When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
ive seen some pretty crazy things happen at autox (in youtube).
Let's not be alarmists now. Notice I used the word "Virtually". Of course anything can happen....any time/anywhere. Right? But in the real word, auto x is about the safest way/place to learn car limits and control...with VIRTUALLY zero consequences. I'm sure you know that a properly designed course is not going to put you in a position where you're typically exposed to stationary elements; if you lost control, you'd slide away from those elements.
Cones shouldn't be scratching your paint BTW. I've hit plenty-a-cone in my 25+ years of doing this. All waxed right off.
Let's not be alarmists now. Notice I used the word "Virtually". Of course anything can happen....any time/anywhere. Right? But in the real word, auto x is about the safest way/place to learn car limits and control...with VIRTUALLY zero consequences. I'm sure you know that a properly designed course is not going to put you in a position where you're typically exposed to stationary elements; if you lost control, you'd slide away from those elements.
Cones shouldn't be scratching your paint BTW. I've hit plenty-a-cone in my 25+ years of doing this. All waxed right off.
I couldn't agree more. This is a very low risk high fun sport. With a stock engine and chassis you shouldn't damage anything except your ego. I've hit plenty of cones - no scratches. Someday I hope to learn how to drive.
The club I was going to visit is in Huntsville, AL and I've heard a ton of good things about the members being really good people. I live in Nashville area but the club here has a bad reputation from what I've heard, for the reasons you mentioned.
I have a car that is NOT perfect. It has peeled clearcoat and several paint chips. I keep it in very nice shape and clean, and I've fixed the peeling clear myself with good (but not perfect) results. I doubt a cone will damage my paint in any significant way, but even if it did, I'm not driving a show car (though I have won shows with it, just through thorough cleaning).
Anyway, I won't do anything I'm not comfortable with. If I look at the course and think I'll end up hitting a light pole, I just won't run it.
ive seen some pretty crazy things happen at autox (in youtube).
id rather hit a tire wall at nelson ledges road course (which is fully lined with them) vs a curb or light pole at autoX
That's a pretty ridiculous post. If you have any sense of the difference in occurrence of major damage at track events vs autocross events, you wouldn't post this. You can youtube a lot more track crashes than autocross.
Most real car guys are great people, and great to be around.. Then there's always that few.
yeah i know im probably digressing away from what the OP wants to hear about how to prep his car.
i remember my roomate (had a camaro) and i showed up at an akron sports car club event in the old firestone building parking lot in 2003.
he asked them if they had any idea what class his camaro would be in, and the lady doing registration asked him if he thought she looked like a ***!ng encyclopedia. She did have a book (of car classes) that she threw it towards him.
i have never seen anything like the attitude in this group before
Last edited by dizwiz24; Aug 31, 2018 at 08:57 PM.
That's a pretty ridiculous post. If you have any sense of the difference in occurrence of major damage at track events vs autocross events, you wouldn't post this. You can youtube a lot more track crashes than autocross.
ive seen course workers hit (on youtube) at autoX. Unlike nelson ledges which has corner workers protected behind tire walls, autoX workers are out in the open.
i still have wrinkled paint on the nose of my 93 from hitting a cone at autoX .
yet 0 damage from the 6 events i did af nelson ledges road course
Don't sit at redline the whole time and don't bang shifts hard or use the overdrive and you'll be fine. I've heard... and now I use the term heard lightly, that they don't take well to abuse. (Generally in you end up staying in one gear on short course anyway.)
So your posting about an experience from 2003? That was 15 years ago......
I know some folks from the ASCC and they don't act like that.
Anyhow back to the regular post. I had some of the same worries you had at first. Its a great sport, great people and a ton of fun. You don't have to be fast to have fun, and you won't be at first. I was not and don't let anyone say they where.
Great environment to learn your car at the limit. Just check over your car and make sure your tire pressures are up to spec.
C4's are no longer competivie but they can be if you drive the wheels off them. I was fortunate to win my class at the Pittsburgh SCCA Match Tour this past spring.
Autocross is great fun! Can but both incredibly frustrating and rewarding. Tech prep the car for safety. Put about an extra 10 lbs in the tires at the track, dont forget to remove after for the drive home. Have fun! If you think its your your thing there are a ton of resources on the web. In SoCal there are designated instructors allowed to coach. I imagine if you are in SCCA event you will have the same in your region. I did it for 10 years and found everyone, super helpful and open to make you faster. The advice about just racing your own times at first is a good one. Make a minimal investment to give it a try and just do it!
I went this weekend (again) with my son. We dual drove his clutch kart...and it was a total blast. He ended up beating me by .4 seconds. I couldn't believe it! That's our puppers in the foreground....
This guy came and raced this! Which proves...you can race anything in Autox and have fun.
Last edited by Tom400CFI; Sep 4, 2018 at 12:25 AM.
