Track Noob Representing the Marque in AX
 

Hello yall. I'm just in from getting my car prepped for my autocross event tomorrow. It's the final event in the Alabama SCCA Solo season. My first ever autocross was their October event. I came in dead last in the field of 40 cars, but I was the only B Stock registered so I ended up first in class. Hey, I'll take it! :) I was the only Porsche there.

The good news is, I conquered my fear of the "BIG SEA OF CONES." I was absolutely terrified that I would get lost out there and be completely mortified. As it was, I hooked up with a great driver who both let me ride with him and who rode with me our first couple of runs each. I blew one gate in each of my first two runs, same gate both times, so was DNF on those. Then I was on my own. I got four good clean runs after that.

The bad news is, I was damned S-L-O-W! For all my love of the VROOM, I find I am a bit timid when it comes to speed. I am definitely getting more comfortable, but I've not had many opportunities to get seat time. A 1-day DE, and that last autocross are pretty much it for events.

I've worked a couple of times with a coach, and have made the most progress there. I had a real breakthrough on a cornering drill we did a few weeks back, finally getting over the hump and figuring out how to handle the car with some decent speed thru turns, tires a-singing. I wrote about it here, come to think of it.

It was one of the most thrilling experiences I have ever had, the feeling of "getting it" in that little exercise. You experienced folks will not be surprised to learn that the one thing that made the difference was lifting my eyes and looking waaaay ahead. I have heard this a millon times, and I "knew" it, but now I understand the difference it can make in performance. It's a habit I find I will have to work diligently to develop.

ANYWAY, so my goals for tomorrow:
1) drive the car home
2) clean runs/don't get lost
and the big kahuna...
3) come in ahead of one other car

My mantra for the day: LOOK AHEAD

I will probably be the only Porsche there again tomorrow. The competition will be fierce, as many folks who were not there last time (off at nationals in tennessee) are going to be there jockeying for position in season points. Already my class has its 2 usual rock stars and their 350z's registered. So a podium in my class is possible, depending who else shows up.

As for the entire field, and coming in ahead of one other car, I have my eye on one entry we just got wind of yesterday - a HONDA ODYSSEY VAN. Yes, the local Honda Mfg folks have been pimping out soccer mom vans for the track and running them around the country in various events. They're bringing the van and two guys who have zero experience with high performance driving to let them cut their teeth in autocross.

And at long last, this brings me to the point of this post.

Yall, if I and my 911 do not come in ahead of 2 noobs in a VAN....

You know, I can't even think about it!

In fact, I am strapping on the biggest pair I can find, and I'm going for it!

Send all good Pcar energy my way tomorrow. I'll be back with a race report & hopefully some photos and/or video.

Tips, tricks, and words of wisdome are welcome!!!

Here's my first-timer's version of full-tilt at my first HPDE last month:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3001/...682861d971.jpg

My advice is not to worry about what other cars are doing.

Only think about improving your own runs. Start by making it through all the gates clean, then think about where you can pick up some time. Find an instructor to ride with you and comment. After each run, close your eyes and rerun the course. What could you do better? Ultmate joy for me comes with improved times throughout the day. Thats whats cool about solo. Its you against you. ;)

This club is a great bunch, and depending how the run groups go out, I should have several great opportunities for ride-alongs. Same for getting someone to ride along with me. I signed up to do course set-up, so I'll have to get there super early, but I'll have that hour of set-up to get my head around the course before the regular pre-run course walking starts. I'm new enough that I often need help deciphering the cones on first look. For example, I had no clue that a straight line of standing cones was a slalom. Glad I asked!

I had no clue how the timing part worked either, and totally missed where to see it after my first run. Once I figured that out, I really loved seeing my time drop from run to run. Instant gratification!

Looks like the weather will be perfect - cool and sunny. I'm looking forward to a great day out tomorrow. We'll have the regular competition, then fun runs for charity after, up to four. I'm going to get out as many times as I can.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts & encouragement!

Vroom,

Autocross is a great place to learn your skills. Keep at it, you will move up. AX is 80+% skill and 20% car.

Sounds like you are on the right track. Tommorrow, go out EARLY and walk the course with a few experienced folks. Ask them where the turn in and braking points should be. Before each run, sit in your car and visualize you driving the course before you go to the start line. Get someone to coach you. It really helps.

For the first run, do not worry about time, just be sure you find the course. For me at least, it makes the rest of the day that much better.

Like you said, the most important, and hardest to learn skill is Look Ahead.

Have fun.

Where do you (all <- practicing my southern) run? I'm new to Memphis (ran a few local PCA and SCCA events this season) and have been wanting to take a trip down to Barber (for the museum if nothing else). I might like to (<- gett'n better) come down and do an autocross in your region next season.

As an old salt (when it comes to abuse of cones) I'll offer the following:

0) Don't hork the mirrors. Learn not to look. ...goes with the whole look ahead thing.

1) As you focus on looking ahead learn to think that way when you walk the course. Courses -- good ones anyway -- flow in sections, like any track. So it isn't turn, turn, turn ... it's the best line through a section.

2) Walk the course as you would drive it (wide of cones passing on the right, near cones passing on the left, arcing only as tightly as your car will actually turn, etc.). All the while keeping in mind that thing we all learn in school ... the shortest path is a straight line.

