Driving advice

Im not a good autocrosser.

Yet.

I want to get better, and have all season ahead of me.

I have a newly created high horsepower miata on slicks. Its needing shaken down, and i have registered for a test and tune in February. 

But, im a builder and not a driver. I can make damn near anything, apparently. 

I know basics of autocross from previous seasons in pro-touring muscle cars, trucks, and hpde. But ive never autocrossed a miata. Or something on slicks. Or a high power/weight ratio car.

So, what can i start doing mentally/physically before the season to get better? Im not looking for trophies, but id rather not be DFL like usual. Any tips/tricks for a car like mine?

Hell, im not even sure how to ask the questions properly.

I need to learn to drive a race prepped car on an autocross course without drivong that car on the street to get a deel for it. How do i do that?

Video training 

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/video-training-autocrossing-with-dick-turner/33988/page1/

If you can find a car to use for it and some events to go to, I'd suggest trying a few rallycrosses.  Because of the lower traction surface, everything happens more slowly, so it's easier to pick up on your mistakes and see improvement (especially if it's an event where you can get a lot of runs in).  And the car matters a lot less, so it's easier to ID who the fast drivers are and see what kind of suggestions they have (being that it's common for a good driver in a crappy car to beat a decent driver in a good car in a lot of events). 

Another thing that helps is to take video.  Ideally inside the car, out through the windshield so you've got the right perspective.  And if you can at least get the steering wheel in the camera's field of view, that helps more.  After the event, watch the videos and see if you can find places where you could do things differently to make some more speed. 

Find someone to ride with who's good. I think you're capable of the inputs needed to drive a car like this to mid pack, but I don't think you know what it feels like. 

If possible get someone used to a car like yours to take a run or two in it. That’s what I did when I bought my first “big boy” autocross car and it helped a lot. 

Seat time is also gonna help a lot. Not sure if your car is street legal but I chose to daily mine for a couple of months and got much faster as a result of learning the car little by little every day.

Reviewing video afterwards really helped me alot. Some stuff I couldn't figure out on the spot became crystal clear after watching the playback. Especially if someone more experienced would voulnteer to watch with me and give me pointers.

If there's a long enough lunch break, I used to pull the SD card from the GoPro, and watch the video in the hour break, then go back afterwards and try to apply the changes necessary.

In reply to mazdeuce - Seth :

Thanks. I really dont know what it feels like on an autocross course .i know what it feels like in hpde. Im concerned about my ability to quickly move my body for inputs smoothly .im also concerned about horsepower/grip/wheelbase with this car. Ive never driven anything similar .

In reply to jrh2009 :

This thought crossed my mind. Glad to know im on the right track! Have to get a camera though. Cell phone won't cut it, apparently .

In reply to John Welsh :

Yup. My wife just lost the tv for a few nights when we get home.

In reply to Fitzauto :

Unfortunately, not street legal. So, the normal ways i get familiar with the car are out. I will try to find a good similar  ar driver. That may help me learn a lot.

The rallycross scene here (NC) is a joke.  Both the terrible administration/safety of the club that runs it, and the depth of the talent pool. 

rslifkin said:

If you can find a car to use for it and some events to go to, I'd suggest trying a few rallycrosses.  Because of the lower traction surface, everything happens more slowly, so it's easier to pick up on your mistakes and see improvement (especially if it's an event where you can get a lot of runs in).  And the car matters a lot less, so it's easier to ID who the fast drivers are and see what kind of suggestions they have (being that it's common for a good driver in a crappy car to beat a decent driver in a good car in a lot of events). 

Another thing that helps is to take video.  Ideally inside the car, out through the windshield so you've got the right perspective.  And if you can at least get the steering wheel in the camera's field of view, that helps more.  After the event, watch the videos and see if you can find places where you could do things differently to make some more speed. 

Dusterbd13-michael said:

 

I need to learn to drive a race prepped car 

Your car is built for autocross, but it isn't prepped for it yet, correct?  There are still some setup adjustments to be made, which could have huge impacts on your driving, and you may be fighting them while trying to learn to autocross.

But the answer is:  seat time.

What event are you going to?

In reply to ProDarwin :

Lots of adjustment and tweaking yet. Which makes it even more confusing, as i wont k ow if the problem is man or machine.

That being said, ive been able to get most of the availible time out on course out of the cars ive autocrossed. Not always dfl, but usually dfl in my class due to the car.

Event is triad sport car club test and tune in February at Danville airport 

If you're like me, accelerate longer than you think wise, brake later than seems sensible, and get back on the gas darned quick. And shift less. Shifts cost time.

Note, these are general opinion type things.

maybe like Heinz Harald Frentzen.  He used to keep going faster until he crashed and learned from there.  Made it to a temporary 3rd place in the F1 drivers standings with a mid-level team that way.  I'm sure his father was wealthy or he had some forgiving sponsors.  

