Ft. Meade Rallycross - Lotsa fun!

[Heraclid]

I had another great weekend down in Ft. Meade, and just wanted to say that you folks are missing a great event, so some of you Florida folks get your butts out there why don't ya? The VX was born for this stuff. :-) Heck, if nothing else, come watch and hang out with some good people and your fellow VXers. It was encouraging that we had several people show up just to scope things out, and hopefully they will all show up for the November event.

Thanks again to Joe and Kathy for their great hospitality, and to John Schellenberg for all the work he does (and the rally videos were amazing!), and of course Bob, David, Bryn and everyone else that makes this thing happen.

Even with a wet course, I think I had more fun with this one than the previous two, and the VX was stunningly well-behaved in the slick, muddy conditions. Considering that I think only one 2WD car made it through the first run without the assistance of Joe's tractor, things went quite well - nothing that a little TOD can't handle. The course is versatile enough that we got a configuration everyone could run. I pushed it in the corners just a little more than I really thought I could get away with, and I still got away with it. I barely ever even tapped the brakes, and did so only a couple of times per run. Just letting off the gas a tad was enough to bleed adequate speed in the muddy sections, and even when I did carry too much speed into a few of the turns, I went a little wide but the VX didn't get uncontrollable and fishtail. I love this vehicle we have! My limitations as a newbie driver in this sport may have been challenged some, but my VX has not yet been asked for more than it can give on the course.

[Joe_Black]

Thanks for coming, helping and competing! Even if you did beat me! Pbbbtttt! ;pg;

You did exceptionally well and if you keep improving at the same rate will probably be on your way to Paris-Dakar yourself some day! You were driving like this:
http://www.planetarydomination.com/rally/media/082804/Img_8509.jpg

While I was driving like this:
http://www.planetarydomination.com/rally/media/082804/Img_8415.jpg

I'm still upset your VX was soooo much cleaner than mine! :madg:

From the feedback and interest from those who just came to check it out, the November event is shaping up to be our largest. Y'all keep checking the website as I'll have some photos up soon as I'm adding a "Media" page with that and video clips from in-car and track too. Fort Meade RallyCross. (http://www.planetarydomination.com/rally.htm)

[Heraclid]

You have some pics already?! Me want! I've been checking but so far haven't seen 'em on the photographer's site. Are there lots of them? I noticed he doesn't have that many posted for each event - on his own site, anyway.

That pic of me is kinda boring - looks like I'm parked there - I much prefer to see some earth-slinging like yours. LOL! That pic of yours is pretty spectacular. Must be that little pond we had just past the finish line. :-) Hey, mine was exceptionally dirty underneath, so I really feel for you having to clean yours. But at the time, I was kinda wishing mine was as dirty as yours. :-)

If it's any consolation, I still consider you to be a better driver. I was wondering how I came out ahead because I knew you beat me at least once and we had a tie too. Looking at the results sheet, you beat me twice and we tied once. I only beat you once, and I only did better overall because of the margin between us on that first run. Since the first one was a really soggy one, it probably had much to do with the tires we each had on that run. Actually, you, John, and I all kinda ran together - the three of us placed 6th, 7th, and 8th overall. I had a great time at the rallycross itself, not because of any of that, but because it just felt right this time - the VX behaved very well and it just felt like things were coming together for me out there.