NEW TO AUTO-X AND ROADRACING? look in here...
10-19-2004, 02:40 AM
#81
Intermediate
Member Since: Oct 2004
Location: Canon City CO
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Originally Posted by JiminVirginia
How much camber is available on, say, a 2004 ZO6 (lowered using stock bolts). I'm running Super Stock--so no exotic hardware.
How much toe (front and rear) makes sense? Forget about tire wear. I don't care.
It strikes me from the few events I've done that the car is very tire limited, and I'm thinking Toyo RA1s or the equivalent next year. But since I've been running a stock alignment, I probably don't have a great reading on what tires could do.
Any alignment advice appreciated.
I've been running -1.5 on the front and -1.0 on the rear with about 1/4" total toe out on the front and 1/8" total toe in on the rear. It's a conservative setting compared to some others I've seen in play. The really competitive C-5 guys in my region will run as much as -2.5 on the front and -2.0 on the rear.
The preferred tires seem to be Hoosier AS03's and Kuhmo Victoracers or V710's. Both are really good but the Kuhmos are cheaper and last a bit longer.
11-28-2004, 04:42 PM
#82
Instructor
Some of the most important points I discovered during my first year of autocross:
1) Sun screen, gatoraide, and shade. It's all very exciting, and you're typically out in the sun on blazing hot asphalt with little shade all day long. Stay in shade as much as possible and reapply the sunscreen throughout the day. I got baked during my first couple of autocrosses. Don't think that just because it's cloudy and overcast you don't need to do this. I discovered I would still get baked even when it didn't look sunny. It's because of the prolonged exposure and the asphalt.
2) Tire pressures make a night and day difference in the car's handling. Normal tire pressures will make the car feel like slush. Your standard pressures assume that the tires are going to warm up and thereby reach a reasonable pressure. But this doesn't work at an autocross. Your tires will be pretty cold by the time you start your first run. This is why autocrossers recommend much higher pressures. You need to get the tire up to at least the pressure it would have had when it was fully warmed up even though it's cold.
3) Bleed the tires between runs. Your tires will start out close to stone cold, but by your last run, they'll probably have gained quite a lot of temperature. The big problem is that your tires won't gain heat evenly. Your fronts will probably gain heat much faster than the rear. And one of the fronts will probably have much more heat than the other. This will dramatically change the balance of the car, and its balance will be quite different in left and right turns. When I started reseting my tires back to their starting pressures between each run, the car was suddenly vastly more predictable and the handling characteristics and balance stabilized.
4) Look ahead. When I first learned to drive and got my driver's license, I had to learn to look at the horizon rather than directly in front of the car. I discovered when I started autocrossing that I had to learn this again. The fear of hitting cones will draw you back into that short sighted view. Don't look at the apex cone. Spot it as you approach the turn, then direct your eyes to the cones beyond it on the other side of the turn where you intend to drift the car at turn exit. Direct your eyes where you want the car to go, and you will naturally go there. Don't look or aim at the apex. Aim for the corner exit and use the apex as an inside limit for the turn. Looking at and aiming for the apex will tend to pull you into an early apex turn, and you'll run out of road on corner exit.
5) For my first few autocrosses, I wasn't getting anywhere near as close to the cones as I thought I was. You're not getting close enough unless you hit them occassionally (and hitting them when you lost control or spun out doesn't count). Some have suggested practicing on the street by turning your sideview mirrors down. I prefer to use road beetles. Finding them by 'feel' is much more autocross like.
6) The cones won't hurt your car. They're designed not to. Don't be the least bit afraid of hitting them. You'll feel better after you take out a couple and see that your car shows no signs of it. Unlike road racing or driving on the street, autocrossing has no need for safety margins. Take it out to 100% commitment all the time every time. Don't be embarassed of spinning out either. If you're not spinning out occassionally, you're not pushing it as far as you should be. Again, we're shooting for 100% commitment of the car here. Zero safety margin. Only the slow guys never spin out. (Do _NOT_ use this advice in road racing or the street. This is unique to autox)
7) Kneel down when you walk the course. The corvette is a very low slung car. The track looks very different at the car's altitude than your standing altitude. So stop, kneel down low, and look at the cones from the perspective you'll actually be encountering them at. You'll discover that cues you intended to use to find the turn are useless at that viewing angle. Find the ones that are. Remember that your hood will be blocking the lower part of your view as well.
