AutoCross advice/tips?

I am possibly going to attend an Autocross event at Homestead-Miami speedway this coming weekend. It will be my first experience with AutoCrossing. Does anybody have any tips or advice?

Craig,

Wait for a full track day, you'll never consider autox again. I tried it one time, never again

Have done it for years off and on and the smoother you are the faster you are. If it the first time with your viper be sure you are straight before you squeeze the gas pedal. You should during the weekend try and find the limit where it swaps ends on you so you know what it feels like.

Warm tires, be smooth, keep the tires quiet, go fast....

Thanks guys. I am planning on doing full track days as well. I purchased the car in January and have driven it a total of 300 miles cruising around a small town in MT between snows so I am itching just to play with it.

Craig,

If you do not have a lot of experience with racing your car, AutoX is a perfect place to learn your car especially if you can get some instructor time. In fact, a couple of good AutoX instructors can put a LOT of things about driving into perspective. Can be lots of fun too.

AutoX is all pretty basic though. Those guys get into shaving tenths of thousandths of seconds off their times. AutoX is much more about elegance than it is about "the experience" at least it was to me.

I put the local BMW club's AutoX "school" documents at this link from a school in 2011. You can give those the once over and see what it is all about. Pretty basic stuff.

At least you get to use A6's for more than 6 minutes at a time!

Walk the course twice if you can. Look ahead at the next two-three gates. I've had mixed results with gearing. Most of the time I stay in first, but some people will recommend to run in second and use the torque. RIDE with others before and after.

If you have never Auto-x before. What you need to keep in mind is that the most common mistake people make is not going deep enough into a corner before turning, because they cannot see the cones they turn early, but if you wait a beat longer than you think you need to you will have better results.

Oh yeah, and don't knock over any cones!

Walk the course.

Be smooth. Think about it this way, if someone comes up to you and pushes you, you fall over. If they gradually apply pressure you can lean into it. That's your suspension.

Accelerate, brake, turn. Your tires only do them well one at a time.

You probably will be in one gear the entire time. 2nd is probably it (depending on the course). Lift throttle oversteer is a BEAST.

MTGTS said:

Wait for a full track day, you'll never consider autox again. I tried it one time, never again

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I disagree. There is a lot to learn about vehicle handling by autocrossing. It is the easiest cheapest "driver mod" that will leave you with a good foundation for road racing as well as prepare you to successfully navigate emergency maneuvers on the street. I try to do a couple as year.

For a Viper new timer I suggest seeking out someone who competitively races in the SS class with a Z06. Have him be your instructor and let him drive your Viper around the course once with you as a passenger to show you what your car is capable of doing and how you should approach the course. Let him do this After he rides passenger with you. Otherwise you might think “if he can do this I can” and go out there on your first lap and set a record for cones demolished.

Some regions set up courses differently. If you go to your first event in a smaller parking lot that is setup in a tighter configuration than you might leave somewhat frustrated. I have been on those(which I still enjoy) as well as some large parking lot wide-open courses that are Very exhilarating(to say the least)

Autocross varies greatly. We autocross on an old WWII airport on an area 1/2 mile long with speeds over 70 mph and sweepers like a road course and that is fun, some groups autocross in parking lot with speeds under 36 mph and all tight turns, not that fun in a Viper in my opinion, With that said Autocrossing is much cheaper, to get on the track and tires, if it is done correctly very little chance of injury to you or damage to your car. You can run fast or run fun, I go for fun, I know doing a burn off in first and second gear before the first cone is not the fastest way but to me it's the fun way, drifting through turn is not the fast was but it fun. But sometimes I just love to let the Viper eat and do a burnout that you can't do on the street. You didn't mention if you has an open car, if you do, some places you can not get on the track without a roll bar. Autocross pretty much run what you have.

It is a 96 RT-10 so the rules say I have to wear a helmet. No problem with that at all. I am not trying to set any records just want to get more familiar with my car and not break anything. I have track experience just not in a car. I used to track day regularly on my Honda RC51 when I was stationed in Hawaii back in the day. Visibility is obviously a big factor since we sit so low in the car and I will definitely be looking to get deep into my corners.

