- :
- '07 Mazda3, True red
ok, june 9th, im going with groharlem(wil) and biknman(dave) to a autocross. any tips and/or tricks to note are welcomed!
doing my first autox!!!
- Thread starter derrick1623
- Start date
1) What class do you want to be in?
you will have to take the Injen, and any other modifications you have done off to be in the GS class. I was told when I started to learn to race with a stock car first. Besides, the Injen will put you into a class with cars that have many more significant mods to them (and I believe the WRX) and will probably run considerably faster...that is very discouraging.
2) Walk the course...many times. When you think you can remember it, walk it two more times. Take a notepad and make notes where a particularly difficult section is. After your run, write the line you ran maybe try a different one the next time to see if it is faster. Also keep notes to track surface and layout (draw a small map), air temp, clouds-sun, tire pressures and times. This all helps for future races.
3) If you are given a chance to rice with an instructor, take it...they can usually give some good tips.
4) Check your tire pressure at the start of every run. I have seen and concur that 40 psi front and 38 psi rear is a good place to start. The last event I went to, the air temp rose all day and between runs (about an hour waiting time) my pressure rose 3-4 psi.
5) Ask questions there...most people involved are more than willing to help.
6) Have Fun!
Anyone else?...and correct me if I am wrong on any of these...I am still learning too.
you will have to take the Injen, and any other modifications you have done off to be in the GS class. I was told when I started to learn to race with a stock car first. Besides, the Injen will put you into a class with cars that have many more significant mods to them (and I believe the WRX) and will probably run considerably faster...that is very discouraging.
2) Walk the course...many times. When you think you can remember it, walk it two more times. Take a notepad and make notes where a particularly difficult section is. After your run, write the line you ran maybe try a different one the next time to see if it is faster. Also keep notes to track surface and layout (draw a small map), air temp, clouds-sun, tire pressures and times. This all helps for future races.
3) If you are given a chance to rice with an instructor, take it...they can usually give some good tips.
4) Check your tire pressure at the start of every run. I have seen and concur that 40 psi front and 38 psi rear is a good place to start. The last event I went to, the air temp rose all day and between runs (about an hour waiting time) my pressure rose 3-4 psi.
5) Ask questions there...most people involved are more than willing to help.
6) Have Fun!
Anyone else?...and correct me if I am wrong on any of these...I am still learning too.
If you have the opportunity to do course marshalling, take the chance. It let's you see others drive the course and see the lines they take.
You should always be planning and even looking one gate ahead of where you are. During my autoX school, the instructor said to not pay attention to the gate you are just heading through as even if you are off, it's too late when it's beside you to correct anything...rather concentrate on setting up your line for the next gate and how you want to enter/exit it.
I'd say remove the CAI too and compete in stock, but that's all personal choice...just know that if you only have a CAI, you may be at a disadvantage.
You should always be planning and even looking one gate ahead of where you are. During my autoX school, the instructor said to not pay attention to the gate you are just heading through as even if you are off, it's too late when it's beside you to correct anything...rather concentrate on setting up your line for the next gate and how you want to enter/exit it.
I'd say remove the CAI too and compete in stock, but that's all personal choice...just know that if you only have a CAI, you may be at a disadvantage.
are you sure a CAI would put him out of GS? I thought intakes and exhausts (catback only, cannot remove cats) are ok for stock classes, since no engine internals are modified.
my advice? this being your first ever autox, and that it's only a practice event, don't worry too much about all the preparation stuff, just get there early, check in, get your car teched, and enjoy the ride!!!
my advice? this being your first ever autox, and that it's only a practice event, don't worry too much about all the preparation stuff, just get there early, check in, get your car teched, and enjoy the ride!!!
- :
- '07 Mazda3, True red
the injen shall stay on either way. its a pain too change it back, and im not neccesarily out for victory, just want the expierence! but, i will def walk the course if im allowed, a few times,hehe
C
cdglowp5
DERRICK
Where is the auto X in Maryland. I would like to come and try my protege5. Where, when, what time
Thanks
Where is the auto X in Maryland. I would like to come and try my protege5. Where, when, what time
Thanks
- :
- '07 Mazda3, True red
C
cdglowp5
Thanks derrick.
