Words: Andreanna Ditton
Photos: Courtesy of Goodguys
First things first, I officially did not finish the Goodguys 6th Annual Editor’s Shootout at the Goodguy’s Meguir’s 13th Del Mar Nationals this Saturday. I went, I watched, I drove, and ultimately, I scratched. It was my first time Autocrossing, and it’s safe to say, I bit off more than I could chew. That big bite came largely in the form of the Detroit Speed ‘66 Mustang, and I’d like to say it bit me, but really fear, inexperience and my overactive imagination’s ability to envision flaming balls of fire spewing from hunks of metal were the great white sharks that got to me. But I digress.
I’d been watching the Autocross all morning, my nerves jangling around like pocket change as a series of souped-up muscle cars and modded trucks gunned it through the initial chicane and around the first tight corner, fishtailing perilously close to the cement barrier at the way back of the course. The drivers seemed unconcerned with imminent intersection of concrete and car, although the crowd would rev with each near miss and I’d get woozy from more than the bright heat of the San Diego sun beating onto my unprotected arms.
The closer those vehicles got to those barriers, though, the edgier I got and by the time they hauled in the experienced amateurs, gave the announcers a break for lunch and wrangled the lot of t-shirt wearing, sunburned editors to shoot it out, I was twitching. The editors were a motley crew of experienced drivers and writers from Car Craft, BangShift, ProTouring.com and other sites. The event is an annual chance for them to put their money where their (well-developed) mouths are and drive! It’s a point of pride. For me, it was a chance to do something I’d always wanted to do. I’ve driven far, and I’ve driven fast, and I’ve even driven the occasional muscle car, but I’ve never been behind the wheel of a car designed to scare the literal piss out of you. And these cars wanted to do just that, or at the very least show you what engine, traction, friction, and fascination could do on a curved course.
I knew all this, but until I got there, I hadn’t intuited the risks. Sure, the cars were any gearheads dream – the Roush 320 powered Mustang, a beautiful, aggressive Ridetech ’68 Camaro, and the Goodguys’ 2013 Ford Focus ST, but all I could see were those concrete barriers, and me plowing someone else’s expensive, highly tuned lust object into the concrete. Trent Summers of the Goodguys told us the rules – everyone drives each car once, no one gets a trial run, cycle through each vehicles like you’re grownups and know how to share and don’t kill the car – then set us loose. The Focus rolled up first, and someone got in, and then the Mustang pulled up to the start. Knowing that hesitation would be the end of me, I hopped into the Mustang with Kyle Tucker, convinced that if I didn’t get in, I’d bail completely.
They buckled me in, attached the wheel, and we went over strategy. Put it in first, keep it in first. You won’t need the clutch, and won’t much use the brake. These words should have comforted me, instead, I forgot how to drive. I rolled forward, then rolled back. I remembered which pedal was stop, which was go, and which was “are you sure you want to be in second.” I never did find reverse. The light turned green, and we were off. Sort of. I pressed down gently on the gas and the sheer power of that Mustang shot my last jangly nerve straight to hell. The car bucked, and slowed, and then slowly, haltingly, limpingly we were off. See, the Mustang has horses. So many horses, so much grunt, and that little tap on the gas woke up those horses, and all I could see were those horses coming for me, and me swerving around that first turn and fishtailing into Fast Ford heaven. I figured I’d rather be slow than dead.
I admit I abused that poor beast of a car. I couldn’t bring myself to really push through the idle, so afraid, I couldn’t hit the brakes in time as part of that brain forgetting how to drive thing, so I putted it around the course racking up what was surely the slowest time ever for a car designed to put other people’s big idle engines to shame as the car belched out its desire to go fast and smooth. I got brave for a few seconds coming into the hairpin and felt the true power in the muscle of that muscle car, and trusted Kyle through the hairpins (no clutch, no brake, just swing the wheel wide). “She seems scared of the car,” Chad Reynolds from Bang Shift announced, almost kindly, “And we certainly should respect that engine.” I was respecting the car’s power, but I was disrespecting its potential, too scared to find that place where power and control met. When I finished, no cones were harmed, no pylons swiped, but my pride had settled low in the backseat hiding from everyone.
I got out of the car, shaking with nerves and adrenaline. For the moment, not dying had been enough. Eventually, I calmed down enough to drive the Focus – a zippy, expressive little car that was a joy to wheel around the cones. Sure, I was still slower than the other editors, but I found a little of my pride in another clean run, even if I exhibited a distinct lack of grace after yet another crack about from the announcer to driving faster and pretend I was going to a Nordstrom’s sale. That bird’s for you boys, and that wave on the second pass was all you’re getting as apology.
But by the time my turn in the Camaro came up, I’d had enough for the day. The Chevy was starting to get a little twitchy – weary from the heat and the aggressive amateurs behind its black wheels – and I felt sure that I didn’t want to be the person to stall her out in the middle of the track. I’d just gotten my pride back, I wasn’t willing to sacrifice it again. I walked away from the shootout with a hell of a sunburn on my arms, and a desire to try harder next time.
By this time next year, I want to compete for real. Sure, I’m not going to be challenging Mary Pozzi to a head to head, but I want to be firmly in the pack, with more experience under my belt and my fears behind me. Because those cars? They’re meant to be pushed to the limit. They know how to bite back.
Final Results – Goodguys 6th Annual Editor’s Shootout AutoCross
1. Jeff Smith – Car Craft Magazine – 58.037
2. Wes Drelleshak – Classic Trucks Magazine – 58.236rte
3. Chad Reynolds – Bangshift.com – 58.284
4. Kirk Jones – Goodguys Gazette – 59.830
5. Steven Rupp – Camaro Performers – 60.534
6. Larry Callahan – ProTouring.com – 62.908
7. Mark Gearhart – Power Auto Media – 63.411
8. Jeffrey Gomez – SNOB Magazine – 64.934
9. Michael Harding – Power Auto Media – 71.822
10. Johnny Hunkins – Popular Hot Rodding – 72.330
11. Andreanna Ditton – Hotrodhotline.com – (Did Not Finish)
