MBCA 500 Section

2007 Defensive Driving & Autocross

Sponsored by Griot’s Garage

www.griotsgarage.com

 

This was one of our most instructive and better attended events thus far! Along with our members, drivers came from the Bluegrass Section & Cincinnati Section.

 

And what a facility to conduct the Defensive Driving instructions and then practice those learned instructions in the Autocross. This continuous, unobstructed, blacktop lot is longer and wider than a football field. The surface is lined by the school three ways:

1) For regular student parking.

2) For Driver Education classes.

3) For Marching Band practice for football games.

 

We “cone” the lot to our needs. During the Defensive Driving session, each driver has an instructor with them as they were paced thru several ‘real road’ scenarios:

1) Brake-release-turn to avoid obstacle on the road ahead.

2) No brake turn to avoid obstacle on the road ahead.

3) Proper distance for following other traffic

4) Slalom steering

5) “The Star” – using outside mirrors to backup to 5 equal points on a 11

feet circle having 2 wheels always in the circle.

 

After a hearty lunch of sandwiches, chips, fried chicken, baked beans, potato salad & cookies, (no post lunch napping was allowed), it was on to the Autocross.

Walt Anderson created this year’s Autocross course. It contained right & left hand turns, a slalom, a full hair pin turn, a counter-clockwise circle, an acceleration run and a full clockwise zigzag turn ending at the ‘garage’. The average participant took 60 +/- seconds to complete the course.

 

There were the usual 1st & 2nd place plaques, but also participation prizes for everyone: Griot’s Car Wash for all, 2007 Participation Plaques, Mercedes key fobs from Autohaus and there were completion certificates for all drivers. This year, Griot’s Garage presented a grand prize of one pair of Piloti Driving Shoes, which Terry Kiwala won.

 

An enjoyable morning & afternoon of sharing ‘crunched cones’, road warrior tales and “times to beat” was had by all. Thanks to everyone who attended and participated. Each of you contributed to a successful event! And everyone came away a winner!