Coolest Teacher: My Life as an AutoX Competitor

"AutoX – autocross; a competition in which sports cars are timed as they travel
on a closed, twisting course that requires much maneuvering" by Joyce Kiley

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          One hundred thirty-three competitors were present at the SCCA SC Regional Autocross in the back parking lot at the Prince of Orange Mall in Orangeburg, SC on Saturday, February 24, 2007. The left-handed course was primarily an oval, paper-clipping at its edges. It was fairly spread out, suggesting a higher speed course than the previous month’s 2 lapper in the Summerville HS parking lot. There was one true slalom at the end of the back stretch and the course ended in a Chicago box.

          My goals for this autocross were much the same as the month before, when I’d driven in my first one ever: don’t get lost and don’t touch any cones. I met both. I improved my time across most of my four runs, taking three seconds off between my first and final. I drove harder and faster than I really wanted to, knowing that that was how everyone else seemed to be driving and I figured I could handle pushing beyond my usual comfort zone. I had seen a girl in a red BMW (in another class) and the Mustangs driving what appeared to be slowly and I didn’t want to look like that.

          I came in first in class and got my first trophy in a driving sport. The other girl in my D-Stock Ladies class (Honda Prelude) had placed first in the previous month’s event. It hadn’t been points bearing. This was the first competition of the 2007 Fairway Subaru South Carolina Autocross Championships. I was then in the points lead in the championship! In fact, the Prelude girl said she wasn’t going to show at the next month’s autocross, so I didn’t have to take first again to retain my points lead! WOW, right?!

          I brought my trophy into school (work), the next day. (I’m a teacher.)  They put me on the school news and showed us off (me and the trophy). My fifth graders were totally intrigued and it was so cute to watch them explain to each other about the intricacies of the competition. Some are even talking about showing at the next month’s local event. Am I the cool teacher, or what?!

Joyce Kiley is the reigning 2007 SCCA SCR D-Stock Ladies Champion and is competing in A-Stock Ladies, this season, in her 2008 Saturn Sky RedLine.  She’s already taken home a first place trophy in last month’s first event at Summerville HS, a year after her AutoCross debut.

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