Tips on Autocross?
 

Hello All,

Anyone have any experience in Autocross? I plan on running my RX-8 (when I get it), and I would appreciate any info from people who have done it. I read that you need to own or borrow a helmet, and something about over inflating your tires.


Thanks,
Schills

Here you go. Print this baby out in Landscape mode. :)

Yes, you need a helmet. Some places have them to borrow. SCCA as a whole requires SA95 or greater, but some places let them slide (either allow Motorcycle helmets or older certifications).

You don't want to technically "overinflate" the tires, but you increase the tire pressures to increase spring rates (slightly stiffer suspension), and to keep a better contact patch on the road under very hard cornering. But remember, there is a "happy medium", which you'll find after awhile.

---jps

Thank guys:) How about any real life experiences? Are there particular things to watch out for? i.e. theft or any strange social customs for first timers?

Schills

Not really. They have drivers' meetings that cover first-timer to advanced topics. But the more cones you knock over determines how much time you spend setting them up for others. -jk- :D

That's a very good link..
Be early, go to the drivers meeting, walk the course, TWICE and think about how you will attack the turns. On the first run take it easy and get familiar with the course, as you do more runs your times should improve. Bring white chalk with you and mark your tires from the "rollover" line and below. The line is theoretically the spot where the tire shouldn't be rolling over to. This of course will depend on the tires. Do the first run and check if you "disturbed" the chalk. If you did that means the tire is rolling over too much and you need to up the pressure. After a few events you will know exactly where you stand. Keep your head up and look forward toward the next gate, no the one you are at. Many newbies, including me :) make the mistake of looking too low.. Don't push too hard, that's another mistake for newbies, smoother and more controlled often yields better times.

Check for a reasonably priced auto-x driving school in the area. We have one up here for about $100 Cnd. For me it was a great investment, especially during in car instructor time.

Quick_Lude

Do you have any info or a good starting point on the driving school? I didn't see anything on the NASA or the SCCA web sites.

I can hardly wait to see what the RX-8 can do through the twists and turns:D

To be honest I don't know any links for schools in the US.. But if you are ever in Southern Ontario email me! :)

Call around your local clubs, and see if any of them have an active Novice program. Texas Spokes here in Austin has a truly wonderful Novice program, with guided walk-throughs at every event, experienced competitors always available to ride with novices, etc, etc. Obviously, not all clubs will offer that level of thing, but it wouldn't hurt to ask around.

As for schools, check out Evolution. They have many past and current national and regional chammpions amongst their instructors, and I've never heard a bad word said about them. Looks like they are doing a full weekend in Boston in early April if you can wait that long, or you could drive down to Virginia in mid-Feb.

Thanks, I'll have to check that out.

I will assume that you race.:) How do you like it? Is it a pretty friendly atmosphere?

Schills

You bet. Spokes club class champion and runner-up in the SCCA Southwest Division championship in my Miata in '02. :)

I love Autocrossing. The people are friendly and willing to help each other out, unlike the rather more cutthroat environment I encountered when I used to road race my RX-3. The only downside is the relatively small amount of seat time you get for what can be quite a long day. but if you're sitting around with a bunch of buddies chewing the fat while you're not racing, the time goes by pretty quickly.

Jon Etkins
CS38

Yup that would be also my own "pet peeve"... during an 8 hr day sometimes, you "might" get 5-6 runs depending on the numbers.. Some events in the GTA attract over 100 entrants.. :(

Over 100? Hah! :p Some of the events I go to have over 200 entries regularly - sometimes near 300. Racing from dawn till dusk, worker changeovers on the fly, 2 or 3 cars on course at a time... it's an amazingly well coordinated mess. :)

My more local events usually have 40-50 entries, which is much more manageable and I get lots more seat time (5 timed runs plus up to 5 fun runs).

Autocrossing is the most fun I've had for $25 a day. :D

How many of you have autocrossed in the rain? That's the best! :cool:

How many have went up against
Reeves Calloway Mallet 435
1997 Viper GTS
99 Lotus Esprint TT V8
Farrari 355,360 and Testarrosa
Porsche GT2 00 TT

Lets just say it wasn't pretty:eek:
My best time was 60.71
Best was the GT2 at a scorching 51.66

If premited take the car for a practice lap around the course, get a feel for the turns, if u wheels start squeeling like pigs then ur taking em to fast, if u dont here the slightest squeek then ur too slow. AutoX is won in the turns, so dont worry bout the straights to much just give yourself proper slow down time.

