My first autoxcross in 20 years

[CL65 Captain]

Well, since Bluegrass Motorsports has cancelled the first five track events this year, I went and Autoxcrossed with the local SCCA. It didn't really fix my track jones - apples and oranges. But it was fun and I finished 1st place in the A Stock class. :smile: Not too bad since the last time I did this was when I was in my teens.

 

[docjohn]

Wow to put up with the 57 seconds of excitement and then the parking lot swelter for another 45 minutes-an hour means you are hurtin:tongue: What was your closest competition? vette,rx7 tt,

 

[CL65 Captain]

Wow to put up with the 57 seconds of excitement and then the parking lot swelter for another 45 minutes-an hour means you are hurtin:tongue: What was your closest competition? vette,rx7 tt,

Yea... that 43 seconds just didn't do it for me.

Competition in A Stock was some S2000s, Audi S4, BMW M Coupe, E46 M3s, Subie STIs, Evos, & Mustang Shelby.

Over all I was very surprised as I didn't think the NSX would be a good Autoxross car (must have been my superior road racing skills :biggrin::tongue::biggrin. I know that if there was a track day and autoxcross day on the same day - I wouldn't even think twice. However, they are autoxcossing at a lot that is 5 min from my house.

There were some really good guys in the Prepared classes - including Danny Popp (7 time SCCA Natl Champ in a C5 Z06 that is highly modded). Some of those guys are really, really good at this stuff. Much better than I ever will be. However, I prefer real tracks to imaginary ones in parking lots. I also like getting out of 1st gear.

The Autocross skill set and road course skill set and lines are apples and oranges.

 

[jtower]

if you think autocross is different than track, try rallycross sometime. i did it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it's not apples to oranges, it's apples to elephants.

i too am going to try my hand at autox this year, and like you i haven't done it since college in my 84 gti. dunno if i'll use the nsx, i just picked up an old toyota fx16 gts that i'm gonna outfit with basic suspension mods, looking forward to punting a few cones with that.

 

[docjohn]

Yea... that 43 seconds just didn't do it for me.

Competition in A Stock was some S2000s, Audi S4, BMW M Coupe, E46 M3s, Subie STIs, Evos, & Mustang Shelby.

Over all I was very surprised as I didn't think the NSX would be a good Autoxross car (must have been my superior road racing skills :biggrin::tongue::biggrin. I know that if there was a track day and autoxcross day on the same day - I wouldn't even think twice. However, they are autoxcossing at a lot that is 5 min from my house.

There were some really good guys in the Prepared classes - including Danny Popp (7 time SCCA Natl Champ in a C5 Z06 that is highly modded). Some of those guys are really, really good at this stuff. Much better than I ever will be. However, I prefer real tracks to imaginary ones in parking lots. I also like getting out of 1st gear.

The Autocross skill set and road course skill set and lines are apples and oranges.

Good for you to beat s2000.That is a serious auto x platform.You must have a suspension setup that maximizes front end grip because in general the nsx just plows through the cones,that and you must be giving good inputs:smile:

 

[CL65 Captain]

Good for you to beat s2000.That is a serious auto x platform.You must have a suspension setup that maximizes front end grip because in general the nsx just plows through the cones,that and you must be giving good inputs:smile:

JRZs, 600/500 springs, Type R sway. In theory the car should plow like a pig at low speeds (never got out 1st gear BTW on this course ). However, I managed to stiffen the rear with lots of compression and it became an oversteering monster - bad for the road course / good for the autoxcross. I went through most of the corners sideways - just like the Z06 guys. :wink:

Like I said, this autoxcross thing is a whole different skill set - hats off to the guys who really do this well - especially at Nationals.

 

[CL65 Captain]

if you think autocross is different than track, try rallycross sometime. i did it for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it's not apples to oranges, it's apples to elephants.

i too am going to try my hand at autox this year, and like you i haven't done it since college in my 84 gti. dunno if i'll use the nsx, i just picked up an old toyota fx16 gts that i'm gonna outfit with basic suspension mods, looking forward to punting a few cones with that.

There was an old, old GTI there today. Always thought it was funny how it lifts on tight corners.... like it's peeing on the cones. :smile:

 

[YellowHaze]

Yea... that 43 seconds just didn't do it for me.

Competition in A Stock was some S2000s, Audi S4, BMW M Coupe, E46 M3s, Subie STIs, Evos, & Mustang Shelby.

Over all I was very surprised as I didn't think the NSX would be a good Autoxross car (must have been my superior road racing skills :biggrin::tongue::biggrin. I know that if there was a track day and autoxcross day on the same day - I wouldn't even think twice. However, they are autoxcossing at a lot that is 5 min from my house.

There were some really good guys in the Prepared classes - including Danny Popp (7 time SCCA Natl Champ in a C5 Z06 that is highly modded). Some of those guys are really, really good at this stuff. Much better than I ever will be. However, I prefer real tracks to imaginary ones in parking lots. I also like getting out of 1st gear.

The Autocross skill set and road course skill set and lines are apples and oranges.

I generally feel as you do about comparing autocross with track events. Last March, I went to my first track event with my NSX since buying it last September. There were 4 instructors at Willow Springs that day.

I knew one instructor, Ferdie, who gave me a few laps in his race-prepped STI (500+HP). Wow, what a ride! In addition to some positive critiques on my driving skills, Ferdie made the following comment...

"Good autocross skills translate to better track skills. Good track skills don't necessarily help one be better on an autocross course."

Ferdie may have a point. So, I will add at least one autocross event to my planned driving events this year.

