Team-BHP
(
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/)
Maruti Suzuki and Northern Motorsport are back with Autocross 2015, scheduled to be held on October 31, 2015 at BKC, Mumbai.
Click
here and
here to know more.
Driver registration is Rs. 300. Additionally, a fee of Rs. 700 is levied for each qualifying race.
This event is open to all cars and not restricted to Maruti only. However, other make cars will be competing in the respective 'open' class.
For those less familiar with Autocross, do visit these threads below:
2011 Mumbai 2011 Noida 2014 Mumbai 
Registration can be done
online or at the venue on Oct 31.
A brief report:
I participated in the 2015 Maruti Suzuki Autocross, organized by Northern Motorsport, held at BKC, Mumbai on Oct 31 - Nov 1, 2015. Had been looking forward to the event since a really long time and kept wishing this annual event is held bi-annually at the very least in Mumbai.
Day 1 - Qualifying
Unlike last year, this year I opted for 2 runs albeit both in the same Pro Stock Petrol Open category. Why Pro? Cause I brought home a cup last year :D. Since I was in my bone-stock Grand i10 which is a non-Maruti, I had only the Open category, open to me. After a demo lap by a rallyist in Maruti Suzuki's official track car - S-Cross 1.6L, I couldn't wait to hit the track any more. Each run includes 2 laps. No practice run either. So it was an all-or-nothing-kinda situation (unless you opt for more runs). The track was tight and with gravel.
Unfortunately, by the time all the formalities were complete from my side, it was lunch time. The organizers actually drenched the track and post lunch I was one of the first few cars to run. BIG Mistake! Since the track was still slushy, my car was sliding around and my front tyres were spinning all throughout. Also, being my first run, I was just getting acquainted with the layout. The result was evident with a timing of 1:16 (which includes a 15 sec penalty for knocking down 3 cones stupid:). The best time till then was ~92 secs.
My next qualifying was the one where I had to really go for it. With a dry surface this time around, and a better understanding of the track, I hit 88.121 seconds. The second fastest time till I left the venue. Was pleased with myself, till I reached again next morning...
Day 2 - Finals
Some of the racers had come in the morning of Day 2 and annihilated my best time. The new best time was ~83.XX (if I remember correctly). From being first in my category, I came 3rd and barely managed to qualify for the Finals.
The final layout was a lot faster with some tighter yet confusing turns. I waited and waited till I got the confidence to hit the track. Remember, I had just 1 shot - 2 laps to get the best time. A quick look at the screen and the time for me to beat was 99.69 seconds with average timings of ~105 seconds. Finally, I was on the start line. My sole objective was a sub 100 second run for which I needed to be as precise as possible. Green lights on and I was off... Drove with part throttle only as the track although fast was rough. A car like the SX4 was scraping at a few places and I had no intention to attract any kind of damage to my daily drive. With generous use of the handbrake, smoother throttle inputs and minimal use of the brakes, I managed to clock 102.7 seconds. There was still hope for coming second out of four in my category, but that hope was short lived. Another racer clocked 99.58 seconds and pushed me to third place and shattered my hopes for bringing another cup home this year.
At the end of the day, I walked out with a big grin on my face and experienced this adrenaline rush that possibly race car drivers experience on the track. Met a few BHPians too and spent the weekend doing something that I love doing amidst some awesome cars.
Quote:
Originally Posted by S2!!!
(Post 3840073)
A brief report:
I participated in the 2015 Maruti Suzuki Autocross, organized by Northern Motorsport, held at BKC, Mumbai on Oct 31 - Nov 1, 2015. Had been looking forward to the event since a really long time and kept wishing this annual event is held bi-annually at the very least in Mumbai.
Day 1 - Qualifying
Unlike last year, this year I opted for 2 runs albeit both in the same Pro Stock Petrol Open category. Why Pro? Cause I brought home a cup last year :D. Since I was in my bone-stock Grand i10 which is a non-Maruti, I had only the Open category, open to me. After a demo lap by a rallyist in Maruti Suzuki's official track car - S-Cross 1.6L, I couldn't wait to hit the track any more. Each run includes 2 laps. No practice run either. So it was an all-or-nothing-kinda situation (unless you opt for more runs). The track was tight and with gravel.
