My first Autocross - what to expect?

There's not too much that I can add; chat up a bunch of the people there, most of them are gearheads like us that you get to talk to in person. Depending on the organization, half of the first hour there you can talk cars (and other fun topics) non-stop. A straw or some type of mesh hat is better than a ball cap. Don't purchase performance parts for a season or 8 races. You don't want to buy expensive coilovers (or sticky tires), for example, then quit autocrossing, and practically wasted over a grand. Wear comfortable shoes, no flip flops. Most importantly, relax and have fun. Winning comes later.

Breathe.

It sounds simple. You do it all the time, right? I didn't know I could hold my breath for 60+ seconds until I finished my first autocross run, and then sat there gasping for air.

Other than that, everything everyone else said.

snailmont5oh wrote: Breathe. It sounds simple. You do it all the time, right? I didn't know I could hold my breath for 60+ seconds until I finished my first autocross run, and then sat there gasping for air. Other than that, everything everyone else said.

Yep, hyperventilating afterwards to try to catch up.

Has anyone done a Lime Rock open autocross? I'm getting a little nervous now that I found out that I won't be the only driver out on the course during any given run. I'm at the very beginning of my motorsports experience and I don't feel ready for wheel-to-wheel action yet, although I do dream of it.

I'm sure you won't be going wheel-to-wheel. You'll probably be half way through the course when they let the next guy go. If something happens that you're not comfortable with, talk to someone running the event. They want you to come back.

Thw last glen event I went to had a LOT of first timers. They wouldnt let 2 newbies out at the same time in case one got lost or whatever so there was no problems. You probably will never get near another car, and as always just talk to a safety steward. They want it to be safe and they want you to feel safe.

I have done the Lime Rock open autocross., both in summer and winter.

It is nothing like a regular autocross, but you won't be racing wheel to wheel either. It will be more like a time trial. Don't worry, you'll have lots of fun.

First autocross experienced.That was so AWESOME!!! I'm hooked! Next one is 10/17 and I can't wait!!

Welcome to the club. Your first "mod" can be magnetic letters and numbers for your class, especially if you hate using tape.

In reply to Mr_Clutch42:

Great idea! I think that might be my third mod. First I have to dial out some of the understeer (it plows A LOT in its current, stock, state) and I'm going to add a center radiator because she ran hot all day (3/4 up on gauge) .

Don't worry about the handling yet. I thought my first autocross car was a horrible, understeering pig the first time I autox'd it. It did understeer a bit, and a later swaybar addition helped, a little. But, really, at least 90% of it was driving technique. The best thing I ever did was to get an experienced driver to codrive. A lot of what I thought was bad handling was really picking the wrong apex points, wrong lines corner to corner and wrong braking points. Definitely deal with the cooling issues, but be aware other mods can end up bumping you up a class (or several) without substantially improving the car.

M030 wrote: In reply to Mr_Clutch42: First I have to dial out some of the understeer (it plows A LOT in its current, stock, state) and I'm going to learn how to brake early and accelerate through the turn

Glad you had fun. Welcome to the club.

One good guide

And another

In reply to M030:

Mr_Clutch42 wrote:

Don't buy expensive Porsche () performance parts for a season or 8 races. You don't want to buy expensive sway bars, etc. for example, then quit autocrossing, and practically wasted $600+.

The best and easiest part of starting out is that all you have to do now is race, race a little more, then race some more. You likely don't have many autocrossing skills yet, so improvements will come in leaps and bounds. It's the easiest, cheapest, and most fun way to get faster. There are a couple other reasons why I like to suggest to wait before making performance improvements, but an important one is that the car is much faster than you are, you've just scratched the surface of it's potential.

An autocross car can be really fast and still understeer, too.

bludroptop wrote:

M030 wrote: In reply to Mr_Clutch42: First I have to dial out some of the understeer (it plows A LOT in its current, stock, state) and I'm going to learn how to brake early and accelerate through the turn

Glad you had fun. Welcome to the club.

Thanks! That's a fair point, but my instructor made a few laps in my car by himself, and when he came in he said, "wow it understeers a lot more than I expected it to! It needs a stiffer rear sway bar and/or less for-aft tire size stagger." Since Porsche set it up with 225- section width front tires and 255s, rear, and the SPEC-Boxster guys run 235s front and 255s rear, I tend to believe my instructor that it plows a lot because of my inexperience AND its inherent design. I need tires now anyway...

It's Sunday morning and you're already awake...time for your second autocross.

http://www.cartct.com/cart-schedule/

Autocross @ LAZ Parking WhenSunday, Sep 27, 2015 WhereLAZ Parking 1 Pequot St Hartford, CT

In reply to Woody:

Thank you! See you on the 18th at the LAZ lot?

I would tend to disagree with those who say not to modify. Why waste your energy learning how to drive around shortcomings when there are so many things to learn already? Im not saying make it crazy fast, or anything, just a stiffer (preferably adjustable) rear bar and if possible a way to tune out the severity of the variocam engagement. Fun day, lets do more!

In reply to sesto elemento:

I agree with your comment 100% My next set of tires will be the less staggered 235/255 set up the SPEC guys run. If VarioCam can't be tuned, I have this awesome friend who might help me turbo the crap out of it

Also, try putting more air in the front tires. That helps with understeer.

I've found the opposite … lack of footprint if too much air in the front tires …

Mr_Clutch42 wrote: Welcome to the club. Your first "mod" can be magnetic letters and numbers for your class, especially if you hate using tape.

You can buy magnetic vent covers at home depot : http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-E-O-Magnetic-Vent-Covers-MC815/100345609 which are basically big white magnet sheets and cut out your own numbers on the cheap. You'll also have enough to stick bumper stickers to. That way, you can magnet on some GRM stickers and remove them after the event if you don't want stickers on your car.

If the car needs tires, as in they were crappy "before" your first autocross cuped the fronts i.e. they were old, don't make any handling adjustments/judgements based on old tires. Get fresh tires on it then see what it does.

Your instructor was likely spot on about a mix of you and the car. While I instruct at PCA track events I have not driven a Boxster at an autocross but you're most likely doing the standard newbie thing of abruptly popping of the brake pedal just after turning in. This unloads the front end (basically it bounces the nose into the air), smoothly coming off the brakes i.e. trail braking is one of the toughest things to learn but pays the biggest dividend.

@sesto elemento I am one who discourages people from modding their cars right away; I can't tell you how many cars I hop in that have really whacked set ups in an effort to compensate for driver induced understeer or are just sprung way to stiff because that instantaneous reaction feels fast. Half the cars are daily driven, corner entry oversteer might work well on a FWD gutless wonder for autocross but it's not so hot on the highway.

Tom