My first auto cross

[stuntman]

Well you gotta start somewhere.

I think that autocrossing is a great place for young people, with limited disposable income, to start. It gets them hanging out with other "motorsport" people and gets them around cars when otherwise they'd be playing PS3 or something.

It is what it is and I think it can have a role. If you cant get on a track, autorcross is better than nothing.

I did the math earlier this year. Seat time vs. Cost. You get almost 3X the seat time at one HPDE/track day for the same cost as a bunch of autocrosses. -Coming from the cost of different AutoX organizations in Southern California (averaging the cost) and averaging the cost of a bunch of driving events/HPDE/track days from (Redline, Speed Ventures, BMWcca, etc..)

Find out how much you want to spend, then save up and go to 1 track day. Often their are free instructors there willing to help as well as other enthusiasts who would be willing to lend advice. -they are much more receptive and willing to help than the stuck-up AutoX wieners (as a whole). Granted you can still find nice people at AutoXs but you will learn more, have a better time, improve your craft as a driver, and get more out of driving on a track than between cones (hell, I do that every day in freeways in LA).

I think this the pyramid most of us are talking about.

Put autocross at the bottom of the list and it would be accurate :biggrin:

 

[john@johnhudakracing]

Well you gotta start somewhere.

I think that autocrossing is a great place for young people, with limited disposable income, to start. It gets them hanging out with other "motorsport" people and gets them around cars when otherwise they'd be playing PS3 or something.

It is what it is and I think it can have a role. If you cant get on a track, autorcross is better than nothing.

My way the younger crowd is into drifting, not auto-x. Auto-x is where all the old foggies hang out with cars that were before my time. :smile:

Anyways, so I wonder what happens when you do finally "get to the top". Is it anything like those US Army videos or are you just broke and on your second divorce? :biggrin:

 

[stuntman]

My way the younger crowd is into drifting, not auto-x. Auto-x is where all the old foggies hang out with cars that were before my time. :smile:

Anyways, so I wonder what happens when you do finally "get to the top". Is it anything like those US Army videos or are you just broke and on your second divorce? :biggrin:

It's a long way to the top... If you wanna rock and roll!!!

Ok, AC/DC lameness...

Yea, most lower-level drift events are pretty bad too...

 

[nsxtcy85]

Im only 22 I have time to climb to the top..... Hopefully:redface:

 

[dquarasr2]

OK, I was going to remain silent, but . . .

I can't believe the lack of respect shown here to autocrossing. Because of getting no practice on the course, the list of skills it teaches is fairly extensive, most of which can be applied to street and track driving:
- Eyes up
- Line, line, line
- Slow in, fast out
- Eyes up
- Slow hands, smooth inputs
- Fast hands, fast recovery
- Eyes up
- When to cut distance, when to use the "racing line" (I've eaten up other drivers at track events in slow corners, knowing when to cut distance)
- Car setup
- Did I mention eyes up?

Timely in that the SCCA Autocross Nationals are being held right now. I've participated at Nationals, and the winners in most classes *are*good*, very good.

True, the track time per dollar is poor but it does teach concentration and how to learn a track very quickly.

Don't dismiss it out of hand without trying to get really good at it. It's easy to be OK, it's very hard to be very good at it. There are so many nuances once you try to "get to the next level".

I still mix HPDE and autocross days in both my NSX and my Miata, and they're both highly enjoyable and challenging in their own ways.

But maybe I'm just the old foggie (sic) remembering a bygone day. (Armando, restrain yourself from jumping on this one. :biggrin: )

 

[SENNAF1]

I havent auto -x or done a track day with my NSX.I raced karts for about 4 years,feel I have some know how on driving.I would love to do a track day but we dont have a track.Auto-x might be my only option at this point.By the way did I say my drive to work is 15 miles 187 corners on a road that goes nowhere but to my work.:tongue:Just over 16 min.my personal record.(95 M3) afraid to ty it in NSX.too many critters.P.S. good job ,tight track, did well 1st time.

