I just started Auto-X'ing this year in 2 local clubs and looking around the scene I'm really surprised by the complete lack of Lancers I see, even EVO's. Now admittedly in HS we pretty much get our a$$ handed to us by the N/A Mini's, but I've always kinda liked being the underdog, no one expects you to win and when you do it's better than ever.

So I just wanted to touch base with anyone else across the country who autocrosses like Urbanknight who's been helping me a little already. Give a shout here and if you're interested in autocross or even knowing what it is let me know and I'll try and help get your started. Hell, if you're local I'll even take you out to the next event and give you a ride. It's a lot of fun and I'd really like to see some more Lancer action going on. Oh yeah, I'm in the DFW area for those of you wondering what local is.

I'm also considering moving my car over to FSP. I was just going over the rules and the allowed mods look like they could do wonders for the car and the other cars in the class definitely look tameable with the aforementioned mods. So if anyone else runs FSP I'd like your insight on that scene as well.

~Chris
'02 OZ Rally 17 HS

SCCA #2 - 4th of 11
ER #2 - 1st of 3

 

Autocrossers are generally the friendliest, most helpful people when it comes to getting into motersports. I am glad to see you are enjoying it.

The good thing about DFW is that your off season is only a month or two. If you get to events near Houston, look up Phil Osborne-great guy and runs in STS Neon-he has a wealth of knowledge and can help you greatly. Tell him I said hi.

I run HS and except for a complete lack of aftermarket struts, the car can be competitive if you pick up a set of R radials. FSP would be tough-it is a big car compared to the norm of the class. STS is not a bad place, except you will be down on power/rate ratio to others and once again, the Lancer is a larger car than others. Stick with stock until your driving improves-the biggest nut that needs tweaking is usually the one behind the wheel. Seat time is invaluable!

Good luck and have fun!

 

I run in FSP need to work on my suspension to be competative and a lil more power... did beat out a old mini and a 320i though my first time out(in the same class). Was great fun cant wait for the next one this sunday.

 

I agree with Jason, the Lancer is most competitive in HS. Other than the Mini, all of your competition has either less power or more weight. STS is almost as competitive, but there are cars such as the Impreza with more hp, awd and lsd, and the Vtec cars with more hp and low weight. But I see this Ford Escort kicking @$$ all the time here, so if he can do it so can I. The problem with FSP is that you can't squeeze wide tires on a Lancer like other cars in the class (at least STS limits it to 225 width), and many of those cars are lighter to start with. Also, SP classes tend to go a little more extreme in modding than I would be comfortable with in a daily driver. You really need small fat tires with a lot of camber, limited slip, half your interior ripped out, corner balanced suspension, weight reduction and serious power mods to compete in FSP. We're talking thousands and thousands in mods.

Of course, it really comes down to driver skill mostly. I am still showing up an STI And I agree that autocross racers are very friendly, always willing to help out a newcomer.

 

I've been autocrossing for two years now. My first year I drove in novice and I did pretty well because the other novices didn't pick everything up as well as I did. As soon as I jumped into HS in the open class, I got whipped.

I'm the only Lancer autocrossing in the area, and I run in street tire just so I can compete head to head with my roommates (Spev-V, S4, and Mazdaspeed Protege). If I ran in HS, I think I would be able to do well because there are only a few people who run that class in the area (1986 Celica, some crappy Saturn, and an old as hell MG, and one guy kicks butt with his S10 pickup). I think the Lancer could compete well in that class, but I would need R-compound tires to keep up with the others, that's another reason why I stick with Road Tire.

A car which just came into the market, will be able to out-do the Lancer in HS, the Mazda 3. It has more HP, same torque, a Mazda tuned suspension, and the same weight. I bet no one will show up with one though. Overall, I've had a lot of fun, and met some people with decent knowledge who are willing to teach newbs a lot of things.

 

Glad to hear there are a few more of us out there!

Jason, yeah I know Phil. Met him in '97 when I first started, definitely a great guy. Back then I was running an EM Austin Healy. Ran for 2 years then had to take off a few to have kids, etc.

Well I guess HS is where I'll stay. When I get to the point where I just can't resist the urge to mod I'll break out my sprite again and go to town.

So next question, anyone going to actually persue Nationals? Last year there were 30 HS entrants, 16 of which were the MINI's, the others were mixed but no Lancers showed. Personally I don't think Nationals make any sense for me this year, but I'm seriously thinking about going next year. Anyone else going or working towards that point?

 

I would if I could afford R-comps and buy another set of rims for daily driving. Right now that's not likely to happen so I'm sticking with Road Tire. Next year running HS will be more likely, or I'll jump up to STS since I'd like to tune and upgrade my suspension. It will all be a matter of how much money I have at that time.

 

I ran my completely stock OZ lancer with the PCA Northern New Jersey Region at the Medolands in both 2002 and 2003. I did all right considering I was running on those good awful stock Goodyear tires. The first thing I would get for autocross is a camber correction kit to add some negative camber to the front. Then I would get a good set of tires. Lastly on the list of important Items to get I would invest in a set of coilovers. Do not get springs, because no one makes aftermarket struts! I had a blast and the Porsche guys are cool, they don't mind having the lancer run with them.

 

You are a brave soul autoxing on those stock tires. The first thing I did leaving the lot was swap out the tires. It's a very good way to learn how to drive though.

 

Those tires were out right dangerous! They could very well have been the worst tires ever made. Because of those tires I have taken a vow to never put Goodyear on any car I ever own! I went from those to the Yokahama AVS ES100 205/50/16. Went from Econo-box to fun to drive with that one mod.

 

I thought I was going to wait a year before modding my Lancer (even did 2 autocrosses bone stock) but that lasted all of 2 months!

I had a chance to go to Nationals, but that would have been codriving Rick's ESP Evolution. The codriver he got instead of me I think he got 2nd

 

Got 2nd at nationals? That's pretty freaking good I'd say. So would that be Bret Norgaard? I don't know him, but I know Mark Madarash who was 4th in ESP with a GTA Trans Am and he's one hell of a driver.

I'd actually like a co-driver. Not much to do prep wise between runs for a stocker, but it's just fun to have someone else out there with ya.

As far as tires mine are absolutely horrible right now. I ran em too low for a while so they have bald spots on the inside and outside edges on my rears (were fronts). They started out ok, dealer put on Yokahoma's before I even got the car (good move).

 

That name sounds familiar. If it says he was from California and drove an 03 Evolution, that's him. If not, I am mistaken. he drove the same red Evo as Rick (forgot his last name).

My brother is my current codriver, at least at the events he makes it to. If nothing else, it helps to keep the tires warm, although I hear on hot days the Falkens get too hot (they don't like to go over 130 degrees)... maybe I should get a water sprayer for this Sunday's race. It will be 90 degrees outside.

 

i read ur post brian....and was 'water sprayers for the tires'...wont that make u spin them adn they won't grip...then i realized...u probably meant between laps...lol

i wanna autocross really bad....but i got an intake/axleback exhaust and thats it perofrmance wise but i dunno anyplace close to me, and i live 20 mins east of st louis, i found a site like stlscca.com or something and it was cool...hope i can go sometime this spring, xcept im goin turbo this summer hopefully...so ill have to do crazy suspension mods to keep up with the class ill be in cuz of the turbo...maybe ill hold out on the turbo...

 

yeah new performance mod... water tire sprayers, mounts directly to your fenders yeah, you do that in between runs to keep the tire temp down. Only really needed on Falkens with codrivers since the car is running one run every 5 minutes. And don't whine, I drive at least an hour to every race now. This Sunday, I have to leave at 5am just to get to San Bernadino by 7am. Blah!