[2EGTS]

I was recently reading some of the info on autocrossing posted on this site and others. I have always been a fan of racing and, like so many others, I would rather be racing that watching others race. I have always shied away from racing though do the enormous costs and the risk it involves. However after reading about auto crossing i feel this sort of thing might be right up my alley. I do have a few questions about it though. First of all how do you sign up to do something like this and how much does it cost to do so? Also, how much is it when you actually reach the track? Finally, would there being any danger to either myself or my car if I did something like this? If so, how much? On a different topic, I will no longer be writing in the Damn Rice Burners forum. I feel that everything that needed to be said has been said. If the site operater is reading this you can shut down that topic if you wish. In case anyone else read my last reply in that forum, I did get my struts on today and I am very very happy.

Lastly does anyone know how hard it is to change the drivers side seat belt track?

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Cars = ´91 Escort GT No Mods (yet).
´87 Escort GT No Mods (probably never)
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"Drop the clutch and let ´em BURN!"

 

[2EGTS]

The seat belt track is on the ´91 not the ´87. Sorry forgot about that.

 

[egtdude]

Max cost about $25 a year. really no danger unless you pass out and drive off track. I mean it can happen but MOST regions are very good about track design and virtually illiminate all danger.

car.. not really if it breakes racing it would have broken eventually anyway. you will just pay more attention to this stuff.

 

[Juggernaut]

the course we have is just an oval track (still looking for more venues), but it wasn´t the safest thing around, as this turbo´ed daytona found out after going over the edge onto the grass and tipping th ecar 45 degrees in the air. check out his wheel when he finished:

that´s grass INBETWEEN the tire and rims!

but he was REAAAALY pushin his car

 

[Rob-from-Ottawa]

Re: safety for you and your car, the only thing I´ve ever seen was a fellow at a Toronto autocross a few years ago who understeered heavily off the course and into a curb, wrecking his Integra´s front suspension. To this day, I still don´t know how he made it that far across the parking lot before noticing that there weren´t anymore cones over there.

On the other hand, this little autocross snippet is worth watching:

http://www.enkahoi.com/c5_autox_wreck.wmv

I´ve never heard of anything that bad happening; safety is always the priority for course designers. That said, I prefer to man the flagging stations that are behind lamp posts, myself.

BTW I´m a total amateur when it comes to autocross. I even once spent a whole day going off-course -- that is, I missed a cone or took a wrong turn --every single run. And I still had a great time. I recommend it.

Hey, where at the hard-core racers in this forum? Where´s Miatatude? What happend to Pink Thunder? I live vicariously.

Rob

 

[newblood]

I'm thinking about getting into it as well. Are there any mods that I should do to my car for it to be better in Autocross? I'm already considering most on the list of 10 Things to do with Little or no Money, but is there anything else? I have a '94 Escort LX.

 

[fordboy4ever]

http://www.feoa.net/modules.php?name=Ne ... =0&thold=0

here is anything you ever wanted to know about autocrossing and more

 

[MazdaRacer]

great link, read it 3 times

now, $25 max a year is not really the case.

Each region has their own pricing, if you want to compete for points and a year end trophy, you will need a points card (which is your car number for that whole year) OR some regions just require SCCA membership ($60 per year) and they issue car numbers on a irst come first served basis.

Typically, a race day will cost you between $25 and $35 for the day. In SoCal if you do not have a points card or SCCA membership it's $35, if you have either one it's $25. $10 per event adds up quick with a typical 10-15 races a year.

I suggest you do NOTHING to the car, unless it's a safety issue or a maintanence issue (tires, brake pads, seat belts etc) learn how your car drives first, then start to modify it. Talk to as many ppl as you can, ask as many questions, no matter how stupid you think they might be and ride with as many ppl as you can. You'll be amazed how much you can learn by just watching and talking.

Most of all, HAVE FUN. SCCA is very good at safety and there are many rules in place to keep it that way. Different regions will have supplemtal rules to accompany the SCCA rules to better suit their regions needs.

Basically, the only thing to hit out there are cones, they just leavea little smudge, nothing a little elbow grease can't handle.

Another thing, autox is a work run event, meaning to race, you must work the course. grabbing cones that fall etc... It is VERY VERY VERY important that you read the rules regarding working and read ALL the safety issues for working. Ask to be placed with an experienced course worker your first 5 times out, watch CLOSELY at ALL times, watch each car that goes by you, DO NOT stand on the outside of turns and ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS leave the damn cone(s) alone if you think evcen for a second, it may bea close call. The driver has 2 options...stop and point out the downed cone (he then gets a re-run) or if he missed seeing it, you can let the radio person know it was NOT his cone so he dosen't get a penalty for nothing. He does not HAVE to stop, but an obsevant driver will, especially if it wasn't a good run to sart with

All this is still region dependant, but safety is safety and applies to all.

Good luck and welcome to the addiction.

 

[KENLUDE97]

Well if you want to start Auto-xing You are pretty close to the region that i run with. The "glen region" The website will tell you everything that you will need for the events.

http://www.glen-scca.org/solo/

We host events from Corning to Sayre Pa. Go to that webite and stay tuned. The first event is looks to be arround 4/30.

I have been auto-xing for 4 years and it has been VERY safe and a HELL of a good time. As long as your car is in good shape and running well i would not worry about breaking the car. A few things that are checked before EACH event is that the battery is secure, the seat belts work, the throttle cable returns quickely and the brakes are firm, and the wheels are not missing lug nutts and the bearings are tight.

If there is anything that i can help with. let me know.

Later
kenlude97

 

[TwinLTSs]

great link, read it 3 times

I suggest you do NOTHING to the car, unless it's a safety issue or a maintanence issue (tires, brake pads, seat belts etc) learn how your car drives first, then start to modify it. Talk to as many ppl as you can, ask as many questions, no matter how stupid you think they might be and ride with as many ppl as you can. You'll be amazed how much you can learn by just watching and talking.

Most of all, HAVE FUN.

Basically, the only thing to hit out there are cones, they just leavea little smudge, nothing a little elbow grease can't handle.

Good luck and welcome to the addiction.

Very good advice, MR. Last summer was my first time out and the biggest mistake I made was "getting my car ready". Doing absolutly nothing to your car leaves you in Stock Class, which evens the playing field because most of the guys in your class will probably be fairly new to it. Once you get into STS or Modified you better have your schmitt together because you'll get stomped. Unless of course you happen to have the bad luck of racing against an ACR at every event which is G-Stock. I could never come close to that guy in his "stock" Neon, but then he is also a 4 time National Champion. I went through all the trouble to do things to my car that ended up putting me in STS and with no experience I was relying on the car to make me look better. I still had tons of fun, don't get me wrong, but in the end I wish I hadn't done anything to my car except replace the clutch (which was shot when I bought the car) and replace the brakes. One of the best things about AutoX to me is that I really got to know my car. You'll spend a lot of time under your car making sure bolts are tight, etc. unless you've got a new car to race. But like MR said, most of all, HAVE FUN. You get to spend a day with a bunch of guys who love cars and love to push cars to the limits. I think that describes most of us on here anyways. And unlike those of us who occasionally "street race", there's no, "I hate Hondas" or any crap like that on the track or in the pits. I'd love to see more of us 'scorters on the track.

Welcome.