing was all the chassis stiffening I have done to the car. I have rods coming off the rear frame horns, egmann kits, windshield post, GT kit which I did back in the day, etc..... GT style Bolt down top is there also. IT is one stiff mother chassis wise. Suspension wise it is also stiff, but spring rates are lower than most run. But swaybar rates are up in hte stratiousphere for these cars. The interesting thing is the class seemed to fit the car, not the other way around.

Now when I remove the ballast I am at 1965 lbs currently, and have another 11 or 12 pounds to take out beyound that. Maybe more if I remove a couple other systems, replace the optima etc..... I figure I can break the 1900 mark, with fluids, and me out of the car. I run hte less weight for PCA where I run in I1. SM2 was really an easy class for my car to drop into, and it is pure seat time, and learning for me. NASA is where I run for the compition of it. But I will have to check, cause those slicks you turned me onto, do they fit in SM2?

[ I figure I can break the 1900 mark, with fluids, and me out of the car. I run hte less weight for PCA where I run in I1. SM2 was really an easy class for my car to drop into, and it is pure seat time, and learning for me. NASA is where I run for the compition of it. But I will have to check, cause those slicks you turned me onto, do they fit in SM2?
[/quote]

SCCA SM-2 is minimum 2050lbs. for a 2.0L Stiff is good and probably my next project for improvement.

Nope real slicks are not legal for the class. as it is "Street modified"

Then I look over to my calendar which happens to be the National champion SM2 car. Andy Mckee's RX-7 that probably hasn't been driven to work in years.

I went yesterday and had a great time. I had to take the Jetta, if you don't know this I auto-xed my Jetta and before that a VW Fox for years. the Jetta is still capable of extremly fast times and handles very well. I learned a ton, only got my time down by 2 seconds but on a longer course that 2 will add up to 4 to 6, which is huge. Wishing now I signed up for second session today. But ohh well.

One thing that is funny I drove the wheels off the Jetta, I had two instructors. I beat both of their times. I even told the last guy to crank it up to 99.9% I did not care, drive it like you stole. He came with in a .3 of my fastest time. I don't think they where used to a FWD car with 320 Foot Pounds of Torque!!!

All that matters is I learned from all these guys a ton, I mean a ton. I am going to sign up for another latter in the season, and be back next year until I quit learning.

I have half a mind to race the Jetta this year, 914 is really pissin me off right now. I have another oil leak, just pissing me off badly.

Who were your instructors? I know a bunch of 'em...



Yeah. I can't say enough good things about the Evo schools. Really, really good.



Well, it wouldn't be a 914 then would it?

:oileaksmiley:

-Josh2

Nope would not be a 914 it is my oil cooler seals again, fixed them, or so I thought gotta drop the engine again. I tried it in the car method once did not fix it, well I guess neither did the out of car method so I just a bad oil leak fixer.

Mike Jr. Johnson instructor no. 1 now partial owner of Evolution. Great guy, taught me a ton. We had some great laughs together, and I learned the fast way through a slalom because of him. I would start out to hard, and have to back off at the end. I tend to be aggressive, yet very smooth. Hard to explain. But if I would not attack so hard I could continue to roll on the throttle and nail the slalom. He knew I had it once I was leaving a soot trail all the way to the next corner.

Jerry Onks instructor no 2. - can't say enough about Jerry he is a lot like me a little more laid back personality wise, yet he can drive the piss out of a car. Dude Extremely supportive, last two runs I made he stood there and clapped as I cam off. Told me I had nailed it!!! What was even better was I can now nail runs with in .002 of each other. Huge gain in constancy.

Danny Popp - was the other instructor on my side. He is local, I can have access to him just by walking over. Hung out a little at the end, and Danny came over and told me a I drove the piss out of that car to get in the 30/ high 29s. And he loved the fact that I could leave a pile of soot on the course. Thought it might be to my advantage to run it at nationals. The guy behind me would not stand a chance. Never find traction with the particulate I was laying down. Now if only I could guarantee I got first run each event.

I did wig a lady out she was freaked that my car would hike its inner rear wheel. 3 -4 inches. I guy who drove a Miata was amazed that I could do it and have it up long enough that it would stop spinning. We had a 320 degree turn at the end of the slalom that was fun. Fly out break hard, set up the turn, about mid way thru, lift just enough to get the nose to tuck back into the turn and get a back on it. Fly through some cones , nail a pivot cone to the left, go through a short sweeper, then a chicago box, out to another pivot cone and nail the finish. Course was short and technical, a great amount of fun.