Autocross Debut! #34 “But Why Autocross?”
Han Dae-jin glanced at Kim Ji-hyun riding shotgun as he drove the Avante N toward Jeongpyeong in Chungbuk.
“But why autocross of all things?”
“Why? Gymkhanas have bullshit courses, and circuits cost a fuckton of money. Autocross is right in the middle.”
It was the season when the autumn breeze was starting to pick up. Kim Ji-hyun was still rocking her Hawaiian shirt and shorts while dealing with Han Dae-jin. Her luxury sunglasses stood out especially.
“Hmm... but I heard Yoon Ha-rin’s competing too.”
“Yeah. We figured you two kept clashing on public roads like you were gonna fuck or fight, so we matched you up. It’s mostly coincidence, though.”
At Kim Ji-hyun’s words, Han Dae-jin’s face twisted into a strange, bitter expression. Having to face off again with the bitch who’d thrown herself into the fray just to block his YouTube channel. And in her specialty, no less.
Han Dae-jin finally arrived in Jeongpyeong. Even after reaching the resort hosting the event, it took a while to get to the actual venue—a paddock attached to a kart track. Pylons were already set up inside the paddock, and quite a crowd had gathered. Among them was Yoon Ha-rin, suited up and waiting.
Yoon Ha-rin held Dori on a leash in her left hand while talking on her phone with her right. Han Dae-jin stepped out of the car and stretched dramatically enough to startle the onlookers.
“Oh, Han Dae-jin and Pro Kim—you’re here?”
An event organizer approached with a greeting. Kim Ji-hyun yawned while scanning the surroundings. Rear-wheel-drive cars like the Miata or 86 dotted the area, along with the occasional Veloster N or Avante N. Even some Prides showed up now and then. The Avante 3 Sport had just Yoon Ha-rin.
“Makes sense since there’s no side turns...”
Kim Ji-hyun grumbled, eyeing Yoon Ha-rin’s car.
“Pardon?”
“The full-option Avante 3 Sport has auto-stop, right?”
“Yeah?”
“No drifting or side turns in this event. But the speed range is a bit higher.”
Han Dae-jin nodded at her explanation. While he unpacked his filming gear to prep for shooting, Yoon Ha-rin was already setting up her own equipment for a standing opening shot by herself.
Han Dae-jin mounted his phone on a tripod and jumped right into his own standing opening.
“Hey, what’s up, it’s Kiwi. Not sure if you saw my last public road drift vid... but this time, yours truly is entering an autocross event. What’s autocross? It’s an American-style comp closer to circuits than gymkhana...”
He wrapped up the opening, packed away the tripod, attached his action cam to the selfie stick, and started filming the competing cars.
After getting shots of all the vehicles, he handed the camera to Kim Ji-hyun and filmed himself checking tire pressure. Meanwhile, Yoon Ha-rin was soloing her tripod setup, capturing her own tire checks and car inspections.
Soon, briefing time rolled around, and both Han Dae-jin and Yoon Ha-rin attended. They exchanged awkward greetings and sat side by side.
“Fuckin’ asshole came here to show off again,” Yoon Ha-rin whispered to Han Dae-jin.
“Fuck off, you slut who spreads her legs for anyone.”
Han Dae-jin fired back.
“Today’s course will run just like what you see on screen here. We’ll show you a demo lap!”
The organizer leading the briefing spoke, then played the video. Han Dae-jin and Yoon Ha-rin both watched intently.
Shortly after, they returned to the course. Sessions were about to start, with Han Dae-jin slotted for mid-pack. Yoon Ha-rin, up early, donned her balaclava, helmet, and Hans device and climbed in.
A few cars went out and returned before her turn. Before even reaching the start line, Yoon Ha-rin weaved the car hard, slamming the brakes and yanking the side brake for auto-stop rear slides.
Han Dae-jin and Kim Ji-hyun stared, dumbfounded.
“That crazy bitch...” Kim Ji-hyun muttered.
“Thorough, huh.”
“She’ll figure out soon enough it’s pointless.”
Han Dae-jin looked puzzled at Kim Ji-hyun’s words. Meanwhile, Yoon Ha-rin launched, slaloming through the pylons at solid speed before rounding the right corner. Then the roundabout section, a big sweeping right, and a clean hairpin to end her practice session.
“Faster than I thought?”
Han Dae-jin was surprised after hearing her time from the organizer. Kim Ji-hyun just looked unfazed.
His own turn approached, so Han Dae-jin slipped on his helmet—that problematic still—and got in the car. Heading to the start line, he toyed with a burnout-ish move but saw Kim Ji-hyun flip him the bird and quietly U-turned straight into the slalom.
He navigated the slalom smoothly with Kim Ji-hyun’s steering techniques, flowing right into the U-turn. Realizing the radius was tighter than expected, he slid due to oversteering for the speed, countered it, and shot toward the roundabout.
Now a fierce radius and G-forces lifting the left rear wheel. Bursting out of the roundabout, high-speed right corners chained up. He focused on steering inputs through them. At the end, a right-angle shift—he downshifted and braked into a U-turn.
Into the final hairpin, another left-rear-lifting turn to cross the finish.
His time placed him right behind Yoon Ha-rin’s. He sighed upon hearing it.
“Hey, that’s pretty damn good for your level.”
Kim Ji-hyun told him as he climbed out.
“Still gotta win, though.”
“Prep for the next run. Ride all day today—you need to set a record in the timed session later.”
At her words, Han Dae-jin geared up for another lap. Yoon Ha-rin headed out again meantime, burnout-weaving on the front wheels before diving into slalom.
Post-slalom right corner: hard left-foot braking, trail off, then turn. Straight to the roundabout. Before the left-turning circle, she flicked the nose right then snapped left hard to carve it.
Next, the long right high-speed section—she kept the throttle pinned, controlling with steering. At the near-right-angle end, left-foot brake to slow, then clipped perilously close to the pylon.
Final hairpin: left-foot braking while modulating throttle, diving inside and clipping one pylon as she passed.
Yoon Ha-rin grimaced slightly through the hairpin and crossed the finish.
“That’s a penalty in the real timed runs.”
She’d heard it from the organizer after rolling down the window at the line. Sighing, she raised it back up and returned to the paddock.
Han Dae-jin launched again meantime, clearing the course.
Lunchtime hit, and by chance, Han Dae-jin, Yoon Ha-rin, and Kim Ji-hyun ended up at the same table with boxed lunches.
Yoon Ha-rin fed Dori his pre-packed meal while eating. Han Dae-jin filmed himself eating amid the awkwardness; Yoon Ha-rin did the same.
Once cameras were off and they dug in for real, Yoon Ha-rin sighed and eyed Han Dae-jin.
“You kidding? This is my content.”
“It’s my content too. Whose content is whose in this world? Whoever edits best wins.”
Han Dae-jin replied innocently to her jab.
“You drive better than I thought.”
“What, soon enough.”
“Think so? Know who I am?”
Yoon Ha-rin smirked at his confidence. Come to think of it, her suit bore a pretty famous kart team’s logo. Han Dae-jin nearly choked on his tonkatsu side while noticing.
“You think I’m some rookie like you? Dream on.”
“Yoon Ha-rin, cut it. I’ll train this guy fast like you. It’ll be soon.”
Kim Ji-hyun snapped irritably between bites, making Yoon Ha-rin clear her throat awkwardly.
Post-lunch brought the real timed competition: six attacks, lowest aggregate time wins.
Yoon Ha-rin shot her afternoon opening handheld, vowing victory. Han Dae-jin did his handheld too, acting like he owned the place.
The event kicked off, both climbing in and waiting their turns.