8) Figure out where you're going to change gears while you're walking the course. Don't just figure out where the course is, but map out everything you'll be doing in the cockpit. Especially when you're a beginner, changing gears is a major event. On a typical autocross track, your goal isn't so much to change gears at peak rpms as it is to change gears without throwing the car into a spin. The car is committed to a turn or otherwise off balance most of the time on a typical course. Switch gears when you are at a point where the car is at least momentarily stable. This point is determined by track position, not engine rpms.
As you become more experienced and smooth, you will be able to shift successfully at less convenient times. Don't get too hung up on trying to be in the highest power gear. Corvette's have more power than they can actually plant most of the time on a typical autocross course anyway. A lot of drivers enjoy success just leaving it in 2nd gear the whole time after the initial start. I found that I got better times when I shifted into 1st gear, but I had to use a lot of feathering on the throttle, and it was much harder to stay on top of the car and keep it smooth.
9) Don't be afraid to bounce off the rev limitter. It won't hurt the engine. And if you're reaching the limitter shortly before the braking point, then bounce away rather than shifting. Upshifting just as you're going into a turn where you have to brake is one of the worst things you can do to yourself.
10) Don't coast. Especially if you're in 1st gear. You'll find points where you tend to coast while you're pulling or about to pull a hard turn. Coasting has the same effect as pulling on the emergency brake... engine drag is slowing down just the rear tires. In first gear and/or at high rpm in a corvette, this effect is severe. In a hard turn, it will toss you immediately into a spin. This seems a little strange because it's not like that when you're driving on the street... you coast all the time on the street. But that's because you're at low rpm. Try this... put your car in 1st gear and take it up to red line on the street, and then keep it level there for a few seconds. Now take your foot completely off the gas suddenly. Rub the bump on your head where it contacted the steering wheel when the car bucked backwards. This is a good exercise to do because you'll do the same thing on the track... but you'll be so pumped full of adrenalin that you won't realize that you just did it. You're likely to just be sitting there after the spin wondering why the rear end just shot out like that without warning. The car responded exactly as if you had yanked on the e-brake. And you effectively did.
11) Use full brakes. This may sound obvious, but I didn't find it nearly as obvious as I thought I would. We are conditioned by a life time of street driving to avoid stamping on the brake all the way. Full throttle is easy... we're pretty used to doing that. But full brakes are something only done under emergency conditions. There's a mental shift there that has to be made. 'Emergency' braking is what you do on every turn on the track. That's harder to get used to than you might think. Watch for your ABS light to come on in your peripheral vision. If it's not, you're holding back on the brakes. Oh, and btw, I was amazed at how short the stopping distances for the corvette really were under full braking. I mean... I expected them to be short... but... I still totally underestimated how quickly the car could stop at first.
12) Don't follow the race lines from the other racers except for guys that are fast. My experience has been that most of the racers have bad lines. They aren't good examples to follow. Watch the cars that are winning. Inevitably, they're on different lines than most of the other cars. Those are the faster lines. Keep in mind, however, that the 'ideal' race line is changed by the car you have. The best line for your car on street tires is not the same as the best line on race tires.
- Skant
1) Sun screen, gatoraide, and shade. It's all very exciting, and you're typically out in the sun on blazing hot asphalt with little shade all day long. Stay in shade as much as possible and reapply the sunscreen throughout the day. I got baked during my first couple of autocrosses. Don't think that just because it's cloudy and overcast you don't need to do this. I discovered I would still get baked even when it didn't look sunny. It's because of the prolonged exposure and the asphalt.
2) Tire pressures make a night and day difference in the car's handling. Normal tire pressures will make the car feel like slush. Your standard pressures assume that the tires are going to warm up and thereby reach a reasonable pressure. But this doesn't work at an autocross. Your tires will be pretty cold by the time you start your first run. This is why autocrossers recommend much higher pressures. You need to get the tire up to at least the pressure it would have had when it was fully warmed up even though it's cold.
3) Bleed the tires between runs. Your tires will start out close to stone cold, but by your last run, they'll probably have gained quite a lot of temperature. The big problem is that your tires won't gain heat evenly. Your fronts will probably gain heat much faster than the rear. And one of the fronts will probably have much more heat than the other. This will dramatically change the balance of the car, and its balance will be quite different in left and right turns. When I started reseting my tires back to their starting pressures between each run, the car was suddenly vastly more predictable and the handling characteristics and balance stabilized.
