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GLU goes to autocross!

18K views 160 replies 16 participants last post by  mikebontoft 
#1 ·
Hey guys, i just wanted to start a thread for myself so i can ask questions and get feedback on what i'm doing.

first off, this will be my first season trying autocross needless to say i'm pretty nervous. i do think i have a pretty good starting platform though.
my zx3 has been dropped with the dynamic suspension, i've got an exhaust and intake and i'm adding a 24mm adjustable RSB and an SVT FSB. oh also my tires aren't the best but i'm running a 215/45/17. something i don't have is SEAT TIME! that will change this year. i'm planning on going to at least 65% of the races this year.

i just have a couple questions and i'm sure more will come up as the first race gets closer and even after that.
launch? zenranger told me 3k is pretty good to to launch at, any other suggestions or tips?
also what are some tips on memorizing the course? like when you're walking it, do you guys take a notebook to sketch it out? i think this would help me remember some of it.

thanks in advance, more questions and discussion to follow! [cheers]
 
#35 ·
in the long run it's cheaper to run a separate set of wheels & tires
Yeppirs. [thumb]
I went through 3 sets of tires (1 set Hankook R-S2 and 2 sets Falken RT-615) at less than 9,000 miles a set before I picked up a dedicated set of track wheels/tires.
 
#36 · (Edited)
this is exactly what i want to do crappy part is, my current tires are for daily&autoX driving.. and they will be dead by June i'm sure. so i need to replace those for sure, and i don't know if i can afford 1k-ish for an extra set up and then also spend 400 ish for some decent dd
 
#37 ·
you could run a set of stock 15" alloys, they can be had for next to nothing and they're only a hair over 15 lb.s . hell if you drove up here i'd just give you mine!
you can also buy take off tires with 50% tread for quit a bit less..$35-$60 each here http://www.jbracingtires.net/ if that helps.
just run a 205-50-15 they're very common size[thumb]
 
#39 ·
stockers could be an option, but i think i can afford a second set if i stop wasting my money on stupid things haha. they look a lil pinched on there too!

my tires got chewed the heck up today!! it was a blast though!
after our competition runs (my best comp run was 68.9 started with an 80 haha) we had fun runs/instruction runs and i had two very good drivers drive my car then come along with me and after that i put down a 64.9!! i'm hoping tomorrow for the second day of the event i can put that same time down or even better!

i was first in my class (ST) the other car was another subbie 2.5 RS i beat him by 1.5 seconds and that was WITH the 68.9 run, so i hope i can put down the lower time tomorrow and really show him who is boss!
 
#41 ·
^^^ Dude...[:(]
You shoulda come down here and run yesterday.
We got in 10 runs on a 65sec course. [:D]

And damn!!! Your car sounds WAY different!
Can't wait to see it.

OK...back on track, sorry about the hi-jack GLU.
But...I did take a pic of my camera mount with the safety strap holder for ya. [;)]
I'll try and get it posted as soon as I can.
 
#42 · (Edited)
THANKS^^!

i love watching that boosted foci! we've got the same color (kinda) and i can imagine my car boosted on the track a lil better HA!

it's safe to say i learned A TON this weekend!! my driving has gotten so much better, mainly getting very close to certain cones you're supposed to and looking ahead! have you guys ever had someone else drive your car? to me it feels like it's A LOT faster!! probably cause i don't have the wheel to hold onto!

second day update, i didn't finish in first, i was 3 seconds behind a 240 sx, obviously he has the advantage and experience (7yr driver) but i know he was watching his back! he gave me pointers too while we were working our station.
my tires got chewed up!!! i need to get a second set if i plan to do two more 2 days out there, it is sooooo damn grippy out there, i love it :)

all four events i've done i have beaten more cars, some of the same ones i lost two my first two times. i'm hooked! i would love to make it up to MT to drive with you guys! that would be a blast!!! maybe memorial day weekend?? we have an even on memorial day, you guys should have one too right???
 
#44 ·
that is a great idea!! i'm going to add that to mine, hwe basically have the same mount.. square bar rocks!

my only problem is my motor mount make my car vibrate like a mother.. i need to extend the bar across all the way i think, no?
 
#45 ·
Extending the bar across both seats may be an option for you, but in my case it's virtually impossible.
My seats are always in different positions, and I'm constantly adjusting my drivers seat (puting belts on and off), so tying them together would never work for me.

I'm guessing, it's the camera that needs to be looked at.

I have the VF rear mount yet I still get a steady as a rock video.
I'm completely impressed with the Sony "steady shot" feature, which IMHO is 2nd to none.
I've never had a bumpy video yet.
And, if you don't believe me, watch this one: (it's an oldie, but a goodie)
http://www.supermotors.net/getfile/241393/off-track.wmv (You can either "open" or "save". It's under 3mb)
^^^If I can take a hit like that and not get any camera shake, I do believe I'm good to go. [thumb]
 
#47 ·
i will check the vid out when i get home from work.

i forgot about the camera.. haha. yours probably weighs 5xs as much as mine! i've got the creative Vado HD. really small and light, BEST picture quality i've seen for under $140.00. all my vids are filmed in 720p.
speaking of which, i need to post some of this weekends runs!
but the weight of yours probably calms the vibration down a ton.

i may have to get a suction mount..

