What would be a better Autocross car?

[Jims5543]

http://www.mazdamotorsports.com/


http://www.mazdaspeeddevelopment.com/registration.htm


Good luck.

[porsche4life]

Is it hard to get in Jim? I will definitely let him know.

[Jims5543]

Not at all, you have to fill out an application, then submit pictures of the car, then once you have some AX results (I think they only recognize SCCA) you send then into them.

Once your logged into the site you have access to a lot of tools, from car setup tips to parts catalogs, Mazdaspeed specific and OEM. All at a nice discount. If you choose to take it to a national or regional level there is contingency money to be won too for placing.

I have been a member for 6+ years, I just have to send in results to 2 races in every year to stay active. They saved me $1200 on my last engine rebuild.

[emcon5]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

I am all for learning the limits but due to the track layout a push beyond the limits could end in spin in some serious trees. .

Wait, what? If there is any chance at all of hitting trees, whoever is putting on your autocross events is doing it very wrong.

Seriously, trees?

Tom

[Tim Walsh]

Originally Posted by emcon5

Wait, what? If there is any chance at all of hitting trees, whoever is putting on your autocross events is doing it very wrong.

Seriously, trees?

Tom

+1 very very wrong.

also +1 on the MM membership. It saved me a bundle rebuilding the motor in my miata. You may need to call them to make sure they get you signed up. I submitted an application and it never got looked at for months. I called them up, they looked up my info and set me up right then and there.

[Jims5543]

When I was at a PCA event in Miami a C5 Vette went so far off course he was in the trees.

No matter how safe you make a course there is always a Corvette that will make it unsafe.

I was running my 911 there and never felt like I was going to wad it up. I have way more money tied up in my RX7 and to be honest with both cars, I always felt that I was doing with them was was intended to be done. Especially AX I never felt I was going to harm any of my cars.

Track days are another story, plus your on track with tool bags that can wad your car up for you.

[trekkor]

Our a/x with my local PCA region has trees.


If you look at the video I posted, you will see them.


KT

[rammstein]

Originally Posted by Jims5543

When I was at a PCA event in Miami a C5 Vette went so far off course he was in the trees.

Which course- the one in Hialeah?

[porsche4life]

So thats an old picture but there are lots of trees along that fence line now. I mean it would take a major F-up to hit them but ya never know.

[Heel n Toe]

Originally Posted by emcon5

Wait, what? If there is any chance at all of hitting trees, whoever is putting on your autocross events is doing it very wrong.

Possibly.

Sidney, how many times have people gone off the pavement that you know of? AXs that I have run in have had various places where one could have hit a curb or a light pole (these were in big parking lots), but one would have to be really overcooking it to do so.

Probably the closest any obstruction was to the running line was 10-12 feet.

I never saw it happen once... in several years.

Y'all do know that if a significant part of a run looks like this, you're doing it wrong, right?



That much drama won't get you faster lap times.

Smooth and no drama is what will give you a class win or FTD.

Work on smooth and build your speed skills slowly. Don't "go for it" early in your AXing... that's just asking for trouble.

[porsche4life]

Picture

[porsche4life]

John I haven't seen anyone personaly go off in the trees. I have seen videos. I have seen one guy spin off into a mud puddle that almost took a tow to get out.


Yes the chances are slim but they are still there and I don't like it. Hence the looking for a cheap track car.

[porsche4life]

HOW+NOT+TO+AUTOCROSS-6+YEARS+OF+ONLY++BAD+RUNS+-+O

Granted this guy is an idiot but its a good demonstration of where you can run off. The runs where he is surrounded by grass is the track in question. The other place is where the SCCA sets up.

[GH85Carrera]

Sidney, in all the years of running out there we have had only one incident that caused significant damage. He was a total idiot that tried for FTD on the first run of the day on a COLD day on cold tires. We don't use that part of the track in the setup at all anymore. I have been autocrossing since 1976. That is almost twice the time you have been alive. I have NEVER ever once hurt my car at an autocross. In 33 years of autocrossing I have had a lot of fun and no damage. That one incident is the only significant damage I have ever seen in all those years.

[porsche4life]

Ya Glenn I know that the chances of me screwing up out there are next to none. I still wouldn't mind having some type of bare bones stripped out track rat. I posted this thread as a simple question about the two cars as I have seen one of each sell fairly reasonably. I will continue to push the 944 at the moment but I am keeping my eyes peeled for some type of track toy. Hey its an excuse to buy another project.

[Dueller]

Seems to be the trend in OKC autoX circles to run beater POS's:




NOT!

[porsche4life]

Hey there are a pair of beatup primer civics that outrun my 944. But I was slooooooow at my first run

[porsche4life]

Jim I swear that both times I have been out there not a single car in that video was there.

[GH85Carrera]

That video is a few years old. I was there but my car did not make the video cut. We have seen everything from new GT2s several GT3s 911 pre-production press car Jags, Vipers, Z06 Vettes, Ferrari 430 and all sorts of Bimmers and Honda 2000s cars. That supercharged Mustang Cobra is amazing. Some guys have totally stripped ugly POS cars but they have just as much fun. Run what ya brung.

Here is a link to a lot better video that shows the track and lots of good photos.

www.pca.paulhoustonphoto.com