I figured i'd see what everyone else likes to do before an autocross race! Do you have any special routieans? Do you medatate? Read some import tunner mag? Pray? Watch some racing on youtube?

What what do you do in the off season? Run? Exercise? RallyX? GT5? Read up on racing?

For me I like to read and re-read books on how to be a better/faster racer. I also like to go to the gym and over come anything that comes my way.

 

Day before race (HPDE or AX) -- prep car. Pack car. Review directions to event. Get to bed early.

Day of event -- up early. No coffee. Walk track if AX. Drivers meeting if track. Put helmet on. In line relax. Focus on breathing and mental line of track. Run event. Rest between heats.

Off season -- cardo, cardo, cardo. Prep car, research modifications, work on car.

 

Night before - pack my stuff including at least one extra shirt.

Morning of the event - try to remember what I forgot to pack.

While there - wonder why I ever decided to this, as I wait an hour between runs.

 

Smike, you said no coffee!?! I always NEED my coffee in the morning! Any reason why you do this?

 

Ah, AX -- run for 1 minute. Sit for 1 hour.

I drink coffee most days of the week. I do not want any stimulants when I race. I like to keep calm and focused on the event at hand.

 

Hmmm! I see what you mean! If I didn't have to wake up at 5:30 and drive for 2 hrs for every autocross event I think Id might take the whole coffee thing into consideration!

 

I generally try to have everything that I'm going to need put together in one tupperware, car cleaned out (nothing to bounce around the interior), I'll adjust tire pressure morning of (compressor in the garage).

GRM had an article about non-car prep for events (i.e. self, things), one of the points they made was that if you lost 20lbs (most of us could afford to lose 20lbs) it would take 5-10% off the weight of your car, theirs was a bit more because it was a D-mod, motorcycle powered car.

 

Myles plays MJ's Thriller in the grid. The first time I rode with him at the track, I was like "uhhh...." and he said don't worry about it.

- andrew

 

Bahahahah I guess we now know his "secret wepon"

 

Night Before: Drink profusely. Try not to throw up.

Day of: Try to not throw up again while changing tires. Drink Pepto between each run to keep the heart burn down.

Off Season: Bomb down hills on planks dodging trees.

Ok, really what I do... I walk the course with the co-driver and tell him how I think Ill drive the course. Walk it again by myself visualizing the car on course and the speed. Walk it again if I have time.

Before the run, I mentally picture the first few turns. I cant remember the whole thing 100%, but the first part I can from where Im sitting I think about.

Next runs, I try to do everything the same but maybe a little more aggressively and pick 1-2 locations to do something different. I try to make a point of never just running the same thing over and over without changes..youll never get faster that way.

 

Man, I really wish caffeine affected me! I am immune to that stuff besides it being a great diuretic. I get no elevated heart rate nothing, not even with Starburnt.

 

The night before I freak out endlessly about not forgetting stuff. Get all packed up, usually too excited to sleep. Fall asleep around 1-2am.

Day of: Wake up at 6am, try to be on site at 7am. I like to get on site nice and early so I can take my time and not be rushed. I try to take as many casual course walks as possible Usually 3-5 walks. I keep calm in grid, and focus on breathing. As I get up the the line, I smack my helmet a few times to get myself pumped up and then off I go!

 

I've driven well both completely hungover and well-rested and sober... Don't think it makes a difference for me.

I usually show up early, but rarely take more than two coursewalks. At nationals I think I walked each course a total of 3 times. Make your coursewalks count and you shouldn't need more than 3 walks unless it's a really long or complex course.

If I'm short on sleep I usually drink a Monster energy drink because it's tasty.. And I don't focus well unless I get a good night of sleep.

I have to focus on remembering my first run so that I can change any mistakes I've made - if I don't actively think about this I won't remember any of the details of the run, and I won't improve on the following run except by dumb luck. This isn't always a bad thing; I am usually less than a second off of my fastest run on my first run.

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to make your coursewalks count. They're the only thing you have to go on aside from what you learn on your first run... But in a national event, every run can win it for you... You can't afford to spend your first run 'finding' the course. Focus on the course, don't socialize excessively. Talking over a feature or teaching novices the course will help immensely. Talking about your drinking escapades from the night before... will not.

 

haha i love this thread. some good info and some really funny

 

This is too true. I coned away 6th on the first day in STU. It was my first run out. I wasn't able to touch it for the rest of the day.