Learn me about Autocross.

The courses I do are always set up on a track - the same track - and we only have so many cones and so many people. Therefore, we set up the course such that you have a turnaround, return through the course (with some navigation differences on the way back to spice things up) and finish at the start. This way we can have just a few course workers working a small section of the track so you don't have to wait for someone to run to the start from 1/8 mile away while a driver who finished has to run the same distance to replace him.

For me, auto-x is fun every once in a while, but it certainly doesn't satisfy my needs. I need at least some elevation change to keep me entertained.

The only exception I can think of is the auto-x track at limerock park, which has both elevation change and slight banking. <img src="" />

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Here is my take on it after spending a few seasons actively participating about a decade ago:

1. It's easy to start and hard to master. The learning curve is very steep with only a few opportunities in a given weekend to get it right. Get in-car video, and review it between runs if possible. HIGHLY recommend a 'school weekend' if the local SCCA chapter hosts one. This will get you a couple of season's of experience in one affordable weekend.

2. It's a timesuck. You have to enjoy the competition more than the driving, because you'll be sweating off your nards while sunburning new parts of your anatomy for 5-7 minutes of seat time. It's extremely competitive, which goes back to item #1. Get over the learning curve as quickly as possible.

I personally found that I prefer being on a road course to a parking lot, but I leverage the car control skills I learned in autox at every one of those events.

p.s. I think it is pretty low-risk for your daily driver in decent condition, however I also think it's debatable that autocross puts less wear and tear on your car than HPDE.

All my friends autocross, but they weren't my friends until I started autocrossing. It is a time suck, but a great way to meet a lot of great people. It's relatively low impact on your car, but not your tires. Try it, but be prepared to get addicted and sucked into more and more driving adventures.

car39 wrote: All my friends autocross, but they weren't my friends until I started autocrossing. It is a time suck, but a great way to meet a lot of great people. It's relatively low impact on your car, but not your tires. Try it, but be prepared to get addicted and sucked into more and more driving adventures.

I would second this. I got into Autoslalom when first picked up my Rx7, on crappy rock hard tires and stock everything. It was the best fun I'd ever had in the front seat of a car. I met some really great friends through my local club, which has translated to some great ice-racing weekends, and even though my car's been in pieces for a couple of years now, I still go out and help with events, do timing or marshalling of the course for the social aspect. Every now and again a friend tosses me the keys to something entertaining for 'fun runs' after the day is done.

Don't worry about being slow. You're going to be slow. Get a decent set of tires, and go have fun for a season before you put any money into the car. It's easy to blame the car for being slow, but all you have to do is go for a ride-along in your own car with a fast autocross driver to realize that you're better off saving your money and spend your time tightening the loose nut behind the wheel.

As was previously said, the skills i earned through seasons of auto slalom have also been leveraged into pretty good speed on lapping days, allowing a stock FD Rx7 to pretty much reel in anything else on the course. The car control skills also saved my bacon when 2 cars in my lapping group lost it in front of me on my 2nd lap out.

You'll have fun, be a better driver, and make some good friends. Sounds like a good way to spend any day in my books.

The Highlands Sports Car Club is in Asheville, NC. Come out and play! I'm the clubs Novice Steward and will be glad to show you how to wring performance out of whatever you're driving.

http://highlandssportscarclub.com/

I have alot of experience autocrossing FWD.

The average cost to do an autocross is $25. What are you waiting for?

Bobzilla wrote: Saturday I collected my jacket and trophy at our year end banquet for the local STF class. I was class champion. In a Kia. In fact, That kia. <-----

If it's a Members Only jacket with an SCCA patch, you win the automotive world.

In reply to irish44j:

Technically it's a windbreaker. Besides, I don't care. I won. so there.

car39 wrote: All my friends autocross, but they weren't my friends until I started autocrossing. It is a time suck, but a great way to meet a lot of great people. It's relatively low impact on your car, but not your tires. Try it, but be prepared to get addicted and sucked into more and more driving adventures.