 

[stuntman]

OK, I was going to remain silent, but . . .

I can't believe the lack of respect shown here to autocrossing. Because of getting no practice on the course, the list of skills it teaches is fairly extensive, most of which can be applied to street and track driving:
- Eyes up
- Line, line, line
- Slow in, fast out
- Eyes up
- Slow hands, smooth inputs
- Fast hands, fast recovery
- Eyes up
- When to cut distance, when to use the "racing line" (I've eaten up other drivers at track events in slow corners, knowing when to cut distance)
- Car setup
- Did I mention eyes up?

Timely in that the SCCA Autocross Nationals are being held right now. I've participated at Nationals, and the winners in most classes *are*good*, very good.

True, the track time per dollar is poor but it does teach concentration and how to learn a track very quickly.

Don't dismiss it out of hand without trying to get really good at it. It's easy to be OK, it's very hard to be very good at it. There are so many nuances once you try to "get to the next level".

I still mix HPDE and autocross days in both my NSX and my Miata, and they're both highly enjoyable and challenging in their own ways.

But maybe I'm just the old foggie (sic) remembering a bygone day. (Armando, restrain yourself from jumping on this one. :biggrin: )

It's hard to practice these skills when 'dodging' cones (Not driving the car) and goign through tight 'bus-stops' with 90* corners that are barely wider than the car. AutoX (unless the it's setup like a mini racetrack with corners 4-5X wider than the car itself -rare) are too tight and do not help you with weight transfer or vehicle dynamics. GO OUT TO A RACETRACK!

 

[SENNAF1]

Not everyone has a track close by.The closest track for me would be a 6hr. drive to Saltlake.Auto-x might be some peoples only option.You mighjt want to think about that before you go bashing it.Your (stuntman) arrogance is evident.

 

[stuntman]

Not everyone has a track close by.The closest track for me would be a 6hr. drive to Saltlake.Auto-x might be some peoples only option.You mighjt want to think about that before you go bashing it.Your (stuntman) arrogance is evident.

Where do you live? I'm sure theirs a closer track than 6 hours away...

I'm just explaining the pros vs. cons of autoX. If you just want to throw your car around and get it out of your system so you don't do it on the streets, by all means go for it.

But if you want to improve yourself as a driver, get out to a track! -You'll learn 1/3 as much as a racetrack in twice the time.

 

[KooLaid]

Not everyone has a track close by.The closest track for me would be a 6hr. drive to Saltlake.Auto-x might be some peoples only option.You mighjt want to think about that before you go bashing it.Your (stuntman) arrogance is evident.

Where do you live?

I wouldn't consider it arrogance. I would just consider it REALLY NOT liking autocross.

Just like I REALLY DO NOT like ricer mobiles that roam my area like flies at the dump. Oh and amateur drifters.

 

[john@johnhudakracing]

Maybe off-topic, but do any of the regional clubs ever have opportunities to make use of a skid pad?

They seem like an under-appreciated learning tool. We don't have one my way, so unfortunately, the last time I saw one get action was is in a skip barber instructional video.

 

[stuntman]

Where do you live?

I wouldn't consider it arrogance. I would just consider it REALLY NOT liking autocross.

Just like I REALLY DO NOT like ricer mobiles that roam my area like flies at the dump. Oh and amateur drifters.

Thank you. I know a lot of people who go to autocrosses and get wound up in that mess and ive driven many of them as well. The fact is that their is a limitation on how much you can learn on an autocross. It's like fishing in a fish farm rather than in a creek, river, or ocean. Yes you can catch a fish, but you don't learn that much on technique or the challenge.

Maybe off-topic, but do any of the regional clubs ever have opportunities to make use of a skid pad?

They seem like an under-appreciated learning tool. We don't have one my way, so unfortunately, the last time I saw one get action was is in a skip barber instructional video.

