Details/Tips

[2k1SilverTeg]

Alright,

So every first saturday of every month, they run auto-x where I'm from, and I want to run this coming month..

I'm really nervous, not really about hurting myself or my car, just hurting my pride.. I'm afraid I'm gonna go spinning off, taking out every cone, and stall everyone cause I have to take like 2 hours setting the course back up..

If anyone could give me some tips or something to think about that would take my mind off of this shit, and let me concentrate?

[Wthermans]

Walk the course many times. The first time I Auto-Xed I walked the course at least 10 times. Get to the point where you can replay the exact course with your eyes closed.

While waiting in staging check your car. Be sure the tires are at the correct pressure, clean the front windshield, just prepare yourself.

When sitting in line waiting for my run, I close my eyes and replay the course in my head once again. With my eyes closed I practice my hand movements over the wheel.

Depending on the number of runs you get, use the first one or two to slowly go through the course so you can get a hands-on feel for the run. Then as you progress through the day, your times will get quicker. My fastest time is usually on my final two runs.

If you do spin out or take out a line of cones, don't ever get discouraged. Everyone does it. My first time running I grinded my gears together and ran over the timing carton. Everyone is a novice at one point or another.

Some regions have fun runs after the event for usually 1 dollar. Take advantage of these! Ask some of the veteran drivers to ride along with you and critique you. Almost everyone is there to help.

Good luck and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

[2k1SilverTeg]

Walk the course many times. The first time I Auto-Xed I walked the course at least 10 times. Get to the point where you can replay the exact course with your eyes closed.

While waiting in staging check your car. Be sure the tires are at the correct pressure, clean the front windshield, just prepare yourself.

When sitting in line waiting for my run, I close my eyes and replay the course in my head once again. With my eyes closed I practice my hand movements over the wheel.

Depending on the number of runs you get, use the first one or two to slowly go through the course so you can get a hands-on feel for the run. Then as you progress through the day, your times will get quicker. My fastest time is usually on my final two runs.

If you do spin out or take out a line of cones, don't ever get discouraged. Everyone does it. My first time running I grinded my gears together and ran over the timing carton. Everyone is a novice at one point or another.

Some regions have fun runs after the event for usually 1 dollar. Take advantage of these! Ask some of the veteran drivers to ride along with you and critique you. Almost everyone is there to help.

Good luck and most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Thanks man,

Sounds like you know your shit, glad your the mod of this board.. Good to know some mods on here actually do have the position to serve..

[stockboost]

Most of the time, you are aloud 2 or 3 practice runs at half speed. Just make sure you remember the course, and if you screw up, who cares. You're there to have fun, so have fun :-D

Only time will let you look at that maze of cones and make it look like a road course in your head.

But the most important thing you can do... Make sure you let the people there know, that you are a noobie. Don't be ashamed, we were all noobies at 1 time.
They'll walk the course with you, and usually there are a few instructors and vet's on scene that can give you a few pointers.

[fataLLightning]

walk the course, then walk the course. then walk the course again. most autox's will allow you to either have an instructor drive your car with you in it, or sit shotgun with you and give you pointers as you go. being in a FWD car youre chances of a huge disastrous cone armageddon is unlikely. i know i went berserk with some tail out antics in my car, man, those course workers sure got scared. if there any mr2 there, watch em, they are a supremely diificult car to drive at the limit and its nearly guaranteed that they will go for a spin at least once.

[Wthermans]

^^^ :nod:

Seen many a spin-out in MR2s...also S2000s...worst spin-out I ever saw was with a Ford T-bird (96 I believe)...the guy didn't have any clue how to control the oversteer and ended up hitting light pole.

[CRiSP]

and its nearly guaranteed that they will go for a spin at least once.

or two, three four times? lol

Dont worry much, generally speaking Autocross people are very friendly and helpfull. One more thing is just to come prepared. Bring a tire inflator, a preasure guage (if you dont have one im sure someone there will have and let you borrow). Take most of the stuff out of your car the night before. You can take it out there but usually you will leave it in a parking spot and sometimes not everyone is honest. You will be required to take everything out, anything loose must go and some places will even make you take out your floormats, radar detectors, etc.

Make sure you get someone to video tape you, its always fun watching noobies go all over the place. he he

[Wthermans]

Yes....Video taping is really good. Not only to replay later for personal entertainment but also to critique yourself. I realized many errors I made after watching a video of myself. I'm going to try to get a mounted camera somewhere in the car this season.

[fataLLightning]

Make sure you get someone to video tape you, its always fun watching noobies go all over the place. he he


are u poking fun of my tape. its not my fault that toyota built in snap oversteer in my suspension geometry :cry: blown struts dont help either

[Boostaholic]

yea im gonna be going to those events once i get my evo, im tired of trying to make a car do what it wasnt designed to do, for instance s2000 drag racing....