Should I be bad at Auto-X?
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Should I be bad at Auto-X?
I have a 03 WRX with light mods and have been to 3 Auto-x events. First went pretty well, second and third seemed to go downhill. This week in STX i was 6 second behind the top guy in STX. I am just curious if its just the seat time that I need or I need to find a new hobby. I have experienced drivers, drive my car and their times have been great so its not my set-up. I am not going off-course or anything like that I just am not that fast.
So find another hobby or just keep driving till it gets right??
Anyone else like this at first and is now good?
So find another hobby or just keep driving till it gets right??
Anyone else like this at first and is now good?
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Re: Should I be bad at Auto-X?
Originally posted by catdogr
Anyone else like this at first and is now good?
Anyone else like this at first and is now good?
I just finished my second year autocrossing, and I don't consider myself good yet. Of course, I don't consider myself bad either, but some where approaching average. Still, my little B16 CRX got me better times today than some of the guys in brand new STi's :banana:
Re: Re: Should I be bad at Auto-X?
Originally posted by shoden
Still, my little B16 CRX got me better times today than some of the guys in brand new STi's :banana:
Still, my little B16 CRX got me better times today than some of the guys in brand new STi's :banana:
Proof positive that you need a decent car AND driver.
:banana:
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I have been autoxing for 4 years now. You get pretty good really fast. Then the rest of your "career" you are searching for tenths and hundreths of a second to go from 6th to 1st. Talk about frustrating. Then some guy with a bone stock evo smacks you down by 3-4 seconds and you have spent 13k on mods on your car. (but you were running all season tires because you were too lazy to put your victoracers on)
Just get back out there and race some more.
Just get back out there and race some more.
NASIOC Slut
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From: Roseville, CA
Car Info: 1995 Subaru Impreza 1.8 L
It took my 4th event to get "good". I figured out what I was doing wrong by watching the good drivers while working the course...
Heres my tip:
Go FAST FAST FAST and then SLAM the brakes before a corner to slow down, then gun it halfway through the corner out of the corner and aim the car.
DONT go trying to drift corners and go in too hot, it just slows you down...
If you have to let off the gas at any point, put the clutch in so that you can give it some gas and slip the clutch to prevent bogging.
Dont make any sudden jerking motions to try and correct the car, let the car flow and dont fight it, even if you are getting DAMN close to the cones! (they are just cones, DO NOT FEAR THE CONES!)
If you care too much about your car, or worry too much about anything other than pushing the car to its limits during that 50 seconds or so, then you are in the wrong frame of mind and shouldnt be trying to be competitive... If thats the case, screw times just go out and have fun.
P.S. the stock tires suck. Yes that does make a difference.
Heres my tip:
Go FAST FAST FAST and then SLAM the brakes before a corner to slow down, then gun it halfway through the corner out of the corner and aim the car.
DONT go trying to drift corners and go in too hot, it just slows you down...
If you have to let off the gas at any point, put the clutch in so that you can give it some gas and slip the clutch to prevent bogging.
Dont make any sudden jerking motions to try and correct the car, let the car flow and dont fight it, even if you are getting DAMN close to the cones! (they are just cones, DO NOT FEAR THE CONES!)
If you care too much about your car, or worry too much about anything other than pushing the car to its limits during that 50 seconds or so, then you are in the wrong frame of mind and shouldnt be trying to be competitive... If thats the case, screw times just go out and have fun.
P.S. the stock tires suck. Yes that does make a difference.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 9,016
From: Oakland, CA
Car Info: 2009 wrx & 2000 4runner
practice, practice, practice
thats the best thing you can do, drive as much as possible, learn your car, and the first season i would suggest keeping the stock tires, yes they do suck BUT imo they are a good tire to learn on.
but since you are running in stx, you are not stock. its tough to learn on a modified car. find a stock wrx and run that for a while in d-stock then later move up to stx
thats the best thing you can do, drive as much as possible, learn your car, and the first season i would suggest keeping the stock tires, yes they do suck BUT imo they are a good tire to learn on.
but since you are running in stx, you are not stock. its tough to learn on a modified car. find a stock wrx and run that for a while in d-stock then later move up to stx
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From: www.nasioc.com
Car Info: 2003 STX Pro-Solo/Solo-II National Champion
Seat time.
Really... it takes most people a year to finally 'get it'. Look into something like an Evolution school (http://www.autocross.com/evolution) or a school put on by your region. Those give quite a bit of seat time with great instuction. They'll help you connect the dots.
Most regions also have instructors that can and will come along with you to give you tips and points. Heck, I still have others come with me from time to time to point out things that I may have gotten lazy on.
But again it's seat time.
--kC
Really... it takes most people a year to finally 'get it'. Look into something like an Evolution school (http://www.autocross.com/evolution) or a school put on by your region. Those give quite a bit of seat time with great instuction. They'll help you connect the dots.
Most regions also have instructors that can and will come along with you to give you tips and points. Heck, I still have others come with me from time to time to point out things that I may have gotten lazy on.
But again it's seat time.
--kC
Last edited by KC; Nov 4, 2003 at 09:25 AM.
Registered User
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 390
From: Rochester, NY
Autocross is a form of racing where cars run one at a time through a course laid out with cones, going for the best time, both overall and in various classes. Check out the Sports Car Club of America website for more info. 
NASIOC Slut
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 4,723
From: Roseville, CA
Car Info: 1995 Subaru Impreza 1.8 L
Originally posted by 12secwrx
can someone please tell me what autocross is as i dont think we have that in australia but it sounds like fun and i might start one if there aren't any.
can someone please tell me what autocross is as i dont think we have that in australia but it sounds like fun and i might start one if there aren't any.
