1st time Autocrossing tips!

[Advancedynamix]

You'll probably do well. Just enter the car as a stock Festiva until they catch on. Lol

[dliverance]

I am super bumed that i missed this years season but that ok. Ill have a better setup for next year!

I know exactly how you feel. I missed all of last year's events because I sold my crx and this year just started but my festiva isn't finished.

I'm really hoping I only miss a few events and not the whole year.

[firebush357]

So after reading this yesterday I looked into Autocrossing around Northeast Florida and actually found out that there is a few places that hold events around me. The next event is on the 25th so I think I may go down there and just watch to see how they have stuff setup. From what I can see, we don't have access to big fancy tracks designed for this but instead they have what looks to be an old Airport with plenty of space and a bunch of Cones. The place nearest me is called The Firm

[mikemounlio]

That's exactly what autocross is about. Pop up time attack! Mine is at the airport as well.

[mikemounlio]

I wonder what class ill get stuck in? I know its gonna be an advanced class of some kind. Itll be my rookie year as well. So ill be bottom of the pack but ill have a blast.

[Advancedynamix]

Sometimes they have an open "beginner" class that you do. That gives them a better idea of what you are driving. Our SCCA had that when I started autocrossing.

[mikemounlio]

Mine is pretty laid back. Im not sure what they will actually do once i show up to race tho. Im sure the inspection guy is gonna have fun with me.

[Advancedynamix]

Mine is pretty laid back. Im not sure what they will actually do once i show up to race tho. Im sure the inspection guy is gonna have fun with me.

Make sure your battery is secure. I mean really secure. They always try to rip the battery out of the car. Other than that, make sure your seat is bolted in good and your belts are secured correctly. Sometimes they will shake the wheels and check to make sure you have brakes. They may also check for loose stuff in the car that could bounce around, and they may check for fire hazard stuff like oil leaks and poorly routed hoses and wires.

[ryanprins13]

Make sure your battery is secure. I mean really secure. They always try to rip the battery out of the car. Other than that, make sure your seat is bolted in good and your belts are secured correctly. Sometimes they will shake the wheels and check to make sure you have brakes. They may also check for loose stuff in the car that could bounce around, and they may check for fire hazard stuff like oil leaks and poorly routed hoses and wires.

Reminds me of the first time i went to the 1/4mile drag strip here. Car passed except i had nothing holding the battery down. I had a piece of 14awg wire in the trunk and tied it down with that and they let me in! Lol. Wire stayed for the next 5 years...

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[Advancedynamix]

The problem with bringing a highly modified car (any car) to your first autocross is that you may be put in a class where the car may be competitive, but the driver is not. I've seen that more times than I can count. Autocross is not a show of HP or guts, it's a precision game of momentum, balance and composer.
The Festiva is an incredible instrument to use for an autocross event, but it ultimately comes down to the driver.
If someone came to me and said, "I've never competed in autocross, can you build me a good car to use?" I would build them a Festiva with a forward mounted b6d/e series with the coilovers that I build and Aspire front brakes with stock drums in the rear. I would do a lot to reduce weight in the car wherever I could. I'd instal a proper racing seat that was fitted to the driver with 5 pt harnesses. I'd order some 175/50-13 Toyo r888 tires and mount them on 13x7" wheels. This setup would be incredibly fun and make cone carving look easy.

[mikemounlio]

The problem with bringing a highly modified car (any car) to your first autocross is that you may be put in a class where the car may be competitive, but the driver is not. I've seen that more times than I can count. Autocross is not a show of HP or guts, it's a precision game of momentum, balance and composer.
The Festiva is an incredible instrument to use for an autocross event, but it ultimately comes down to the driver.
If someone came to me and said, "I've never competed in autocross, can you build me a good car to use?" I would build them a Festiva with a forward mounted b6d/e series with the coilovers that I build and Aspire front brakes with stock drums in the rear. I would do a lot to reduce weight in the car wherever I could. I'd instal a proper racing seat that was fitted to the driver with 5 pt harnesses. I'd order some 175/50-13 Toyo r888 tires and mount them on 13x7" wheels. This setup would be incredibly fun and make cone carving look easy.

Yes i am screwed! I will without a doubt be put into a class that i can not win at. But my local autocross is small at most 45-50 cars. There will only be a few cars in my class anyway. I am fully ok with my times not being the best at 1st. I will push them tho. I will do my best to learn my cars/my limits and max them out.

So at the start im sure my car will do great and i will suck.

[Dragonhealer]

The Autocross crowd is really friendly, they won't care if you suck.
volunteer to work a part of the course that is hardest to do, then watch where people go wrong there, and the behavior of the cars that get it right.

PS. On the tech thing, make sure you have absolutely no holes in the firewall, they are usually sticklers for that.

[mikemounlio]

Last race of the season last year they let a ford ranger on bald tires give it a go. Im sure ill pass tech inspection. They all know me. I came last year and worked the events! Im sure they are dieing to see the car and how it does compared to all the crap i have said.

[Advancedynamix]

The fastest car at the events I used to go to was a Lotus Elan with a 12a rotary in it and tiny bald tires. I think it ran in F-Mod.

[RdstrBlk]

:thumbup:Autocross members are usually very welcoming to noobs, no matter how much work you've done to your car. I'm still in novice class because I spend my days at the track instead, but my cars are prepped to be in some more competitive classes.

Track and autoX are two very different beasts. AutoX is cheaper, but you get virtually no seat time by comparison. For me, i knew i needed seat time the most, so I signed up as a member to the local track, Harris Hill Mazda Raceway.

Just go have some grins and make some friends! :thumbup: