Autocross 101

"William Byrd" (thedriver) 10/02/2013 at 13:39 • Filed to: autocross 101

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I used to autocross pretty much every weekend. I campaigned various cars with varying levels of success. I won Street Touring X one season in the Metropolitan Washington Council of Sports Car Clubs in a 2003 Mustang GT. It was that season that the car club I was racing with started to ask me to teach a basics course for the new folks.

So I consolidated a bunch of pages of material into what you see below in case it helps anyone looking to get into autocrossing. Hopefully the format is readable (edit, looks like some of the graphics didn't scan well, sorry), I had this soft copy many years ago and recently unearthed a hardcopy in my office so I scanned it into JPEGs. I had a voice track that went along with this that I have long since lost, but if you have any questions or thoughts, let me know.

Not all of this is 100% necessary for your first autocross, but it's nice to get the basics down and know what to expect. Prepare for what will likely be a fairly buttoned down event, safety is the primary concern, there probably won't be drifting or hoonery going on. So remember to listen to the course workers about where to go, what to do, etc.

Thanks for reading, I know most AutoX seasons are wrapping up depending on what part of the country you are in, but it's a good time to start prepping for next season. It's a very rewarding, cheap, and easy way to get into motorsports and learn car control. Good luck out there!

Milky > William Byrd 10/02/2013 at 13:51

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First off, thanks for posting .... I've been thinking of autocrossing for a while in the back of my head. But since its in the first sentence and I don't know what it means, might as well ask.

what does "chalk your tires" mean?

William Byrd > Milky 10/02/2013 at 13:54

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Ah good question. That was usually in the voice track. Basically you use chalk to mark your tires and after a run or two, you can see where it is rubbing off. if the chalk is rubbing off down along the sidewall, add more tire pressure.

More below from this site , which has some good stuff:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

In general tire air pressures between 35 and 45 psi are used for performance driving events. The higher than normal pressure will improve steering response, cornering traction, overall handling and tire performance.

The optimum air pressure depends on several factors including tire size, tire temperature, air temperature, driving style, track conditions, vehicle weight, and suspension settings.

To help determine the optimum tire pressure for time trials or autocross events all you need is a piece of chalk! Begin by rubbing the chalk on the sidewall of the tire and then move up to the tread blocks found in the shoulder area.

After you’ve chalked all four tires in various places around the tire’s circumference, take the car out for a few practice laps or perform some hard cornering maneuvers in a safe area.

Next, inspect the chalk marks and determine if any pressure changes need to be made. What you’re trying to achieve is to have the chalk rubbed off close to where the tread design ends in the shoulder area of the tire. If all the chalk is rubbed off a tire, add air pressure to the tire. If, on the other hand, most of the chalk is still on the tire, reduce the air pressure in the tire.

When adding or reducing air pressure to maximize performance, do so in 2 psi increments. Even minor changes in the air pressure can make a substantial difference in the way a car performs.

You can then fine tune the car’s handling by adding air pressure to the end of the car that needs additional traction. So, to reduce understeer add air pressure to the front tires.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > William Byrd 10/02/2013 at 14:07

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What are your feelings on autocrossing a 2010 Taurus SHO land-barge? I've never been to an event and am unsure how big high-horsepower sedans do. I've put some thought into giving it a shot, but I think I want to upgrade my brakes first.

Milky > William Byrd 10/02/2013 at 14:12

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Holy information .... I think of my self as car knowledgeable but I had no idea "So, to reduce understeer add air pressure to the front tires."

Hell I might just do this is a empty lot just for me, with or without autocrossing.

William Byrd > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 10/02/2013 at 14:13

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Do it. I almost took a Honda Odyssey out one time. Where you land in the results grid matters a lot less than the experience you'll get whipping your car through the cones.

The only downside may be if they have a "small" course. Now all autocross courses are small, but some are smaller than others and favor lower hp, smaller cars. They're typically hosted by the MG owners club. haha Your SHO may not fit through some of the gates as well, but don't let that stop you. I had a buddy who autocrossed a Grand Prix GTP for a full season, even once with 3 other helmeted bystanders on board. Made for a great picture.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > William Byrd 10/02/2013 at 14:45

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Haha nice, i seem to recall someone on here writing about autocrossing a Grand Prix.

"won't fit through the gates" Does that mean I'll scrape my car up?

So I'd ideally find a "large" course, to take more advantage of the power I have available? I was under the impression that most autocross course are rather tight. I suppose allowing a longer straight could be a problem as far as safety-considerations? Or are there courses like that?

cazzyodo > Milky 10/02/2013 at 14:45

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I was thinking the same thing. Some cones, some abandoned area, some buddies. Don't know the legality (necessarily) but would certainly be enjoyable.

William Byrd > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 10/02/2013 at 14:53

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Nah, the gates are just cones like the ones the Boss 302 is navigating above. Worst case you'll have to scrub off some extra speed to get the SHO around a particularly tight turn. Biggest advice is to always keep your head up focusing on the gate after the one you are at. Basically you set up for a turn, pick a line and stick with it looking around the corner to the next turn. Sometimes you'll have a slalom right after a wide sweeper so you have to come out of it on outside vs. inside, something like that. You'll get to walk the course ahead of time, do that. Twice.

Depends on the venue. I raced at FedEx field, where the Redskins play and there are miles of parking lot. Another was at a smaller baseball field parking lot and was pretty tight in comparison. I would just try and find a local event, if you can be choosy on the location, cool. If not, just sign up and go for it.

And don't worry about upgrading anything. That's a wormhole you'll get stuck in later, there are always items to upgrade/modify. You may bump up a class by changing certain things though, not a big deal really unless you plan to run a whole season competitively.

William Byrd > William Byrd 10/02/2013 at 14:54

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This is a "pointer cone" which tells you which side to be on.

*edit, thanks Kinja. I was aiming for the one on it's side pointing to the left as you approach.

William Byrd > cazzyodo 10/02/2013 at 14:55

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Cops, by default, generally assume you are hooning, be careful.

Kailand09 > William Byrd 10/02/2013 at 15:53

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Thanks, I shared this with quite a few buddies.