First Auto-X

I'm hopefully competing in my first auto-x next weekend. Any tips/advice for a total newb?

First, acknowledge that you will suck. It's OK. Everyone does when they start, and acknowledging your own suckiness ahead of time makes it much easier on your ego.

Walk the course. A lot. Figure out where you need to be going, so you're not trying to figure it out while you're driving.

Concentrate on running clean and driving well. Speed will come in time.

And remember at some point you'll probably want to shift. Some new guys seem to forget that.

I just did my first last weekend and it was a blast and got spanked but i had a blast and got two of my friends who had never really heard about auto X addicted.

HAVE FUN!

There are online resources on what you'll need to prep yourself and your car. Look some up. The three things you'll likely underestimate your need of:

For the Car: Air in the tires.

For you: Water, Sunscreen, maybe a big dorky shade hat, and more water.

Have fun. If you can, try to find an old hand who can walk the course with you, ride along and give tips, and let you ride with them to see how it's done. Showing up early to help set up is good karma.

Oh, and most importantly: HAVE FUN!

P.S. Welcome to the board! What kind of car will you be driving?

Get to the event with your tires at 45 at both ends.

Im sure the board will help with what to run at the event.

Welcome to the addiction

Walk the course. A LOT. My dad has been to 5 autocrosses, I have been to 4. And I have beat him significantly each time even though he has more experience, because I will walk the course about twice as much as him (or maybe because its his money if the car breaks)

I'm going to be driving my dead stock '06 Jetta 2.0T w/DSG. I'm hoping to get a Miata or an S2000 in the near future, although at least not until the spring. I'm thinking I'll start with the Miata (NA) and then upgrade to an AP1 chassis S2000.

Yeah, I actually found a pretty big improvement the first time I walked the course more then once...

If you can show up early and walk the course as soon as possible.... give it a little while then go walk it again.

I also try and walk a racing line.

When you notice a tricky part, or when you start you runs and mess up a section, try and pick a marker... some way of signaling to your self that your come up to it again.

Concentrate on driving smooth, not fast.

Hit at least one cone. You'd be surprised how close you can get before you actually start taking them out, and any room you give them is time on the clock.

All the way on the gas, or all the way on the brakes. If you're coasting, you could have accelerated longer and then braked harder.

Don't worry about having a fast car, or what class you're in. Just go out and work on your driving. I've seen too many people that make excuses to never go out because they think their car won't be competitive unless they have a bunch of mods and race rubber.

Double check if food is provided. Bring some even if it is.

Have fun!

All good advice

Walk the course twice minimum, try to imagine what it will look like when seated in the car - kneel down if it helps.

The one and only goal for the first run is don't get lost. If you get lost, you've wasted the run and it will be tough to recover. Go slow, stay on course, add speed in later runs.

Have fun and bring a friend.

Don't do it! It's an addiction that will consume your life and checkbook. Your weekends will be blown getting the car ready or standing around waiting to run. Your entire social circle will be involved with discussions over camber and tire pressures. It's too late to save me, but it's not too late to save yourself! Just say "NO" to cones.

Warning: message may contain sarcasm and or irony. Readers without a sense of humor are warned not to take this message too seriously.

rule #1: have fun.

rule #2: run it like you stole it.

(who is hosting the event?)

I've autocrossed a bit, I guess 4 or 5 times out of two seasons. It is addictive, that is for sure. When you watch others drive it looks slow, but when you drive it feels like its right on the edge of control (at least I do) and it feels genuinely fast. It is a great adrenaline rush.

It can be hard on a car and tires, and thats why I stopped. I run my 71 MGB GT, and it really brings out the creakiness. I describe vintage auto-x as riding a wooden roller coaster. Its not as fast as a modern coaster, but is still able to scare you to death without taking you upside down.

I have an 07 Jetta 2.5 and I've thought about auto-xing it. Its a pretty good handling car, relatively speaking. Will you leave the stability control on? I've toyed with running it a few heats both on and off and comparing.

Good luck and have fun. The first time I went I completely 270'd off the course, and had the combined feeling of adrenaline and humiliation (a dangerous cocktail, BTW), and left with my tail between my legs and feeling like a dork. I shouldn't have, people told me to stay and get back out there and left. It was a moment of poor sportsmanship (read dangerous cocktail, above). So, don't let slip ups get in your way. I've found that people who auto-x, regardless what they drive, are serious enthusiasts and there is rarely any snobbery or elitism.

There was a great essay online about the first auto-x experience someone sent me aftermy first time, and it describes the feelings, including the adrenaline, performance anxiety and competitiveness, but I don't have a link. Maybe someone else knows where to find it. I'll look around for a bit.

The event is being hosted by HADA.

http://www.hadamotorsport.com/

I'm planning on leaving the stability control on, if only because of the massive wheelspin and fairly harsh torque steer these cars generate. Lots of hp/torque and FWD aren't the best combo. Thanks for the advice guys, now I'm all psyched up to compete. It's happening next Sunday and I'll be sure to bring someone along to take pics/videos etc.

Here is pretty much all you will need to know. Well written and insightful.

http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm

mattmacklind wrote: ... don't let slip ups get in your way. I've found that people who auto-x, regardless what they drive, are serious enthusiasts and there is rarely any snobbery or elitism.

Quoted for truth.

Have fun.

I'd turn off the traction control. You'll end up trying to fight it, and then you won't be smooth after all.