otofmyway6

I did my first autocross yesterday in my C5Z06 with Westchester Sports Car Club in NY. Being a complete novice, I wasn't even sure I was going to go, but I woke up early, and decided to just clear out my car of things that would shift aruond and drove to the location. I didn't really check the tire pressures, i just knew they were proper for the road. When I got there and told them I was a complete novice, they were extremely helpful in walking me around the track (which turned out to be real confusing for me).

Long story short, on 9 runs, with tremendous help from the onsite instructors and other people lending me misc tools and things, i managed to drop my time on the course from 52.6 seconds in the middle of the morning session to 46.3 seconds on my last run. It was incredible fun, i had an amazing time, my rear tires certainly suffered, and it was CLEAR my car has so much more potential in it than I had skill. It was so much fun, and I felt like I could finally appreciate my car. The downsides were, as is often mentioned on these forums, these seats are garbage! I found myself constantly letting go of the steering wheel with the left hand to hold the door on right hand turns. I know of the seatbelt trick (i looked it up on corvetteforum when i was on the line), but that just didnt help enough!

Either way, i'm hooked, it was a GREAT way to spend a day, and now i want to spend money on tires (i just ordered some A4s last week because my stock passenger seat slider doesn't lock). I had an intake, which put me out of stock class (i had no idea), but it doesnt really matter to me right now. I'm not going to be the fastest one in my class (in fact, i was indexed really high because of the car's stock abilities already but i wasn't able to reall ymake use of the power on the short technical course) but i just want to go out there and beat myself.

I can't wait to do it again in 2 weekends! Hopefully i'll see some of you guys out there and I can get some set up tips since i was the only vette at this event!

Andy

KBoltz

It's like crack.

Stay away from Hoosiers, Kumho V710's and other soft compound tires until you are able to extract that last little bit out of the car. S/C tires tend to cover up mistakes, leading to really bad habits.

Get used to the car. After a year of autox, then maybe upgrade the shocks, and get good brake pads. Best overall investment is to get a harness bar and race harnesses. Keeping you in the seat and from sliding all over the damn place helps to keep you in control and able to concentrate on driving, not holding on for dear life!!!

Welcome to the addiction. Now, get your wife out there too. Mine is addicted as bad as I have been and a better driver.

TedDBere

To help keep yourself in place, after locking the seatbelt, start in first and shift to second as soon as you can, put your left foot on the dead peddle to the left of the clutch and leave it there until you have to stop. Always keep two hands on the wheel!! If your hand is coming off then your seat position is probably too far back. Move the seat way forward so you are nearly wedged into the footwell then you can plant yourself better in the seat. Have fun!

93Rubie

My humble opinion. It has to down right almost impossible to learn to auto-x with 405HP. My 93 with 300 is a handful with too much throttle application. I cannot imagine a novice with a 505HP C6Z06.

It is addicting. My I suggest some good reading material.

Most important thing, have fun. Which it sounds like you did.
FYI, in my area the C5 Z06's are well driven and easily one of the fastest auto-x cars available. They are in Super Stock for a reason. You have a LOT of car just as it sits, even on street tires.

http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm

Secrets of Solo Racing my Henry A. Watts
Autocross Performance Handbook by Richard Newton (also a CF member.)

Bill Dearborn

I agree. Get that seat belt so tight it hurts with the seat close to the wheel. Use your knees to brace yourself in the car and keep your hands on the wheel. C5Z is a great second gear autocross car unless the course is tight and slow so get it moving and get into second gear and leave it there. The engine will be able to handle speeds as low as 10 and as high as 70.

When you cinched the belt did you get it tight enough that the shoulder belt cinched as soon as the car launched?

Bill

otofmyway6

Hey guys thanks for the advice. I really can't remember if my shoulder was cinched on tight. It really was a 47 second blur. I'll try the technique again next time I drive the car around my house

Shaka

Nice story. Thanks for sharing. I took my preacher to an autocross meet and he started to cry. He says that there is so much love here.

VetteDrmr

Welcome to the nuthouse! You'll hear this so many times, because it's so true:

DON'T MOD THE CAR. I could debate the tire issue, just so you can keep your street tires in shape, but let's not go there now. Just don't go get a set of sticky track-only tires, you'll just be wasting your money.

Also, get an instructor in your right seat anytime possible, and you'll be amazed how quickly you'll improve.

Have a good one,
Mike

AverageVetteNut

And buy some knee pads... between the cheese-grater speaker grill and bumping up against the console, you'll be sore sooner or later.

Great story and good luck. Everyone's given the advice I'd have given as well already.

Alludc

howd you end up in relation to other similar cars in AS and SS for the day? great fun isnt it!?

