The STX thread!
Things you can practice in every day driving that will help in autocross...
Look ahead!!! When you are autocrossing you should always be looking ahead. When I am running I will be looking at least two gates ahead of the gate I am about to go through. You can do this on the street easily. Look further to where you will be rather then where you are at that moment.
Left foot braking: You know you love taking an on ramp at a higher than recommended speed, we all do. Well, there comes a certain point where you may be going a little too fast for that turn, and what do you instinctively do? You lift off the gas and put your right foot on the brake... Stop doing that. Keep your foot on the gas and use your left foot to depress the brake pedal. Practice getting a feel for using the left foot for work other than the clutch.
Heel/toe: This is one of those things that you would be better off waiting to practice untill you get more expierence, because as of lately we really haven't had the need to shift into 1st on most of the courses we run. This is a technique that will just confuse you too much right now.
Look for your apexes!!! Every turn you take find your apex. Be it a sweeping on ramp, a switchback on a twisty back road, or a simple right or left hand turn from a stop light. Hitting your apexes on the street will help you hit them on course.
I'd mostly concentrate on looking ahead and knowing how to regognize and hit your apex. Looking ahead being the MOST important part out of all of this. If you don't know what is coming next and how to set up for it, you are screwed.
Look ahead!!! When you are autocrossing you should always be looking ahead. When I am running I will be looking at least two gates ahead of the gate I am about to go through. You can do this on the street easily. Look further to where you will be rather then where you are at that moment.
Left foot braking: You know you love taking an on ramp at a higher than recommended speed, we all do. Well, there comes a certain point where you may be going a little too fast for that turn, and what do you instinctively do? You lift off the gas and put your right foot on the brake... Stop doing that. Keep your foot on the gas and use your left foot to depress the brake pedal. Practice getting a feel for using the left foot for work other than the clutch.
Heel/toe: This is one of those things that you would be better off waiting to practice untill you get more expierence, because as of lately we really haven't had the need to shift into 1st on most of the courses we run. This is a technique that will just confuse you too much right now.
Look for your apexes!!! Every turn you take find your apex. Be it a sweeping on ramp, a switchback on a twisty back road, or a simple right or left hand turn from a stop light. Hitting your apexes on the street will help you hit them on course.
I'd mostly concentrate on looking ahead and knowing how to regognize and hit your apex. Looking ahead being the MOST important part out of all of this. If you don't know what is coming next and how to set up for it, you are screwed.
Last edited by tiresmoker; Sep 25, 2009 at 10:05 AM.
Had an interesting day at the last NWR event at Bremerton yesterday. In the afternoon session, Joe Goeke & I co-drove my car in PAX in the first run group, and then Karl & his wife Amy co-drove my car in the second run group. Conditions were sunny but cool, with a stiff wind that kept the surface cool all day.
I drove poorly and had only one clean run, turning in a 49 flat. Meanwhile, Ron Bauer was in Karl’s STX WRX, turning in high 47s. In my car, Joe had a bad first run (we forgot to turn off DSC) but on his fourth run he nailed it, and was only a tenth or so off Ron’s time, even with a major bobble at the turn-around (way to go Joe!). So it’s nice to know there is more speed in the car.
Karl also had a bad afternoon, and he was never able to match (in my car) the low 48s he did in his WRX that morning. But I still think Karl, Amy and I are going to co-drive my car next year, and I know Joe is considering converting his BS car to STX now that he’s sampled mine.
This was all with an experiment I was running – I decided to pull out two clicks of compression in the front, to see if it would reduce low-speed understeer. It seemed to, but then the car was a little too tail-happy in general (which reinforces KW’s statement that the compression adjustor only affects low-speed damping). Unfortunately my rebound adjustor on the front was basically maxed out, so I had nowhere to go (although thinking back I should have reduced rear compression, but I didn’t think of that at the time). Over the winter I’m going to back the rear rebound down two clicks to allow the front rebound to be used more effectively for balance changes, and to allow me to experiment with the compression settings & their effect on grip.
I drove poorly and had only one clean run, turning in a 49 flat. Meanwhile, Ron Bauer was in Karl’s STX WRX, turning in high 47s. In my car, Joe had a bad first run (we forgot to turn off DSC) but on his fourth run he nailed it, and was only a tenth or so off Ron’s time, even with a major bobble at the turn-around (way to go Joe!). So it’s nice to know there is more speed in the car.
Karl also had a bad afternoon, and he was never able to match (in my car) the low 48s he did in his WRX that morning. But I still think Karl, Amy and I are going to co-drive my car next year, and I know Joe is considering converting his BS car to STX now that he’s sampled mine.
This was all with an experiment I was running – I decided to pull out two clicks of compression in the front, to see if it would reduce low-speed understeer. It seemed to, but then the car was a little too tail-happy in general (which reinforces KW’s statement that the compression adjustor only affects low-speed damping). Unfortunately my rebound adjustor on the front was basically maxed out, so I had nowhere to go (although thinking back I should have reduced rear compression, but I didn’t think of that at the time). Over the winter I’m going to back the rear rebound down two clicks to allow the front rebound to be used more effectively for balance changes, and to allow me to experiment with the compression settings & their effect on grip.
