autocross question

Bojangles · 09-10-2002, 11:06 AM

please forgive my ignorance.
ive been hearing some stuff about autocross but i dont know exactly what it is but it does interest me. could someone explain it to me?
also does anyont think my car can handle it? you can see my car at www.projectspecv.com
if so, where can i see if any of these are close to me? i live in long island, new york

thanks
Marc

Nanotech9 · 09-10-2002, 01:10 PM

nano to the rescue! hehe

ok, the only thing i wouldnt run at an atocross is a freakin Yugo ok?

now, i see that you have a Sentra SE-R (type V?) - these cars are a real BEAST on teh track. Believe it or not, that "type R" isnt all show and no go... its definitely got the "go" for sure.

the only concern i have is all the extra weight you have with the stereo system. It's gonna slow you down a bit, but as a beginner you'll never really notice.

Theres a fellow in the local area that drives an older G-stock Sentra SER and who took FTD (fastest time of the day) in it. The other guy with a newer car like yours continously beats me in my BMW.

ok, so we know you have a great car to autocross. Thats step 1.

what is autocross... well. Basically, a group, like the SCCA (www.scca.org) will rent a large parking lot, police training center, runway, or SOMETHING, and set up a course with orange marker cones. The idea behind the event is to manuver your car through the cones without knocking them over in the fastest possible manner that you can. Sometimes its a slow 180 hairpin turn, and sometimes is just a fun slalom (where you weave in and out of a string of cones). Either way, its a fairly slow-speed sort of "racing", one car at a time. USually the fastest car doesnt go over 65mph.

The track changes every event. That way its a fair event, and you have to rely on driver skill, and not rely on an advantage of remembering how the track is layed out and what the best line through a particular corner is.

Here you can find a chapter of the SCCA near you:

http://www.scca.org/interactive/regions.html

Obviously, look for the links that point towards a New York area.

Average entry fee is $20 per class entered. You can enter up two 2 classes... your regular class, and a novice or sportsmans class.

for example, i can enter my car into the D Street Prepared (DSP) class, and also into XDSP (Sportsman D Street Prepared).

Car classes are in a rule book at your local event. They're standard accross the USA. I THINK your car (if unmodified) is in G-stock (GS).

babymike · 09-10-2002, 01:14 PM

it's basically a race course often set up in large parking lots involving lots of cones. objective is to run the course as fast as you can. anyone's car can "handle" it; i've seen kids running auto-x in their mother's bone stock civics. however, there are lots of c5's and vipers out in sd. however, they also have different classes to help level the playing field some, but i don't know the distinctions off the top of my head. hope this helps, nanotech seems like a auto-x maniac so he can probable give you more info.

Bojangles · 09-10-2002, 02:02 PM

i appreciate your help and i will be lookin into this.

thanks again!

Bojangles · 09-10-2002, 10:46 PM

are there any modifications i can do to my car to help? for example lowering 2"?

thanks

babymike · 09-11-2002, 05:48 AM

there's tons of mods you can do to your car to make it faster, handle better, etc. but i think you should probably just run the way you are now and just keep practicing. the more you mod your car, the more you end up having to run with the heavily modified cars, so the mods you do could end up hurting you. you'll be so busy trying to learn how to drive your car through the course correctly, i don't think anything will really help you at this point. i might be wrong, and people will probably tell you not to listen to what i say, but that's just my 2c. the thing you could do to help you the most at this point i would say is to at least take that sub out of the car for the run if possible. anyway, good luck.

shaggymatt · 09-11-2002, 01:50 PM

Definitely just run it the way it is now. I built my car for fun, but because of all the money that I sank into the car, I am in the basically limitless modification class, Street Modified. I have coilovers, 8" wide wheels, engine management, and larger turbo all of which take me out of the stock or prepared class. I have many more modifications, but those are my ouchies!

I ended up trophying for the season, 4th place. I've only been doing this for just over a year.

The cars that beat me:

1st place Late 80's Mustang LX with V8 engine swap
2nd place Turbo'ed Neon
3rd place Turbo'ed Focus w/ suspension work
4th place didn't qualify for trophy as he didn't meet min. races heavily modified Firebird, One Lap of America repeat particpant
5th place (4th for trophy wise) Me in my heavily modified '99 Passat, the big ole family car!

Your best modifications
1. SEAT TIME
2. SEAT TIME
3. SEAT TIME
4. See above
5. 4/5 pt. Harness so you aren't sliding all over the seat
6. Best tires you class allows (I got some R compounds this year, WOW!)

09-10-2002, 11:06 AM	#1
Bojangles Ensign Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York Posts: 16	autocross question please forgive my ignorance. ive been hearing some stuff about autocross but i dont know exactly what it is but it does interest me. could someone explain it to me? also does anyont think my car can handle it? you can see my car at www.projectspecv.com if so, where can i see if any of these are close to me? i live in long island, new york thanks Marc Last edited by Bojangles : 09-10-2002 at 11:56 AM.