4) Look ahead. When I first learned to drive and got my driver's license, I had to learn to look at the horizon rather than directly in front of the car. I discovered when I started autocrossing that I had to learn this again. The fear of hitting cones will draw you back into that short sighted view. Don't look at the apex cone. Spot it as you approach the turn, then direct your eyes to the cones beyond it on the other side of the turn where you intend to drift the car at turn exit. Direct your eyes where you want the car to go, and you will naturally go there. Don't look or aim at the apex. Aim for the corner exit and use the apex as an inside limit for the turn. Looking at and aiming for the apex will tend to pull you into an early apex turn, and you'll run out of road on corner exit.
5) For my first few autocrosses, I wasn't getting anywhere near as close to the cones as I thought I was. You're not getting close enough unless you hit them occassionally (and hitting them when you lost control or spun out doesn't count). Some have suggested practicing on the street by turning your sideview mirrors down. I prefer to use road beetles. Finding them by 'feel' is much more autocross like.
6) The cones won't hurt your car. They're designed not to. Don't be the least bit afraid of hitting them. You'll feel better after you take out a couple and see that your car shows no signs of it. Unlike road racing or driving on the street, autocrossing has no need for safety margins. Take it out to 100% commitment all the time every time. Don't be embarassed of spinning out either. If you're not spinning out occassionally, you're not pushing it as far as you should be. Again, we're shooting for 100% commitment of the car here. Zero safety margin. Only the slow guys never spin out. (Do _NOT_ use this advice in road racing or the street. This is unique to autox)
7) Kneel down when you walk the course. The corvette is a very low slung car. The track looks very different at the car's altitude than your standing altitude. So stop, kneel down low, and look at the cones from the perspective you'll actually be encountering them at. You'll discover that cues you intended to use to find the turn are useless at that viewing angle. Find the ones that are. Remember that your hood will be blocking the lower part of your view as well.
8) Figure out where you're going to change gears while you're walking the course. Don't just figure out where the course is, but map out everything you'll be doing in the cockpit. Especially when you're a beginner, changing gears is a major event. On a typical autocross track, your goal isn't so much to change gears at peak rpms as it is to change gears without throwing the car into a spin. The car is committed to a turn or otherwise off balance most of the time on a typical course. Switch gears when you are at a point where the car is at least momentarily stable. This point is determined by track position, not engine rpms.
As you become more experienced and smooth, you will be able to shift successfully at less convenient times. Don't get too hung up on trying to be in the highest power gear. Corvette's have more power than they can actually plant most of the time on a typical autocross course anyway. A lot of drivers enjoy success just leaving it in 2nd gear the whole time after the initial start. I found that I got better times when I shifted into 1st gear, but I had to use a lot of feathering on the throttle, and it was much harder to stay on top of the car and keep it smooth.
9) Don't be afraid to bounce off the rev limitter. It won't hurt the engine. And if you're reaching the limitter shortly before the braking point, then bounce away rather than shifting. Upshifting just as you're going into a turn where you have to brake is one of the worst things you can do to yourself.
10) Don't coast. Especially if you're in 1st gear. You'll find points where you tend to coast while you're pulling or about to pull a hard turn. Coasting has the same effect as pulling on the emergency brake... engine drag is slowing down just the rear tires. In first gear and/or at high rpm in a corvette, this effect is severe. In a hard turn, it will toss you immediately into a spin. This seems a little strange because it's not like that when you're driving on the street... you coast all the time on the street. But that's because you're at low rpm. Try this... put your car in 1st gear and take it up to red line on the street, and then keep it level there for a few seconds. Now take your foot completely off the gas suddenly. Rub the bump on your head where it contacted the steering wheel when the car bucked backwards. This is a good exercise to do because you'll do the same thing on the track... but you'll be so pumped full of adrenalin that you won't realize that you just did it. You're likely to just be sitting there after the spin wondering why the rear end just shot out like that without warning. The car responded exactly as if you had yanked on the e-brake. And you effectively did.
11) Use full brakes. This may sound obvious, but I didn't find it nearly as obvious as I thought I would. We are conditioned by a life time of street driving to avoid stamping on the brake all the way. Full throttle is easy... we're pretty used to doing that. But full brakes are something only done under emergency conditions. There's a mental shift there that has to be made. 'Emergency' braking is what you do on every turn on the track. That's harder to get used to than you might think. Watch for your ABS light to come on in your peripheral vision. If it's not, you're holding back on the brakes. Oh, and btw, I was amazed at how short the stopping distances for the corvette really were under full braking. I mean... I expected them to be short... but... I still totally underestimated how quickly the car could stop at first.
12) Don't follow the race lines from the other racers except for guys that are fast. My experience has been that most of the racers have bad lines. They aren't good examples to follow. Watch the cars that are winning. Inevitably, they're on different lines than most of the other cars. Those are the faster lines. Keep in mind, however, that the 'ideal' race line is changed by the car you have. The best line for your car on street tires is not the same as the best line on race tires.
- Skant
12-09-2004, 11:09 AM
#83
Instructor
Member Since: Oct 2003
Location: Calgary Alberta
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Automotive Glossary
Is there a link or downloadable .pdf that explains vehicle terms like spring rate, roll etc for a newbie?
When it comes right down to it, I don't think I really understand half of what I thought I did. :o
When it comes right down to it, I don't think I really understand half of what I thought I did. :o
01-31-2005, 10:19 PM
#84
Instructor
Member Since: Aug 2004
Location: MI
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Thanks for all this information, I have printed it and will take it with me to re-read over and over.
I have never raced in anything before, so come warmer weather, I'm going to give it a try. I will check back here from time to time, now that I have discovered this hread and all you guys great knowledge.
Hope this one does not die out...
G
I have never raced in anything before, so come warmer weather, I'm going to give it a try. I will check back here from time to time, now that I have discovered this hread and all you guys great knowledge.
Hope this one does not die out...
G
01-31-2005, 11:12 PM
#85
Team Owner
Member Since: Jun 1999
Location: Miami bound
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CI 4-5-6-7 Veteran
Try this... put your car in 1st gear and take it up to red line on the street, and then keep it level there for a few seconds. Now take your foot completely off the gas suddenly. Rub the bump on your head where it contacted the steering wheel when the car bucked backwards.
Good stuff.
02-06-2005, 10:13 AM
#86
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jul 2003
Location: San Antonio Texas
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Originally Posted by silverv96
Thanks for all this information, I have printed it and will take it with me to re-read over and over.
I have never raced in anything before, so come warmer weather, I'm going to give it a try. I will check back here from time to time, now that I have discovered this hread and all you guys great knowledge.
Hope this one does not die out...
G
I have never raced in anything before, so come warmer weather, I'm going to give it a try. I will check back here from time to time, now that I have discovered this hread and all you guys great knowledge.
Hope this one does not die out...
G
02-06-2005, 10:18 AM
#87
Burning Brakes
Member Since: Jul 2003
Location: San Antonio Texas
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Originally Posted by Skant
Figure out where you're going to change gears while you're walking the course.
Yeah, I need to get out to bigger courses.
Originally Posted by Skant
10) Don't coast. Especially if you're in 1st gear. You'll find points where you tend to coast while you're pulling or about to pull a hard turn. Coasting has the same effect as pulling on the emergency brake... engine drag is slowing down just the rear tires. In first gear and/or at high rpm in a corvette, this effect is severe. In a hard turn, it will toss you immediately into a spin. This seems a little strange because it's not like that when you're driving on the street... you coast all the time on the street. But that's because you're at low rpm. Try this... put your car in 1st gear and take it up to red line on the street, and then keep it level there for a few seconds. Now take your foot completely off the gas suddenly. Rub the bump on your head where it contacted the steering wheel when the car bucked backwards. This is a good exercise to do because you'll do the same thing on the track... but you'll be so pumped full of adrenalin that you won't realize that you just did it. You're likely to just be sitting there after the spin wondering why the rear end just shot out like that without warning. The car responded exactly as if you had yanked on the e-brake. And you effectively did.
03-25-2005, 12:01 PM
#88
Instructor
Member Since: Mar 2005
Location: OSHKOSH WI
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wow what a bunch of great info here. I never even thought about racing my vet before, but now I'm quite pumped to try it 
So here is my question, my car has an auto
can I still run it and if so what gear? and where can I find out if there are any in my area? I live in Oshkosh Wi.
So here is my question, my car has an auto
can I still run it and if so what gear? and where can I find out if there are any in my area? I live in Oshkosh Wi.
