Could any of you guys give me pointers on things that I can work on, safely of course, that will help me to be prepared for my first auto-x. I am referring to braking, turning, anything I might need to know. I know it is a little shady but I was thinking of finding a VERY empty parking lot and taking some cones I have at home on doing minor practice techniques. I dont want to do anything crazy just need some help, because I have no idea what to expect. Thanks.

Jeff, who is very excited for his fisrt auto-xperience!!!

 

I wouldnt "practice" with cones or anything in anyones lot. I dont think they would like that much... AND it might cause issue with anyone ever hold an autox there.

tips:
1. Walk the course with people before the event get underway... aka get their early.
2. gradually get faster... and see if anyone at the event will ride with you to help you out... because there will be a "tricky" section especially if its your first event.
3. Get a cheap notebook... at first you can use it as a drivers aid... draw out the course with cone directions... literally write out what you need to do to improve... note if you go off course and why... if you miss a gate and why... before you next run reread it... try to keep it in your head.
4. get faster slowly... build up speed section to section.
5. eventually that note book can be used to write down tire preasures, suspension changes... etc but i doubt you need to tackle that right away.
6. go out to have FUN. keep looking for help, talk it up... enjoy the day and dont let the competative nature get to you SO early in the autox experience.

 

I have no intentions of being competitive, I am just a little nervous and havnt(sp?) a clue what to expect. I am def. going to get there early, I had no idea that you would be able to walk the course before the official course walk. As far as the parking lot stuff goes I was thinking more about like low speed hairpins or would that be useless, as most of it probably is because it wont be anything like the course I will actually run? This is def. going to be extremely fun.

 

You're doing the right thing... ask questions.

I remember the first time I went to an event. It was a little weird and I felt a little out of place, but I knew there was at least one thing I had in common with everyone there... I also loved to drive.

Look ahead, ride with instructors, don't try to do too much at once.

Practice good driving technique... hands on 10-2 or 9-3. Use both hands on the wheel and don't leave one hand on the shifter. Learn how to shuffle steer.
Even if you're slow on course, practice good technique and you will eventually become faster over time.

Buy a helmet. A cheapy motorcycle helmet will do fine, and will save you the inconvenience and time it takes to borrow loaner helmets.

Sit a little further forward. If you're one of those dudes who leans way back in the seat, it will make it really difficult to get enough leverage on the wheel.

Don't buy ton performance parts for your car. Make sure all the basic mechanical stuff is in good working order. At first, your car is just a vehicle to for you to use while learning. Your car is not what will make you fast, it is you that will eventually make your car fast.

Here's a novice page:
http://www.autox4u.com/novice.htm

I have a checklist that also might be helpful:
http://www.nerdsracing.com/Xlist.htm

There are some autocross stories on this website that also might help:
http://www.nerdsracing.com/nerdnotes1.htm

The most important thing is to have fun and be safe.

 

Here are the 3 things that impoved my autocross times...

1. On your walks(you should take at least 3), find 3 places on the course that are really important. These spots should be tough turns, slaloms, chicanes... What you need to do is memorize these spots.. remember where you need to be on the approach, in the turn, and where you need to be at exit... remembering these three key places will help.

2. Look ahead, look ahead, look ahead.. Don't concentrate on where you are, concentrate on where you are going to be in 3 seconds.. if you line yourself up for where you want to be then you'll have no problem getting where you want to go.

3. Going faster sometimes means slowing down. This was the hardest thing to understand for me. here at my local events we 5-6 runs a day. by the 3rd run I've hit a wall, and can't go faster. on my last run, I went slower through the last slalom. I was more in control, but definetly slower. suprisingly I took a half second off my time. I was suprised. If you don't know if you are driving to fast, then listen to the tires. if when you hit the turn your tires are screaming, you are going to fast. slow into the turn, then fast on the exit.

 

This is all great advice, thank you all very much for lending the noob a hand.
P.s. I already have alot of parts on the car just from making nicer for me to drive and perofrmance for 1/4 miling.
I will have to check those links @ lunch and try to learn some more.
Thanks again guys, and keep the helpful hints coming.

 

I'm going to reiterate what has been said above because it's the most important thing you can do, and it will help you the most out there.

LOOK AHEAD, look down the course to your next turn, never look at the cones next to your car. You need to look as far down the course as you can, even 2 to 3 turns ahead. This will help you pick a good line, and will keep you from getting lost in the sea of cones.

O-ya! and have fun!!!

 

wow, there are some really good pointers. I'm looking into autocrossing by the beginning of summer (when school gets out). I'll have to remember these things when i get out there. I just have one question tho, any tips for an automatic car?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by HrZnAccRd &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">wow, there are some really good pointers. I'm looking into autocrossing by the beginning of summer (when school gets out). I'll have to remember these things when i get out there. I just have one question tho, any tips for an automatic car? </TD></TR></TABLE>

Start in "1" and go to "2" when you need to after the start. Leave it in "2" for the rest of the run if you can.

If it's a Honda automatic then starting in "2" from a stop will make the tranny skip 1st gear making your acceleration REALLLLY SLLLOOOWWWWWWW.......




Aaaah, I remember my first autocross. I thought the slaloms were straightaways and DNF'ed my first run. Thankfully a nice veteran told me of my error and I was able to get through the rest of the day without a hitch.

 

Where are you located? You might want to try and find a local club that offers Autocross school events. My local club had one a while back and it was great. I got 30+ runs in one day all with an instructor on board. The best part it was only $35 with lunch included.

