quick auto x question -
 

Just a quick question , went to mazda rev it up and watched people do the auto x in the 3's. But heres what puzzled me , some people launched their cars from the start line and some didn't .... got me wondering if it is correct to launch in auto x or if its not ? I think you don't have to because it looks like theres a turn right when you start but I could be wrong, can someone please correct me ? I am going to start auto x'ing this summer and don't want to make a complete jackass outta myself by pulling 7k launches from the start line lol :D , so any help would be appreciated

It's ok to launch your car. I wouldn't suggest 7k launches maybe 4k. The tracks change everytime so sometimes there is a turn right from the start and sometimes theres not.

thanks for the response man , gonna try to attend my first autox in a few weeks , I'll let you guys know how I do ..

Save money for new tires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

the turn at the start is designed to save people's clutchs by not requiring a hard launch. if you do launch, the person behind you in line might not like the gravel spraying on their car though. as fxds mentioned, it depends on the course too- some starts are almost straights.

james

from what ive seen you really dont need a hard launch like a 3 4 K lauch. Also at some autox they have alil running start so you dont need to launch which is what i prefer.

btw, im spose to be at an autox today instead i got a stomach virus IM SOOO PISSED

Re: quick auto x question -
 

There's not a "correct" way to launch at the start, it is determined by where the light is.

Remember, this sport is about time, so any time you give up at the start you have automatically given away to your competitors. If I reach the light .2 before you (due to a better launch), you have to get that .2 back just to go the same time as me.

On the other hand, if you get there .2 ahead of me, but on the wrong line or out of shape for the next manuever, I would probably still get to the third manuever at the same time or ahead.

This is where the course walk is SO important. You don't have to memorize the course layout, but you DO have to decide where the car needs to be for every manuever.

Make a plan, execute the plan, then adjust the plan as needed for the course. It is ALWAYS a little different once you have actually driven the course at speed.

Hope this helps.......

tpryor,

dam i just looked at your pictures and the track looked soo smooth.. here in NY we dont know what a smooth track is like!

titaniumgrey... When you come to a local auto-x (You're in my region) find our Novice Chairperson. He'll go over things pretty well.

Get to the event early. It'll leave enough time to get your car through tech, you can get through registration and do a couple course walks, and our novice walk-thought where particular protions of the course are explained. We have a few RX-8s that auto-x... so you can pick their brains.

Saturday, any launch wasn't going to help you as the lights were just after a 90 degree hard left turn. Today, however, a decent launch would net the driver a couple tenths.

However... the launch is going to be the least of your worries at Devens... or wherever you go... you're going to be too busy trying to figure out where the course goes. :) It's a mile long of left, right, left, right, left, right. :) We also have instructors that can ride with you to show you whats up, what to look for and just help you through the course. Use your 1st couple events at just learning... there'll be other events where you can pick up time.

Look me up there. I usually at most of them driving my silver WRX wagon.

--kC

Yes, how to launch depends on where the light is for each particular course, and how competitive you are. I am very new and still learning how to drive and look ahead (I actually chant to myself "look ahead, look ahead, look ahead" while I'm waiting for the starter to clear me), so I have no chance of winning no matter what, and do soft launches. I quickly feather the clutch at 3-4 k and then floor it, I stay in first around the first turn and then it depends. I do not downshift (unless I spin out). There's places where a well timed downshift would be in order if I could do it quickly enough but I'm not skilled enough.

Tpryor, do you ever downshift?

We experimented with downshifting for the first couple of events, but in every case it was just as quick (time wise) to leave it in second (once we had the proper amount of grip). Our courses tend to be a little more "nationals like" (our courses are designed by nationals course designer Roger Johnson), so there are no "pin" turns, or very sharp turns requiring 1st gear.

If there was a need for it, I certainly would, and have.

Oh, we DID run a course where we shifted to third for a couple of seconds, then back to second - does that count?

Agreed. I made a serious error at the tour this past weekend, downshifting to 1st for the last turn before the finish. It tossed the car sideways which I was not ready for. 2 Cones for the pleasure.

it is rarely quicker to downshift- even if it *feels* faster the shifting upsets the car's suspension which lowers traction, and usually the downshift is hard to do while threshold braking in autox (braking zones are so short) and if you wander off the fast line that can hurt too.

james

for the novice, what exactly is the "light"? Are we talking about the beam that starts the timer? and if that's the case, how would it matter who gets there first?

the "light" the one guy refered to is the timer beam. for solo racing there is only once car at a time, so there is no one getting there first or last other than you :)

james

Yes the light is the beam, and no it doesn't matter WHEN you get there, but it does matter what SPEED you're doing when you pass it. Obviousely the faster the better.

Yes, I think the 3-2 counts, but you clearly got and responded to the gist of my question--the 2-1 downshift. Thanks for responding, now I know I'll never try it.