03-25-2005, 02:12 PM
#89
Team Owner
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CI 4-5-6-7 Veteran
Originally Posted by MADDOG97
So here is my question, my car has an auto can I still run it and if so what gear? and where can I find out if there are any in my area? I live in Oshkosh Wi.
can I still run it and if so what gear? and where can I find out if there are any in my area? I live in Oshkosh Wi.And for info in your area:
http://www.scca.com/Inside/Index.asp...gionalSites&~=
03-25-2005, 05:05 PM
#90
3rd Gear
Member Since: Feb 2005
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used race tires
I have a fair amount of used roadrace tires in varying sizes and brands. Have some Dunlop rain tires (250/640, 280/650 & 285/680-18)that are very soft and would be great for auto-x.
e- mail me at usdrctrs@aol.com if interested.
e- mail me at usdrctrs@aol.com if interested.
04-11-2005, 01:10 AM
#91
Race Director
Here's another Thank You to all who have given such great advice for newbies like me. I'll read and reread every line. I just finished a weekend driving school (The Next Level school at Reno-Fernley track) in my 67 roadster and I can't believe how much fun it was---The most fun you can have alone! Now I'm pumped to try an Auto-X later this month. And go from there. My favorite onramps and offramps are already a whole lot more fun!
I'll read and reread every line. I just finished a weekend driving school (The Next Level school at Reno-Fernley track) in my 67 roadster and I can't believe how much fun it was---The most fun you can have alone! Now I'm pumped to try an Auto-X later this month. And go from there. My favorite onramps and offramps are already a whole lot more fun!
04-17-2005, 01:56 PM
#92
Some Different Questions
I know that seat time is the best thing for an autocrosser. I have autocrossed everything from a Trans Am, Daytona Shelby Z, Honda Civic Si and lastly a modded Mustang GT.
So, I will be autocrossing my 96 Vette for the first time this coming Sunday. I plan on replacing the front pads prior to race day, to help set them. Rotors are within specs all the way around. I changed the tranny fluid, changed the oil, flushed the cooling system all after I bought the car. I will change out the shocks, getting rid of the F45 dampers (not before this weekend). I had to replace the rear monospring and went with the VBP Sport Spring in it's place.
I will be racing with the local PCA club, and all non-Porsche V8 cars are in one class. No biggie.
The main crux of all this is thus, when autocrossing a Mustang, even with an aftermarker suspension (Maximum Motorsports), trailbraking was essential in helping to rotate the rear and allow for maximum corner grip. Is this true as well for a Vette? I will be using crappy Goodyear street tires, until I buy new ones for the wheels my wife bought for me.
Am I in for any surprises?
Kenny
So, I will be autocrossing my 96 Vette for the first time this coming Sunday. I plan on replacing the front pads prior to race day, to help set them. Rotors are within specs all the way around. I changed the tranny fluid, changed the oil, flushed the cooling system all after I bought the car. I will change out the shocks, getting rid of the F45 dampers (not before this weekend). I had to replace the rear monospring and went with the VBP Sport Spring in it's place.
I will be racing with the local PCA club, and all non-Porsche V8 cars are in one class. No biggie.
The main crux of all this is thus, when autocrossing a Mustang, even with an aftermarker suspension (Maximum Motorsports), trailbraking was essential in helping to rotate the rear and allow for maximum corner grip. Is this true as well for a Vette? I will be using crappy Goodyear street tires, until I buy new ones for the wheels my wife bought for me.
Am I in for any surprises?
Kenny
04-29-2005, 01:39 PM
#94
Instructor
After some more autox experience and now some track day experience too, I have a few more things to add to my earlier post:
1) Wear a good hat. I found that baseball caps are pretty marginal since they don't protect the sides or back of your head. A hat with a brim that runs all the way around is a very good thing.
2) Eat lightly and healthy. You don't want to be contemplating the bathroom while you're sitting on the grid. Be very careful what you eat and how much you eat on the day of the event _and_ the day before. Load up on good food the day before. And then eat lightly in the hours before. Eat a bit of something like a granola bar or trail mix just before your runs.