John

 

First event is all about having fun, you can't become Mike Louie aka CivicSiRacer in a day. Take rides with the pros, have pros ride along with you and let them give you pointers.

 

- If your club permits it (some do, some don't), ride along with someone experienced.

- Get there EARLY and walk the course a lot

- Some clubs, at least our local autocross club, have one or two "Novice Coordinators." Their job is to make sure your first few events go well. Utilize these people if they're available.

- Ask questions. Despite the apparent reputation of the Road Race/Autocross area among parts of the honda-tech community, autocrossers are generally very nice people. And always willing to lend the newb a hand.

- Now if you need to ask questions, don't ask some guy who's obviously concentrating on something, third in line to take a run...you know. It's generally pretty obvious when someone is doing something and they want to be left alone.

- The suggestion has been made to try and find a local club doing an autocross school. This is a fantastic way to get started. You typically get lots of seat time, and you get instructors riding around with you, and it's cheap.

- To the guy with the automatic car - I suppose I'd launch in position "1" and then shift up to "2" when the time comes. Only problem is some cars, when you're in "2," stay in 2nd gear. I think it's a launch thing for slick conditions. So it depends on the car.

- If you're gonna stick with it, buy your own helmet. Trust me, you don't want to be putting on one of the loaner helmets in the middle of a hot day in the summertime.

- Bring a chair and a cooler. Especially important if the event site is in the middle of nowhere.

- Wear comfortable shoes. You'll be doing a stint working the course (everybody does) and you'll need something you can run in to go out and set up cones that get knocked down.

- Bring an air pressure gauge and bump up your tire pressures.

Have fun. My first motorsports thing ever was a local autocross school, and that's what hooked me.

 

yep everyone's covered the good stuff.

some other things to think about: don't coast. you're either accelerating or braking 99% of the time. my first few a/x's i'd coast into turns and brake late and push (not necessarily related).

-the "line" in an a/x is different than the "line" on a road course. Setting up apexes and an out-in-out line isn't always faster on the a/x course (since the straights are usually much shorter), so think about which turns are appropriate for late-apex setups, and which ones are better to just take the shortest possible distance through.

-smoother is better. smooth is a relative term, but as you drive more you'll see what's "smoother" and what's "rougher."

-through a slalom you can generally get on the gas and steer earlier than you would intuitively think. keep that slalom line tight, unless you're setting up for a corner after the slalom.

-have fun, and soak up as much as you can. watch other drivers and how they attack difficult corners. I always drive way better if my sessions are after my work sessions, because i get to see lots of people attack the course in their own way, and get instant feedback as to whether their approach is fast or not. sometimes you get taht luxury and other times you don't, but pay attn while you work not only to your job, but the fast drivers otu there.

-have fun!

 

I went to my first auto-x last week (a test n tune / novice ) and the biggest help to me was having my instructor drive my car after he had sat passenger for about 2 or 3 runs. I was able to drop my times with his guidance and tips and I thought i was moving "fast" but he sure put things in perspective when he took the wheel. After watching him drive and the speeds you could actually maneuver i was able to shave my time down significantly more.

Good luck....you're going to enjoy it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by bad-monkey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">keep that slalom line tight, unless you're setting up for a corner after the slalom.

-have fun!</TD></TR></TABLE>

I disagree with this advice, well except for the have fun part. Generally when instructing a noobie. I try to teach late apexing, aka "hitting the backside of the cone" in a slalom. After this initial excercise is learned, then lines can tighten up... but not the other way around. Also when driving a slalom, and this is a tough one, look at the last cone. It sounds completely unnaturual, but when you do it the first time it feels... well pretty unnatural... kind of supernatural.

Bring Sunscreen!

 

Hell Yeah to the sunscreen!! I learned that the hard way out at cloverleaf.

 

Here is the most important thing: HAVE FUN!!!!

Don't worry about looking bad. Everyone was new once and people will not make fun of you no matter how foolishly you drive. There is no reason to be embarrassed about your skills or the car you drive.

There is also no reason to be too prideful about the car you drive or your skills or denigrate others rides or skills.

Accept advice from everyone. Even the guy who looks like an old bum or has a crap car or has a car that has nothing in common with yours may be able to give you good advice.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Don't be afraid to ask to borrow things like tire gauges, air compressors, marking tape, etc.

Autocrossers are trustworthy people. You do not have to lock your car, set your alarm or worry about your posessions being stolen (unless the lot is in a really bad neighborhood.)

Autocrossers are friendly people. Almost anyone will be willing to help you. But recognize that they are also concentrating on their own competition. So if you see someone who looks lost in thought leave them alone.

Finally: don's forget to HAVE FUN!!!

regards,
alan

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by emwavey &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I disagree with this advice, well except for the have fun part. Generally when instructing a noobie. I try to teach late apexing, aka "hitting the backside of the cone" in a slalom. After this initial excercise is learned, then lines can tighten up... but not the other way around. Also when driving a slalom, and this is a tough one, look at the last cone. It sounds completely unnaturual, but when you do it the first time it feels... well pretty unnatural... kind of supernatural.

Bring Sunscreen!</TD></TR></TABLE>

i remember my early slaloming being loopy, and pushy, and prone to losing the car to the spins because i was reacting late to the course, esp in those tight "10 pace" slaloms that sometimes show up on a course. When i realized i should cut down on entry speed, and mentally try to tighten things up and act (vs. react to the slalom), i got faster--

but the disclaimer is, i'm not very fast anyway so my advice should come with the customary internet *.

oh another piece of general advice for the beginning a/x'er that might have been echoed here already: swallow your pride!