All three of the top 3 autocross cars at the $2015 Challenge were driven by team members, not Pro drivers!
I'm pretty sure that's the first time a team driver has medaled since 2004!
All three of the top 3 autocross cars at the $2015 Challenge were driven by team members, not Pro drivers!
I'm pretty sure that's the first time a team driver has medaled since 2004!
hell yeah!
i finished 28th in auto-x and drove myself and had never autocrossed before in my life. i'm proud of my finish(11 overall of the non exhibition cars) and wanted seat time. i'm guessing a pro could have whacked 2-3 seconds off but it's so much more fun driving my own car.
Glad to see team members race their own car.
Congratulations to all three teams.
So either the cars were really hard to drive without specific experience or the pro drivers weren't very good 
Seriously, good work.
Yep, nice job.
In reply to Keith Tanner:
I think it was possibly a strategic choice in all three cases.
I know we chose to find the best driver we could, but then give him as much seat time as possible before the event.
I don't think anyone can drive better than the Challenge Pros. But I do think there is an advantage to being familiar with the car.
It was a strategic choice.
I need to put the challenge on my bucket list even if I just show up as a spectator.
I was only .3 seconds slower then the fastest pro in my lexus. And I only drove it once for a timed run and three times for fun runs.
SVreX wrote: In reply to Keith Tanner: I think it was possibly a strategic choice in all three cases. I know we chose to find the best driver we could, but then give him as much seat time as possible before the event. I don't think anyone can drive better than the Challenge Pros. But I do think there is an advantage to being familiar with the car. It was a strategic choice.
Like the Mongrel team did in 2003.
I would not be surprised that A&M's driver is very much involved in their FSAE car.
Sort of bring your own pro.
Interesting.
In reply to alfadriver:
I am probably the closest to "cheating"- our driver is a 3 time national champion, but also a neighbor, and just a cool team mate.
So yes, your assessment is correct.
Next year my plan is still similar, but I'd like to MAKE the best driver I can (me), instead of FINDING him. But there does come a time where I have to accept who I am and what I am good at- I spent 53 years never racing, my eyesight is failing, and my reaction times are not what they used to be. I have no muscle memory for something I've never done. But I am good at building a team, and humble enough to hand over the keys when the time is right.
If it helps, our driver is getting near 7 decades old. ;-)
Sooo, is BYOD (Driver) or BYOP (Pro) an new class or badge of honor in the autox?
Maybe it's even an advantage in some cases?
In reply to Robbie:
I think it has always been a badge of honor to some people, but no one has won with it since 2004.
Yes, could be an advantage (if you're A&M, but maybe not if you're me.) 
The Pro drivers exist because this was always supposed to be a car builder's game, not a car driver's game. In 2003 Mongrel Motorsports brought their own Pro (because they realized there was an advantage), and Pros have been available ever since (so that teams could choose to utilize them if they desired).
This year, teams figured out how to do it in-house more effectively than using the GRM supplied Pros.
SVreX wrote: The Pro drivers exist because this was always supposed to be a car builder's game, not a car driver's game.
I fully agree, and I actually think the GRM challenge might be the only true builder's game in the world.
Can you hire a driver for other competitions? Sure. but that's not quite the same.
Our of curiosity, who were the Pros this year? SVreX's 3-time national champ may well be more qualified to figure out a hooptie in 3 runs than some Pros are.
In reply to RedGT:
I know Alan McCrispin and Steve Hoelscher were there, both of whom hold multiple national championships. Not sure of the others.
The Pros are infinitely capable.
Robbie wrote: Sooo, is BYOD (Driver) or BYOP (Pro) an new class or badge of honor in the autox? Maybe it's even an advantage in some cases?
Back when I was blowing glass, I had plans on creating a plate for the next team driver to take FTD. Maybe I will when I get back into glass.
I did make an ugly cone for the best spin of the day- that was quite a while ago.
Basically, we have GRM's prizes, and then prizes that competitors do among themselves. I got the eVil one back in 2004. It's one of those things that makes the Challenge so cool and unique.
RedGT wrote: Our of curiosity, who were the Pros this year? SVreX's 3-time national champ may well be more qualified to figure out a hooptie in 3 runs than some Pros are.
Can't say about A&M's driver, but I do know the last one wasn't an SCCA racer. Just a local one.
On the other hand, I need to contact our local FSAE and F-Hybrid team to see if a handful of them want to run a challenge. I gave a tour of work from a Fhybird guy from Idaho- and he wants to run the challenge- I was watching the autocross when he came by.
Well, I borrowed al jr for my runs and used his know how to improve my input behind the wheel. He was cool to runshotgun for all 5 of my runs and it really helped since I have drive in anger in 5 years.
wow....I've been on GRM for a good while and had no idea. So most of the teams going to the Challenge spend all that time building their cars....and then hire someone else to drive them who wasn't actually involved in the build? 
irish44j wrote: wow....I've been on GRM for a good while and had no idea. So most of the teams going to the Challenge spend all that time building their cars....and then hire someone else to drive them who wasn't actually involved in the build?
Noooooo-not at all! GRM provides drivers with National Championship pedigrees to drive your car for free. Those drivers have typically been faster than the people who own the cars and have been the FTD holders for years. This year was the first time in many years that that has changed.
ah, got it....
I'm the Texas A&M Driver, I also happen to be the teams manager. To be honest, we only had it at one autocross on the Hoosiers before the challenge and didn't get much chassis tuning done (powertrain issues ). We left time out there at the challenge and are planning to come back next year with some actual suspension tuning (it was pushing like crazy).
And hopefully we can figure out how to turn our 112mph trap speed into a 12-second time... need to start figuring out how to get a Miata to hook up on the strip
I was pretty sure the vorshlag guys brought their own driver in $2011.
Rmon wrote: I'm the Texas A&M Driver, I also happen to be the teams manager. To be honest, we only had it at one autocross on the Hoosiers before the challenge and didn't get much chassis tuning done (powertrain issues
Of course you left time out there. It's autocross. All the winners of SCCA National Championships can tell you where they berkeleyed up. If you come off an autocross course like, "Well, that's all it had," then you're probably pretty good at lying to yourself. :)
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