We have one in Great Falls with the Corvette club. If i remember correctly, they will be running in the morning and we will be in the afternoon, i am not entirely sure on that though. I hope to have the wagon out to play, it didnt get to this last time, have to repalce the timing belt[rant]
that may be an option.. any SCCA events??
 
#46 ·
We have one in Great Falls with the Corvette club. If i remember correctly, they will be running in the morning and we will be in the afternoon, i am not entirely sure on that though. I hope to have the wagon out to play, it didnt get to this last time, have to repalce the timing belt[rant]
 
#49 · (Edited)
here is my 2nd best run of day 2. 63.5, i finished with a 63.0.

the hair pin to the left just before the second slalom (30 secs in) kicked my but. when i ran the 63.0 i down shifted to first to get more speed out. what do you think?

 
#50 ·
hard to tell on the video--but it looks like you're driving 'station-to-station' alot--kind of 'connecting the dots' with the cones. How many times did you walk the course?

When you are out on course during the walks--do at least 3 or 4...try and look at each element and figure out how to get around it the fastest way...then try and connect the elements. An elemet might be the 'hairpin' turn that you mentioned, or the 5 cone slalom--whatever--but try and break it down to as little steering unput as you can to negotiate it. Usually it's not 'hugging' all the cones. Radius = speed...sometimes you'll need to open up a line to carry more speed through an element.

Look ahead--biggest key to success. If you are focused at the cones in front of you, it will be hard to go faster. You want to look at where you are going--not where you are on course.

The name of the game is trying to find the balance of speed vs. distance. Sometimes its faster to drive a little further at a higher speed, and sometimes its faster to take the shorter route at a slightly smaller speed.
 
#51 ·
yeah, the balance is what i'm trying to find (when to hug and when to take a wider line) looking ahead was my main focus this weekend and i think i improved a bunch on it. when the instructor took a drive with me and when he drove he yelled where he was looking and where i should be looking and that helped so much.
sometimes when i looked ahead i still didn't "plan ahead" lol. i'll work on that next time too.

edit: i showed up a lil late (too much late night gambling...) so i only got to walk it twice. luckily it was the same course we drove the day before just in reverse. some cones were a little tweaked.
by my 4th run out of 10 i felt i had a pretty good handle for the course.
 
#52 ·
#56 ·
Even if you have a little 'push' on entry, generally a 'lift' will bring the car back on line--steady throttle to apex and accelerate out. Smooth inputs are the key to not upsetting the balance of the car...including smooth on the throttle.

In general, NooBs tend to go too fast on the slow bits and too slow on the fast bits (because the overcook the slow bits and ruin exit speed). Getting off a corner is almost always more important than gettin in one. Getting off the corner that leads to the longest acceleration zone (straight) is (usually) the most important corner on the course.
 
#63 ·
A breakdown of all the classes a focus can compete in:

All focus models are in H stock, including the SVT

You would also find them in ST and maybe STX if you through a LSD in there.

SVT's go into DSP, all others focus models in FSP.

Obviously, they would be in SMF, if you so chose to add a turbo or something, and after that, you would be up there in EP
 
#60 ·
glad to see your having fun, this year has been my firs season of autox, ive missed the past 3 or 4 but on the 16th im going again!!!

i would definatly invest in a dedicated race set of wheels... i picked up some used 15x8 rims with the azeniz 615's on them off of a guy on here for $230... just wait for a good deal on wheels and tires for about $300....

the smaller overall rotational diameter really helped with the gearing, i got more out of low 2nd gear rpms coming out of turns.... over my 17x7 with 215/45/17 tires...

they don't even have to be great, just something else to tear up over your dd tires...

i did alot of riding with experienced drivers and had them ride with me, the best way to learn...

don't be afraid to hit the cones either, and on your last run i try to push it harder than the previous ones, you'll either pull the win or spin out... either way, its a great way to find what your car will actually do...

and i also like working the track first and driving second... really helps to learn the course and see where others mess up!!
 
#61 ·
agreed on everything you said, especially the working first part! we almost always have a lunch break and then get 5 more runs each so either way i learn a lot from others. i prefer to work first either way. (spoiled, we get 10 runs each minimum every event except nationals and prosolo.

i am looking for a second set of wheels and tires as we speak, i don't want to go too cheap on tires since when purchased new they aren't too too much more for a decent set. i'm looking at this set up that will be 1k mounted.. it may seem like a lot but if i'm going to spend 300-400 on a used set i might as well invest that much in a new lighter wheel and tire that i actually want. (just crazy that way..)
 
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