Are you going to Capita Sunday, June 2nd. I am calling in a couple minutes to find out information.
cdglow
Are you going to Capita Sunday, June 2nd. I am calling in a couple minutes to find out information.
cdglow
Take it a little easy on your first run just to get the course down from the perspective of the car. Walking the course is just to get the layout of the course so you won't be surprised by anything. Driving the course is a whole other experience. Gradually increase your speed through the course on each run. It's a good I dea to get an experience person to ride with you on at least the first run to make sure you are going the right way on course(this will help you avoid the dreaded DNF) and to give you pointers about what you did wrong and what you did right.
-Slow in, fast out. Brake in a straight line before the turn and accelerate through them.
-No jerky motions on anything. Not on the steering wheel, brakes or gas. Try to do everything with a smooth input and motion. I don't mean slow, I mean smooth, there's a difference. This will take a while to get right.
-Look where you want to go to, not where you are at. Try to point your chin up so that you keep tour head up and are looking ahead to what's coming up next. Look for the exit of a turn, not the apex or the entrance, especially once you are entering the turn. DON'T aim for a cone, you will hit it! Don't look at your speedo, or tach or steering wheel. You will go where you are looking, just remember that.
-Get into second gear and leave it there. Do not switch gears no matter how much you want to(with the exception of starting in first).
-Remember to unwind your steering wheel as you exit the turn more than you think you should. You can do this more than you think in the MP3 and it will keep you from pushing(understeer) and scrubbing off speed. This will take a while to learn as you have to try it to the extreme a few to time before you really trust that the car can pull you through it. This is something I learned recently and I'm still getting used to it three races later, it's somehting that you can't pull off in any other car.
-The inflation rates in the other post are the way to go with the stock street tires. You can control oversteer(how loose your rear end is) by increasing and lowering the pressure in your rear tires. More pressure=more oversteer, less pressure = less oversteer. 38psi should be a nice compromise.
-Buy a good tire pressure guage($10-15 is a pretty good guage). One that has a pressure release valvle that makes it easy to remove pressure from the tires. Inflate your tires at the gas station before you go to higher than you need then bleed them down when you get there. Don't worry too much about messing with the pressures after every run, pay more attention to your driving and what's going on as far as the grid moving and such. The only thing to worry about is if the rear end is sliding around too much then bleed off a couple pounds in the rear.
-Bring something to sit on, something to drink(water is best), something to eat, and sunscreen or a jacket depending on the weather.
-If you have a torque wrench, torque your lug nuts down to at least 70ft./lbs. If you don't have a torque wrench, see if you can borrow one or buy one because even if you never race again it's a good thing to have in your toolbox. Our stock lugs are 21mm(which seems odd to me, I changed mine to a 3/4" size.) Basically, just make sure the lugs are tight even if you don't use the torque wrench to check them.
-Oh yeah, have fun!
Some of the stuff I'm telling you above is a little more advanced stuff than what you should focus on in your first auto-x but keep it in the back of your mind to think about after your runs to analyze how you can be better.
-Slow in, fast out. Brake in a straight line before the turn and accelerate through them.
-No jerky motions on anything. Not on the steering wheel, brakes or gas. Try to do everything with a smooth input and motion. I don't mean slow, I mean smooth, there's a difference. This will take a while to get right.
-Look where you want to go to, not where you are at. Try to point your chin up so that you keep tour head up and are looking ahead to what's coming up next. Look for the exit of a turn, not the apex or the entrance, especially once you are entering the turn. DON'T aim for a cone, you will hit it! Don't look at your speedo, or tach or steering wheel. You will go where you are looking, just remember that.
-Get into second gear and leave it there. Do not switch gears no matter how much you want to(with the exception of starting in first).
-Remember to unwind your steering wheel as you exit the turn more than you think you should. You can do this more than you think in the MP3 and it will keep you from pushing(understeer) and scrubbing off speed. This will take a while to learn as you have to try it to the extreme a few to time before you really trust that the car can pull you through it. This is something I learned recently and I'm still getting used to it three races later, it's somehting that you can't pull off in any other car.
-The inflation rates in the other post are the way to go with the stock street tires. You can control oversteer(how loose your rear end is) by increasing and lowering the pressure in your rear tires. More pressure=more oversteer, less pressure = less oversteer. 38psi should be a nice compromise.