 

[CL65 Captain]

"Good autocross skills translate to better track skills. Good track skills don't necessarily help one be better on an autocross course."

I agree with that quote 100%.

Autocross helps on the road course in three main ways.

1. The turns are so close together and happen so quickly you have to learn to look way ahead and attack them as a series instead of one turn at a time.

2. The car is transferring weight back and forth so much and quickly that you really have to really learn car control and smoothness.

3. The car is sliding and over steering much more so at 30-40 mph than on the track at 80+ mph, so it's a great opportunity to learn to balance the car with steering inputs and throttle. I power-slid the car many more times today then I have ever done on the track.

HOWEVER: I saw some bad habits today while working as corner worker that would be an absolute no-no on the track. Jockeying throttle on and off was the big one. Do that on the track and you will be off into the grass. If you ever saw the Top Gear episode where Sir Jackie Stewart coaches James (aka Dr Slow), the best piece of advice on the whole show was "never, ever get on the throttle until you are sure you don't have to take it off."

 

[Ponyboy]

Congrats, I think, on the AX result. Randy Pobst started in AXing and look where he's at.

I know AXing would be good for me as well but, frick, if I feel like spending 4 hours of collecting cones for 4 min or less of seat time. And the whole time, I'd likely be thinking that I could be enjoying time w/ my family and, well...I haven't AX'd in 8 years.

 

[YellowHaze]

I agree with that quote 100%.

Autocross helps on the road course in three main ways.

1. The turns are so close together and happen so quickly you have to learn to look way ahead and attack them as a series instead of one turn at a time.

2. The car is transferring weight back and forth so much and quickly that you really have to really learn car control and smoothness.

3. The car is sliding and over steering much more so at 30-40 mph than on the track at 80+ mph, so it's a great opportunity to learn to balance the car with steering inputs and throttle. I power-slid the car many more times today then I have ever done on the track.

Good points. I haven't autocrossed in over 20 years as well. That was back when I had my BMW 320i, hardly a performance car. One thing I am concerned about is damage to my precious NSX from hitting cones. Isn't this an issue with high value cars???

 

[CL65 Captain]

Good points. I haven't autocrossed in over 20 years as well. That was back when I had my BMW 320i, hardly a performance car. One thing I am concerned about is damage to my precious NSX from hitting cones. Isn't this an issue with high value cars???

Hitting cones won't do any damage. They are soft rubber ones, not hard plastic (you can squish them with your hands). Plus the whole object is to NOT hit the cones. :wink: A lot less risky hitting cones at 30 mph than a tire wall at the track at 120 mph.

It's a great place to learn to get the car out of shape. I had some great power slides around the tight turns today. Four wheel drifting with the back end leading the way. :tongue:

For the record.... 5 runs today - no cones! :biggrin:

 

[YellowHaze]

Hitting cones won't do any damage. They are soft rubber ones, not hard plastic (you can squish them with your hands). Plus the whole object is to NOT hit the cones. :wink: A lot less risky hitting cones at 30 mph than a tire wall at the track at 120 mph.

It's a great place to learn to get the car out of shape. I had some great power slides around the tight turns today.

For the record.... 5 runs today - no cones! :biggrin:

I see. No cones hit, eh? You're either that good (which I'm sure you are), or perhaps had room to 'push the limits' some and take out a cone or two in the process. See, now you've got me all worked up on finding an event to go to. :biggrin:

 

[CL65 Captain]

No video of me, sine my girlfriend was too lazy to show up (even though it was 4 miles from the house). However, here is a video of Danny Popp - 7x National Champ and probably the best Corvette driver in the country - road course too btw. Danny holds the lap records at both Mid Ohio and Putnam Park right now. He lapped Putnam in his modified C5 0.8 sec faster than Ron Fellows in the Goodrich C5-R AMLS car.

http://vimeo.com/4349409

Interesting watch...

Danny on the Discovery Channel

 

[jtower]

No video of me, sine my girlfriend was too lazy to show up (even though it was 4 miles from the house). However, here is a video of Danny Popp - 7x National Champ and probably the best Corvette driver in the country - road course too btw. Danny holds the lap records at both Mid Ohio and Putnam Park right now. He lapped Putnam in his modified C5 0.8 sec faster than Ron Fellows in the Goodrich C5-R AMLS car.

http://vimeo.com/4349409

Interesting watch...

Danny on the Discovery Channel

that second video was an embarrassment, even considering the corvette's credentials danny absolutely *demolished* the ferrari guy.

so i'm curious, did you ever use second gear on the autox course?

 

[CL65 Captain]

that second video was an embarrassment, even considering the corvette's credentials danny absolutely *demolished* the ferrari guy.

so i'm curious, did you ever use second gear on the autox course?

It was suppose to be a F430 against the Z06, but the guy backed out at the last minute and the 360 guy was a sub. What was he like 15 sec slower on the road course? I think I could have done better in the NSX. 15 seconds off a stock Z06 is shameful on a 2.5 mile track.

Nope, just barely hit the rev limiter in one spot.

 

[bfrank1972]

Well, since Bluegrass Motorsports has cancelled the first five track events this year, I went and Autoxcrossed with the local SCCA. It didn't really fix my track jones - apples and oranges. But it was fun and I finished 1st place in the A Stock class. :smile: Not too bad since the last time I did this was when I was in my teens.

You're legal in A stock with that suspension??

 

[CL65 Captain]

You're legal in A stock with that suspension??

SCCA rule book allows stock class to replace dampers with double adjustable. :wink:

Legal? More or less.