Haha.. not even close to the truth about tire noise. Tire noise is mostly depedent on rubber compound/design.. My all season RE92's squeeled like a biatch at EVERY turn.. even when the car was at 50-70% of the tire limit. My Pirelli p7000Z summers are quiet until about 95% of the limit is reached. Every tire is different, do not judge how hard you are pushing your car by the amount of tire noise produced.. haha... we really need a rolleyes smiley.. :p

One more real life example.. while driving along with a fellow Prelude owner on some twisties, he was on ToyoFZ4 all season, me on my Pirellis. We were not even pushing very hard, not a peep from my tires, his toyos were making noise like a pig being slaughtered.

i was taught that when u tires are being "slaugetered" then u best ease off a lil because in most case the less noice the "rubber compound" is making then the more girp is has to the road. But not hearing anything isn't always a bad thing but its a good indicator that you could shave a few secs of the lap times.

Like I said, it all depends on the tires. Usually the higher performance summer only tires give you much less noise warning while you are approaching the limits of grip. All season tires squeal like a pig in comparison during easy manouvers.. but it once again depends on the tire. AT the autox the best way to judge where you are is with a chalk on the tire and if you are locking up/sliding.

Autocross Tips


I have heard and learned many important tips over the years. Sometimes I
wonder if you have to be ready for them...as if maybe I heard them
before, but I was not ready. What follows are various tips that made a
signifigant difference in my driving at the time I heard it.

1. As soon as you pass the start line, you are only losing time.
Minimize how much time you lose. It's not just going faster, it's
spending less time on the course.

2. The trick is to drive 10/10ths. A novice will drive 7/10ths and then
not realize that they went to 13/10ths. Learn the edge and drive it.
That may mean some cones get hit and you spin. It's what teaches you
where 10/10ths is.

3. There are fast parts and there are slow parts. Learn the difference.

4. Don't square off the corners and point and shoot drive. A lot of
corners are parts of smooth arcs you can make. It's faster to drive a
smooth arc than a short straight and two jerky turns.

5. Be aggressive in chicanes. Attack them, stay in front of the turns
and as straight as you can. Getting "behind" in a chicane is a bad
thing.

6. Doing this well means being smooth. Being smooth DOES NOT mean you
are slow. To drive the car smoothly may require controlled chaos in the
car. Fast hand and foot movements do not mean you are not smooth.

7. Know your line you intend on driving. Understand it. Look for it. If
you drive such that you are forcing yourself off that line, you made a
mistake and need to slow down. The line is everything, unless you are
wrong about where the line is...then you need to change your mind.

8. Look ahead to where you want to exit the turn. Adjust your speed into
the corner to make sure your car will be on the right spot when your
exit the corner.

9. It's better to corner under acceleration than braking. Brake earlier
and then get on the throttle as quick as you can.

10. The earlier throttle points will be faster. Give up the end of the
straight to make your corner exit faster. That speed coming out of the
corner will carry thru the whole straight following the corner.

11. Do not try to save runs. If you get screwed up, go off course or mow
down cones. This saves tires.

12. Understeer is often caused by going in to a corner too hot. To
reduce understeer, straighten out the steering and/or reduce throttle
input.

13. A lift or quick stab at the brakes can cause the front of the car to
weight and allow better turn in.

14. Alignments are important.

15. If you start going slower or are less succesful than you should be,
check the car. Sometimes things change and it's hard to notice.

16. Seat time is important.

17. Autocross deliberately. Try to drive deliberately. Not just
reacting...but control the steering and drive the line. Then do it
faster.

18. Don't worry about long lists of tips. Work on one or two things at
a time. Don't try to adjust everything, put in a new swaybar and struts,
try out Hoosiers, and decide to use left foot braking all in one
weekend. Make changes one at a time and see how they feel.

19. There are many ways to setup your car and your driving can
accomodate them. Spend more time on your driving than your car setup.
Human nature is that it's easier to point to your car, or the classing,
or maybe someone else is cheating, or they spent more. But the biggest
variable in autocrossing is still always the driver.