SVT SE-R
Member
Got to autocross for the first time yesterday with the new front sway bar. It was a practice event put on by the local PCA chapter at Six Flags east of D.C. However, it was a sad day -- Wally Swift, an 82-year-old autocrosser, died of a heart attack while driving on course. 
I was in my truck getting ready to run and saw him coasting at almost a walking pace halfway through the second run in his Neon, and I think everybody thought something was wrong with the car. He kept going across the course until he hit a chain-link fence on the edge of the lot, and there was no movement in the car. Some course workers and other people ran over and then started yelling for somebody to call an ambulance.
From what I heard, CPR was started about 30 seconds after they got him out of the car, and there were actually two trained EMT's on site who arrived soon after. But even then it was too late. He had been autocrossing for more than 30 years and had won numerous local championships. Didn't know him personally but knew of him. I guess it was "his time" and he at least died doing something he loved.
We had a meeting afterwards and decided to continue with the event -- people could get a refund if they didn't want to compete, but most of us probably felt Wally wouldn't have wanted everybody to stop having fun because of him.
Sorry to bring anybody down but I just didn't feel comfortable posting without mentioning this.
Anyway, the new sway bar felt great. The responsiveness of the front end was improved -- especially through slaloms and other quick transitions. It seemed to push a bit more in sweepers but wasn't that bad unless you went in too hot or something. The truck seemed a bit more under control when accelerating out of a turn or lifting/braking to make a turn.
We got four runs, and my first run really sucked. Trying to get a feel for the sway bar change and was a little distracted because, I um, left my breaker bar in the console behind the seats. So every time I turned the wheel, the breaker bar would go sliding and crashing in the console. Time was a 61.4. Next run was a lot faster -- 59.9 but with a cone. My third run was a 59.4, but I hit the same cone as the previous run, got mad and a little flustered and hit the cone right after that. But I went cone-free and faster on my last run -- 59.0.
I was in my truck getting ready to run and saw him coasting at almost a walking pace halfway through the second run in his Neon, and I think everybody thought something was wrong with the car. He kept going across the course until he hit a chain-link fence on the edge of the lot, and there was no movement in the car. Some course workers and other people ran over and then started yelling for somebody to call an ambulance. From what I heard, CPR was started about 30 seconds after they got him out of the car, and there were actually two trained EMT's on site who arrived soon after. But even then it was too late.
He had been autocrossing for more than 30 years and had won numerous local championships. Didn't know him personally but knew of him. I guess it was "his time" and he at least died doing something he loved.We had a meeting afterwards and decided to continue with the event -- people could get a refund if they didn't want to compete, but most of us probably felt Wally wouldn't have wanted everybody to stop having fun because of him.
Sorry to bring anybody down but I just didn't feel comfortable posting without mentioning this.
Anyway, the new sway bar felt great. The responsiveness of the front end was improved -- especially through slaloms and other quick transitions. It seemed to push a bit more in sweepers but wasn't that bad unless you went in too hot or something. The truck seemed a bit more under control when accelerating out of a turn or lifting/braking to make a turn.
We got four runs, and my first run really sucked. Trying to get a feel for the sway bar change and was a little distracted because, I um, left my breaker bar in the console behind the seats.
So every time I turned the wheel, the breaker bar would go sliding and crashing in the console. Time was a 61.4. Next run was a lot faster -- 59.9 but with a cone. My third run was a 59.4, but I hit the same cone as the previous run, got mad and a little flustered and hit the cone right after that. But I went cone-free and faster on my last run -- 59.0.