Bad Karma

Did my first one in the new Z a couple weeks ago. Lots of fun, definitely more car than my old 90. :-) This weekend I'm heading out to Blackhawk Farms for some road course work. Hope my GF likes eating Ramen, this is going to be an even more expensive hobby than it was before.

justkickin

Glad you had fun. Our first event isn't for another 3 weeks so I am jealous.

One more seatbelt trick I employ. I have the memory set to my preferred position. I then slide the seat backwards a bit. I cinch the seatbelt as tight as I can there and lock the lap portion against the internal ratcheting mechanism. Once in as tight as I can get it, I hit the memory button and the seat moves forward back into position and the belts are really snug. Works for the most part, but I do think I will still be looking for a harness bar and harness.

Hope you keep having fun.

luvTTwins

hey man come to the nnjr scca autox or the sjr scca events.
north jersey is at meadowlands
south jersey is at bader field in Atlantic city

one thing that helps me is the g-force torso harness, only about $25. it wont hold you as well as a harness but, it'll help a lot.

if you end up coming out, i'll be in the blue c5 z06. i'm an instructor at south jersey, so i can ride with you, or show you the potential of your car.

check out my thread with my FTD video

otofmyway6

"Welcome to the nuthouse! You'll hear this so many times, because it's so true:

DON'T MOD THE CAR. I could debate the tire issue, just so you can keep your street tires in shape, but let's not go there now. Just don't go get a set of sticky track-only tires, you'll just be wasting your money.

Also, get an instructor in your right seat anytime possible, and you'll be amazed how quickly you'll improve.

Have a good one,
Mike"

Hey Mike, I only have an intake in the car, so I have no problem taking it out and putting the stock intake back in. The bigger issue is my stock passenger seat real seems to be missing the actual lever, so the slider does not lock well. I was also tired of the seat being so wobbly. I ordered some Corbeau A4s with the slot belt hole that actually just got here tonight. I have a harness bar and some harnesses and just have to figure out a good way to mount the lap belts. Regardless, even wiht the stock belts, a non-shaking seat should be much better, and now I can have an instructor in the car with me. Also, i need tires, even just for the street. I have two different rear tires on the car, one that is definitely older. I definitely have to learn to be a much better driver though.

"And buy some knee pads... between the cheese-grater speaker grill and bumping up against the console, you'll be sore sooner or later.

Great story and good luck. Everyone's given the advice I'd have given as well already."

Ah yes...i wonder how much of my knee skin is inside my speaker. do you really use knee pads??

"howd you end up in relation to other similar cars in AS and SS for the day? great fun isnt it!?"

Well, there were very few cars there (34 or so i think), which was great. Only 1 other SS car, a 2010 or 2011 Carerra GTS Convertible. That thing had so much grip it was ridiculous and ran a 42 second lap. I need to learn to be a better driver. There were 5 laps in the morning and 4 laps in the afternoon. I didnt get the course correct until my 5th lap in the morning. I just haveto learn it better.

"Did my first one in the new Z a couple weeks ago. Lots of fun, definitely more car than my old 90. :-) This weekend I'm heading out to Blackhawk Farms for some road course work. Hope my GF likes eating Ramen, this is going to be an even more expensive hobby than it was before."

Awesome, hope that is fun.

Yea, this seems like a lot of fun. I hope to meet some of you guys up in the north jersey area. Now to get a helmet so i don't have to use the nasty loaner...haha

93Rubie

If someone hasn't mentioned it already. Walk the course, as many times as you can before the start of the event. I try to get 5 laps in min. You should be able to draw it out on paper and visualize it in your mind, before you drive.

I cannot tell you how much this helps. Once you are able to do this, you can develop a driving plan of attack, and modify the plan as you drive.
This will help bring down the times for sure. Not getting lost is pretty high on the priority list.

Also, most groups have a novice walk thru. Take advantage of this, you can ask questions from more experienced racers and get good answers. Try to avoid walking the course with a group of people you know, as this is distracting. In in doubt, follow a couple guys who seem to know what they are doing. Note the things they point out to each other about the course. Once you do a few auto-x's this stuff will come naturally.

otofmyway6

sigh...all this for not. messed up my knee (MCL) playing football this weekend, can't even walk now, nevermind drive my car. it never occurred to me how crappy it would be to not be able to drive my car. hopefully this thing heals relatively quickly so i can get out there and ruin my tires some more.

AverageVetteNut

hope you feel better soon. That sucks for sure.

boltvette

Get a set of Angel Pads from Angelwings Tech. They will give you the lateral support that the stock seats lack. You'll be able to use the steering wheel to point the car, rather than as a device to help you keep your butt in the seat.

Z06ness03

You have to do the left foot to the dead pedal to hold yourself in place. If your doing it right you will contort the speaker cover with your caff muscle from huge amounts of G's.