New to autocross...

[A1337STI]

Hello there

uhm, i'm a total noob to legal racing, but trying it out seems like fun. what do i need to do , to compete at the upcoming event in febuary ? do i need a driving helmet? uhm. any special courses or something i need through the scca ? are there any dirt / snow events in the area ? wet tracks maybe ?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

Hello there

uhm, i'm a total noob to legal racing, but trying it out seems like fun. what do i need to do , to compete at the upcoming event in febuary ? do i need a driving helmet? uhm. any special courses or something i need through the scca ? are there any dirt / snow events in the area ? wet tracks maybe ?

Well, as long as your car will pass tech (clean out all the junk from the interior/trunk, tight lug nuts, good seatbelts, no leaks, no NOS) you can just show up and run! We've got loaner helmets, and a Novice program that will help guide you through the process of racing in an autocross.

Price is $35/day for non SCCA members, or $25/day if you're a registered SCCA member. Also, novices can run both morning and afternoon to get extra seat time, and the afternoon session is only an additional $10.

Since you're new, I'd suggest coming out to the annual Autocross School being held April 1st if you can make it, as there will be instructors available for ride-alongs, more track time than at an event, and lower stress since there's no competition going on.

[A1337STI]

Sweet thanks any instruction would definatly be helpful. haven't registred for the scca though iv'e taken a few looks at their website. I have played colin mcRae rally 2005 is that gonna help at all ? lol lol ... oh .. ya i'de better take that class.
lol i'll still have my Ski rack on and snow tires come april, (besides that not being exactly optimal setup) that gonna be allowed on the track? Oh i have a K&N Short ram air intake kit too

[sperry]

Tech would probably ask you to remove the ski rack (at least take it down to just the rails).

You probably won't want to run on snow tires, since autocross will chew 'em up good.

Mods aren't a big deal, since Novice is a "rung what you brung" class, as long as the car passes tech.

[A1337STI]

Its almost easier to take it off completely then to take the ski rack part off of the rails. i suppose i'll have to take my snowboard out of the rack too ? (j/k) so the course is long enough to really give you some tire wear? hmmmmm. i may have to buy a summer set of rims + tires before this event. i have some summers i wouldn't mind totally destorying (they don't have much legal tread left, the stock tires 070s ?) but i'de have to get them remounted onto my rims and my snows taken off, and then vice versa right after the track day / weekend... anyone have a hookup on brand new prodrive rims? or anyone have that tire mounter / demounter machine (well i guess i could use a crow bar to unmount the tires ? / after letting the air out ) sounds like other people buy specific track tires ? they get rims just for their track tires ? hmmm (thanks for the info btw)

(probably better to remove my ski rack before i go down ? and tire swap if i have a 2nd set of rims by then? or are they gonna care if i jack my car up there and make a pile of tires / ski rack stuff ? , its way more likely to to be dry down there, then at my apt parking lot is why i ask , and i can't always find someone readily to help me put my ski rack back on (i'm always worried about scratching my paint))

[dknv]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

what do i need to do , to compete at the upcoming event in febuary ?

We don't have an autocross until April. Are you thinking about some other driving/racing event?

Welcome to the club.

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

so the course is long enough to really give you some tire wear?

It's not so much the length of the course. They're pretty quick, and autox emphasizes handling over pure speed, so you spend the majority of your time negotiating turns, chicanes, slaloms, etc.

Since the idea is to take your car's handling/traction to the limit, it'll chew up your tires pretty quick.

That and you'll just flat-out have shitty handling on a set of snows. . .

[A1337STI]

wasn't sure if this was new thread worthy

*Edit*
okay did find a small post about insurance, it just said not all polocies cover events, and not to lie about it afterwards , insurance fruad. but nothing about additional insurance .. ?

(Thanks again for the info btw )

Do you need to buy special race / auto cross insurance ? does my normal full coverage insurance cover auto X events ? I'm not 100% sure i want to just call them up and ask if they cover auto Cross / races, cuase then they will think (well know) i'm interested in racing... (guess they can't raise my rates/ drop me for asking) does anyone already know this ? i'de rather race with lots of insurance, then crash and be out of pocket. of course i've never seen any of the courses, maybe there are no walls/ trees to hit.. ??
is it april yet ? If i really want to get into auto cross, but i want to keep my tire budget reasonable what do others recomend. i don't mind buying 1 set of summer tires every year, but will my normal summer driving + auto crosses be way to much for 1 set of tires per year? (assuming i do use dedicated winters from nov - april/ may) do i just need to plan on needing 1 set of auto Xers per season ? in addition to my usual tire requirements. do others keep an extra set of rims just for auto-Xing? or do you swap your tires (or have this done) every time. (that could really add up, and cover the cost of some cheap rims sooner or later) ... ??? should i think about getting 18's or 19's for auto x (i don't know if 19's would even fit ) any one recomand a Rim for the STI that is LIGHT and CHEAP (Just for auto-x's i wouldn't care if its ugly or not)
as usualy, everyone's favorite Auto-Xer noob

[sperry]

You don't need insurance for autocross. If you injure yourself or someone else the SCCA's insurance should cover you. You won't find insurance to protect your car at a competative event... unless you're willing to pay $500/day or so, you might find something. But you really don't need insurance for autocross... worst thing that happens in a street car is hitting an orange cone. Unless you're insurance agent is someone like ArthurS who's done autox... you probably don't want to call your agent.

