Any Advice for a SCCA Newbie?

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My buddy with an S2000 invited me to an SCCA cone/parking lot event in Stockton in a couple of weeks. Being that this is my first time in any such track event, can you seasoned pros offer any advice so that I don't put the NSX name to shame out there? He told me that he pretty much stayed in 2nd gear the whole race. Thanks in advance for any advice. Oh yeah, I have a '95 NSX-T with the all the Comptech bolt-ons except for the blower. The car also has 17X8 and 18X10 HRE 540's with Potenza S03's.
 
These aren't really track events, they're Solo2 autocrosses. In general they're 60 to 70 second runs of almost constant cornering at max g's. If they class you (which they may not if it's just a practice and it's your first time out) you'll end up in ASP. You'll be running against some very serious folks that have spent a lot of time and money setting up their cars...... and they'll be on R compound tires. You're going to get creamed.

And that's no reflection on you or the car. Unlike a track event which generally isn't timed and isn't a "race", this is. And people go for blood, in a nice way. Everyone out there will be driving their cars to the absolute limit. A good run is when you can stay on the far edge of out-of-control all the way to the end. If you wipe out the only penalty is time, unlike at the track. It's a great place to fine-tune a suspension.

The biggest tip for autox is you have to memorize the course, and it's a different course at every event. So each day starts off with a course walk. Don't miss it. Many regions offer a guided newbie walk. Take it. The whole thing is not as obvious as one might think. There are no rumble strips or apex markers to help you. The next thing is to hitch a couple of rides before you drive. And try to get rides with the best drivers out there. And the very best thing you can do is ask for help. The Solo community loves competition more than anything else, and they WANT you to compete. That means keeping up with them and they are more than glad to help you do that.

If you don't already have aggressive alignment settings on you car, it's going to be a handfull out there. Compared to the track, the turn-ins and transitions are going to be much more violent and come at an incredibly rapid pace. You will need to be making decisions every single second you're on course. You'll wish you had 2.5 degrees of negitive camber up front. Your friend is right about the gearing - you'll get out of first quickly and probably stay in second until the end. Standard course design doesn't allow for speeds to go over about 70 mph in streetable cars.

Last thing is really simple: look ahead! And don't get discouraged if you get blown away by some Civic. Autox is the art of driving not the art of horsepower. It's also the most fun you can have with your car without worrying about smashing it up.

Go do us proud!

t
 
Thanks for the advice Tank! I didn't think I would be this nervous. I just have to get out there and not worry too much about looking like a fool. I just have to think to myself that pretty much everyone at the event took their lumps in the beginning as well. Yeah...that makes me feel better! :) Any tips on how I should set-up my Koni shocks?
 
No, not really. Their setting is too dependent on what your sway bar and alignment settings are and your spring rates. But this is a great time to find out which settings work best for your car, and a great thing to talk about to experienced drivers at the event. Trust me, they will LOVE to help you set the car up. Take a run, see what the car does, and make an adjustment while sitting in grid before your next run.

Go into this with a great attitute and you will definitely be rewarded. I'm serious, there will be lots of folks there that'll spend all day helping you be a better driver and your car a better performer.

t
 
Agree with everything he says.. i'm pretty much a local to all the auto-x scene out here.. i've made it to almost every one.... Just enjoy the ride... it's fun to let the car get crazy.. you'll learn a lot about slower manuvering with these auto-x's...

when i first started I always placed near the bottom.. the nsx is a rather tough car to auto-x really well... now I seem to be in the middle/top area... it's fun..

good luck!

-x-
 
If you like it, you might also be interested in trying real racetrack (HPDE) events, as mentioned here. They offer several advantages over autocross events:

- ability to drive the car at higher speeds

- usually a lot more track time (3-5 sessions of 20-30 minutes per day, rather than 3-10 runs of 1-2 minutes each)

- a lot more variation in the courses themselves, including hills, banked turns (on camber as well as off camber), blind turns, etc.

Of course, there are downsides as well, including greater cost and greater risk of damage (still generally safe).

Try both of them. Whatever you enjoy, keep doing.
 
Glad I found this thread. I just got back from a SCCA event and took a ride with someone !!! Wow that was a blast.
I'm also thinking of taking the NSX out next month to an event to try my luck at it. I don't expect to do very well but want to learn a lot.
 
Thanks for everyone's advice and input. I feel much better now. I eventually want to get out on a real track, but I guess I have to take baby steps. I can't wait to find out the limits (without any damage of course!) of my NSX.
 
