[siragan]

Anybody know of any good places to autocross in NY? I may be getting a 91 EGT *very* soon

, and I´d like to sign up to learn how to autocross this spring/summer sometime. I´m in upstate NY, about an hour north of watertown, and about 2 hours north of syracuse.

I would have done it earlier, but I´ve only had an embarassing 95LX wagon that was "given" to me and now I´ll have my very own EGT!

I mainly want to do autocrossing cause I´m sick of not being able to drive wicked fast on public roads, and I also want to improve my driving skill and I think that this would be the perfect opportunity. thanks guys.

 

[Beaverboy]

always check the local SCCA

Central New York Region SCCA

Solo II = Autox, btw

I´m thinking of tryng my hand at it this summer as well... may even be using the LX wagon if my bimmer isn´t ready.

 

[siragan]

okay, I checked out their website, and I´m not sure exactly when and where the events are held. I don´t know exactly what to do.

Do I just kinda show up to where they say? Do I pre-register?

I haven´t taken any classes, so I don´t want to run the course and kill everybody and make a fool of myself, so do they have like little classes for the n00bs so I can kinda get to formally know how to "race" a car? Don´t get me wrong, I´m not a super duper driver, I´m just like any other joe-schmoe out there, but this is my oppotunity to better myself. I guess that´s untimately what I´m trying to do here.

Do they generally have a non-competition class there for the n00bs? I just kinda want to run the course, but more than anything for my first time out there, I want to learn HOW to run the course.

How much will it cost me? Do I basically pay to be in a club, so I´m assumed to show up for every "meet"? Or do I pay on a "per-meet" basis? Are the instructional sessions extra?

thanks

 

[Beaverboy]

Usually Solo II fees are like $20-25 for non-members and $16-20 for SCCA or club members per event. There should be a meeting held before the events take place. You need to contact someone through that website (Jim Garry, it looks like) and then find out what´s going on this summer/spring. He´ll probably put you on a mailing list to keep you updated. Go to the meeting.. meet up with some folks with FWD cars and tell them you´re new. Just hang around them and ask questions, they´ve all been there before and they´re usually pretty proud about being looked up to for their driving skills.

Until that day comes, use the i-net. www.autocross.com is a good starting place. Just do some searches on Google or your other favorite search site on autocrossing and you´ll find a wealth of information. I´m sure the guys here can get you straightened up on scort setups and technique.

As for a n00b class.. I don´t believe there is such a thing.. you´ll get several runs throughout the day, so just warm yourself up.. nice and easy.. no reason to try to impress anyone on your first time out. Also, take rides with some people, especially with similar cars.. watch their lines through the turns, watch their feet, watch their hands... try to get a ride with the fastest guy there. Earlier this summer (I wasn´t racing) I attended my first autocross and got a couple rides. Got to ride with a guy who´s always winning his class in his Legacy GT (this one to be precise).. better than the best rollercoaster ride I´ve ever been on.

Oh, and check to be sure that you don´t outclass yourself.. you don´t want to land yourself in a fast class right off the bat.. What I mean is.. make sure your car qualifies for a lowly class.. maybe even stock, so you can compete a little, even as a n00b.

 

[siragan]

I really have no idea how to take turns at high speed. all I´ve been taught is "high in low out" to take the sharpness out of the curve, but I also don´t know when to put on the brakes, etc. I have a feeling that I´ll really make a fool of myself. I dunno, I´m kinda hoping that there will be people there that are in the same boat as me.

I can´t seem to find a "Jim Garry" anywhere...

 

[egtdude]

http://www.cnyroadrace.com/scca/solo2.html

just kinda read down there. I don´t see an ´03 schedule for them.

first thing is read these two articles found in THIS website! http://feoa.net/modules.php?name=News&new_topic=2

Read the how to autocross one and be aware of the second for refference from time to time. after your into it a bit more I´d read the second article.

IT looks like they offer a Novice class. It is a very good way to start. People are generally really good about helping people in the novice class. For sure ride along with someone and have them ride with you. You will be slow. It takes practice. I´d say it takes a good year + of autoX to really learn the basics and get them down decent. Racing isn´t something you´re ever done learning.

Some advice I can give. Don´t shift to much. Hitting the rev limiter for a fraction of a second before braking again does not warrent shifting as it generally will take longer anyway. When I first started autoX an instructor has be shift into second when needed and then stay there the whole track. Sounds kinda slow but you learn how to drive the car much easier. Once you are comfy with everything else work on shifting.

