EVOlutionary's Autocross Rules
 

Here are several pieces of advice I've picked up through the years or learned on my own. They've served me well and I still have to remind myself of several on a regular basis.

Please feel free to share your own.


EVOlutionary's Rules Of Autocross

1. In some corners slow is fast. In some corners fast is fast. It's up to you to learn the difference . . .

2. Ride with a faster driver whenever possible. Better yet, ride in your own car with a faster driver driving . . .

3. Attend an Evolution Driving School (not associated with the Mitsu EVO) . . .

4. Walk the course with a great driver and have him explain why he's taking each corner a certain way. If that's not possible, follow a great driver around the course and look at the line he's following . . .

5. Work course as much as possible. While working look at the different cars' lines and see who is fast and why (while not neglecting your duties as corner worker) . . .

6. Learn your "key cones". 90% of the cones out there are meaningless. Know which ones are important, and why . . .

7. Be a clean driver. If at a local event you average 1 cone per event, at BIG races you will average 3 cones per event . . .

8. Know the line . . . Drive the line . . . The line is your friend . . .

9. Talk with as many "experienced" racers as possible. Learn which ones to shut up and REALLY listen to . . .

10. Have fun. If you don't do as well as you expected take some time on the drive home to think about what you could have done better, visualize yourself doing it better, then go out there next time and DO it . . .

And #11 for the bonus round - "Autocrossing is a mental exercise. Some people are more mental than others. . . ":drink: :guitar: :headbang:

EVOlutionary
SM #178

ALWAYS, ALWAYS- hit your apex...:beer:

nice little write up sir..

One thing that I learned at local events with lots of runs is to break the course down into segments. Analyze each segment. I focus only on places where I make mistakes. When I am no longer making the mistakes and my times flatten then I start doing the research on where other people may be finding the time. I pace, I scratch my head, I look like an idiot but when I find some spare change out on the lot after my times have peaked its like a pot of gold.

Kind of reminds me of this:

http://www.odr-scca.org/content/view/18/57/

#2, #8 and #9 are the biggest keys to driving fast. Do that and everything else will follow.

My other big autocross tip... the shortest distance is nearly always the fastest way through a corner. If you have any question at all about where to go, take the minimum distance line.

nice write up!

A couple of things I picked up that made a world of a difference for me:

1) Visualization is important, walk the course until you can drive it in your head with your eyes closed most top drivers are able to do it and it's a requirement to reach that next level.

2) Drive the course 12/10th on your first run to find the limits as you'll be able to turn it back a notch where it's needed. If your approach is to go 8/10th and inch-in towards the limit you might go home living some time on the table.

3) Don't make to many car changes per events but try learning to drive the car, handling and car behavior is gonna change all time.

EVOlutioanry what did you think of your first track day you did? After my first day at the track autocross became a thing of the past for me. Just wondering what that did for you in terms of perspective...

I had fun, but realized my car is not set up for it. Before I go back I need a couple things -

Roll bar - at least a bolt in.
Full size radiator - the mini I have goes over 215* with just one moderately fast lap.
Better seat and harness mounting - the seat mount is kind of shady because I had to make it able to fit 2 people one foot and 150# different. The harness is currently at a pretty steep angle only safe for autocross. . . plus it's only a 4 point.

I will fix these issues over the off season and I plan on doing many more track days next year. The car handled great even on old stock tires. I can't wait till I get to run it on 285 Hoosier R6's !!! The DHP aero worked freakin' awesome. Wait till you see what I just finished . . . :D

I'm not giving up autocross any time soon . . .

That's how I felt after my first track day and still feel that way. However, the time commitment was worse for doing time trials, so I had to fall back to autox so that I could do National-level competition.

Ahhhhhh jeeeeeeeeezzz.. I could put up a pretty big arguement against #2.
Big arc is old school and good for learning, but it's not always the fastest way around. Some guys never do it unless they have to (sweepers etc..)

Is it legal to take note e.g. while walking the course drag a clipboard along and map out the coruse and write down driving notes?

Yes...

I used to think only noobs made crib notes. But after being in the last run group more often then not the 'oh yeah I forgot that' statement is more common.

I walk physically just as general lay and direction on optionals

I walk through again and make note on the critical cones and really try to get in the head of the course designer

I run through the whole course in my head (yeah look stupid doing that too)

If I have any questions in my head at that point on walk to the spot. With 50 second courses theres just not enough time to do much more walking :)

Great thread. There's some very useful advice in here.

Heck, you can even walk the course with a video camera and record the course with the camera at your in-car eye level, then set the camera on your dash and replay it in fast-forward and make vroom vrrooom noises as you pretend to steer around each corner and practice your braking and accel points. . .

It's legal, so I'm sure it's been done before! :D