Going to my first A/X this saturday, Any advice for a n00b? Options

[mudfoot76]

This saturday I have my first A/X. Garold has given me a few tips already for setup, but I'd like to solicit the rest of you for advice. The event is being held at a local airport, and promises a "huge" course, using one of the mile-long runways. Supposedly, the tarmac material is much more abrasive than typical streets or track surfaces. I'm used to driving on a road course (Putnam Park), and I know this will be different and need the car set up differently for optimal performance.

Tires - 205/60-15, I'll set them all to 35 PSI cold
Suspension - I have adjustable Konis (red), and rear springs are 140#, fronts stock. Stock front sway bar, no rear bar. At the track, I have the shocks set at 1/4 turn up from full soft. I'm planning on setting to full hard for saturday.
Brakes - fresh Motul, freshly bled. Hawk pads in good condition. 19mm m/c fwiw

I have all my tools ready to go. I'll be there for the course walk. Is there anything that I've overlooked?

[Joe Ricard]

Well I assume you are driving the teener vs. the MCS

If you have done track events before just do what you always do but for Autocross do everything 3 times as quickly.

Having done the opposite AXing for 2 years and then doing my 1st lapping day only 3 weeks ago. I noticed there is more time to set up the car for a turn. Driving the correct line is much more difficult for me running cones because you have several turns linked together within 100 yds.

Walk the course as you intend to drive. Make mental notes of where you believe you can brake hard and then trail brake where to roll on the gas. Most courses for me are 3rd gear with occasional 2nd gear out of tight turns. But that's my ZD 5th in 3rd gear spot for ya.

60 series tires should be interesting. expect to have them roll to the side wall pretty significantly, and require pressures closer to 40 PSI to keep the shape stable and tread in contact with the ground.
I would also run your Koni's @ 1/2 to 3/4 rebound and only adjust the rear. I suspect you will experience loose corner entry which will require stiffer rear rebound so you will need some room to adjust.

Brakes will be fine Hawk what?? Track pads will be useless for AX as you will never build any heat. I would bet better braking on stock street pads. I have yet to put my new Porterfield R4S pads on yet.

[sjhowitson]

Have a good time. Listen to instructor's. Have a good time ! Watch the other cars you can learn a lot about line from fast drivers.. Have a good time, If you are not having fun...Drive faster. Oh be careful

Cheers

[Dominic L]

You won't have much time for anything other then driving or working the course so don't worry about the car too much unless you need to. Try to have the car ready before you get there. More time to memorize the course! Take an instructor the first few times out. Look ahead. Here's some good reading from the club i belong to:

http://www.motorsportsne.com/2006/rules/msneaxman.htm

Good luck and have fun! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Rough_Rider]

Have fun (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

Couple of tips:
Bring a hat, sunscreen, water....
Don't worry about the car to much, maker sure its in good nick beforehand.
As your just starting ask for an instructor.
Remove everything that isn't nailed down & bring a good helmet, Ie usual DE rules.

When your done, go relax & upload the pictures

[Joe Ricard]

AND WE WANT A FULL REPORT MONDAY BY 6 AM....
Yea what they said have fun.

[mudfoot76]

AND WE WANT A FULL REPORT MONDAY BY 6 AM....
Yea what they said have fun.

Thanks everyone!!

Of course I'll be driving my teener. All that is left to be done is put more air in the tires, and maybe adjust the Konis. I already have my tools, sunscreen, water bottles, etc ready to go, just like a lapping day.

The interesting part about this event on saturday is that along with the autox, there is also a skidpad and a 700ft slalom. I have no idea what gear ratios are in my transmission right now. If it helps any, at redline in 4th gear, my speedometer indicates just a tick over 100mph.

I will be sure to file a detailed report by the end of the weekend (IMG:style_emoticons/default/burnout.gif)

[Trekkor]

brake in a straight line, then turn.


KT

[URY914]

Remove the targa top. Roll both windows down. Add about 1/2 quart more oil.

Optional: Buy very $$$ driving shoes.

Required: Have fun! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

[Joe Ricard]

Interesting Paul.

I keep my top on the car. 1st because it provides shade, 2nd because I read somwhere that all the wind hitting the rear window will cause the front to push.
Maybe I drive faster than you.

[mudfoot76]

Remove the targa top. Roll both windows down. Add about 1/2 quart more oil.
Optional: Buy very $$$ driving shoes.
Required: Have fun! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/driving.gif)

I already knew the extra pint of oil trick. At Putnam, in turn 8, the green idiot light would probably illuminate without the extra motor oil. As it is, running with it overfull, my oil pressure drops to around 10 through that turn...

And my girlfriend recently bought me some nice driving shoes, so I have that covered too.

I had read on here previously that taking the targa top off increases body twisting? I'll probably keep it on just so that I'm not baking in the sun the entire day.

