im running a 2000 em1 with intake, lightweight flywheel stage 1 clutch, koni yellows, GC 400/450 coilovers, asr rear subframe brace and 22mm swaybar. i play around in parking lots a lot and im getting ready for my first small event next month through an auto x club.

can you guys give me any pointers so i dont look like a total noob when i get there. also what should i run my tire pressure at or around. any suggestions. thanks for the help.

and any recomendations on tires, size/brand/type. i have stock 15's but i might be getting a set of 16's soon.

 

Go slow the first run (you're not gonna set your fastest time on your first run anyway so might as well nail the course down), and look ahead. You're gonna get lost if you just look at the next cone/gate. Good luck!

 

You're going to look like a noob whether you want to or not, so don't sweat it. Just go out with an open mind. Tell them you're a noob, ask for advice, and take any that's given. Many clubs have some sort of novice help available, even if it's just a more experienced person to ride along with you. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most of the people there will be more than willing to help you out.

Regarding tire pressures, at least 35 psi. It won't hurt to start with 40 and go down from there if necessary. Main thing is not to go too low. You can usually tell where the tire is meeting the road. If that goes over onto the sidewall, the pressure is too low.

Things to bring: water!!! sunscreen, maybe a chair, comfortable clothes since you'll be outside all day, something waterproof to put your stuff in if it might rain.

Basic driving tips: look where you want to go, try to be smooth.

For more detail, look in the forum FAQ, which is one of the sticky threads in this forum.

The most important thing is to have fun!

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Jack Black &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">You're going to look like a noob whether you want to or not, so don't sweat it. Just go out with an open mind. Tell them you're a noob, ask for advice, and take any that's given. Many clubs have some sort of novice help available, even if it's just a more experienced person to ride along with you. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Most of the people there will be more than willing to help you out.

Regarding tire pressures, at least 35 psi. It won't hurt to start with 40 and go down from there if necessary. Main thing is not to go too low. You can usually tell where the tire is meeting the road. If that goes over onto the sidewall, the pressure is too low.

Things to bring: water!!! sunscreen, maybe a chair, comfortable clothes since you'll be outside all day, something waterproof to put your stuff in if it might rain.

Basic driving tips: look where you want to go, try to be smooth.

For more detail, look in the forum FAQ, which is one of the sticky threads in this forum.

The most important thing is to have fun!

</TD></TR></TABLE>
Actually I'll expand my post because this guy made some good points

Especially this time of year, bring LOTS of layers. I've been racing for 4 years and just in the past couple months have finally learned to bundle up after freezing to death so many times. Even if it's going to be a decent 50-60 degrees, I wear 2 pairs of pants, and 3-4 layers on top including a ski jacket. You'll be standing still in wide open space for hours (possibly in rain/wind) and you can always take them off, so bring plenty.

Water is important too, as mentioned. You should be drinking 3-4 bottles over the course of a day so don't just bring one. Starting with high tire pressures and working down was also a good pointer... bring some chalk to mark your sidewalls with to see how far they're rolling over.

Although you seem to be a modest, eager novice, I just want to stress the importance of having that frame of mind rather than trying to act like you know what you're doing and that you can hold your own. I love to help novices, but if they have a bad attitude then they get nothing from me. I had a guy last weekend in an Evo IX RS who upon learning that I was running 7 seconds faster than him on a 42-sec run (I had FTD ) just said "those race tires must help a lot." Then he went on to say how he couldn't get any power down coming out of the corners (I left out about 7 expletives that he rattled off in between words)... I'm like... don't you have AWD? Cry me a river. It's not the car. Just keep what seems to be your attitude of "I'm a beginner and I suck but I'd love to learn whatever you can teach me" and you'll get a lot faster and lot sooner, not to mention make more friends.

 

Stick with the 15's. There are alot more tires you have to choose from then 16's.

When you get out there listen carefully at the drivers meeting and don't worry about being slow. As long as you get progressively better and smoother then you have succeeded.

If you go out with an attitude of I know it all you will get made fun of, If you go out with an attitude of wanting to learn and willing to listen to helpful comments and construtive critisim then people will help you.

If anyone criticises you for being slow they are ricers and only are "fast" because there is no one else there with their car to be compared againest.

Remember: No matter how much money you spend there is always someone with more. And no matter how fast you are there is always someone faster.

Go have fun.

 

something id love to get into when i feel my car is ready to hit the track

good pointers in here

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by crappyDC4 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">something id love to get into when i feel my car is ready to hit the track</TD></TR></TABLE>

Unless your car is dangerous (brakes don't work, engine about to blow, etc.) it is ready as it sits. Put on some good brake pads and high temp brake fluid, and you're good to go. You don't need a racecar to get out on track.

 

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

Unless your car is dangerous (brakes don't work, engine about to blow, etc.) it is ready as it sits. Put on some good brake pads and high temp brake fluid, and you're good to go. You don't need a racecar to get out on track.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I think (although upon re-reading the original post, I'm not sure) he wants to enter an autocross, in which case I just wanted to clear up that you don't even really need anything other than stock pads and fluid. I've seen bone-stock Volvos with 290k miles autocross... if you can drive it on the street, you can autocross it. If it's a trackday then yes, more track-biased pads and fluid are recommended.

 

thanks for all the help. im really excited and looking forward to getting out there because i've been wanting to do this for a while. none of my friends are into this but when i showed them a video of a couple guys they all wanted to come and watch. i've learned many new sports over the years and they all start off with me looking stupid, but i make sure i have fun. like you guys said, i want to take my first passes slow. my car has really nice paint and i dont want to go mowing down cones or getting hurt. as for the cold, that i can handle. i spend 3 months training in the dead of winter in SC for the army, and i literally froze my man parts off. i've learned to layer.

once again thanks for the help. my buddy owns a video production company muchadoproductions.com and im gonna ask him to make a short vid of my first autox event. i'll be sure to post it

 

Frostbite on your ****? Jesus.

 

yeah it was actually pretty bad. i had to stay indoors for 48 hours to let things get back to normal

 

Or was that just cause the nurse was really cute?

 

NO nurses are cute in the army. TRUST ME

 

^that sucks.