Raise a pint at the new AutoX-U Pub!
With this historic first digital CHALLENGE, we all celebrate Porsche passion. Over the decades of CVR existence, we are so grateful how CHALLENGE has wonderfully captured this passion and reflected it as the essence of the club. Now with a digital version we can share something that we could never do before…color photos! These snapshots really capture the experience and emotion of the day. Here’s to you CVR!

The 2019 AutoX season is off to a great start. Several new things now help turn the Better Driving…Faster! slogan into reality. Most visible is the new, and massive, custom printed tent for us all to gather under. It’s a place for all to learn and refine our driving skills through the helpful spirit and camaraderie that we are known for. This AutoX-U Pub is the place where we all help each other expand our skills and become even faster. The addition of the custom built AutoX Control Cart draws you in, then the pub-like exchange of ideas and feedback keeps you coming back. Also new for 2019, we have state-of-the-art fire extinguishers for each flag station. These make a notable statement about the growth and cutting-edge nature of CVR AutoX events, not to mention how AutoX is the best place to quickly perfect advanced driving skills in a safe environment, unless of course you are one of the pylons!
The most important evolution this year however, is the formalization and acknowledgement of our growing AutoX team. Each exemplifies the experience, fun, and camaraderie that CVR is known for:

Ed Bogue, CVR AutoX Chief Instructor. In addition to Ed’s famous novice walks, now everyone gets to enjoy his AutoX-University talks to start the day. All went silent as he started his insightful description of the two featured driving skills that the course was designed around. What a perfect and clear way to describe these skills so we could all refine them and leave the day a better driver. Combined with Ed’s famous virtual drive videos posted the week before the event, and you can’t help but learn some better technique. Ed exudes Porsche passion!
Rob Bosco, CVR AutoX Registrar. Rob started this role last year and we appreciate it more with every event. His dedication, organization, and helpfulness to get each person registered, sort out any changes or issues that arise, and to get the event kicked off so well, has helped expand CVR’s reputation for running such great and fun events.
Brian Fournier, CVR AutoX Control Chief. Building upon the organized start that Rob gave us, Brian ran the first AutoX so efficiently that we got an amazing 9 heats in and we still finished early! That shows how well run Control is. Thanks to Brian for keeping us on time all day and for the quick results and award ceremony before the dust settled. Such a well-run timing and scoring is a blessing we don’t take for granted.
Scott Sylvester, CVR AutoX Safety Chair. Safety is our number 1 priority, since fun would quickly end without it. Scott test drove the course as final affirmation of the safety features built into it, and he follows up the day with a safety audit report to be sure we follow best practices. This is another position that when it’s done well, little fanfare is given, but that is exactly why we are appreciative of Scott for leading this vital role.

No matter how experienced you were when you arrived, after 9 runs on the perfect course to practice Cornering and Braking skills you left being better…and faster! That’s what happened at AutoX 1. Cornering skills were refined on various speed and radii corners. Key corners had straightaways leading up to them so you could optimize the timing and smoothness of the trail braking skill. High speed lane-changes and steady state (skid pad) corners were just right to refine your throttle steering. A tight ending to the featured skid pad required that you learn or refine your “rotation” skills and use “Trailing Throttle Oversteer” to your advantage, rather than fearing it as years of conservative doctrine tried to ingrain into Porschefiles. If you have ever entered a turn too fast, these skills are vital for your safe recovery and avoiding need for a flatbed, or worse.
“If you have ever entered a turn too fast, these skills are vital for your safe recovery and avoiding need for a flatbed, or worse.”
For improving your Braking skills, there were lots of straight line and braking into the corner (trail braking) opportunities. Braking can add “super-powers” to your front tires if done right (due to weight transfer), but if you brake too soon and get off of the brakes too soon, you lose those super-powers. If you brake too late or too hard the front tires are never granted those superpowers, they lock and slide with debilitating understeer. The course featured a tight ending to the skid pad that was the perfect place to learn how to make a mini-straight to regained those super-powers!
“Braking can add “super-powers” to your front tires if done right…”
AutoX 2 featured a much faster course that was designed around Reading the Course and Car Dynamics. With 6 official runs we were able to finish this event before 3:00pm and the start of the Rock Cats home game that day. This gave plenty of opportunity to experience the Watkins Glen like scary fast sections, in the safe confines of a parking lot. Many that thought they utilize the “look ahead” driving skill quickly realized a different reality at these fast speeds. To go fast here you really had to gather up all of your will and actually look far ahead. Proper car placement and assertion of car dynamics depended on it! With that skill, you could then embrace compressing and releasing the suspension properly to steal time from the clock. Wow that was fun!

Writing about these fun days can only capture a small portion of the actual impact they have on your driving. Each event offers a new and unique opportunity that is missed forever if you don’t attend. Show your Porsche passion and join us at the fabulous Lime Rock Park B-Paddock on August 10th for the next AutoX. You’ll be a welcomed part of our team and come away with Better driving…Faster! Maybe you can even raise a pint at the AutoX-U Pub!

