jerseydrew

i am so excited i can't sleep. i don't plan on getting any killer time but i just hope not to eggshell the paint by hitting a cone.

grantar2

If your worried about the paint use blue painters tape everywhere, works great at protecting the car. If the wind is up and they double up the cones don't run.

Do beware, the surgeon general has determined that autocrossing is more addictive than cocaine and sex. You have to question the logic and mental health of anyone that would spend 8-10 hours at a race venue, wake on a day off before the crack of dawn, spend hours the day before preparing all for 3 timed runs that should last a total of less than 5 minutes. Add paying an additional fee for 3 more X runs and then staying around until late in hopes of fun runs, so you can clean up and you understand the issues involved, sort of.

I bought my Corvette because it was set up for autocross and had won championships. Thus the driver not the car is the problem. Since then, I have bought 16 used tires, 2 additional sets of wheels, new clutch, and fly wheel, brakes, trailer to haul tires, and jack, water sparyer, tons of tools, and some spare parts. We will run 15 events this season in my region that equates to 45 timed runs for points. I cherish each one, the worst thing that happened to me was last event, an old dog gave me some pointers, I went from also ran to novice winner against 11 other cars. I moved to 3rd in points 9 events in. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to the next event.

Now look at what I have said, you may be a stronger man, but beware the addiction. I am looking at new tires for next season when I have to move out of novice, that is $1,200 and I know I am not likely to be competitive, I have two multitime national champs in my class.

Good luck, enjoy and yes tire pressure makes a big difference, usually lower is better.

AverageVetteNut

Good luck today and have fun! that's the most important thing in autocross. Once you stop having fun... well then it's just work.

And do not let the 'top guys' intimidate you as far as looking at their times and saying "i'll never be able to do THAT.." Everyone is new at some point.

having great drivers in your region is a great thing to have. National event level drivers make you want to push yourself and use them as a bench mark. Your 1st year, you'll be saying "If I can get within ___ seconds of them, I'll be happy"

Then it's a matter of a second, and so on. Doesn't matter what you drive. I started in my old Cobalt SS on street tires ( not the 'it' tires either ) and then moved to R-comps the next year. I went to national events and national championships each year and while I never finished well, I did it and learned TONS. Both on the car setup and my mental and physical state.

I gave up on the Cobalt and bought my 02Z06 to run in SS back in 2008. The car is quick but the nut behind the wheel needs adjusted all the time. It IS addicting and can get very expensive and suck all your free time out the window....

But, if you find a balance between your things in life it can be a great positive thing

Enjoy!

jerseydrew

lol i will have a blast. showing up in a H/C c6 Z06 for your first auto-x should look great. haha.

C6DuffMan

I got hooked on Auto-x this year and it is a blast. Next thing you know, you'll be looking at $800 (each) Penske's.

AverageVetteNut

I've resisted that so far... $1000 Koni's are enough to make a difference for now.

jerseydrew

was fun but i hated cooking in the sun for the off time for the mandatory corner working. there were only 40 cars there so they did 2 run groups and ran 6 laps each group, that made for a LONG time out in the sun. the course was tight so i had to do a lot of hand work to turn this car. i think i like road course driving better.

jerseydrew

pic from the day:

waktasz

Was this at the Meadowlands?

TedDBere

Definitely not the Meadowlands, which is where he should have gone! Maybe the BMW club at TD bank Park in Bridgewater...an awfully small lot.

jerseydrew

yes it was very small and technical! but still a boat load of fun.

Kubs

Very !!!

AverageVetteNut

give it time before you decide against it. All regions run things a ltitle differently... we do 3 runs in the AM and 3 in the afternoon... 2 or 3 heats each, so you get a run/work/rest deal going on.

glad you had fun though.... keep at it!

grantar2

grantar2

Agree my single adjustables with max camber and adjustable sway bars are fine for autocross.

grantar2

At least in my region if you volunteer early and often besides getting into the practices you can volunteer for tech inspection or gate as your work assignment. With my bad knee I prefer these. Was this an SCCA event?

AverageVetteNut

Very cool pics! THere was a 430 @ nationals last year... fun to watch.

Onto the work assignments... as was stated above, you might not like the working out there, but I loved it. You get to watch the course and see what other's are doing.

I am the "special events" cheif for our region now, so I usually don't have to work, but I'm also now an assistant chief of registration, and that's my real work assignment. On top of that i also fill in as Novice cheif when he's not there. Basically doing a course walk with all the new people ( and those that want an outside perspective ) and answer questions and such.
Have some of your local top drivers ride along with you on your 1st run or two and have them give you pointers.. bonus points if they drive something similar.

Enjoy!

grantar2

Mind you rode racing is a kick and I would like to do more of it, but the cost is massive. Rooters, brake pads, tires and the the entry fee. You can go cheap, helmet t-shirt and jeans, but most road courses have concrete walls somewhere and the number of cars damaged during HPDE as a result of solo mistakes or others, means I won't go out without my fire suit, full face helmete, fire shoes, and HANS. For me the price is too high, I can do one maybe two events for the price of a season of autocross.

Still if money isn't an issue and I can get track insurance I would do more road racing.