-Buy a good tire pressure guage($10-15 is a pretty good guage). One that has a pressure release valvle that makes it easy to remove pressure from the tires. Inflate your tires at the gas station before you go to higher than you need then bleed them down when you get there. Don't worry too much about messing with the pressures after every run, pay more attention to your driving and what's going on as far as the grid moving and such. The only thing to worry about is if the rear end is sliding around too much then bleed off a couple pounds in the rear.
-Bring something to sit on, something to drink(water is best), something to eat, and sunscreen or a jacket depending on the weather.
-If you have a torque wrench, torque your lug nuts down to at least 70ft./lbs. If you don't have a torque wrench, see if you can borrow one or buy one because even if you never race again it's a good thing to have in your toolbox. Our stock lugs are 21mm(which seems odd to me, I changed mine to a 3/4" size.) Basically, just make sure the lugs are tight even if you don't use the torque wrench to check them.
-Oh yeah, have fun!
Some of the stuff I'm telling you above is a little more advanced stuff than what you should focus on in your first auto-x but keep it in the back of your mind to think about after your runs to analyze how you can be better.
OH yeah, with your mods, you are in STS.
Don't worry too much about class for now. You are not going to win any of them anyway. You are going to learn. Sure, you want to be competitve, but there is a lot working against you your first couple times out. The only thing that makes you better and more competitive is seat time.
Don't worry too much about class for now. You are not going to win any of them anyway. You are going to learn. Sure, you want to be competitve, but there is a lot working against you your first couple times out. The only thing that makes you better and more competitive is seat time.
- :
- '07 Mazda3, True red
cfbjr: all very good info! thanks to everyone for the advice!...maybe someone can write up a "HOW-TO" on all this stuff, and jam it into the how-to section...
derrick1623,
If search these forums, there have been a number of discussions of autocrossing and what to do as a novice. Here is one that contains links to other resourses:
http://forum.protegemp3.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4235&highlight=autocross
The Protege is a good dance partner to have for an autocross. The MP3 is the best version and a great partner. Just don't lose sight of the fun factor. Enjoy!
If search these forums, there have been a number of discussions of autocrossing and what to do as a novice. Here is one that contains links to other resourses:
http://forum.protegemp3.com/vbb225/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4235&highlight=autocross
The Protege is a good dance partner to have for an autocross. The MP3 is the best version and a great partner. Just don't lose sight of the fun factor. Enjoy!
cjstringer
Member
Go for the win!
Ok, I'm a little pushy, but I figure if you're gonna race, ya gotta try to win, and there isn't a much better car to do it in than the MP3!
Chances are you could be running within 2 seconds of the top STS cars at the event. If not, ride along with someone that is rather fast. You'll have a lot of fun and can learn a lot.
This is my first year also. You'll love it. Don't worry too much about being competitive and have fun.
I'm just anal about racing because I HATE losing.
I don't do it very well, so I try not to do it at all.
Ok, I'm a little pushy, but I figure if you're gonna race, ya gotta try to win, and there isn't a much better car to do it in than the MP3!
Chances are you could be running within 2 seconds of the top STS cars at the event. If not, ride along with someone that is rather fast. You'll have a lot of fun and can learn a lot.
This is my first year also. You'll love it. Don't worry too much about being competitive and have fun.
I'm just anal about racing because I HATE losing.
I don't do it very well, so I try not to do it at all.I wouldn't say to get hung up on winning as much as just pushing your car. I mean no matter what, if you are just beginning, then chances are there will be a lot of room for improvement(I know that's how it is with me), but don't be afraid to try and throw your car around on the course....so what if you hit a pylon...it'll help you to get a better idea for the next run how close to take that turn.
ZoomZoomH said:
In stock class you can change the exhaust from the cat back. But intakes are not allowed to be changed. They actually specifically state in the rules that you may not make any plumbing changes to the intake, but you may remove the air filter or put in a high flow air filter(K&N). If you don't want to screw with the intake switching it in and out(I don't blame you!), just go ahead and run in STS. They won't have that many more mods than you except that some of the guys might have more adjustable suspension setups. I have posted times running stock that would have put me in 2nd or 3rd place in STS. The nice thing about STS is that you can still run good street tires and be competitive. The top guys in stock almost always run a DOT approved R compound tire(like the Kumho V700) which actually costs more than just slapping an intake on and running STS. This is because you won't want to drive on these tires everyday because they'll wear out too soon so you have to buy another set of wheels to mount them on.
Kind of a pain...
