Okay... I guess this year's 4-1 joke didn't go over quite so well as previous years...
...that, or most you guys aren't smart enough to realize the tips I gave are bogus. Hell, only 1 person played along.
So, without further delay.... here are the *real* tips for autocross:
Tips for new Autocrossers!
I figure since I'm one of the instructors for tomorrow's autocross school, I might as well put together a few tips for the new drivers that will be attending.
Safety First!
Before following these tips, please make sure you read and understand each tip. Failure to comprehend these tips could lead to an unsafe situation on course, and as we all know, safety is the most important thing to keep in mind in amateur motorsports!
1 - Looking Ahead:
You'll probably hear the phrase "eyes up" or "look ahead" a thousand times during the school. What we're talking about is avoiding "target fixation". Target fixation is when a driver looks at something, they tend to run into it. If you're looking at each cone as you pass them, you're going to tend to hit them.
In addition to avoiding target fixation, looking ahead allows you to plan your line. Ideally you want to be looking two or three turns ahead, because where you put the car now has a drastic effect on where you'll be able to put it in the future.
Looking ahead is one of the most difficult things to do in autocross. I've been doing this for years, and I still find myself concentrating on "this" corner instead of the 2 more important corners coming up. the last thing you want is to exit a corner and get "surprised" by the next one.
2 - Slow In, Fast Out:
The "slow in fast out" theory is simply "brake early and enter a corner slow so that you can exit it fast". This is the "safe" way to drive, as it minimized large mistakes (like running right off the course because you waited too long to brake). It's also a good way for a new driver to drastically lower their lap times. By braking early and entering a corner smoothly (see "Being Smooth" below) the car will be under control and stable, allowing the driver to get on the throttle earlier on exit.
One thing to keep in mind is that corners that lead to long straights are the most important corners on the course. If you really make sure to maximize your exit speed out of corners that lead to long straights, you will be able to go much faster down the straight and take large chunks off you lap times. Essentially, for the important corners "slower in" means "faster out".
3 - Being "Smooth":
Another popular phrase amongst autocrossers is "be smooth". A "smooth" driver is one that uses gradual and slow inputs to the car to maximize grip. Every time a driver jerks the wheel, or stabs the brake or throttle, they upset the pitch and roll of the car. Extreme or quick maneuvers will "toss" the car which breaks traction. By being smooth, the car transitions from straight to turning or accelerating to braking gradually, which means they will have more grip, and therefore higher speeds, than a car that's flicked into a corner.
4 - Throttle and Brake Utilization:
Ways to help improve your smoothness include thinking about "rolling" on and off the throttle and brake. Stabbing the pedals (especially the brake) are very easy ways to upset the handling of the car. When braking heavily, you will want to make sure you gradually lift of the throttle (roll off) then gradually apply the brake (roll on). These motions can still be done very quickly, but they must be smooth, or you will waste traction. If you're noticing that the ABS is coming on a lot, chances are you're not being smooth enough on the brakes. ABS should be rarely triggered while autocrossing.
5 - Tire Pressures:
Tire pressures are the easiest thing for a new autocrosser to change at the track to help the handling of their car. It's a good idea to make sure your tire pressures are a few pounds higher than the factory recommendations. On most street tire shod car, soft sidewalls are your enemy! Low tire pressures lead to the car rolling over on the sidewalls in corners. By upping the pressure the tire will resist this sidewall roll and help keep the tread squarely on the ground, increasing traction. For a WRX on RE92's I'd suggest 44lbs front / 40lbs rear. A little less air in the rear will lower rear traction and help the car to turn. Also keep in mind that as you runt he tires will heat up, increasing pressure, so after each run you will probably need to bleed air off the tires to keep the pressures where you want them.
One other thing to remember, cars that have very stiff sidewalls will react differently to air pressure changes. For example the RE070's that come stock on STis have very stiff sidewalls. On tires like these there is already very little sidewall roll over, so adding air pressure will *reduce* traction instead of increasing it! For example on my Azenis Sports (before I had adjustable coilovers) I used to run around 45lbs front 50lbs rear.
6 - Planning Ahead:
Planning your run ahead of time is essential. When you walk the course in the morning you want to memorize the course so you can run it in your head from memory. Later while you're running there should be no surprises, and you should be able to know exactly which corner comes after the one you're in. After coming off course, I like to sit in the car and replay the run in my head. That way I can identify the sections of the course where I made mistakes so that I can avoid repeating those mistakes on the next run.