92NSX said:
Wow that was a blast.
I'm also thinking of taking the NSX out next month to an event to try my luck at it. I don't expect to do very well but want to learn a lot.


And you will learn a lot. Unless you feel comfortable with jumping right into track events, and the risks/costs associated with that, autox is a great way to get to know your car in a high-performance environment. And it's a real autosport. And it's wickedly competitive. The cheapest auto racing you can do.

I just finished a 2 day autox practice weekend with Cal Club's Solo2 chapter. Nationals are coming up and everyone out here wants all the seat time we can get. The course was a bugger to learn (which means we all loved it). The car went through several suspension-setting changes to dial it in to this surface and course design. On a practice day all runs are just timed without being indexed so everyone competes just for the best timing slips.

There was a silver NSX at today's practice but I didn't get his name. It was a very busy day. He started out very badly but got an instructor to ride with him a couple times and quickly improoved. By the end of the day he was posting pretty good numbers. AND SO WILL ALL OF YOU!

Ride with the good guys, get them to ride with you, and drive it like you stole it. This is the one place you can fling the car around like you just don't care. And then you start hunting them down - one by one - to move your name higher on the point's list. The thrill of the kill. And you'll learn so much trying to do that.

Let us know how it went.

t
 
ryan1926 said:
Thanks for everyone's advice and input. I feel much better now. I eventually want to get out on a real track, but I guess I have to take baby steps. I can't wait to find out the limits (without any damage of course!) of my NSX.

going from autox to road course is good but I just want to mention that when you decide to go to a road course... you can't jerk the wheel or mash the gas like you do in autox.... everything in a road course is like.... 3 times slower (as far as motions)... i have to tell myself finesse is the key...

good luck
-x-
 
Make sure you bring lots of water, you'll probably need some suntan lotion when you work a hat will make your day easier. A chair and some food to eat when you are not racing or working. Like a day at the beach except much more fun :)
 
Tank said:
If they class you (which they may not if it's just a practice and it's your first time out) you'll end up in ASP. You'll be running against some very serious folks that have spent a lot of time and money setting up their cars...... and they'll be on R compound tires. You're going to get creamed.

t

You are so right! I did my first autox yesterday and there was only one other car in my class. I thought at first I had a chance....HA! Let's start with the driver, Alabama SCCA Chapter Director. This guy was for real! Oh and his car, 2002 Z06 HEAVILY MODDED! Did I mention the 2 sets of Hoosiers he was swapping around? I still had a blast and have something to work towards!
 
John McCain Racing said:
I thought at first I had a chance....HA!

I've probably mentioned this in other autox threads but I'll bring it up here again: the NSX isn't well suited for this sport. It's not classed right, first of all. But that shouldn't shy any of us away. The only way I survived my first year in autox was by picking cars that I knew I was comparable to regardless of the official classing. And I'm sorry SCCA, a mod'ed Z06 is not our competition. When you start out, pick your own competitors.

In order of importance you are there to: 1) Have fun, 2) learn to be a better, more technical driver, 3) learn about car set-up and suspension, and 4) engage in some intense Olympic-style competition. And as pointed out by VBNSX, many autox techniques can't be directly applied to track events. I rode with a friend at yesterday's autox in his Evo VIII (Euro-edition). He set TTD but it was one violent ride. He's in a 5-point but all your seat has is the OEM. He literally flung that car around the course. You hang on for dear life. But what a rush! And then I went riding in a S/C Miata on Kumho 710s. It was just the opposite: he carved that course like a professional skier. It was smooth as silk and he was only 2 seconds slower than the Evo but that still put him in the very top level of the times.

I'll say it again: If you haven't tried this sport, do yourself and your car a favor - TRY IT. Don't think about winning, think about learning.

Oh, and the new 710s are THE hot ticket right now..... if you can get them.

t
 
THonda said:
Make sure you bring lots of water, you'll probably need some suntan lotion when you work a hat will make your day easier. A chair and some food to eat when you are not racing or working. Like a day at the beach except much more fun :)
It was HOT out there yesterday. I had a great time watching, riding and learning but I did get burnt. I will be ready next time. ;)
 
92NSX said:
It was HOT out there yesterday. I had a great time watching, riding and learning but I did get burnt. I will be ready next time. ;)

Are you going to take 2 cars to enter? That would give you twice the course time to improve :D The GS-R would be fun too I'm sure!
 
I am pretty certain on entering the NSX simply because I have a spare set of wheels and tires right now.
The GS-R would be fun but I don't have the extra stuff yet. :(
 
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