1st time Auto-Xer looking for techniques
 

Hey all whats good...well the time has finally come, I will be attending my 1st Auto-x event on June 10th and pretty psyched about it. I've been wanting to get into racing since as long as I can remeber but really haven't had a reliable car to do so up until now...well enough of my life story :boring: ..Sorry if it's been discussed & asked a bunch times as well but I just had to toot my lil horn anyway,

I'm looking for some techniques to pickup & learn. Since all cars handle different I felt I really needed to ask 8 owners specifically

Also are there any bad habits that a majority of people do?...I guess what I'm trying to say is, what are some common noob mistake you guys see?

well if its your first time, you dont want to really try to get the lowest track time. you just wanna get across the finish line. so first lap take it slow, study the track. 2nd lap speed up a little, find the tracks weak spots, and where you should be more carefull. then just have fun. no need to win. first time is to be spent gettin used to your car and how it reactsto the track. once your comfortable with the track. thats where the real fun comes in. but i would be in 1-2 events before you start going all out for a win.

just my 2 cents

Yeah I hear ya on that, I can be to damn competitive @ times & have a feeling that is going to cause me some problems while in my rookie stage

here is a good start

http://www.dmvrscca.org/topten.htm

My first time I had a friend (drives an fc) ride with me since he's a member. That helped a lot. After that I eliminated 14 seconds of my next time. I didn't come in first nor last, but I had a lot of fun - that's what it's all about.

Good link of Evo School tips that I didn't know of, but I might not send someone to start there...

You could try this:

Beginner Link:
http://www.miata.net/sport/autox.html

Classic Novice Book:
http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Solo-R...0083160&sr=8-1

Really appreciate those links fellas, have them all bookmarked...man I'm already feeling the anxiety, have watched countless Auto-x vids and my main concern I think is just loosing orientation of the track, I think Imma do the afternoon session offered so I can watch others in the morning & learn the track

This is great advice. Ask around for a novice instructor and get them to ride with you as many times as possible. Also, if other RX-8 (or similar car) competitors are willing to let you ride along with them, take advantage of that.

lol i guess they may be a little more advanced...i retract my statement. look at these links first, look at mine later on :p:

The rx8 is a rythm car...you have to find the best lines to maintain your speeds as best as you can. Most beginners do get lost on track. Do a course walk before on your own, then take the Novice course walk with the rest of those that have registered for Novice that day. Other mistake made is braking points. A lot of time is gained or lost on how you set up corners. There are differences in driving style and you'll have to find out if you need to lift, or to brake.

I'm more of a lift driver, and this is why I will never be one of the top drivers. I've been told by many people who have gone on ride-alongs that my driving style is more controlled...I think this is just their way of saying slow :)

Focus on three things:

(1) Finish the course faster on each run.
(2) Hit no cones.
(3) Avoid DNQ.

i say dont worry about kwescott's number 2. you are just starting out and you probably shouldnt try to be very competitive in the beginning, just working on skills. instead of "Hit no cones", work on getting as close to the cones as possible. ideally you want to come extremely close to running over the base of key cones with your rear wheels (like in slaloms, or apex cones). in practicing this, you will inevitably knock cones over. in the end you want to not hit cones, but you must practice getting as close to them as you can.

i also recommend walking the course as many times as time will allow and memorize it. walking it one time is just not enough. walk it with experienced drivers and ask them for their insights. you may also consider bringing a pad and pencil and drawing the course an jotting down notes (i dont do this personally, but it is helpful for some).

Going to go apply some of these later on, found me a nice wide open lot, just need cones or some kinda markers to where I can set me up a lil technical course and have @ it

Gotta love empty stadium parking lots :worship:

Figure out the line you plan to take during the course walk(s). Spend as much time as needed on course walks. Know your plan. Whether it is the fastest line or "plan" or not is not important, first time, but you want to be absolutely comfortable "driving" the course in your mind before you even go out on your first run. If you can't run "laps" in you head when done with the walk, you'll struggle. The biggest problem most first timers have, it seems to me, is getting lost on course or not being able to anticipate what is coming up, simply because they have been so concerned with the driving that they haven't taken the time to simply memorize which way the dang course goes! If you know where you need to be and where you'll need to go to get to the next section, it is pretty easy to relax and just drive the car.:)

i did that my first time... although i'll defend myself by saying it was a shitty course design that actually doubled back and crossed over itself - and they didn't really have enough cones to actually define it very well

:puke:

I think I said you don't know how to use the brakes and you are slow. Don't sugar coat it. :rollingla

ouch...lol! pwn3d

Please don't. That kind of behavior is one of the things that leads to site owners discontinue making their sites available to us for safe, sanctioned, insured, events.

There's some good advice posted here. The hardest thing for beginners is to use peripheral vision and look ahead. If you stare at the next cone, every following cone becomes a surprise.
Most of all, have fun. Don't worry about times or hitting cones. Woprk on vision and technique first.

Walking the course is okay if you walk it at least two times. Drive-thru's suck. Make sure also clean to out your car, take out anything that you won't need. To get a bit a head of the game, take out your floormats because they'll ask you to take them out anyways. Also, I recommend taking your usual spare quart of oil, maybe some coolant, a tyre guage and inflator, and a little ice chest filled with non-caffiened drinks i.e. water, gatorade since the summer is about to start and it's gonna get hot. Especially when you're in the grid and when you run - it gets hot, and loss of concentration is caused by dehydration. Don't go on an empty stomach either. These are some new things I'll be doing, come this weekend.

Idk if any of you guys saw my thread about my first auto-x weekend (https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-multimedia-photo-gallery-6/my-first-auto-x-pics-vids-116566/) but I am going to try an get some more vids with better times.

Goodluck with your first auto-x. Prepare to be addicted.

I really appreciate all the advice, I'm going to be pretty damn squared away come my 1st event now. Ordered me a protect open face helmet & awaiting for that so I can see how things work out for me being 6"3 and having a sunroof :uhh:

I know I shouldn't shouldn't be concerned w/this yet but when both options are open,is it ideal to drift or grip around that particular cone?

Sorry if this sounds stupid, but what cone?

btw. I just placed an order for my first set of Kumho Ecsta SPTs this morning! Hopefully they'll be here by thursday so I can take them to get mounted. Due to me living in a small town, only one place will mount them for me (due to tpms). And only one guy in the shop knows how to do it too!

But what cone?

My bad for not clrarifying. I'm talking about course layout, if I'm approaching a curve/turn that I can either drift or grip my way through, which is more expedient?

I'm currently on Kuhmos too, will see how they hold up here soon enough...

autocross is about grip....drifting just scrubs off time, and more importantly with the 8....speed. Grip is the name of this game.

On the other issue you brought up....being 6'3'' with a sunroof.....:)

All I will say is, be prepared to drive with your head at a slight angle, with the helmet slammed up against the roof. I am only 6'1''...have the power seats....and can't get the seat low enough to allow me to sit up straight.

Our other 8 has the manuel/base seats without a sunroof...no head/clearance issues with that car.

You will be driving with your head tilted....start practicing now :)

+1 for looking ahead

also, theres a difference between drifting and pivoting the car.