This is so true. Most of my current crop of friends are the auto-x'ers I hang out with. I have a few "BA" friends (Before Auto-x). But it's more about the environment and hte people than the (limited) seat time.

wbjones wrote:

RoughandReady wrote: There's a local autocross club that meets down the street from my house. I'm thinking about competing next season. I don't know much about it though. I've read up online some. Anyone want to lend some experiences my way? Does it fulfill one's need for speed? Can a front wheel drive car be competitive? My current ride is FWD and if I pick up some dirt cheap beater to use, it will most likely be front wheel drive too.

where you are (WNC) gives you some choices … HSCC runs a night series (Wed. night at the Ag Center near the airport) … pretty good group, and lots of fun can be had …. (I ran with them for several yrs) also if you decide you like a-x and are willing to travel a bit, there are 2 - 3 SCCA regions and another none-affiliated club within 2 - 3 hr drive (CCR … Charlotte area [with one of the best venues in the SE… Z-Max dragway], ETR … Knoxville area, Triad sports car club[mostly in the WS area] and SCR with, again one of the best venues in the SE [Black Lake]

trucke wrote: The Highlands Sports Car Club is in Asheville, NC. Come out and play! I'm the clubs Novice Steward and will be glad to show you how to wring performance out of whatever you're driving. http://highlandssportscarclub.com/ I have alot of experience autocrossing FWD.

I live next to the Ag Center. HSCC is the club I'm planning on joining up with. haha.

In reply to Bobzilla:

Absolutely. Some of my closest friends I have I met at autocross events.

autocross is a lot of fun. I am not super competitive, so I usually shoot for not last place.

That's a great point, you meet good people at the races. About the best thing that can come from anything is a friend for life.

I used to do some bracket racing and short track racing, even spent a couple years doing the Club Race thing, but I've had the most fun and met the best people (even Bobzilla) autocrossing. Yeah, track days will get you more seat time at higher speeds but I've found autocrossing to be the most rewarding as well as being easier on the wallet.

The level of competition is what keeps me coming back. Our SCCA region has the day broken down into work/run before lunch and then again after lunch. Turns into a half day commitment. The kids run their carts right after lunch at each event and the run groups rotate thru the schedule.

This year I am driving a '89 Honda in STC. There are three past National Champions, two Pro Solo event winners and a couple of tire warmers. My PAX results this last event had me in the top 25% and I finished 7 of 8 for the event in my class. I have historically run in the 50% group in my own car. I am looking forward to getting close to the times these guys are putting down, getting schooled can only help.

RoughandReady wrote:

wbjones wrote:

RoughandReady wrote: There's a local autocross club that meets down the street from my house. I'm thinking about competing next season. I don't know much about it though. I've read up online some. Anyone want to lend some experiences my way? Does it fulfill one's need for speed? Can a front wheel drive car be competitive? My current ride is FWD and if I pick up some dirt cheap beater to use, it will most likely be front wheel drive too.

where you are (WNC) gives you some choices … HSCC runs a night series (Wed. night at the Ag Center near the airport) … pretty good group, and lots of fun can be had …. (I ran with them for several yrs) also if you decide you like a-x and are willing to travel a bit, there are 2 - 3 SCCA regions and another none-affiliated club within 2 - 3 hr drive (CCR … Charlotte area [with one of the best venues in the SE… Z-Max dragway], ETR … Knoxville area, Triad sports car club[mostly in the WS area] and SCR with, again one of the best venues in the SE [Black Lake]

trucke wrote: The Highlands Sports Car Club is in Asheville, NC. Come out and play! I'm the clubs Novice Steward and will be glad to show you how to wring performance out of whatever you're driving. http://highlandssportscarclub.com/ I have alot of experience autocrossing FWD.

I live next to the Ag Center. HSCC is the club I'm planning on joining up with. haha.

figured as much … listed them just in case you were talking about some other club (though I don't know of any other in our area)

they're good folk … you'll have fun

RoughandReady, I've been involved with HSCC since 2006. Come on out and have some fun - run your DD. 6, 40+ second runs for $20 is the best bang for the buck, locally. Other than codrives in various Miatae, and a certain Celica, the majority of my experience has been in FWD. We are working on the 2014 schedule and will post it on the homepage of the website when its finalized. You're in a great autox area with CCR, ETR, and SCR regions of SCCA having events within a couple of hours too. To get a real speed fix check out the Chasing the Dragon Hillclimb in Robbinsville.

jr02518 wrote: The level of competition is what keeps me coming back. Our SCCA region has the day broken down into work/run before lunch and then again after lunch. Turns into a half day commitment. The kids run their carts right after lunch at each event and the run groups rotate thru the schedule. This year I am driving a '89 Honda in STC. There are three past National Champions, two Pro Solo event winners and a couple of tire warmers. My PAX results this last event had me in the top 25% and I finished 7 of 8 for the event in my class. I have historically run in the 50% group in my own car. I am looking forward to getting close the the times these guys are putting down, getting schooled can only help.