Craig,

Ride with as many people as possible (don't get upset if someone tells you no because the extra weight hurts when you're racing a clock) so you get familiar with the course. Know your limit, and don't drive over your head. You can't tell a car what to do, you have to ask it (don't force the car). Be smooth...credit card inputs. If you feel the back end start to come out, ease off the gas...never just take your foot off the gas. Lift a little so you regain traction, and look where you want to go. If you do spin...both feet it (clutch and brake). Look through the corner to where you want to exit. You've already got your car positioned entering a corner, so there's no point trying to move over when you're already there. Focus on a clean exit...slow in...fast out. Try to pay attention to the corner workers of you have more than 1 car on the track at once. Some people put shoe polish on the sides of their tires so they can tell if they have too much or too little air. Check you brake fluid prior, during and after the event. It should look more like apple juice than Coke-a-cola. Take all the extra crap out of your car (stuff that can come flying out from under the seat and get stuck under the gas, clutch or brake) and anything that's not secured. Some people take out their spare and jack and anything that weighs much. You don't have ABS, so always brake hard in a straight line. If you're carrying too much speed into a corner, trail brake (ease off the brake as you turn the wheel...like there's an invisible string tied from the bottom of the steering wheel that attaches to the brake pedal), and ease into the gas as you exit...remember the string (never too much gas unless your front wheels are aimed where you want to go). Turn off the radio and air conditioner (condesation on the track isn't good for traction). Some people adjust their seat backs to a more upright position to see better. Spinning out at the start wastes time, so if you don't already know, learn how to launch your car. Go out there to have fun, and don't focus so much on your time. Check all your fluid levels prior to getting on the track.

MTGTS said:

Wait for a full track day, you'll never consider autox again. I tried it one time, never again

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I agree with this dude......

Great thread...I will also attend my first autox this year. How much wear does it put on your tires? Somebody told me that I will wear out a set of tires, I sure hope not.

A couple of replies. If is is a SCCA event it require a current or 2 back Snell approved Helmet some require an SA. (Autocross)
So you must have a Snell 2010 or 2005 or 2000 approved helmet some regions will accept a Snell M (Motorcycle) some won't, we do in our region.
Most track days require current or previous SA IE: Snell SA2010 or SA2005

Tire wear depends on the surface we run on 1941 concrete it chews up tires but not like a track day would. With that said you are going use up tire much faster than you would on the street. Around here depending on the age of the track you can figure about 3 good track days on a set of tires, usually 2 seasons (10 events) of auto-crossing.

sfm79 said:

Great thread...I will also attend my first autox this year. How much wear does it put on your tires? Somebody told me that I will wear out a set of tires, I sure hope not.

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Talk to some guys that have run on the surface that you will be on. Here in Dallas, if you run out at Texas Motor Speedway, you will likely not notice tire wear. If you run out at Mineral Wells, you will likely go through a set of tires in a day. So 100% agreement with jwolf, it depends on the surface and very likely heat conditions too.

An Autocross is just a road course in minature , and a ton of very skilled road racers started their careers autocrossing. Agree with those that are telling you this is a great event to partake in prior to doing open track days. You can learn alot about corner entry, apexes, braking, etc. , you will just do it in quick succession . The focus is concentration and the plus is once on a road course things happen at a much slower pace mentally, so you have more time to set up for corners, etc. even though you are going faster. Be happy to help you with set up, and if you want to delve really deeply into Viper attributes email or call Mark Jorgensen -- he ran for over two years in an 08 Coupe and is a Nationally recognized talent in Solo racing ( autocrossing )

Sincerely,
Bill Pemberton


[email protected]
402-677-2935

Check and maintain your tire pressures between runs as the tires warm up, pressures will rise. Always check them just before your next run so they are as consistent as they can be. Any air gauge is fine but a Longacre or similar dial gauge is more accurate. Bring a portable air tank or air compressor to add pressure back in after they cool down.

Be smooth with everything, gas, brake, and steering, it's been said several times and can't be said enough. Autocrossing can be fun with a Viper, I haven't had the chance to run mine yet but I have autocrossed modified 500+hp beasts. I have seen Vipers at autocrosses and many drivers think they can use the gas and brake as an instant on/off switch... they usually spin out, a lot.

Great advice. Speaking of air pressure, what do most people run for track/race days and or autocross? Somebody mentioned in passing 42lbs across the board.

Craig,

NVMYVPR said:

Great advice. Speaking of air pressure, what do most people run for track/race days and or autocross? Somebody mentioned in passing 42lbs across the board.

Craig,

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I run about 37 psi hot at the track.