Skid pads are great tools. At skip barber we do a lot of exercises with the skidpad in the wet practicing initiating and recovering from both understeer and oversteer. But without proper instruction and guidance, you won't learn nearly as much or as fast.

I'd 100% recommend www.skipbarber.com for beginners and advanced drivers.

 

[SENNAF1]

I live in Boise,Idaho.The closest track is Miller motorsports park 6hrs. from here.Portland.7 hrs. Seattle 8 hrs.Reno 61/2 hrs.I would love to do a track day Im sure at next years nsxpo in Portland I will get my chance.

 

[stuntman]

I live in Boise,Idaho.The closest track is Miller motorsports park 6hrs. from here.Portland.7 hrs. Seattle 8 hrs.Reno 61/2 hrs.I would love to do a track day Im sure at next years nsxpo in Portland I will get my chance.

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/...&2n=&2pn=&2a=&2c=salt+lake+city&2s=ut&2z=&r=f

Boise - SLC is 4 hours and 50 minutes (mapquest time). EASILY less than 4 hours if you drive 75-80 on the freeway.

Don't complain. 4 hours is nothing especially for a WORLD-CLASS track and facility as Miller Motorsports Park is.

I drive 4 hours for Laguna Seca all the time, and drive 5 hours to Spring Mountain just outside of Las Vegas.

Suck it up and go.

 

[SENNAF1]

It may be that in a perfect world but Salt lake area sucks always around 6 hrs. I want to do a track day just looking for another car to go just in case I cant drive mine home.

 

[stuntman]

It may be that in a perfect world but Salt lake area sucks always around 6 hrs. I want to do a track day just looking for another car to go just in case I cant drive mine home.

Theirs not much to hit out there... You should be fine.

 

[SENNAF1]

A friend of mine races 250cc super karts all over the U.S. he says its(Miller) the best (smoothest tracks) he's ever been on.

 

[stuntman]

A friend of mine races 250cc super karts all over the U.S. he says its(Miller) the best (smoothest tracks) he's ever been on.

Formula-1 Spec, world-class facility, 4 miles long, smooth, fast... yea it's a great track.

Our Grand Am/ Koni Challenge race aired on Speed Channel two days ago from MMP.

 

[NSX-Appeal]

Well I took the second fastest time. The course was very entry level compared to some I have seen but it was fun none the less. The suspension is stock and the front tires are very worn out and dated.

Wow, that was a really short course. We're usually up in the 1:50 to 2:30 range. Did they have lots of entrants?

 

[NSX-Appeal]

I live in Boise,Idaho.The closest track is Miller motorsports park 6hrs. from here.Portland.7 hrs. Seattle 8 hrs.Reno 61/2 hrs.I would love to do a track day Im sure at next years nsxpo in Portland I will get my chance.

PIR is a cool track. Had my Pantera there for a Shelby track day several years ago. Turn 1 is always interesting. Most of the guys driving Panteras that day had never had them on a track before, and we lost more than one into the sand at the end of the straightaway.

My day was going fine until a high G turn pushed my clutch line into my headers and melted it. Do you know what color smoke you get from burning hydraulic fluid? I do. :smile:

Anyway, can't wait to get the NSX down there next year and meet some of you guys. Should be a blast. Disappointed I couldn't make to this year's event.

 

[Dan Ciezniewzki]

Wow, that was a really short course. We're usually up in the 1:50 to 2:30 range. Did they have lots of entrants?

1:50-2:30 for autocross????

are you running it in reverse or something

:biggrin: :tongue:

 

[NSX-Appeal]

1:50-2:30 for autocross????

are you running it in reverse or something

:biggrin: :tongue:

The last one I ran was on an 1/8th mile oval, and we also used part of the infield.

As for running in reverse, I don't specifically remember shifting into reverse, but I do remember moving in that direction more than once. :biggrin:

 

[RP-Motorsports]

Once you go "big track" you will never go back!