[URY914]

I don't think the f-glass top does anything to decrease flex in the car. The front of the top is attached to the w/s frame which doesn't do anything but hold the glass.

And wind hitting the rear window? Comeon

Providing shade is a good reason to leave it on.

Reducing the weight of the car and reducing the weight of the car at the worst possible place to have weight in the first place is too good not to take advantage of.

[mudfoot76]

Providing shade is a good reason to leave it on.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

It is supposed to be mostly sunny, and I can't fit sunglasses under my helmet.

[jhadler]

Good suggestions...

I'd say focus on just a couple things...

1) Prepare to be on your feet for a good portion of the day, wear good shoes. If you use driving shoes in the car, bring a second pair of shoes for when you're not driving.

2) Lots of sunscreen and water and stuff.

3) Clean out the car, set it, and forget it.

4) Find a rookie instructor or somesuch first thing in the morning. Really. It'll save you time in the long run.

5) Get there early. And walk the course as many times as you can. You'll only have a few shots at it at speed, so try to familiarize yourself with the course as much as you can.

6) Walk the course some more.... Try to break up the course in your mind into "sections". Each one leading to the next, so you're only having to visualize different groups of features, and not trying to remember each individual cone. The each individual cone stuff comes later....

7) Oh yeah, walk the course some more...

8) Most importantly though, is ask questions!

And have FUN!!! Stuff comes up at you much quicker at an autox than on the track, try to keep looking ahead as much as possible.

-Josh2

[mudfoot76]

RESULTS!!!

My best time through the autox course was 67.888. I wasn't dead last, but close to it. I'm not disappointed though, it was my first time out. We were supposed to get six runs, but ended up only with four. I never hit a cone, but I DNF'd on my fourth run. The sun was setting and I was having trouble seeing and went off course. The FTD was 51.950, set by a race-prepared Mistubishi Evolution 8 that suppsedly dynoed at 557 HP

I'm told it was a very long course. If I can find a diagram I'll post it. An interesting side note -- there was a timed slalom as the last section of the course. For that segment I was 33rd out of 56 at 4.45 seconds. I'm not sure how long the slalom was. There was also a 200ft skidpad set up, my best time was a tick over 20 seconds, and I haven't seen the final results for everyone posted on that yet. There are pictures, but I do not have them right now. I will add them as soon as I can.

I'm not so sure how much of this I'll keep doing in the future. I knew that it wasn't going to be like a lapping day, and that these events take a lot of work to pull off (especially this one, since it had a bunch of extra things)...but being out there from 7:30am until 8pm, and only getting about 5 minutes of driving doesn't hold so much of my interest. Is this fairly typical for auto-x? My PCA chapter doesn't do autox anymore, only lapping, and I wonder if this is the reason?

[Trekkor]

We run from 9:45 driver's meeting 'til 4:00-4:30.

10 minutes on track.


KT

[Joe Ricard]

unfortunately yea that's about it. Try leaving the house at 3:30 am drive 3 hours set up course, run tech or registration, prep your car, drive, work, drive, work, clean up course, change tires back pack car and 3 hours drive home.
Oh and it averages 95 degrees 100% humidity unless it rains. real fun then.

It's a blast.

I do like lapping. totally different agreed. more expensive and harder on car. I just finished putting new brakes on the car. Trashed the rotors (all four) and pads and a rear trailing arm. and half tread on tires.
Yes I did lots of laps.

[URY914]

Welcome to the world of autocross. That does seems like a longer than normal day.

[mudfoot76]

unfortunately yea that's about it. Try leaving the house at 3:30 am drive 3 hours (...)

I got there when the gates to the site opened and the course was already set up. I guess they did it the night before? The drivers meeting was supposed to start at 9:30am, but we just stood around the officials while they small-talked until 10:15. First runs were supposed to be 10:30ish, didn't go until after noon. I was going to stick around and help clean up the course areas, but cars were still running when I left. I did help pick up trash instead. Thankfully, I only had to drive for about 75 minutes to get home instead of 3 hours.


With only 4 runs, I really found it difficult to learn the course very well. There was only enough time during the designated course walking time to walk it twice. I was able to get one ride with someone before it was my turn to drive, but there was so much down time between walking, riding, and driving that I had pretty much forgotten everything but "there are a couple slaloms and a loop".

I'll try it again though - hopefully at an event without 120 cars so that I can get some more driving time.

[URY914]

There is nothing that burns my ass more than wasted time during these events. Set up the course, tech the cars, walk the course, have a short drivers meeting AND GET STARTED!!!

I have often yelled out "What are we waiting for???" To get someone to get things moving. If you're going to conduct the driver's meeting, PLEASE have a list of items to discuss. Don't just try to remember stuff off the top of your head. It is about being prepared. It's a meeting and you'er are running it. Would they do this if it was thier company's monthly meeting and they were running it?

OK, rant over. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)