Auto-X Options

[engifineer]

You would be surprised at how much you use the throttle (Although slightly backwards sometimes) in a FWD. When you are revving high, which you typically are during a run, lifting the throttle is like applying the front brakes. Late braking and/or late throttle lifts are a key tool in rotating the car. This weekend I was taking a turn at about 50mph, using a late throttle lift (initiating the turn early, lifting the throttle then getting back into it) to shift the cars weight forward and to the outside. If I had simply used a standard brake, then turn techniique I would gone through the turn substantially slower (I tried this.. probably dropped my entry speed by about 5-10 mph to prevent pushing out).

You can also do the same thing with a late braking manuever. It it normally better to brake straight, but in some cases.. many cases in autox, it is not always be the best choice.

As far as throttle, on long sweepers my car will oversteer if pushed too hard most of the time now, especially with a ton of camber dumped into the front. During a corner, if it starts to over-rotate, more throttle and the right steering input will pull it back straight. If it pushes, then less throttle is the right answer.

They real disadvantage is lower speed, sharp corners. You dont have the momentum to use late braking or throttle lift to get the car situated, and you cant drive the rear wheels to get it around the corner.

RWD will always be a better choice for this stuff, but it is interesting how well a little technique can work on the FWD's.

This post has been edited by engifineer: Aug 31 2009, 10:58 AM

[WhiteEightBall]

^ I gotta go to an auto-x with you some time Dave. It's hard for me to learn by reading it. I'm an exprience learner.

[Jérémie]

You must be doing these things too, by feeling them.

Dave was just really good at putting all this into words.

[engifineer]

Not sure how good after I read it again But it gets the jist across...

A bit of camber during our TNT:


And a couple of vids from my ghetto fabulous camera mount
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42027151@N05/3876087131/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42027151@N05/...in/photostream/

[AZ TC]

Do you have to have your rearview mirror. I noticed on the second one, you had it cocked all sideways

[engifineer]

I normally try to remember to turn it sideways. Distracts me less during runs.

[bluesciontc]

Sweet runs Engi

[WhiteEightBall]

Here's my sh!tty runs. My camera shut off for some reason right before I started the 1st lap, so it didn't record obviously. I've got laps 2, 3 and 4 for heat 1. I've got heat 2 but those shots are going into an edited video and had odd camera angles.

So here we go.
Heat 1, Lap 2
Heat 1, Lap 3
Heat 1, Lap 4

Lap 2 was actually my best run of the day. I was just trying to push the car too hard in the wrong spots as you'll hear the tires just grinding away the sidewalls as I'm pulling out of corners.

I know what I did wrong, now anyway. I'll be correcting this at other autocross'.

[bluesciontc]

When you start to understeer give it less wheel, what you should do is start turning it the other way that will give you traction.

This post has been edited by bluesciontc: Sep 4 2009, 10:32 AM

[WhiteEightBall]

^ Duely noted.

I just registered for a lapping day for the 13th. I'll actually be racing other cars. Not going to lie, I'm a bit scared and extremely nervous. It was $60, which from what I can tell is pretty cheap.....

Steve, how did you feel on your first lapping day/road course?

[bluesciontc]

A little nervous but don't let it get to you. If you let it get to you than you will screw up. Listen to the instructors and do what you know and thats pretty much it.

[WhiteEightBall]

For now I'll try to forget about it.

On race day, I'll be doing exactly as you instructed.

[Xero187]

You would be surprised at how much you use the throttle (Although slightly backwards sometimes) in a FWD. When you are revving high, which you typically are during a run, lifting the throttle is like applying the front brakes. Late braking and/or late throttle lifts are a key tool in rotating the car. This weekend I was taking a turn at about 50mph, using a late throttle lift (initiating the turn early, lifting the throttle then getting back into it) to shift the cars weight forward and to the outside. If I had simply used a standard brake, then turn techniique I would gone through the turn substantially slower (I tried this.. probably dropped my entry speed by about 5-10 mph to prevent pushing out).

You can also do the same thing with a late braking manuever. It it normally better to brake straight, but in some cases.. many cases in autox, it is not always be the best choice.

As far as throttle, on long sweepers my car will oversteer if pushed too hard most of the time now, especially with a ton of camber dumped into the front. During a corner, if it starts to over-rotate, more throttle and the right steering input will pull it back straight. If it pushes, then less throttle is the right answer.

They real disadvantage is lower speed, sharp corners. You dont have the momentum to use late braking or throttle lift to get the car situated, and you cant drive the rear wheels to get it around the corner.

RWD will always be a better choice for this stuff, but it is interesting how well a little technique can work on the FWD's.

Well said!!

Last high performance driving school I attended at E-Town I was able to get some massive rotation after a high speed stretch by merely lifting off the gas. This situation could be scary for some, however managed properly this rotation proves to be advantageous and hella fun at the same time!

[bluesciontc]

Just got back from the local Auto-X (stopped for some NY pizza Yummmm). It was threatening to rain all day but it held off till about an hour after!!!!! So we got 10 yes 10 runs!!! Awesome day. Well I took home Second place!!!!! Hells yea My fastest time was a 51.03 which was only 2 seconds slower than the fastest time of the day!!!! My region races pax time's and not raw times, so Street Mod races in the same class as Street Prepared. I will honestly say I hate that (reason cause I am SM and I have the worst pax). Being street mod and having a dumb fast raw time like that and find your self is second place to a guy who ran a 52.7 SUX!!! But oh well the way I look at it is I have to be dumb fast in order to take home a trophy, from what I understand is that I am the first SM guy to take a trophy home since they implemented this new classing!!! So over all it was an awesome day and the track was Dumb fast, there were 3 spots where I just bounced off the rev limiter it felt for like DAYS!!!! But oh well Got to do what you got to do ya know. The redline Time attack has def taught me alot and I def say it made me a better auto-xer I went out there with out a care and just beatthe ever living SNOT out of the car and it paid off. Videos to come

This post has been edited by bluesciontc: Sep 12 2009, 05:24 PM

[WhiteEightBall]

Just got back from the Lapping Day. I've never learned so much about driving. I seriously think I've become a better racer, auto-xer, and overall driver because of today. I got in 37 laps total today. All for $60.00. Couldn't have been better.

I did NOT get in car footage, I was a chicken sh!t. Not gonna lie, now that it's over I REALLY wish I would have gotten footage. O'well. Another time I guess.

By the end of the day, the guy who's been doing this for 10 years went for a ride with me and said the only tip he could honestly give me was that I was too hard on the brakes. That I needed to start gently into the brakes about 5-10 feet before I normally do, straighten it out more, and then hard braking, straight. I'm having trouble breaking myself of the bad habit of braking while turning, or turning and braking. whatever. Anyway, I started doing that, and I was litterally 10 mph faster out of a turn, AND NO ROLLING THE TIRES!!! F yea!!!! At the end of the run he goes, "Well, congrats since you took my advice an utilized it within the next turn. I don't normally see people adapt that fast. You also made me sick to my stomach, only Andy can seem to do that." Andy is his right hand man and just a rediculously good driver.

I've got video of other cars, so I'll be attempting to upload that tonight and possibly posting it.

Stay tuned because i really think I'll be hitting up Engifineer on going to one of his Auto-X's. I'd really like to see what he has to say.

EDIT: Also, I'd like to mention that my Nitto Invo's are chunking, BADLY...... I'm sure it's due to my rolling the tires horribly fo the first 30 laps of the day though. I guess we'll know the next time I get a set of Nitto Invo's. Which will not be next time, I want to experiment with tires.

This post has been edited by WhiteEightBall: Sep 13 2009, 06:48 PM