# It's from Mazda, but $39 bux...



## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

> *The San Jose Mercury News* reported:
> 
> *Driving events try to lure buyers*
> 
> ...


I noticed this in the paper yesterday. Hard to pass up at this price.


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## OBS3SSION (Oct 1, 2002)

I'm there! :thumbup: (As long as there are still openings in Boston.)


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

I would think there are. I got signed up for the 30th here in SF. Those cars are going to be pretty beat up by the time they get to the East coast (least-ways I'll be doing MY part to beat on one  )


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## OBS3SSION (Oct 1, 2002)

Can't be much worse than the Performance Center 330i I thrashed a couple months ago...


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

JST and I (Nick too, I think) are signed up for it in DC. A lot of the local autocross hotshoes are going to participate too.


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

This will be my first time auto-xing. Our local CCA chapter doesn't hold them (due to a lack of volunteers, but I might volunteer after this) and I'm not a member of the SCCA. Should be fun.


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## GSR13 (Apr 30, 2002)

I signed up for the Atlanta event on 17May2003. Got my Dad to join me as well. Hopefully, my brother will also get involved. I think this will be a blast.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

I'm signed up for the Orance County, CA event the day right after Bimmerfest! 

At $39, it's a real no-brainer for me.... cheap track (auto-x) time, and we get to thrash someone else's car! :rofl:


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## eugeneDC/TX (Jan 14, 2002)

torn... that's the weekend of my dad's birthday. i could go to the earliest session then drive to see him. or skip this and spend an extra day with my dad....

if it wasn't so cheap, not in my car, and everything provided it wouldnt even be an issue... i'm like 65-35 going to spend more time with my dad (family is family) but oh my this is tempting....


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## OBS3SSION (Oct 1, 2002)

I signed up for the Boston event on 7-13, group 15. Anyone else going to be there?


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## PhilH (Jun 7, 2002)

The BMW Ultimate Drive I attended in 2001 was just about the same exact thing. Classroom and autocross in your choice of a 330xi, 530i or X5 3.0.

However, the cars were BMWs and the event was free.


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## doeboy (Sep 20, 2002)

PhilH said:


> *The BMW Ultimate Drive I attended in 2001 was just about the same exact thing. Classroom and autocross in your choice of a 330xi, 530i or X5 3.0.
> 
> However, the cars were BMWs and the event was free.  *


The event itself IS free. The $39 is for the mini-"competition". Helmets will be used, and the winner from each city will be invited to compete one last round at Laguna Seca.


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## OBS3SSION (Oct 1, 2002)

Plus the winner of the finals at Leguna Seca goes home with a spankin new Mazda 6. Not to mention they are claiming there are several other prizes and free stuff for everyone else.


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## bren (Jul 1, 2002)

[email protected] said:


> *JST and I (Nick too, I think) are signed up for it in DC. A lot of the local autocross hotshoes are going to participate too. *


What day are you guys going to be there? The 26th is my B-day...this looks like a good treat for me


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## ·clyde· (Dec 26, 2001)

bren said:


> *What day are you guys going to be there? The 26th is my B-day...this looks like a good treat for me  *


Saturday the 26th. I'm in group 14b, starting at 10am.


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## JST (Dec 19, 2001)

bren said:


> *What day are you guys going to be there? The 26th is my B-day...this looks like a good treat for me  *


Sat. 26th, 9 AM.


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## 325ci.com (Sep 23, 2002)

:thumbup: good cheap fun. it's a FWD car, but i think it handles pretty well for a FWD, so i guess you should polish up those left foot braking skills and go...  

a bunch of us at the MR2 club are going to the long island, ny one. great thing is that the car is the same, so the only thing differentiating you is your driving skills (i.e. cannot use the car as an excuse if you lose), so we're using it as a way to do a "fair" competition amongst us to see who really is the best autox-er among us. should be really fun... hehe.

def. sign up for the one in your town if you haven't yet already done so. great bang for your buck and i doubt they'll make you stand out there and pick up cones like in a regular autox, so that's a bonus.


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## bren (Jul 1, 2002)

My wife and I are both signed up....10:40 and 10:20 respectively on Sat. see you guys there  

I was suprised to find that several of the time slots are already booked...


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## SchwartzBlack (Jan 4, 2002)

I signed up for the Boston event on Saturday 7/12. Group 23.


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## Cliff (Apr 19, 2002)

Bump

I attended the Mazda event this morning. It was a perfect day for it, with shirtsleeve temps and a picture postcard view of San Francisco. The event was pretty good, although I didn't get as much seat time as I would have liked. The cars we drove were either automatic equipped Mazda 6s, or manual Proteges for the slalom exercise. Helmets were only required for the timed laps and were, of course, provided by the organizers.

Driving exercises were in 3 skills areas and the two timed laps around the autox course. Instruction wasn't personalized at all and consisted largely of a video specific to each skills area, followed by driving related banter from the "instructor." Occasionally they had something interesting to say, but usually not. There was a braking exercise that consisted of accelerating to 40, then stopping while turning. I was able to confirm that the Mazda 6 does indeed have ABS. The local CCA chapter had a much more effective version of this exercise at the car control clinic I attended in February. The next exercise was a slalom. The outbound leg had an inline slalom while the inbound leg had an offset slalom. The final exercise was a trip around a practice lap. Unfortunately, drivers were limited to only two laps on this exercise, while the rest of the exercises could be repeated at will. The practice lap was definitely the most entertaining and educational exercise there. Oh well...

You could only do two timed laps, each one separated by about 90 minutes. I have no autox experience and needed more practice to be competent. I didn't embarass myself out there, but I won't embarass myself in here and post my time either. 33-34 seconds was a hot lap, and while mine was on the right side of 40 seconds, I wasn't that fast.

The 6 is a nice car. If I were looking for that class of car, it would definitely be on my short list.

The day was defined mostly by standing in lines. Fortunately I scheduled an 8am arrival, but by the time I finished my second timed lap, the lines for the exercises were pretty long. They had food and beverages there. Hot dogs, hamburgers, ham, and turkey sandwiches were on the menu for $6 each, while bottled water, juice and sodas were $2. Be careful with your car while you're there - someone was kind enough to bleed my right rear tire down to 10 pounds of pressure while I was inside. Fortunately I noticed it immediately and filled it back up before getting on the freeway.

Now for some pitchurz:

Timed lap cars:

















Slalom:









Course for practise lap:

















Practise lap:


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