autocross

Anyone ever run a car in a SCCA solo autocross?

They are having one here in Reading next Saturday and I just signed up for it. Always wanted to run one just for kicks, so i figured what the hey.

k

 

I've been autocrossing a '03 MINI Cooper S in G-Stock for the last five years. It's a blast with the right car! It can also make you a better and safer driver on the street as you learn what you and your car's limits are in a safe, controlled situation. It's about the safest and least expensive form of car racing you can do.

It is a bit hard on tires though...

 

Hi Tom, What class would a bone stock 2000 Escort zx2 run in?
There are a bunch of "stock" classes.

ken k

 

I raced a Special-Tuned MBG Roadster in Autocross events during the mid and late 1970's.
Never had more fun with that MGB than I did letting it loose on the tight road courses that they lay-out for the events.

The Key is having some familiarity with the course.
Show-up early enough to take a stroll around the course and look for the best lines going into the turns, loops and "S"-curves.

The strategy to winning against the clock is being able to stay-up in the Power Band and not lose precious time while the your rpm's are low and not being able to accelerate.
Keep the rev's up. Accelerate out of the turns. Use the whole track to set-up the least distance through the corners.

Don't transport anything around the Race Circuit that you can remove from the car and leave in a pile within your parking slot.
Leave stuff home.
Add some air to the tires and go-out and have some fun.

Don't forget that under the rules they must let you take a "Cool-down" Lap.
Use it.
Go around slow while you let the car cool down but concentrate on hitting the entrance and exit lines of all the twisties while you do.

 

I ran a 1976 Datsun 280Z in D-stock for a couple years in 1996-1998 What a blast!

 

I've autocrossed my 98 camaro in one of the stock SCCA classes. Was tons of fun, but like TSizemore said ... a bit hard on tires Scuff marks up where I didn't think it was even REMOTELY possible to roll the tire to.

Tons of fun though, I'm looking forward to giving it another shot next year.

 

Uh Rick, you might be thinking of road racing there or perhaps ProSolo events at a bonifide road course. In Solo 2 autocrossing, once you pass through the timing lights at the end of the course, you return to your pit area. They normally start one car every 30 to 45 seconds depending on the length of the course and whether or not it loops back upon itself, so at any one point, there are usually two or three cars out on the course going all-out for a time. During registration and before the driver's meeting is normally when the course is open for walking. Some clubs that stop for lunch will open the course up for walking during that time also.

At some of the non-SCCA events they may allow you to rollerblade or ride bicycles around the course also. At the airfield where I normally compete at, due to the length of the course, they even allow you to ride small electric scooters and pit bikes on the course walk. I haven't been able to convince the head stewart that my 550 Seca was a pit bike yet. :twisted:

If you are serious on autocrossing, usually you will have a second set of wheels and tires just for racing. This saves your street tires from undue abuse and allows you to run some of the R-compound tires that have much more grip at the cost of extreme tire wear. Whereas most street tires have a treadwear rating of 240 to 500, the Kumho V710's that I run at events have a treadwear rating of 30. They are so soft that they grip extremely well even before they have that much heat in them, but if I were to drive them on the street, I'd be lucky if they lasted 500 miles. On the autocross track where I normally compete, they may last a full season, which would be around 40 to 50 runs on a one mile course. There are a couple of classes like STU and STX that specify street tires of at least 200 treadwear like the Falken Azenis, but it's still hard on tires.

 

If it's a ZX2 it should be H-Stock.

If it's a '99 or 2000 ZX2 S/R it should be G-Stock.

You can download all the car classes and SCCA rule book at the following:

SCCA web site

You might want to check if the club that is running the event has novice classes also. Novice classes allow you to compete against other inexperienced drivers instead of being thrown into the regular classes against someone who might have 20 years of experience. Helps keep you from getting discouraged while you are still at the steep end of the learning curve.