Post Your Autocross Weekend Routine

"way2blu does a rev update" (way2blu) 10/12/2017 at 12:52 • Filed to: Autocross, Honda Fit

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Via CarAndDriver. Mine is less blue.

I’m competing this Sunday. My MR2 has a new issue that makes lateral-G shenanigans wholly un-advisable, so I’m taking a 2015 Honda Fit (CVT) (LOL) instead.

I will be checking tire pressures and emptying out the car today. Folding down the seats for a much lower center of gravity. Handling! Checking oil and adding a little more if necessary.

The gas is at about 2/3 of a tank so I probably won’t even need to fill any more before Sunday. I get 40+ MPG most of the time in daily driving.

I’ll pack snacks, Gatorade, a folding chair, my helmet, and shoe polish. Closed-toed shoes too. The polish isn’t for them though, it’s for the tires.

H-Street is the class I’ll compete in. Might do well or might not. The car’s on the stock eco-tires.

Have I missed anything? What’s your routine for an autocross weekend?

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 13:23

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Shoe polish on tires? Is there some trick I don’t know about?

way2blu does a rev update > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2017 at 13:31

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You mark the tires with shoe polish before your runs to see if there’s any rollover in the corners, then adjust tire pressure accordingly.

Ideally the shoe polish should be worn off right at the end of the tread and before the sidewall starts. On the left there’s too little tire pressure, and on the right too much. Middle is about right.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 13:40

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And this is way too low:

Some people in my region do the same thing you do. I thought it was chalk though.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 13:51

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none. autocross is lame. I just find some back roads and kill them

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > TheTurbochargedSquirrel 10/12/2017 at 14:06

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I’ve seen people do it with chalk, not shoe polish, myself.

LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 14:12

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Don’t forget sunscreen and/or rain gear. And a wide brimmed hat. And painters tape if you don’t have your own numbers and class vinyl.

Because I swap wheels, I also bring my torque wrench and a socket to verify that nothing loosened up since the swap. I bring a tire gauge and now a small compressor. I also bring a plastic tub to store my gear in when it is outside the car. And now I’m going to try to do a video setup with my phone to help adjust between runs with a review.

Finally, I find that a spirited drive on local roads after my wheel swap the night before helps me to re-calibrate to the changed dynamics of my car and get excited for the next day!

way2blu does a rev update > LimitedTimeOnly @ opposite-lock.com 10/12/2017 at 14:35

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Video setup is definitely a good point. I have a dashcam installed but it’s not set up for reviewing immediately afterwards. I’ll see what I can do phone-wise.

CaptDale - is secretly British > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 14:41

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Never done one yet.

Arrivederci > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 15:41

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Depending on how far the event is away, I clean my trunk out completely, but if it’s really far I’ll hang onto my spare and keep it until I get there, then pull it. Pull floormats, clean any loose junk out of the car. Check fluids, check brake pads, set cold tire pressures.

Get my junk together - car numbers, helmet, driving shoes, gloves, hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, air compressor, tire gauge and painters tape. Hit my car with a quick instant detail (I’ve found cone scuffs come off a clean car easier and scratch less). I’ll pack a cooler in the morning or just swing by a convenience store on the way.

briannutter1 > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 21:12

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Shoe polish and a tire gauge. As of late, my 3 available cars are honda automatics or Dct in the case of the 2016 ILX. Someone needs an obd 2 gauge that counts the seconds lost between downshifts. Left to their devices, they loose 4 seconds on a 60 second course. Foot bangs the floor to metal. Rubber band revs and tire shock result. Garbage. Hate automatics in racing.

t0ast > way2blu does a rev update 10/12/2017 at 23:57

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Clear out the car and load up the autocross box, which is basically the largest Rubbermaid container I could fit in my Miata’s trunk. Said box contains basic tools, “racing” shoes (cheap Pumas), mini compressor, air gauge, chalk for tires, magnetic numbers, rain gear, big floppy hat, sunscreen, and enough room to throw other loose crap from my car. The rest is just grabbing my helmet, a small cooler of water, and a folding chair. Video is currently from a Waylens which stays in my car (as it’s intended to be a dash cam too), but I’ll be swapping it out for a GoPro next year.

t0ast > t0ast 10/13/2017 at 00:37

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(also giving the wheels, tires and fluids a quick once-over)