turbolvr321

Looking to do my first Auto X event in the beginning of May.

Any tips/tricks?

Car is a C5 6spd with Vararam and Borla exhaust. Otherwise, bone stock.

Trying to get my boss to go, he has an 06 GTO and my co worker with his 370z (coil over set up, supercharger).

Anyone else in Houston going?

93Rubie

Look ahead, don't drive off the nose of the car.
Slow In, Fast Out
Two Feet in to Stop the Spin!!
Have Fun, Be aggressive, but smooth.

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

Secrets of Solo Racing by Henry A. Watts
Autocross Performance Handbook by Richard Newton (he is a forum member as well.)

vettehardt

In order of importance:
1. Be Safe
2. Have Fun
3. Meet new friends
4. Keep improving
Then after a lot of seat time, worry about the competition.

Don't worry so much about your times. Just keep trying to improve yourself. Keep trying to find the limit and hold the car there with out loosing control.

Be smooth. Don't yank on the steering wheel, turn it smoothly. Quick movements of the wheel will upset the balance. Most likely it will cause the car to push too much. Don't mash the gas or brake pedals. Doing so will cause your car to loos traction or upset the balance. Ease into the pedals.

Keep the car in the highest gear you can while still being able to get off of a corner. Most autocrosses I shift into 2nd less than 100ft from the start line and leave it there for the entire run. The higher gear you are in, the smoother you will be.

SteveC68

If it's with the Houston SCCA event I will see you there. I will be in a completely stock Lemans Blue C6 running in the street tire class.

Pfadt Racing

This!

Keep in mind that you absolutely will not take Fastest Time of Day at your first Autox, car control really is a skill and it takes time to build those skills. Focus first on having fun and meeting new people, as your skills begin to build you really will have more and more fun.

Careful, motorsports can be addicting.

turbolvr321

Thanks!

Thanks for the input.

Houston SCCA, correct.

I have done a lot of 1/4 mile runs, but I have driven Mustangs all my life (turbo etc.) I want to enjoy the Vette at what its good for, rather than just point and shoot.

Do you guys suggest Competitive Driving mode, or all off?

Bad Karma

All off.

The only time I used competitive mode was in the rain. I have minimal experience compared to the rest here though.

turbolvr321

Alrighty.

What about seat? These seats blow...

Tim T

Make sure you pay attention to your (driver's) comfort. Dress for the weather. Bring plenty of fluids if it is going to be a warm day. leave your ego at home and HAVE FUN

93Rubie

IDK, my Corvette likes the 1/4 mile too. Just ask the Fox Body I whooped up on last saturday. His 14.3 to my 13.46. He did get the better light, I'll give him that.

SteveC68

I bought a cheap fender cover from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/24-FENDER-COVE...4717573&sr=1-5

Cut a section big enough to fit the seat bottom. It keeps you glued to the seat.

rayk

That's a good idea.

Also use your left foot on the dummy pedal to keep youself in the seat when you can.

Pfadt Racing

Good deal! Go out there and let er rip!

For your first time out the Competitive Driving Mode may be nice to keep activated, but keep in mind that it will mask some of the mistakes you will make as a new driver. As you get better you will probably want to turn it off to help continue to build your car control skills. The Comp driving mode also does a lot of it's intervention with the brakes, so keep in mind that brake wear will be accelerated... this probably isn't a big deal for Autox, but for full track days the Comp Driving Mode certainly will increase brake pad wear.

NOSLO6

I'd add one to the above good tips:

Ask for an instructor to ride along on one (or several) of your runs-- best way to get up the learning curve is to have real-time feedback from a friendly critic with tons of seat time.

turbolvr321

I'm not saying the Corvette cant run the 1/4, I'm saying its the first car I have owned that actually seems like it was designed to go around corners as well. I get too caught up in the 1/4 mile game. This is something that I can keep my car stock and pick up skill, rather than spend every last dollar I have to gain .1 to break 11s. My real "drag queen" (I know I know) was my 2006 Mustang with a turbo set up. I was pulling 12.4 @ 117 with a 2.3 60ft. Never got a good set of tires on it, which is a shame. With a good 60ft, 11s were calling my name...

This is something I have never done, and I have never really had the car to do it with. Now I do.

turbolvr321

Awesome idea...

I practiced that under "low G conditions"

I was planning on doing a set of A4 down the line anyways lol.

I am thinking I will leave it off. I want the car control skills, not a computer doing it for me.

Sounds like a good idea.



Whats the "normal" wear and tear on the car for an Auto X day?

jaa1992

One day? One weekend?
Not bad, check your brake pads at the beginning and end of each day.
Look at the inside and outside shoulders of your tires.


AutoX is a 30 - 60 sec run, wait an hour or so do it again. depending on the number of runs and attendance.

turbolvr321

One day.

Someone told me that your paint will take a bad hit.

Bad Karma

Yeah, I still say my C4 seats were better than my Z06 seats. I've done this to my seat and it definitely helped

http://www.z06vette.com/forums/f117/...upport-108924/


The nice thing about solo is you really don't have to be afraid to push it; if you spin, you spin (and I have ) .

93Rubie

I was just bust'en your chops.
Mustang's can be made to handle just ask the guys running them in auto-x. Even the newer ones with the Track Pak , actually handle very well for a stock solid rear end car.

Takes skill/practice to get good at 1/4 mile, I'm no John Force, but there are a lot of guys I see that are a lot worse than I am at going straight.

My car is basically stock, I'm not changing anything any time soon, I keep getting faster at the drags, just practice.

Have fun with the Corvette, I did a Friday Night at the Races (1/4 mile), Auto-x'ed Saturday, Car Show Sunday, once.
Name another car you can be that flexible with? Gotta love Corvettes.