A set of summer tires will usually last most of a season, including daily driving. You *don't* want to get larger wheels. 17x8 is what you should run, in fact, the STI has excellent, light BBS wheels from the factory that you should race on. Those are light, and strong, and the correct size for staying in stock classes.

Since you should be running in the Novice class, all you need to do is show up w/ $35/day, about half a tank of gas, 40 psi of air in the tires (the stock wheels and stock RE070 tires are *excellent* tires for autocross... lots of people actually go out of their way to get those wheels and tires to race on), and an M95 or SA95 or newer helmet (since the loaners suck). A tire pressure gauge is useful, but you can probably borrow one.

[Dean]

What Scott said. Most policies have specific exclusions for timed, or competitive events. So basically, from some time after you leave your grid space to when you get back after your run, you are not covered.

It is highly unlikely you will hit more than cones on course, but the possibility does exist. Says the man who missed the fence by about 5 feet last year.

Again, depending on how your exclusions read, High performance driving "schools" at the track may be covered, but competing in Time Trials would not be.

[A1337STI]

Thanks and thanks yes novice, unless they have something below that and i Do have a tire pressure gauage (shouldn't every sti owner?) hmmf. great info I will want to stay in the stock class , i will probably have a full stereo system installed by then .. hopefully that will be fine to race with (speaker box, big amps, capacitor) maybe i'll wait until after my first auto X , i expect to lose , but to learn a lot. ah hell i don't think an extra 40-60 lbs will matter that much , would hate to be told i can't enter becuase of a speaker box and amps and wires in the back though ... lol . (definatly am eager to try this out) basically i expect to go in , thinking i'm a great driver, and leaving , Realizing that i have much to learn . . guess the best 1st time plan would be to remount my RE070's (just for that day/weekend) and then get them remounted .. if there is snow on the pass (431) i will have to drive down to reno, have my summers mounted there, and have my winters put back on just to drive up... i should have bought cheap 17's for winter (my stock ones are a lil beat up now) doh doh doh . oh well.
thanks for all the advice. lol who ever else races in novice should have an easy win come april. ... Maybe ...

aah all cones music to my ears.

[sperry]

Stereo stuff is perfectly legal, but if it's not properly secured in the trunk, it won't pass tech inspection. Make sure all your stuff is well bolted down and mounted solidly, or you'll be spending the morning un-hooking a lot of stuff.

[Nick Koan]

Also, if you unhook your amp, be sure to disconnect it from the battery too, so you don't have live wires rolling around in your trunk.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by nKoan

Also, if you unhook your amp, be sure to disconnect it from the battery too, so you don't have live wires rolling around in your trunk.

Or tape up and zip-tie down the wires.

[Double Phister]

Originally Posted by sperry

Or tape up and zip-tie down the wires.

just pull the fuse.

[M3n2c3]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

basically i expect to go in , thinking i'm a great driver, and leaving , Realizing that i have much to learn .

My first experience, I went in thinking I'd perform decently, took a few runs and nearly spun myself off the course, sat for a minute wondering what the hell I was doing, took a few more runs, and left knowing two things: a) I had a lot of practice to look forward to, and b) I had some necessary suspension and traction upgrades to look forward to.

It's certainly worth it, and you certainly won't find a better group of guys and gals to help you out than on this site.

[dknv]

Important:
http://www.scca.com/_FileLibrary/Fil...e-accident.pdf

SCCA insurance provides coverage to some extent, much less if you are Not an scca member. A1337sti - not to scare you, just want to make sure you go in with eyes wide open.

That said - in my experience autox has been a safer driving experience than the open road (2 totalled cars in 2 years).

[dknv]

Originally Posted by Dean

It is highly unlikely you will hit more than cones on course, but the possibility does exist. Says the man who missed the fence by about 5 feet last year.

When was that?
(Says the girl who ran over the Lovelock airport runway light last year.)

[MikeK]

Originally Posted by dknv

When was that?
(Says the girl who ran over the Lovelock airport runway light last year.)

Pic
Thread

[dknv]

Originally Posted by MikeK

Pic
Thread

NOW I remember, great pic! haha!

[A1337STI]

Sounds like it worth joining the SCCA for the auto insurance. i like insurance. insurance is a good thing. eeks a fence... guess i'll have to take that corner a bit slow . lol don't be suprised if i end up saying something like "But that works in Colin 05 / Toca Race Driver 2 "

[Kevin M]

Unfortunately, I think the event insurance only covers injury liability and medical expenses, not vehicle damage. However, as far as I know, only 1 car ever actually sustained damage at the Stead site, and that was some old beater Datsun or Toyota sedan with way soft springs and r-compounds that rolled itself. Minor damage is a definite possibility if you go off at Lovelock or Hawthorne at speed though.

[A1337STI]

MAX SPEED !!! ... errr maybe not hehehe okay time to hook up my momo steering wheel play some racing games. hehehe

[sperry]

Originally Posted by BAN SUVS

Unfortunately, I think the event insurance only covers injury liability and medical expenses, not vehicle damage. However, as far as I know, only 1 car ever actually sustained damage at the Stead site, and that was some old beater Datsun or Toyota sedan with way soft springs and r-compounds that rolled itself. Minor damage is a definite possibility if you go off at Lovelock or Hawthorne at speed though.

Actually, their springs were too stiff, and the new tires too sticky. The car's high CG toppeled it over in the 1st corner because there was no give in the suspension to slow the moment that turned it over. Luckily it was a fully caged track car, and no one was hurt. But it did total the car.

[Kevin M]

Whoops, wrong suspension extreme. Man I wish I would have been there for that though!