Unfortunately, by the time all the formalities were complete from my side, it was lunch time. The organizers actually drenched the track and post lunch I was one of the first few cars to run. BIG Mistake! Since the track was still slushy, my car was sliding around and my front tyres were spinning all throughout. Also, being my first run, I was just getting acquainted with the layout. The result was evident with a timing of 1:16 (which includes a 15 sec penalty for knocking down 3 cones stupid:). The best time till then was ~92 secs.
My next qualifying was the one where I had to really go for it. With a dry surface this time around, and a better understanding of the track, I hit 88.121 seconds. The second fastest time till I left the venue. Was pleased with myself, till I reached again next morning...
Day 2 - Finals
Some of the racers had come in the morning of Day 2 and annihilated my best time. The new best time was ~83.XX (if I remember correctly). From being first in my category, I came 3rd and barely managed to qualify for the Finals.
The final layout was a lot faster with some tighter yet confusing turns. I waited and waited till I got the confidence to hit the track. Remember, I had just 1 shot - 2 laps to get the best time. A quick look at the screen and the time for me to beat was 99.69 seconds with average timings of ~105 seconds. Finally, I was on the start line. My sole objective was a sub 100 second run for which I needed to be as precise as possible. Green lights on and I was off... Drove with part throttle only as the track although fast was rough. A car like the SX4 was scraping at a few places and I had no intention to attract any kind of damage to my daily drive. With generous use of the handbrake, smoother throttle inputs and minimal use of the brakes, I managed to clock 102.7 seconds. There was still hope for coming second out of four in my category, but that hope was short lived. Another racer clocked 99.58 seconds and pushed me to third place and shattered my hopes for bringing another cup home this year.
At the end of the day, I walked out with a big grin on my face and experienced this adrenaline rush that possibly race car drivers experience on the track. Met a few BHPians too and spent the weekend doing something that I love doing amidst some awesome cars.
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it was great meeting you at autocross, sorry but all this motorsport events turn out to be disappointment, first they have a qualifying day dedicated for Saturday, where we spend time qualifying and go home with the results, and to everyone surprise they keep a qualifying sunday morning as well, then what is the point of having a dedicated qualifying session on Saturday? if there is a unlimited qualifying time spilled over the next day then please inform the ones who have qualified on Saturday. people who thought they are qualified to their surprise after the sunday morning 2 hours of qualifying (which was unknown) they are not qualified now, as some new set of people come in the morning and out qualify your time, so coming all the way becomes a big disappointment and disaster. if paying and have multiple runs endlessly is the target, then many people can sit there with stack of cash and keep qualifying till they qualify (just saying).
last year I participated too, but this year all this just turned out to be a disappointment, not cribbing, but yes not fair to have a event designed in this manner, they have to time limit the qualifying and the entries, because every re run they make more money and make it endless. I would have rather come on sunday morning itself and not wasted my Saturday.
and yes I agree, the track is good for cars if you have in your garage which even if gets damaged wont matter to you. you can definitely cannot risk your daily drive as there were big stones all over.
I thought of sharing my experience here as well.
cheers.
Quote:
Originally Posted by The Saint
(Post 3840260)
if there is a unlimited qualifying time spilled over the next day then please inform the ones who have qualified on Saturday. people who thought they are qualified to their surprise after the sunday morning 2 hours of qualifying (which was unknown) they are not qualified now, as some new set of people come in the morning and out qualify your time, so coming all the way becomes a big disappointment and disaster. if paying and have multiple runs endlessly is the target, then many people can sit there with stack of cash and keep qualifying till they qualify (just saying).
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In their Regulation draft it's clearly mentioned that qualifying rounds were scheduled on Sunday as well from 8-11 am. Looking back, I think even I could've visited the event on Sunday (i.e. Day 2) itself. However, since they had too many entries on Saturday, the organizers weren't sure whether they would be able to accommodate a higher number of participants for a qualifying run on Day 2.
Even I was :Shockked: when I reached the venue on Day 2, only to find that from position 2, your time dropped to 5, and from position 1 (in my category) mine dropped to 3.
I missed the event - mistake of not following the thread. Anyway, was out in Goa, but I may not have gone of I knew this was happening. Don't worry guys, there's always a next time. Do you have any videos for us to watch?
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