<VV> Corvair convention tune-up/Indy autox report

[Levair@aol.com]

All,
  I hadn't autocrossed my CP Yenko Stinger Corvair (YS015) for over a year; 
since finishing the EMod roadster. Scott LeVeque drove it at Indy a while back 
to get used to it again. My son Scott is driving it at the convention. This 
got me to yearning to get back behind the wheel after watching and hearing it 
run. 
   Indy region had an SCCA autocross a the Converse airport today. Since this 
is grippy concrete and has lots and lots of room for large sweepers and a 
mini road course layout, I thought I would give it a try. Especially since I need 
practice for next week's Corvair convention autocross and it might not 
handicap the road racing prepared Stinger too much. .
   The Stinger is supposedly not a very good autocross car now that the set 
up has been biased very strongly toward track events. The engine with the 280 
autocross cam is out and a 13/1 engine with a 310 cam is in .It has a huge 
Holley four barrel, 6 tube intake, big headers, and a transaxle with all of the 
gears (Yenko box, 3.55 axle) pushed up toward 4th and a track biased rear end 
ratio.. First gear is nearly useless. It also had 4 year old slicks. 
   There was a 40 % chance of rain; shoot, in Indiana there is always at 
least a 50% chance of rain. It did rain early, but the STS cars and all of the 
cars on racing slicks got to run SIX runs in beautiful dry weather.
   Some Corvair driving wimps who claim to need the track time stayed 
home(PF, JR, and MG) because of the rain. It might rain at the convention autocross, 
you know. The seal coated asphalt might even feel like rain on concrete.
   Be aware, I'm just stating my opinion, others of course have the right to 
strongly disagree. I was very disappointed with the course layout for such a 
large area.
 I believe they took a National course layout at about 2/3 scale or less.  
The turns were all acute angles which could be taken at the top of first gear or 
bogging in second. They were fed into by fast straights and they were all 
decreasing radius. Running it backwards would have helped some. There were no 
sweeping turns at all! It was a huge open area, surely, there wasn't a safety 
problem. 
   I do really appreciate the work done by the persons who set the course up 
the day before. I've been there, as I did it totally by myself on the day 
before the last event and I'm sure some didn't like my course either. 
   Having said all of that, I had a great time!. There was enough room to 
slide this huge car around some (fun, but maybe not so fast) and it picked up 
much better than expected at these slow cornering speeds. I'm surprised that this 
car's combination worked at all, but it was great fun. 
   What really helped (the racing gods must love me) ; is that someone 
invited two young ladies , who had experience in performance rallying and 
rallycross, to take turns riding with me. What an inspiration!! Sure enough, on the only 
solo driven  run, I was slower. . I would've been fastest fendered car but 
for one excellently driven (PAX winner) Honda S2000. Congratulations, Mike.
   STS was won by  my son Michael who was debuting his resurrected Stinger 
YS045. His car got much good attention for Corvairs. His wife Vanessa also won 
STS ladies class. 
   Nothing on these fragile cars broke so we're ready/practiced for the 
convention. 
    I may have to rethink the Stinger's  autocross set -up.
   Great job, Indy.
Warren