The Focus's First Race

I took the Focus racing for the first time this Sunday. The event was an autocross put on by the Atlanta SCCA, held at Gwinette County Fairgrounds. I've definitely been away from autocross too long; I finished last in H/Stock. In addition to being out of practice and running an unfamiliar car, I was still running street tires. Ok, enough excuses. As my high school swimming coach once told me:

Excuses are tools of the incompetant.
They build monuments of nothingness.
Those who specialize in excuses,
rarely excel in anything else.

Next year, I'll be back to see if I can improve. I might have to put a set of Kuhmos on there... I've still got a set laying around from the Challenge Probe. This time, all I did to prepare the Focus was to take out anything that wasn't bolted down and put some homemade magnetic decals on the side. I made those from some magnetic sheets I picked up at Wal-Mart. A lot more professional looking than masking tape numbers... unfortunately, it was also a lot more professional looking than my driving.

My fiancee also came along, although she didn't compete. But she still enjoyed the trip, both watching cars and the social side of autocross. Despite calling it Solo 2, an autocross meet is a social occasion as well as a competition.

I brought two cameras, but unfortunately the EOS with its long telephoto lens had a dead battery. So I was only able to get some pictures in the grid and parking lot with a digital camera with a short lens. At least I don't have to wait for these to develop. Here are some of the shots I took.

1. My Focus: preped for racing, and pulling onto the course.


2. My fiancee wanted a 300ZX before she went to this autocross. Now she wants a 300ZX with a sticker like this. See the Camaro it was on here and here.


3. Representing little British cars, we have an Elise, a Mini, and an E-Type.


4. It's natural to root for the underdog. How about autocrossing a Delta 88?

Definitely an exciting way to spend an afternoon.