09-10-2002, 01:10 PM	#2
Nanotech9 Vice Admiral Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Gone Wheeling! Posts: 4,409	nano to the rescue! hehe ok, the only thing i wouldnt run at an atocross is a freakin Yugo ok? now, i see that you have a Sentra SE-R (type V?) - these cars are a real BEAST on teh track. Believe it or not, that "type R" isnt all show and no go... its definitely got the "go" for sure. the only concern i have is all the extra weight you have with the stereo system. It's gonna slow you down a bit, but as a beginner you'll never really notice. Theres a fellow in the local area that drives an older G-stock Sentra SER and who took FTD (fastest time of the day) in it. The other guy with a newer car like yours continously beats me in my BMW. ok, so we know you have a great car to autocross. Thats step 1. what is autocross... well. Basically, a group, like the SCCA (www.scca.org) will rent a large parking lot, police training center, runway, or SOMETHING, and set up a course with orange marker cones. The idea behind the event is to manuver your car through the cones without knocking them over in the fastest possible manner that you can. Sometimes its a slow 180 hairpin turn, and sometimes is just a fun slalom (where you weave in and out of a string of cones). Either way, its a fairly slow-speed sort of "racing", one car at a time. USually the fastest car doesnt go over 65mph. The track changes every event. That way its a fair event, and you have to rely on driver skill, and not rely on an advantage of remembering how the track is layed out and what the best line through a particular corner is. Here you can find a chapter of the SCCA near you: http://www.scca.org/interactive/regions.html Obviously, look for the links that point towards a New York area. Average entry fee is $20 per class entered. You can enter up two 2 classes... your regular class, and a novice or sportsmans class. for example, i can enter my car into the D Street Prepared (DSP) class, and also into XDSP (Sportsman D Street Prepared). Car classes are in a rule book at your local event. They're standard accross the USA. I THINK your car (if unmodified) is in G-stock (GS). __________________ Last edited by Nanotech9 : 09-10-2002 at 01:17 PM.

09-10-2002, 10:46 PM	#5
Bojangles Ensign Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York Posts: 16	mod questions are there any modifications i can do to my car to help? for example lowering 2"? thanks

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

09-10-2002, 01:14 PM	#3
babymike Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 117	it's basically a race course often set up in large parking lots involving lots of cones. objective is to run the course as fast as you can. anyone's car can "handle" it; i've seen kids running auto-x in their mother's bone stock civics. however, there are lots of c5's and vipers out in sd. however, they also have different classes to help level the playing field some, but i don't know the distinctions off the top of my head. hope this helps, nanotech seems like a auto-x maniac so he can probable give you more info.

09-10-2002, 02:02 PM	#4
Bojangles Ensign Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: New York Posts: 16	i appreciate your help and i will be lookin into this. thanks again!

09-11-2002, 05:48 AM	#6
babymike Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Mar 2001 Posts: 117	there's tons of mods you can do to your car to make it faster, handle better, etc. but i think you should probably just run the way you are now and just keep practicing. the more you mod your car, the more you end up having to run with the heavily modified cars, so the mods you do could end up hurting you. you'll be so busy trying to learn how to drive your car through the course correctly, i don't think anything will really help you at this point. i might be wrong, and people will probably tell you not to listen to what i say, but that's just my 2c. the thing you could do to help you the most at this point i would say is to at least take that sub out of the car for the run if possible. anyway, good luck.

09-11-2002, 01:50 PM	#7
shaggymatt Lieutenant Junior Grade Join Date: Nov 2000 Posts: 197	Definitely just run it the way it is now. I built my car for fun, but because of all the money that I sank into the car, I am in the basically limitless modification class, Street Modified. I have coilovers, 8" wide wheels, engine management, and larger turbo all of which take me out of the stock or prepared class. I have many more modifications, but those are my ouchies! I ended up trophying for the season, 4th place. I've only been doing this for just over a year. The cars that beat me: 1st place Late 80's Mustang LX with V8 engine swap 2nd place Turbo'ed Neon 3rd place Turbo'ed Focus w/ suspension work 4th place didn't qualify for trophy as he didn't meet min. races heavily modified Firebird, One Lap of America repeat particpant 5th place (4th for trophy wise) Me in my heavily modified '99 Passat, the big ole family car! Your best modifications 1. SEAT TIME 2. SEAT TIME 3. SEAT TIME 4. See above 5. 4/5 pt. Harness so you aren't sliding all over the seat 6. Best tires you class allows (I got some R compounds this year, WOW!)

User Name
Password
Remember Me?