My dad used to race hus self, and crew chief for a guy way back.....  long ago.

One of the guys who worked on the pit crew with my dad built his own race car 10 years later.  He asked my dad to drive it.  My dad said sure but first I want to tell you something.  Building a winning car and setting it up right is the hardest part.  You could drive it yourself.

Go drive it!  If you’re smart enough to build a fast car, then you’re smart enough to watch, listen, learn, read and practice to make yourself a better driver.  

Michael....Michael.....Michael....you're overthinking again !  Find the initial autocross settings for a Miata online (what I used...https://supermiata.com/miata-race-alignment-info.aspx)  and then go drive it. Drive it a lot, then tweak the settings if it misbehaves. Otherwise, just enjoy a good handling car with more power than stock.

look to where you want to be. 

Be smooth.

Let the car unwind out of corners.  Don't pinch it down. 

Have fun! 

My 2cents.    

My best driving advice is don’t drive. 

At least not for a while.  Ride along with good drivers, ask advice, get someone who is already a good driver to help you set up the car, ride along again.

THEN drive. 

I had no idea what fast driving was or what it felt like until I rode with better drivers. 

Obe more thing... when your ready to drive, I’d take the slicks off. Learn to feel the car on slower tires first, THEN switch to the slicks. 

My $0.02. 

Lots to think about here.

Please, keep it coming. 

I recommend looking for an Evolution school to take: http://evoschool.com

The good news is you have a car people will want to co-drive.  Most groups/regions have people who are just naturally fast in whatever seat they plop their backside into.  Makes friends with those people.  Let them drive your car.  The "co-drive" is your friend.   A high-power, slick-shod Miata going to be enticing for any hot-shoe.  You'll learn more from a few minutes in the passenger seat that from hours in the driver's seat. 

I didn't have the "it car" (a relatively stock NA Miata with street tires), but would get good co-drivers by offering to hot-shoes who weren't coming to events because their car was broken, not finished or broke down during runs.  Basically, what I learned is there was no "big differences" in how they were driving  vs. me.  They were just braking a little later and/or a little harder, they were 1 to 2 inches closer to the cones on the slalom, they carried 5-10 more mph through the sweepers and didn't wait until the car was completely settled to get on the gas.  They didn't beat me by 2 or 3 seconds in any given element, they beat me by a couples tenths in EVERY element.  The other thing that I learned is they they didn't see the course the way I did.  I saw the course as a series of elements where I was avoiding cones.  My mental picture was straight line, turn to avoid cone, straight line, turn to avoid cone, etc.   They saw the course mentally as a connected series of arcs, where the weight of the car transferred smoothly back and forth to weave it's way through  the course.  (I hope that makes sense)

There is nothing special you need to do. Drive the car like any other car your shaking down. If you drive the car the way you do at track days the very worst thing that will happen is your times may be slow. All you need to do is incrementally increase the level of aggression with each run. Target your last couple of runs as your drive like you stole it mode.

As for other poeple driving that works well "if" they have a similar driving style; case in point the Formula 500 (rapid single seater for those who don't know) I run in F-modified is set up for me. I like a very edgy car with lots of rear brake bias, this sets up is a bridge to far for my son who sometimes drives the car. He finds the car difficult to manage on the edge.

With that said I am a fan of having another driver in the car but it's not essential.

Now as for specific advice to your set up:

Cold slicks give almost no notice when they breakaway, so on your first run they will likely offer less traction than the tires on your tow vehicle.  

Additionally slicks do to the sidewall construction do not have the wind up the street tires do. So while this allows you to be really aggressive with your braking and steering inputs. Do not confuse agreesive with abrupt, slicks do not like abrupt.

If this is your first car with a high power to weight ratio just treat the throttle the same way you would in the wet..........squeeeeeeze it on progressively. A good guide is roll on the throttle at a slightly slower rate then you unwind the steering or put another way unwind the steering faster than you roll on the throttle. This keeps the car flatter so your less likely to overpower the rear tires.  

The biggest problem here is likely most people gifted with the ability to build things is you're over thinking it..........if you want to be a driver you don't want to think so much :)

In reply to Tom1200 :

This makes an amazing amount of sense.

But how do i turn my brain from "build the ultimate, and all problems can be solved with a welder" to "drive the car"? 

Ive never really tried to focus on the driving side of things beyond amazing street car, and "the customer/driver wants it to behave this way". Autocross was just a fun thing to do a few times a year. But, i want to get more serious and actually put effort into becoming a better driver. Both for me, and placing at the challenge without a pro-driver.

I started autocrossing in April, have been in 14 events.

I'm racing a stock power Miata in ES, so it's very different than your car, but I can offer that one of the best learning experiences for me was racing in the rain. 

For your first time out just have fun.