Getting into Autocross

"Katsumoto" (katsumoto) 09/02/2015 at 09:51 • Filed to: None

2

16

I’m looking to get into autocross. I don’t know much about it other than depending on what’s done to it makes your class.

Since I’m new I’d like to stay in a beginner or mostly stock. So what can I get awaywith?

I have a set of BC racing coilovers, RSB, front and rear strut bars, camberbolts. Its all stuff I got that hasn’t been put on yet. I’ve also got a cat back exhaust and its always had a cold air intake that pulls air from the space between the front bumper and driver side fender liner like stock did. I added a little bit of a duct to help direct air from the front bumper up to it.

My car right now aside from the CAI is factory stock. Its my DD and I think it would be nice to explore it beyond driving me to places.

I got the idea from reading that the 09-13 FITS are used in the pirelli world challenge with basically about the same parts plus a roll cage.

Cash Rewards > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:02

0

That cai will boot you out of stock class from the get go, I believe. Only mod you’re allowed in stock classes are cat back exhaust (disclaimer: info a few years old). Here’s the thing, and no offence intended: you are not going to be competitive at the start. There is a substantial learning curve. If those mods you got lined up make you happy, put them on. After a couple seasons, if you like it and the car isn’t set up to compete in the class you’re in, change it then. But no class is going to be easier, or have lesser drivers in it.

Party-vi > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:06

1

Good to meet you, Looking To Get Into Autocross, I’m dad!

Also, it looks like you could participate in the SCCA Street Touring class with your cold air intake and exhaust. I kinda glossed over the suspension portion, but I don’t think you can have coilovers.

Katsumoto > Cash Rewards 09/02/2015 at 10:09

0

So, I could just put all that on and go and sign up and just run what I can with its class. Or put the stock intake on and go with sticky tires. I’ve volunteered when a friend ran his car. He was in the stock class with a e30 325 or something with sticky tires and that was it.

Forgetful > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:10

0

The CAI bumps you out of street (not called stock anymore). Coilovers are not allowed in street.

You can do any cat back exhaust, any air filter, one swaybar, and OEM equivalent shocks. Can’t do springs, intake, ECU tuning. Wheels have to be stock width and within 1” of stock diameter. Tires down to 200 treadwear rating. All seats have to be in and you can’t remove anything that weighs anything.

Street Touring allows a lot of the parts you have.

Santiago of Escuderia Boricua > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:12

0

Yeah set the car up like you want it and go have fun. It takes a long time to get good at it anyway

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:12

0

You can probably do a “prepared” course with your upgrades. But I think you jumped the gun slightly. Until you do some autocrosses and track days, you don’t know what your car needs. That being said, go to a junkyard and get a factory airbox to put on when you compete to remain eligible for street classes (the new stock). You need tires with 200 treadwesr or more, wheels that are no more than one inch different in size up or down, and a full interior.

But a word of warning - all classes will be very competitive. I raced in G-street last year and people with GTIs had the barely legal wheels and tires that set them back probably upwards of 200$+ a piece. They had the most open air filters. They pushed the rules as far as they could. I think “street touring” at most events had a more relaxed group of care but that’s just my opinion. Any class can be very extreme and to be competitive you need experience and money.

Katsumoto > Cash Rewards 09/02/2015 at 10:16

0

I’ve spent a fair amount of time doing time attack events in Japan as an amateur and got my pro am license. So I have an idea of the basics of car setups and how to hit the apex and stuff. Except in Japan they ran it differently.

I ran a big single turbo JZX90 Mark 2 with just about 600 rwhp. I was usually taking podium at those events. Although I was running at the top of the end of the turbo class I ran in. I had the most power . I got limited to a 265 tire where other guys could run up to 295 so it was fair.

I was only limited because of my hp. Most of the other guys had slightly modded turbo motors where mine was basically a pro am car with an amateur driver.

Forgetful > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:19

0

The beauty of it is no matter what class you run, the PAX scoring lets you compare your times to other classes on a reasonably level playing field. Run what ya brung and have a good time.

Cash Rewards > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:22

0

Yeah, that could work. Oddly, the tires just have to be street legal, not have a minimum treadwear. So, I believe that slicks with two grooves are good to go for stock classes. ST classes have minimum treadwear, but are not permissive for mods.