(Notice that my first suggestions are always about taking care of yourself? Don't take sun and heat exposure lightly when you're spending all day on the hot asphalt. It creeps up on you, and you don't realize how messed up you are until later. You can't drive safe, fast, or have much fun if you're not feeling well. And often, you don't know how bad you were messed up until the day after the event. But just because adrenalin kept you from feeling the pain doesn't mean your driving wasn't suffering from the ill effects)
3) Turn off the traction control. Yes, even when you're just starting. Traction control is a safety system designed for normal street driving under bad weather conditions. It's _not_ for the track. When you're trying to go fast, the traction control will fight you and confuse you by obscuring what's really going on with the car. Initially, I was afraid to turn it off because I thought I would be much more likely to spin or run off the track. It seemed to me that when it engaged, it was saving me. But I found that I was actually much safer with it turned off. In fact, many of the times it engaged, it was _creating_ the situation, not solving it. (On the other hand, I always have it turned on when I'm driving normally on the street, and it's saved my butt more than once especially in the rain. But that's the situation it was really designed for)
4) Adjust your seat position. I didn't pay attention to this at first. I'd heard some mention of it, but I didn't think it would matter much. It does. The seat position I find most comfortable for normal street driving and long cruises is not a good position for racing. I found myself leaning forward most of the time while I was on the track. Driving well suddenly became much easier when I moved the seat forward and a little more upright. In general, you want to be closer to the wheel than you normally are. You need to be close enough to all of the controls that your arms and legs are never at or near full extension.
5) If you're tall, you may need to remove the lower seat cushion. I'm 6'2", and I can't fit into my vette properly with my helmet on. By removing the lower seat cushion and replacing it with a folded towel, I drop down a couple of inches and no longer have to kink my neck to fit under the roof.
6) Let cars pass that you see in your mirrors more than once. Here's a very common situation for an inexperienced driver running a corvette. More experienced guys running lower horsepower sports cars (ie. most sports cars) can often have a faster lap time overall. This can create a situation where the lower horsepower car can _never_ pass and is continually held up by you. He can't pass you on the straights because... well.. you're a corvette. And he can't pass you on the twisty turns because that would be too dangerous and/or is not allowed by the passing rules for the run group you're in. He'll disappear from your mirrors for long periods of time but consistently reappear somewhere else on the track. If that happens, that means he's faster than you. Ease off at the next opportunity and let the poor bloke by. He'll appreciate it, and you'll be improving the reputation of corvettes. (Yes, some racers do get annoyed at corvettes in general because of this effect)
7) Leave your ego at the door. It's not up to you to hold up the corvette banner and show all these other cars who's king. No really. You'll do more to advance the attitudes of other racers towards corvettes by being courteous and friendly than by being ruthless and rude to them either on or off the track. The other guys may not say it, but they _are_ intimidated by corvettes. And this will push them to protect their own egos by making claims that vettes can't turn, break down all the time, america can't build cars, or whatever other weakness they can possibly make up. But... if you are disarming... if you praise their cars for their own strengths, and you're friendly... they will open up more, stop being blinded by their egos, and start paying attention to how fast you and your vette really are.
And lets face it... _we_ are worried that we'll be shown up by the other guys at the track, too. And so we protect our egos by imagining that our corvettes are better than every other sports car in every single way. Especially when the drivers of those cars are jerks to us, and tell us american cars suck. See the pattern here? It works both ways.
The corvette is not the best at everything, but it really is a mighty beast overall. So don't be afraid to recognize and praise the strengths of the other guy's car. You'll soon find him praising yours, too... and not just out of politeness.
- Skant
1) Wear a good hat. I found that baseball caps are pretty marginal since they don't protect the sides or back of your head. A hat with a brim that runs all the way around is a very good thing.
2) Eat lightly and healthy. You don't want to be contemplating the bathroom while you're sitting on the grid. Be very careful what you eat and how much you eat on the day of the event _and_ the day before. Load up on good food the day before. And then eat lightly in the hours before. Eat a bit of something like a granola bar or trail mix just before your runs.