Had an interesting day at the last NWR event at Bremerton yesterday. In the afternoon session, Joe Goeke & I co-drove my car in PAX in the first run group, and then Karl & his wife Amy co-drove my car in the second run group. Conditions were sunny but cool, with a stiff wind that kept the surface cool all day.
I drove poorly and had only one clean run, turning in a 49 flat. Meanwhile, Ron Bauer was in Karl’s STX WRX, turning in high 47s. In my car, Joe had a bad first run (we forgot to turn off DSC) but on his fourth run he nailed it, and was only a tenth or so off Ron’s time, even with a major bobble at the turn-around (way to go Joe!). So it’s nice to know there is more speed in the car.
Karl also had a bad afternoon, and he was never able to match (in my car) the low 48s he did in his WRX that morning. But I still think Karl, Amy and I are going to co-drive my car next year, and I know Joe is considering converting his BS car to STX now that he’s sampled mine.
This was all with an experiment I was running – I decided to pull out two clicks of compression in the front, to see if it would reduce low-speed understeer. It seemed to, but then the car was a little too tail-happy in general (which reinforces KW’s statement that the compression adjustor only affects low-speed damping). Unfortunately my rebound adjustor on the front was basically maxed out, so I had nowhere to go (although thinking back I should have reduced rear compression, but I didn’t think of that at the time). Over the winter I’m going to back the rear rebound down two clicks to allow the front rebound to be used more effectively for balance changes, and to allow me to experiment with the compression settings & their effect on grip.
I drove poorly and had only one clean run, turning in a 49 flat. Meanwhile, Ron Bauer was in Karl’s STX WRX, turning in high 47s. In my car, Joe had a bad first run (we forgot to turn off DSC) but on his fourth run he nailed it, and was only a tenth or so off Ron’s time, even with a major bobble at the turn-around (way to go Joe!). So it’s nice to know there is more speed in the car.
Karl also had a bad afternoon, and he was never able to match (in my car) the low 48s he did in his WRX that morning. But I still think Karl, Amy and I are going to co-drive my car next year, and I know Joe is considering converting his BS car to STX now that he’s sampled mine.
This was all with an experiment I was running – I decided to pull out two clicks of compression in the front, to see if it would reduce low-speed understeer. It seemed to, but then the car was a little too tail-happy in general (which reinforces KW’s statement that the compression adjustor only affects low-speed damping). Unfortunately my rebound adjustor on the front was basically maxed out, so I had nowhere to go (although thinking back I should have reduced rear compression, but I didn’t think of that at the time). Over the winter I’m going to back the rear rebound down two clicks to allow the front rebound to be used more effectively for balance changes, and to allow me to experiment with the compression settings & their effect on grip.
I had a much less interesting weekend, tear down and rebuild. My car is now sitting in the same trim it was in for its maiden autox, the 2005 Fontana ProSolo. All stock except for the muffler (now on version 2.0 of the ULLLOSE exhaust), air filter and Mazdaspeed swaybar. You forget how soft the stock shocks are.
I had a much less interesting weekend, tear down and rebuild. My car is now sitting in the same trim it was in for its maiden autox, the 2005 Fontana ProSolo. All stock except for the muffler (now on version 2.0 of the ULLLOSE exhaust), air filter and Mazdaspeed swaybar. You forget how soft the stock shocks are.
That sensation you are feeling is the clone of my car that is already being prepped. Should be done next weekend.
BTW, anyone looking for a cheap STX tire next year - Tirerack is closing out AD07s, they still have "fewer than 8" 255/40-17s for $118 apiece. No longer nationaly competitive, but plenty good for local events.
Probably not - it's hard to, given Jason's testing. Although I do wonder how the tests would have changed had they been done on the lot at Lincoln. Thinking of giving the 'kooks a shot. [edit] I also think the Toyos are not a good choice if you know you will be dual-driving the car all season.
I ran a 17x9 this year. Probably stick with that next year, but I am tempted to try the 18s. Just need to figure out where best to spend the $$$. I'm thinking weight is where it is at for me, given my current state of things. Also considering converting my Sport to a base package, but I'm unsure of the weight savings there.
Last edited by GeorgeH; Oct 5, 2009 at 06:29 PM.
I finally decided to go with 18x9's for next season. So I just recieved my Volk RE30 18x9 +35 in Formula Silver. They weigh in at 17.4lbs.
They weigh in at 17.4lbs.
Last edited by TopGear8; Oct 6, 2009 at 06:49 PM.
^And they wont be used for STX next year. I just put my old Azenis on them to use for the winter so I dont wear down my NT05's too much. Will be putting 265/35/18 Star Specs on them.