3) While walking, stop periodically. Look *straight* down course (one or two or three gates). Move a few feet to the left. Move a few feet to the right. Swing you're partner...

Where was I? Oh yeah...

Can you begin to draw a straight line through a gate (or two) that you would otherwise have to arc through? Like this...

You mentioned you didn't "see" that a slalom was a left/right/left affair. That's because when you were standing and looking they were in a straight line. Right? Gates will also look like a straight line as you walk (at times) even though you know that you'll need to turn to migrate through them. ...OR... Gates will look too narrow to drive straight through so you'll need to turn a little so that your car will fit. Right? Figure out if you can make a straight line that is angled just so, so that you can squeeze through. ...OR... Figure out if you can make a continuous (or controlled) arc to accomplish the same. Every time you turn (transition, actually) or shift you should ask yourself "was that really necessary?"

If you can place the car slightly wider or narrower (in a section) than textbook drivers will tell you, you'll find straight lines through gates or groups of gates. If you can retain momentum doing so you'll find time.

4) NEVER coast. When you take your foot off the throttle or take your foot off the brake to shift or transition YOU ARE COASTING. Textbook types will preach about being smooth. They usually accomplish what they think is "smooth" through aggressive use of the technique otherwise known as coasting. Being smooth has nothing to do with coasting. It has to do with control. Lots of folks loose site of this (some never figure it out).

5) The fastest time comes to she who wobbles every cone. ;)

Best,
JR (944 / white / chicane)

Wish I'd seen this before my event! Lots of good stuff here. Thank you! PLEASE come join AL-SCCA for some events next year. Their website is at www.alscca.org. Several of them are going to an events in Chattanooga TN and Huntsville AL the next two weekends. Wish I could join them. Alas, WORK.

As for my performance on 11/23, as always, there was good news, and bad news.

Good news: NO DNFs. At my first event, my first 2 runs were DNF. Since "getting" the course and reading the cones was the thing that intimidated me most about AX, I was delighted to feel like I made progress here. My first run at this event was faster than my fastest time at my first event.

At the starting line:
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3273/...e0050cd199.jpg

Bad news: I came in dead last again, behind that fokkin franken-van.

More good news: I found small consolation in looking at the PAX-adjusted results, where I came in third from the bottom - and ahead of the franken-van. I'll take it! Oh, also, only 2 cars in B Stock, so I took the 2nd place "trophy"

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3004/...6c98c9a974.jpg

I was not the only Porsche! There was a 914, as you can see in the photo aboe. I recall he was at my first event also. Great guy, too.

This time out, another very experienced AXer buddied up with me. Rode with me, let me ride with him, drove my car with me as a passenger. I LOVED experiencing what my car can do with some experience & skill behind the wheel.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3203/...0df5dffc42.jpg

My car was its usual stellar self! No problems at all. I love this shot with the dark clouds behind me...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3082/...de18b5c9ec.jpg

Last weekend I worked pit & grid at the NASA-SE Santa's Toy Run weekend at one of my favorite places, Road Atlanta. What a blast that was! Very demanding on grid - DE, Time Trials, qualifying & races, session starts every twenty minutes all day, both days. I had scoped out the driver list and identified a few 911 drivers, hoping to get a ride-along or two over the weekend.

That worked out in spades! Saturday I rode in a gorgeous white 95 911. Fantastic driver, and my first time on track at speed with "traffic." wow what a thrill! I learned so, so much.

I only have a proof of this one right now, but that's me in the passenger seat :)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3155/...48371c9f73.jpg

Sunday I got another ride in a black 2001. The driver had just taken the track record for his class in the prior session, and he came back at 4:40 PM on Sunday just to give me a ride. Boy what a ride it was! Gave "speed" a whole new meaning for me. Very few cars ran, so lots of open track. I have a whole new respect for Road Atl's "Turn 10 complex" after experiencing it at the speed I did this time. Whew! Just awesome.

Again, I learned so, so much. These rides at speed are REALLY helping me get my head around the two local tracks I'll probably drive most often. At first it was all a blur. Now I know all the turns, what's over the blind crests, which rumble strips are OK to run up on and which will upset the car, etc....and for the first time, after this weekend, I really felt the itch to get out there and drive these tracks myself. I don't know that i'll ever feel really "ready," but knowledge is power. I can't wait to get out next year and see what my car and I can do!

Here's the black beauty on the grid just before a time trials session on Saturday:

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Will do!

Keep the chin up. Autocrossing, like anything challenging, takes time. I'll save other secrets for other conversations except this one:

Those that succeed at autocross (or road racing) usually seek comrades as much as trophies. Don't (ever) be shy. Looks like you are well on your way toward success and a life's worth of fun weekends!

Here's a shot of the my slow, old car under duress:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1229385676.jpg

For great photographs in the Phoenix, AZ area (or elsewhere) contact Jim Larcher.

http://www.streetlightphotography.com/adventuresports_auto.htm

Usually you will work the track on one session and drive the next. The best is to work the first session and watch for the other drivers mistakes. Then you can see where the problem or confusing turns are.

First run easy, find the line then faster each run looking for that perfect line, smoothly.

Just a little invite to you Memphians and Alabamians to try some of the Mississippi region SCCA events. Held at airports in Grenada Ms and Columbus AFB (Ms). Very low key fun events.

Website: www.msscca.org