(Notice that my first suggestions are always about taking care of yourself? Don't take sun and heat exposure lightly when you're spending all day on the hot asphalt. It creeps up on you, and you don't realize how messed up you are until later. You can't drive safe, fast, or have much fun if you're not feeling well. And often, you don't know how bad you were messed up until the day after the event. But just because adrenalin kept you from feeling the pain doesn't mean your driving wasn't suffering from the ill effects)
3) Turn off the traction control. Yes, even when you're just starting. Traction control is a safety system designed for normal street driving under bad weather conditions. It's _not_ for the track. When you're trying to go fast, the traction control will fight you and confuse you by obscuring what's really going on with the car. Initially, I was afraid to turn it off because I thought I would be much more likely to spin or run off the track. It seemed to me that when it engaged, it was saving me. But I found that I was actually much safer with it turned off. In fact, many of the times it engaged, it was _creating_ the situation, not solving it. (On the other hand, I always have it turned on when I'm driving normally on the street, and it's saved my butt more than once especially in the rain. But that's the situation it was really designed for)
4) Adjust your seat position. I didn't pay attention to this at first. I'd heard some mention of it, but I didn't think it would matter much. It does. The seat position I find most comfortable for normal street driving and long cruises is not a good position for racing. I found myself leaning forward most of the time while I was on the track. Driving well suddenly became much easier when I moved the seat forward and a little more upright. In general, you want to be closer to the wheel than you normally are. You need to be close enough to all of the controls that your arms and legs are never at or near full extension.
5) If you're tall, you may need to remove the lower seat cushion. I'm 6'2", and I can't fit into my vette properly with my helmet on. By removing the lower seat cushion and replacing it with a folded towel, I drop down a couple of inches and no longer have to kink my neck to fit under the roof.
6) Let cars pass that you see in your mirrors more than once. Here's a very common situation for an inexperienced driver running a corvette. More experienced guys running lower horsepower sports cars (ie. most sports cars) can often have a faster lap time overall. This can create a situation where the lower horsepower car can _never_ pass and is continually held up by you. He can't pass you on the straights because... well.. you're a corvette. And he can't pass you on the twisty turns because that would be too dangerous and/or is not allowed by the passing rules for the run group you're in. He'll disappear from your mirrors for long periods of time but consistently reappear somewhere else on the track. If that happens, that means he's faster than you. Ease off at the next opportunity and let the poor bloke by. He'll appreciate it, and you'll be improving the reputation of corvettes. (Yes, some racers do get annoyed at corvettes in general because of this effect)
7) Leave your ego at the door. It's not up to you to hold up the corvette banner and show all these other cars who's king. No really. You'll do more to advance the attitudes of other racers towards corvettes by being courteous and friendly than by being ruthless and rude to them either on or off the track. The other guys may not say it, but they _are_ intimidated by corvettes. And this will push them to protect their own egos by making claims that vettes can't turn, break down all the time, america can't build cars, or whatever other weakness they can possibly make up. But... if you are disarming... if you praise their cars for their own strengths, and you're friendly... they will open up more, stop being blinded by their egos, and start paying attention to how fast you and your vette really are.
And lets face it... _we_ are worried that we'll be shown up by the other guys at the track, too. And so we protect our egos by imagining that our corvettes are better than every other sports car in every single way. Especially when the drivers of those cars are jerks to us, and tell us american cars suck. See the pattern here? It works both ways.
The corvette is not the best at everything, but it really is a mighty beast overall. So don't be afraid to recognize and praise the strengths of the other guy's car. You'll soon find him praising yours, too... and not just out of politeness.
- Skant
06-03-2005, 10:15 PM
#95
Safety Car
After reading Skant's post I have a few tips to add to help find the right seating position:
With your back against the seat drape your arm over the top of the wheel. With your elbow straight your wrist should rest on the wheel, not your fingers. Obviously you don't drive this way...both hands on the wheel for that.
Your clutch leg should still be slightly bent with the pedal fully pressed in.
At first it may not feel right because you are probably in a more relaxed position on the street (one hand on the shifter and one on the wheel doing the Detroit LEAN). But it makes a big difference on a track. Big.
Oh, and fix your mirrors (did someone already say this?) You DO NOT need to see the sides of your own car in them! Adjust them out. Have someone slowly walk all the way around your car. You should be able to keep them in your sight at any position with only slight head movement, following them from the driver side mirror to the rearview to the passenger side mirror. You don't need to look behind you to check your "blind spot," you can see it in your mirrors if they're adjusted properly. This applies to street driving, too. I don't know why they don't teach you that in driver's ed.
With your back against the seat drape your arm over the top of the wheel. With your elbow straight your wrist should rest on the wheel, not your fingers. Obviously you don't drive this way...both hands on the wheel for that.
Your clutch leg should still be slightly bent with the pedal fully pressed in.
At first it may not feel right because you are probably in a more relaxed position on the street (one hand on the shifter and one on the wheel doing the Detroit LEAN). But it makes a big difference on a track. Big.
