Autocross is frustrating

"yitznewton" (yitznewton) 05/09/2016 at 12:07 • Filed to: autocross

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Not the driving... the attempting to be an enthusiast. My goal yesterday (my first time) was to spin out once, drive clean, and improve over the course of the day. I succeeded in all those points, throwing only one cone all day, and I saw a 2-second improvement twice over the course of the ten runs yesterday. I walked the course twice, went through at an easy pace with instructor the first time to make sure I could follow the cones, and set my course of gradual improvement. And yet...

I understood the course better after watching the folks in the second heat go through. I also realize (now) that I wasn’t anywhere near the limits during my runs. I need to start thinking about more speed into harder braking, and how “smooth” doesn’t mean “easy and graceful.” Trouble is, the next event is two months away... and I’m not a very patient person. And most regular autocross events here have only eight runs; yesterday was ten because of the low turnout due to early rain, and still felt short. Thankfully that next event is a school, which means both more improvement and more (20+) runs.

Here’s the chart of penalty-adjusted runs in C class (mine) together with D. The Evo was driving sloppy until the last two runs, where he really pulled it together, comparatively.

The cadence of the season schedule, and the fact that I can anyway go to a couple events per season due to other factors in my life, leaves me wondering if continuing to do this makes any sense. My instinct is to continue the steady improvement, and I know that I can expect to learn a lot at the school. I feel like I’ve consigned myself to a sport of frustration, though, if I can only do this for a combined 20 minutes or so per year.

What I really enjoy, is to go out on the backroads at two in the morning, and soar like a bird at 7-8 tenths. No need for hard braking and at-the-limits maneuvers, just graceful momentum cornering and VTEC squirts from one turn to the next. Unfortunately that translates into 15-20 over on these roads, and Officer Friendly does not approve. Maybe I should have gone out for an MG... Also, black bears in the road. HPDE’s are out because too much money, i.e. attendance plus track insurance.

Sigh. Thanks for sharing in my venting! Anyone have a similar (or very different) experience?

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > yitznewton 05/09/2016 at 12:19

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Alright I give in, once i get my reflash I’m signing up.

Nonster > yitznewton 05/09/2016 at 12:41

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That’s just part of the challenge of autocross. If I had a nickel for everytime I heard someone at an autoX say “if I had just one more run!” I could get a new set of summer tires.

For me running a canyon/twisty road is pretty fun, but if I’m at a reasonable pace its just not super thrilling for me. I find taking the same roads on my bike to be much more fun. The fun part of autocross for me is getting to really push myself and the car to see how close I can get to 10/10ths. If my car was actually set up to be competitive it would be even more fun competing with cars in my class.

Its only your first time right? Try a few more events and ask to ride in other peoples cars. I’ve have my definition of fast shattered several times while riding in other peoples autocross cars.

EL_ULY > yitznewton 05/09/2016 at 12:46

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Gone > yitznewton 05/09/2016 at 12:50

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That’s a lot of runs. Damn. 4 or 6 (rarely) was the norm in DFW.

Everyone is different, but here’s what I used to do:

Show up pretty early and unload, then watch them layout cones. I always walked the course 4 times - one quickly - get the basic layout and draw it, add the cones, mark off the cone spacing (look for decreasing slaloms) w/adding of waypoints (for data acquisition), and then finally an apex run through (look for late/early apexes). I also had a co-driver - we shared notes and compared data between runs. I never used an instructor.

Four runs
1. 8/10s, learn the course, look for speed, co-driver as passenger

2. 9/10s, look more missing speed, co-driver passenger

3. 11/10s Touch cones, maybe drop 1-3 at most hopefully, solo

4. Find the 10/10s hopefully, solo

for more:

5 10+/10s lol, push harder in areas if i think I’m giving up speed

6 Pull it back if need be

Smooth and controlled, but QUICK inputs, threshold breaking everywhere, etc. At an event, try to do an early run ride along with someone that’s GOOD running a similar layout (F/R, F/F, M/R, etc) on tires similar to yours (i.e. if running street tires, ride with street tire guys). And/or try to find a co-driver - one that has 1-3yrs (or more if you can) experience that is skipping an event, isn’t running this year, etc. Pay for his entry fee and act like a sponge. It helps. You can also try to buy a drive in someone else’s car.

Okay, thanks, now I want to build another auto-x car. Ha...

yitznewton > EL_ULY 05/09/2016 at 13:10

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I KNEW IT WAS A CONSIPRACY!!

uofime-2 > Nonster 05/09/2016 at 15:16

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I second the notion that you must get rides!

Find some one fast with a remarkably stock car, so you don’t get ideas in your head that mods are the answer.

yitznewton > uofime-2 05/09/2016 at 18:50

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Heh, I have the S2000 and got wasted by everything from a stock Civic to an ‘89 Legacy sedan and Volvo 240, so I have no illusions.

uofime-2 > yitznewton 05/09/2016 at 20:29

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You're lucky I'm sure there's tons of Miatas and more than a few other s2ks you can get rides and pointers from