i've tried auto-x have yet to try auto track racing(whateverthe term is) . for me, auto-x is fun, but i can bet not as fun as track race. because in auto-x, i just have to stay at gear 2 (and 1), and no shifting involved. just maneuver the car to avoid the cones, skid here and there. but that's pretty much it. don't get me wrong, I had a blast last time i tried it, but if more shifting involved, i think it would be more fun, and of course a bit faster

 

Auto-x is boring IMO. Road racing is where it's at!

 

track driving is a whole lot more fun than autoxing, but it's also a whole lot more expensive and a whole lot harder on the car.

As for wheel to wheel racing, haven't tried it but I think it safe to assume you could say the same thing when comparing lap days to actual racing.

 

I like BOTH.......but as for the $$ concern, I've to more autoX than track.

 

This is absolutely true, as the two are night and day in comparison. I just did an HPDE this past weekend, and the thrill is not there anymore. I'd still pick an HPDE over an auto-x anyday, though

 

let me know what you guys think about this:

i'm ready to track my R...and various factions are encouraging me to autox regualrly...however, road racing is what really intrigues me more than the thought of going around cones ever will...in watching some autox vids and imagining the autox driving style...i would say autox requires quick reflexs and fast movements/inputs...whereas road racers preach smoothness of inputs...so if i did both, wouldn't i be all screwed up? should i stick one or the other and not do both?

 

track is more fun.

in autoX you have to work for hours, then run for only 5 minutes.

But, they are different kind of fun.

 

IMO, the skills are complementary (sp?). There are differences, but being good at one will help when you make the jump to the next one.

I'm a middle of the road driver at best when it comes to people who actually do a lot of autoxing and lapping, but anyone who does either will rip up people who don't regardless of how fast thier car is. I'm also better at autoxing than I am with lapping, the higher speeds make me too cautious to go as fast as possible. On the autox course I'll push until the car spins, but at the track I'm afraid of going off course and wrecking my ride.

 

I agree with everything that's been said so far. AutoX is sooo short. I spend 8 hours in a parking lot for five 1 minute runs!! My only track experience was at the 2002 expo which was a ton of fun. By the end of your 2nd 20 minute session you've already racked up more track time than the whole year of autoX events. For autoX I keep the car in 2nd. For Gingerman I kept it in 3rd. The big downsides to track driving are distance to get there, cost and wear on the car.

 

Nope.....you will not "screw up"......autoX and track driving is two difference game!!
Once you put on your seat bell and ready to do......you'll know what to do

 

if track doesnt cost that much money, i'd go for that anytime over auto-x, but at the moment i can only afford auto-x's....

 

road course!

auto-x = too short, too tight, too much power understeer

 

not true at all. experienced autoX-er will be just as smooth as experienced road racer on any event.

People who drive their cars jerky at autoX are noobies... autoX requires just as much "looking ahead" while driving as the road courses. Smoothness is the key to success in autoX, just as in road racing.

 

My exact words. Skills learned in Autox will work hand-in-hand with what u learn at the track. U'll know what it takes to control a car at low speeds and at high speeds. Both autoxing and tracking have there own kinda fun.

 

Made the switch from Autox to track events and I'm never looking back! Track events Autox is a good, cheap, place to start. The skills learned while autocrossing are easily transfered to track events. Just remember to be smooth!!

 

go kart racing is the best. its like being in a open top proto type car. but its really a go kart, plus your wheel to wheel, and on the tail of the guy in front of you, the chasing and passing is what makes it all fun

 

to go-cart racing! uncleben and bagelw know what im talkin about sucKaz!!

 

You want *more* shifting? Are you autocrossing an itr? For me at least, 8-12 shifts on average (10 last sunday) per run plus braking, turning and accelerating is enough to keep ~ 60 seconds quite exciting.


It's important to see the difference between the 3 things in question here.

1. Do autocross if you have no money. Just about everyone on here could spare 20-25 bucks a month and run an entire autox season if they really wanted to. (Think of this as "x" amount of money. More on this later) Autox teaches you car control, fast thinking, reflexes, etc.. and most importantly: what it means to push a car! The reason why the "experienced guys" at an autox can run so much faster than the novices is that it really is not easy to run fast! The key here is that there are a *lot* of things going on in very *little* time (60 seconds?). Those who have the ability and practice to process all that is going on and react effectively, will be the ones who are fast. Those who are starting out (aka inexperienced) are not so fast because they are simply not able to handle "so much stuff" all at once. Only seat time (and think of those 60 second runs in an autox as "very concentrated seat time" ) will train your brain and body to think and react fast and more importantly, correctly. If you get to the point of being able to handle what goes on in an autox effectively, you as a result run a fast time AND you will also be able to handle and adapt much easier to track driving because you are trained to process and react to what goes on in driving a car. I just find it funny how some people (even some of my local club racing friends!) just disregard autox so quickly. Oh well, it's not me that's loosing out! All I know is that my autocrossing experience is a tremendous help now road racing and it has been even more so at my driver schools over three years ago. I just can't see the day when I will ever stop autocrossing. Then again, even 5 minutes of (concentrated) running still sucks especially if you have to change tires and spend 6 hours in 90 degree weather. Ok I'm done with the autox preaching. It's not that bad, so keep at it! (You'll thank me later... )

2. Run track days (HPDEs, etc..) if you have a healthy cash flow. Think of this as maybe at least "5 * x" money if not way more per year depending on how many events you run and how hard you run them. The harder you're pushing, the more tires, brakes, everything you'll burn through. Don't forget on top of all the extra maintenance, tires, brakes, that the entry fees for a track event are around 10 times more expensive as an autox event. There should definitely be much more than 10 times the track time and we all can handle that part, but not everyone can handle the 10 times more expensive entry fee on a regular basis.

3. Start road racing. By this I mean you get to the financial means (or connections?), mind set, and skill level required to really *race*. By that I mean you have a dedicated racecar that you are not dependent on during the week to go on with your life as normal. Only then you can really push hard enough and *race*. Otherwise, you might be out there with other cars on the track in a road race, but there is no way you can bring yourself (or at least I couldn't) to race hard. Personally, I would be running track days if that would be the case to cut down on the risks. There is much more to racing than just driving the best line all the time... Oh and think of this as "x to the power of n", where "n" is how crazy and/or how much money you care to spend.

 

Good Post.

 

Yeah, what Hracer said. It's going to be a sick sick progression until I'm either broke, or... or worse. Sure, autocrossing is fun, and so are HPDE's, but I'm longing for wheel-2-wheel action too....

and i owned j00 all on the last lap!

-Ben, who started the much needed "Civic Fund ($$$)" the next day, after an inspiring go-kart win! $711.00 down, $????.?? to go! (see sig)

 

Great post!

 

 

i still think go karts are the best tho. never auto x-ed my car, but seen many people do it. its very hard to do.

 

Auto-X is indeed fast and quick...but you do not need quick reflexes. The way I've learn last Sat. at Evolution School is "look ahead" instead of the cones or gates infront of me. By doing this, I drive alot more faster without anxious turning and the once tight course seemed to be a short section of a road course.

Bottom Line, Autox does help on Road course. And you can apply testing such as induced oversteering...etc on autox without much of worries of going into a wall. But for absolute car control, I really wanted to goto a Rally school.

Anyhow, I am scheduling up a event of SKUSA Kart racing day at West Hampton, NY. I will post the detail on R-speed mailing list. Karting would be the direct-est way to wheel to wheel road racing.

 

they're both definitely fun, but track racing has to be the funner one of the two. i like them both!