Oh, and fix your mirrors (did someone already say this?) You DO NOT need to see the sides of your own car in them! Adjust them out. Have someone slowly walk all the way around your car. You should be able to keep them in your sight at any position with only slight head movement, following them from the driver side mirror to the rearview to the passenger side mirror. You don't need to look behind you to check your "blind spot," you can see it in your mirrors if they're adjusted properly. This applies to street driving, too. I don't know why they don't teach you that in driver's ed.
07-19-2005, 11:07 PM
#96
Melting Slicks
Member Since: Aug 2000
Location: Green Cove Springs FL
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This thread seems to have turned into an auto-x discussion! Guys what I really want to know and I haven't been able to find out is:
How do I find out where the ROAD RACING tracks are in my area? I live near Jacksonville, FL.
How do I find out where the ROAD RACING tracks are in my area? I live near Jacksonville, FL.
07-22-2005, 06:49 AM
#97
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
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One of the most asked questions is about brake rotors. Many of us track ppl use lots of rotors though out the year.
A big question asked is do more expenisve rotors last longer then inexpesive rotors?? The answer is NO. BKKs ( Big Brake Kits ) are different.
the Raybestos rotor is the most comonly used rotor. It is branded under serveral names and parts stores.
Many of us purchase these rotors from NAPA autoparts
part numbers
86700
86701
86702
86703
Or from Rock Auto Dot Com http://www.rockauto.com
part numbers
56700
56701
56702
56703
Notice the last 4 digits are the same.
Be safe out there and HAVE FUN
A big question asked is do more expenisve rotors last longer then inexpesive rotors?? The answer is NO. BKKs ( Big Brake Kits ) are different.
the Raybestos rotor is the most comonly used rotor. It is branded under serveral names and parts stores.
Many of us purchase these rotors from NAPA autoparts
part numbers
86700
86701
86702
86703
Or from Rock Auto Dot Com http://www.rockauto.com
part numbers
56700
56701
56702
56703
Notice the last 4 digits are the same.
Be safe out there and HAVE FUN
Last edited by AU N EGL; 07-22-2005 at 09:45 AM.
07-22-2005, 07:04 AM
#98
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
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So your looking for a ROAD RACING TRACK?? You really want to streach the legs or your cars thottle body out?? Your in luck. There are many car clubs that host High Performance Drivers Events also called DE's or track days.
There are two main web sites that list most of different car clubs High Performance Drivers Events. For events east of the Mississippi river there is Coco's Track Schedule site.
http://www.trackschedule.com/sched.html
Events are listed by Date then the Track then the Car Club. Many of these events do fill up months in advance, so the idea of just show up is not a good idea.
And for California and Navada there is http://track-days.org/
Other car clubs like local Porscha Car Clubs, BMW car Clubs, Audi Car clubs, Mazda Car clubs host events as well. Check out some of those webs sites as well.
Http://www.carguysinc.com is another east coast orgainzation.
http://www.panoz.com
The Link PAGE on Coco's web has great information too.
http://www.trackschedule.com/links.html
To find a specific race track Visit the North American Motorsports pages: http://www.na-motorsports.com/
There are two main web sites that list most of different car clubs High Performance Drivers Events. For events east of the Mississippi river there is Coco's Track Schedule site.
http://www.trackschedule.com/sched.html
Events are listed by Date then the Track then the Car Club. Many of these events do fill up months in advance, so the idea of just show up is not a good idea.
And for California and Navada there is http://track-days.org/
Other car clubs like local Porscha Car Clubs, BMW car Clubs, Audi Car clubs, Mazda Car clubs host events as well. Check out some of those webs sites as well.
Http://www.carguysinc.com is another east coast orgainzation.
http://www.panoz.com
The Link PAGE on Coco's web has great information too.
http://www.trackschedule.com/links.html
To find a specific race track Visit the North American Motorsports pages: http://www.na-motorsports.com/
07-22-2005, 07:59 AM
#99
Team Owner
Member Since: Sep 2003
Location: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
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Originally Posted by FroDaddy
How do I find out where the ROAD RACING tracks are in my area? I live near Jacksonville, FL.
Sebring in Sebring FL
Moroso and Homstead near Miami
Road Atlanta in Brasilton GA
Carolina Motorsports Park in Kesahw SC
Barber Motor sports park In Birmingham AL