Cash Rewards > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:25

0

Sorry, when you said beginner I thought it was your first time driving competitively. Biggestb thing I can emphasise is to stay safe. They do their best to make the course safe, but at the end of the day it’s a parking lot, not a racetrack. I’ve seen a wrecked car from hitting a curb because someone thought they could save the run rather than just put both feet in and bring it to a stop safely after they lost control.

jjhats > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:47

0

just sign up for an event they will class you when you get there. I personally think classing can take away the simplicity of it and makes it way too anal of a sport but seriously let scca place you wherever they want. you shouldn’t be thinking about classing right now just signing up and driving but I highly recommend not going with scca as I said they are very anal about stuff and not the most fun for your buck. looks for a local bmw or corvette or mazda club

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:54

0

I just started autocrossing this year (first event was in July) and I am already addicted (have been to 6 events since then). So far my Miata is still completely stock on whatever all-seasons I bought the car with. I am only just now feeling like I have enough experience to add summer tires and that is it. I feel like it is very important just to get used to how autocross works. Typically one event will involve at most 6-8 runs in the day. That is less than 10 minutes of driving total! So getting in seat time is difficult and since seat time is the most important factor in determining how well you will do, it of course matters. I think the best advice is to drive something completely stock and then first improve the tires and then only add mods incrementally after that. Also, I highly recommend Autocross test&tune and Autocross schools if your region has events like that!

CKeffer > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 10:58

0

The Fit falls, I believe, into the ST class with the mods you mentioned. The CAI alone knocks you out of stock class since stock class only allows cat back exhaust, shocks, front sway bar, brake pads, and wheels .5” wider than stock...I think that’s it though t does allow for the use of R-comps. ST is a class for mildly modified N/A cars that allows you to do pretty much as you please to the suspension (though I think the stock control arms must be retained), the brakes, the intake, and the exhaust (though emissions equipment must be retained). Chassis bracing is allowed, but only so long as it doesn’t include messing with interior, since a full interior must be retained, you can change the seats but there is a minimum weight they must conform to, multi point harnesses are also allowed, wheels are free up to 7.5” wide I believe and tires up to 225 width and 200 treadwear are allowed, no r-comps.

Honetly don’t worry about being competitive at first, you very likely won’t be. Instead go, have fun, and learn your car better. The speed will come with time and practice.

yitznewton > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 09/02/2015 at 11:42

0

How shredded do A/S tires get in autocross? I’ve done one HPDE so far, and I would not want to subject my street A/S to more than one of those.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > yitznewton 09/02/2015 at 15:02

0

Uhh mine definitely are not holding up well to the abuse lol. The problem is uneven wearing. During the last Autocross I did, I had about 40 runs over the weekend and the front drivers side tire was screaming most of both days and required watering like every run while the passenger's side was doing alright. So now I have a bit of a roughness in the steering straight on the highway. Tread has been holding up fine enough but I plan on replacing these with summer tires in the spring (I have snows for the winter)

Chargingstar - E92 M3 pilot > Katsumoto 09/02/2015 at 21:24

0

My perspective comes from running in the Rocky Mountain/Pikes Peak region of the SCCA for autocross:

Start in the street/stock classes. You will have to revert most of your current modifications, but you can run a cat back exhaust and adjustable suspension as long as they are capable of being set to the stock ride height.

The reason I suggest you start there is because your car will be competitive in it’s class with good tires. You as a driver can become more competitive with experience and instruction. This will help keeping the competition fun since you will not be outclassed so badly but the drivers in the modified classes.

A simple intake other bolt on modifications quickly push you into prepared and modified classes where the top drivers have much more experience and money into their cars. Jumping into these classes without the driving experience will insure that you will consistently rank at the bottom of the table. The separation between you and the experienced drivers will be significant and it will be discouraging when you consider how much time you will invest in the day to get maybe 3 to 5 runs of a minute or less through a cone course. All the competitive drivers in prepared and modified classes will be running R-Comp and top tier street tires, and that will be prohibitively expensive for you to follow suit only to get beaten by these guys and girls week after week. If something isn’t fun, you won’t stick with it and your initial investment into your car and gear (like helmets) will be wasted.

Enroll in and participate in a beginner’s autocross clinic like the starting line program the SCCA runs. Work on mastering your car in as close to a stock state as possible, this will give you the proper reference to continue learning how your car changes as you begin to modify and move into other classes.

Find other car clubs that host autocross events (many of our SCCA drivers also race in the BMWCCA, Corvette Club, etc events to get the extra seat time). Focus on fundamentals, making good relationships, and how you can give back by taking work assignments seriously.

Start off by working a corner, and when you feel you have the experience start working with a veteran corner captain to train for that position. Learn the rules, keep your integrity by not cheating (common cheats are not classing appropriately for your modifications) and pass the stoke and excitement on to your family and friends.

The SCCA runs a novice class so for your first season or so you will be ranked separately with the other novices regardless of class and based on PAX - this will help you stay competitive with your peers and give you another way to see improvement.

Like most things, you get out of autocross what you put into it. Try out a few events to see if you love it before diving in head first. Keep us updated with race reports and pictures - remember that there is nothing more fun than driving fast (legally!) with friends.