First time autocross

C

crash

Registered
Went to an autocross for the first time yesterday. Holy crap that was fun! I don't think you could have more fun for $30. Learned alot about my car. What it can and can't do.

The good:
I can leave it in 2nd gear the whole time and still power out of low speed corners.
The Wilwood brakes work wonders.
I was impressed with my street tires: Hankook Ventus V12 245 front, 275 rear.
Didn't hit a single cone all day!


The bad:
Body roll! I need thicker sway bars. Still have the stock ones. The Koni shocks set to firm all around did help some.
Steering: Too much steering input for such little steering change. Can we switch to a better steering ratio?


Here is a map of the course. Basically it is a road course with cones. There were 2 spots where I hit over 60mph (not that I was looking at my speedo though)
comAutoCrossCourse.jpg


Here's some video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsPu1W7Xg8k
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AsPu1W7Xg8k

And here are the results (note the car that finished behind me)

1T 43 N GREGG MASSEY 00 HONDA S2000 69.783
2T 11 N KELLY COSGROVE 09 CORVETTE ZO6 69.968
3 511 N JEFF JANES 01 HONDA S2000 70.780
4 666 N ROD STRUMBEL 04 MUSTANG COBRA 71.048
5 964 N MATT DOWELL 92 PORSCHE 911 71.178
6 102 N ANDREW BOLTER 05 HONDA ACCORD 71.631
7 173 N TRACI AUSTIN 08 MAZDA SPEED3 72.044
8 124 N MIKE GOODHART 04 SUBARU WRX 72.871
9 400 N QUANG TRUONG 03 MAZDA 6 73.255
10 939 N LEROY THYDEAN 96 CHEVROLET CAMARO 73.472
11 54 N KYLE KRENZ 89 FORD MUSTANG 73.486
12 8 N CHRIS RASH 98 LINCOLN MARK VIII 74.210
13 650 N FARNAM TOUSSI 07 BMW M6 74.248
14 90 N NATE SMITH 06 ACURA RSX 74.382
15 200 N CARSON TUNRQUIST 02 FORD LIGHTNING 74.452
16 216 N CURT CROUSE 03 MERCURY MARAUDER 74.459
17 248 N ERIC GUEVREMONT 02 PONTIAC GRAND AM 75.589
18 99 N DAN NEINSTADT 03 MUSTANG COBRA 75.818
19 42 N GLENN MASSEY 07 HONDA S2000 75.897
20 488 N MIKE HARMS 93 FORD T-BIRD 76.213
21 80 N JOEL CAMERON 06 VW JETTA 76.246
22 107 N MATT SHUEY 05 FORD FOCUS 77.550
23 10 N MIKE BALOGNA 08 VW GTI 78.045
24 777 N STANN BRANNAN 08 MITZ EVO X 78.400
25 230 N SINA MOASSESFAR 06 AUDI A3 80.421
 
Yes, get a gen 1 rack. Much better ratio.:)

Some Tbird racks are the same also, not sure what year though.
 
that's terrific, Chris! I've always wanted to autocross the Mark. The local Austin Healy club has an event at the airport in Amery Wisconsin a couple times a year that I have attended in the past. I may have seen that Lightning there, now that I think about it. There's also a hill climb at Afton Alps that's a lot of fun to watch.

I guess I need to quit watching, and drive!

I did recently install the 1.25" anti-sway bars front and rear, and oh what a difference that makes. If you want to meet up sometime for a comparison drive, let me know.

It might not beat the Lancer Evos and STIs, but it can sure hold it's own.
 
tixer said:
It might not beat the Lancer Evos and STIs, but it can sure hold it's own.
Click to expand...

It not just all about the car, it is the driver as well. Also what i learned from doing HPDEs and it probably applies to auto-x as well, braking is the most important component. You can have lots of HP, thick sway bars, stiff shocks, but if you don't have good brakes it all that is nothing.
So get some Wilwood brakes and some practice and you can beat out guys in Evos and STIs just like guys in minis can beat vetts on a race track.
 
brake upgrades are undoubtedly on my list, but so many seem to require the hub swap, which I have not done. I've seen the Wilwood brakes mentioned a few times here. are they a direct replacement for the stock calipers?
 
Notice the second to last car... an evo. I find myself braking too early and not hard enough. I have much to learn.

Is anything a direct replacement on these cars? I had to do some minor grinding on the caliper bracket. That was about it.

Next autocross at dctc is Sept 12 tixer.
 
I did. your car sounds waaaay cooler than mine. :)

I need to find a place I can "practice." Man, that looked good.
 
tixer said:
I did. your car sounds waaaay cooler than mine. :)

I need to find a place I can "practice." Man, that looked good.
Click to expand...

Just sign up for an autocross. Your first couple of runs will be practice.

Here are my times.
1:24
1:22
1:16
Lunch
1:18
1:14.8
1:14.2

You can see those first 2 runs I was just trying to get used to my car. That's all the practice you need.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top