Not always, but it never hurts to make friends with those in your class. If they're running the similar "Gods Chariot of PAX" then if they aren't dicks, they might help you with the build/setup of your similar "Gods Chariot of PAX"

Whenever I attend, I always try to help people as best as I can. If they beat me, I don't care, because I'm just having fun hooning whatever I take....and its normally been whatever is handy. If it isn't competitive, I hoon the heck out of it into contention.

I agree with Yamaha and others. It ends up being about the people, the cars are the bonus. My best friends now are all through autocrossing or racing of some sort. I've found that most people will be glad to help out if you ask. Some may not be naturally outgoing, but if you start the conversation most people I've met are friendly and helpful. In fact, I'd say some of the nicest people I've ever met have been through this sport.

As for autocrossing itself, you're probably going to suck the first time. Don't worry about it, we all did. Talk to people, have someone more experienced do a course walk with you, and ride with as many people as possible. It's going to seem like you're flying a F18 in a fish bowl, but it will slow down. Remember to have fun, listen and learn as much as possible.

i always have a blast when i go out. i run with tarheel and ccrscca in my pro-touring musclecars. im NEVER that competitive, but i have fun. its a good time, good people, and great stress relief.

just go try it a couple of times and see what you think.

I dont know where you live, but in some places they have "wintercross". We have a decent circuit track here, and in the winter it will snow on the track, and they basically leave it as is, and you turn laps in the snow. Its AWESOME fun, even in a FWD car, because you can fly around in the snow, pushing your car harder than you ever would (safely) around town, and you will have minimal wear on both tires and brakes, generally. Plus if you start understeering, you just bump the e-brake and point her where you want to go.

If no snowcross though, autocross is still good fun. They are usually small, tight courses setup in a giant parking lot, but it still requires decent driving skill to be fast.

Any idea when the season is starting up again?

Like other's mentioned go out and do an SCCA school if you can. I'm largely a beginner myself, and when I did one before my first season it was invaluable. It will teach you how to pitch in for course work, safety protocols, and what to do on the course. If you attend a good school, you will also get to do a TON of runs with an instructor who will ideally be running a similar type of car as the one you drive. I probably did more runs in those 2 days then I would for nearly the rest of the season.

The other thing I'll have to say for advice is don't get discouraged. When you start out YOU WILL SUCK. I would compare the learning curve to golf; you watch someone go through the motions properly, they explain to you how to do it properly, and you try your best to do the same but there are parts of it that just won't be easy to master right away, or maybe even for a long time. I would get frustrated with my times and I'd ask friends who were seasoned autocrossers about how I looked on the course and they said it looked like I was doing things fundemmentaly right, but it wasn't translating to better times. I WOULD shave off a few seconds over the course of the day, but I wasn't competitive against other drivers in my class. I will say that what someone mentioned earlier to "drive like a Meth Head running from the cops and gradually improve your control" is a good piece of advice. I'm going to be autocrossing again for the first time in about 7 years this summer with a new car, and I'm going to approach it with less caution to start with. Mowing down cones on a Slalom early on and learning how to dial it in later will probably serve me better then being too tentative.

As others said as well, just drive what you have now to get your feet wet. Make sure your brakes are good and at least get some decent street tires and give it a shot. You might look funny out there in something like a Kia, but you'll still be learning regardless.

re. Chrispy 6 post above .. he's still involved with them

RoughandReady wrote: Any idea when the season is starting up again?

We have a new guy handling the scheduling and should start up at the end of March, beginning of April. When we have dates, they'll be posted on the HSCC homepage. In the meantime, CCR-SCCA's schedule is posted on their website and their first event is March 1 at ZMax. ZMax is an awesome piece of pavement and even if you have zero experience, it'll be a blast. They are also hosting an Evolution Driving School at the March.