Also SMOOTH is fast. That is the one thing that generally suprises people (it did me anyway). When you feel like your going fast you generally are not. Smooth transitions and cornering is what wins the race. Whipping the car back and forth generally only reduces traction.

 

[siragan]

well I´m good at shifting smoothly and I can double clutch from 5 to 3 better than anyone I know (even though to my stupidity I´m probably terrible at it) but I think the main thing I will struggle with is taking the corners right. I´ve never really had an opportunity to put the escort past its limit to the point where I throw myself into a skid. I know in theory what do to, but I have never really taken a hairpin at 70mph. It´s not that I don´t have the balls, I just don´t want to throw my car off the road and kill people.

Do they expect people to come into the sport with that kind of experience? Or do they expect normal middle-aged and college students to just kinda stop in and learn the sport?

I don´t want to get caught up in some uber-eL33T competition that I can´t handle. I guess that´s what I´m really "afraid" of.

thanks for the help guys.

 

[egtdude]

nope novices are expected to be just that. once your there a year or so and get into one of the higher classes you will be the competition so things do change but thats to be expected really.

 

[Foxy]

Beaverboy - Don´t forget to keep us posted how you get on - have never and will never do the like!! Good luck.

 

[Beaverboy]

hey, will-do!

I´m curious to see how a little LX wagon with some good tires and good shocks would fare. I don´t think I´d have any trouble pulling out of corners with the torque this thing makes.. but I´d need to shift so darned early to stay in the power band. A tight track will be to my advantage, I believe.

I love being the underdog, this should be fun!

 

[siragan]

yeah my 1.9L sefi can really pull some torque in the low end.... just run a nice high second and it´s really not that bad!

 

[egtdude]

don´t forget different cars go in different classes. so wether you drive ZO6 or a pinto you will be matched with LIKE cars. there are always some that have a little more edvantage but they are pretty good about that stuff.

Do keep us updated. Autocrossing is so much fun I´m not sure it should be legal. I´ve heard road racing is even more addicting.

 

[siragan]

why do you think it should be illegal? I think it would be cool if by doing autocrossing I would get lower insurance because it would improve my driving. Maybe I´m making it harder than it really is. I just have a feelng that I will take turns too fast and kill people, or just maybe turtle along. I think that putting along is probably better, since I´ve never done something like that before.

Anyway, how many runs does 25 bucks get me? Is it like a one-run thing? I´m kinda wondering, because I´m not really in it for the competition (although with more practice I will become competitive) but I just want to learn how to become a better driver, rather than some teenager with a fast car. I´m sure you understand.

I´d rather get more track time and advice rather than trophies.

 

[Diane]

Siragan - STOP WORRYING!! :-]

You will be fine. Newcomers are not expected to go fast but it doesn´t mean you won´t. It doesn´t mean you will either. You´ve gotten some great advice so far.

The reason you don´t see any sechedules posted is because autox is a summer sport and lots are hard to come by. The members of your region have probably been working on a schedule for quite some time and will post it as soon as they can. The first New England events are usually mid-March or April.

You will be classed with "like" cars and they probably do have a novice class.

You will probably get 3+ runs. It depends on the lot size and how many people show up. In the summer the days are longer, but then again more people usually show, so it´s a wash.

Road racing is more addicting, trust me.

Just go and have a great time and don´t worry about doing well, that will come with time.

There are ice races planned on Algonquin lake this year.

Diane

 

[siragan]

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19-01-2003 at 12:59, Diane wrote:
In the summer the days are longer, but then again more people usually show, so it´s a wash.

Road racing is more addicting, trust me.

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What do you mean, "wash"?
And what is road racing? I´m not an idiot, but with so many names like street racing, road racing, solo I, solo II, a person can get confused!

And where is algonquin lake?

 

[Diane]

For instance, 6 daylight hours, 20 people show up = 3 runs
12 daylight hours, 120 people show up = 3 runs

Totally made up the numbers but you get the idea.

Road racing is on a closed track. Kind of like your favorite back road, but you can pass other cars, hit them and be hit. Lots more safety equipment needed than in autox.

Solo I is a high-speed solo event. Often held on a road course also, but one car at a time, no passing allowed.

Street racing is very bad. People get killed, you get tickets, just dangerous in general. Pay the $15 - $20 for an autox and have fun.

See http://www.scca.org for more descriptions of the types of events.

We have some pix of our summer at http://www. mathermotorsports.com The webcam is OFF probably till the 1st of Feb as we killed our monthly bandwidth playing with it, so please don´t keep trying to refresh it. :-o

Algonquin is in Wells, NY. see http://www.icerace.com

Hope this helps!

Diane
4 1G´s