AutoX and ATX?

[freednighthawk]

So, should I even bother? Our Cougar is an auto, but I'm inclined to try AutoX, just cause I like manuvering, not flying.

[tnkgurl]

Of course you should bother! Autocross is fun, no matter how little horsepower your car has. :wiggle: Use this time, and the Cougar, to get acquainted with autocross. Worry about winning later.

[jaged]

my first season and a half was in my atx. I did really well with my car but it has a lot of motor mods to make up for some of the lost power b/c of the atx. It cann be a bit hard on the trans but i still got 130k out of it before i had to rubuild it.

Depending on your modifications youll be in a class that you can do well in, but you can quickly get into a class that will be too much for the car.

They biggest thing that depends on how well you do is you the driver, not the car. But like tnkgrl said, youre more than likely not goinng to win in the atx, but you can get pretty good in the coug cause it handles well

[contrapaul]

I do it with my auto-tragic coug! Its loads of fun, and will seem fast (you don't get to floor cars all the time on the road.)

[shoult]

So, should I even bother? Our Cougar is an auto, but I'm inclined to try AutoX, just cause I like manuvering, not flying.

Go do it. It's cheap. It's fun. Don't expect to win any trophies. Listen to other drivers.

Read the AutoX faq before you go. Print it out and take it with you.

[freednighthawk]

Thank you, those were the type of responces I was hoping for. I'm not to concerned with winning, and because the car is STOCK I shouldn't have to worry about what class I'm in.

And yes, I have read the FAQ, and every other post in here, I just didn't see anything that applies specifically to ATXs.

[EricF]

A bit late, but I still say go for it..
Once upon a time...
I ran a ATX Taurus SHO, a NEON ACR and Contour SVT 3L
on the same day(we had some fun runs)
Embarrassingly enough I ran about 2 seconds faster in the Taurus than either of the other
cars. Still a bit confused on that one..

FreedNightHawk, send me a PM when your thinking about attending
a AutoX in SLC, I ran with them last year, I don't plan on attending much
since they bumped their pricing up. But I could possibly attend an event.

[freednighthawk]

What sort of pricing are we talking about? Cause I cant afford to throw a whole bunch of money just to drive fast. (actualy, right now I cant afford to drop any money, out of jobs right this moment)

But I'll deffinantly shoot you a pm when we get everything squared away, money wise. And get new rear tires, the ones on the car SUCK. Fish tailed and spun out on I15 around North Salt Lake only doing about 75-80. Got the fronts replaced after that, but couldn't afford the rears.

[EricF]

Utah SCCA Forums - Announcements in Forum : Solo (http://forums.utahscca.com/announcement.php?f=7&a=15)

If i read it right 45-50 which is a little steep I believe
but we'll see.

Although if you get a SCCA membership it pays for itself in 3 events.

[shoult]

Utah SCCA Forums - Announcements in Forum : Solo (http://forums.utahscca.com/announcement.php?f=7&a=15)

If i read it right 45-50 which is a little steep I believe
but we'll see.

Although if you get a SCCA membership it pays for itself in 3 events.

Different regions have different rates (I've seen as low as $20) and run their events differently. Depending on where you live, you may also find more then one SCCA autox event within driving distance.

But, whatever you do, be prepared to stay the WHOLE day. Some clubs have morning and afternoon session. One group runs the morning and works corners in the afternoon, the other is the reverse. If you run the morning and then leave without working, they WILL remember you and not fondly.

I agree totally on the Membership.

[freednighthawk]

Actualy, by my math, it would pay for itself the first event. I can see spending $35 for it, not $50 per event.

And what does "Working corners" mean? Standing on the coarse directing which way the car is supposed to go?

[tnkgurl]

Working corners is the scut work of autocross. If a car comes through the course and knocks down a cone (or several...I remember the cone wall I had to replace on the fly), it's your responsibility as a corner worker to get to the cone quickly and get it replaced before the next driver comes through.

I have been a corner worker in regions where there is only one car on course at a time and they give the workers plenty of time to replace the cone, but I've also worked in larger regions where they have up to four cars on course at any given time and you've got maybe five minutes to get the cone back in place before the next car comes through.

I do love having already paid my dues. Now I get cushy jobs like announcer and course captain.

[EricF]

Working on the course means, shagging cones that are knocked down
or radio'ing in how many cones for the car... and of course the all important
flagger(holds the red flag in case you have to stop a car)

there are other positions too, like starter, grid, etc.

[freednighthawk]

Okay, doesn't sound all that bad really. Especialy if I work it in the morning, then run in the afternoon, cause I can watch all the cars and identify problem spots before I run.

[azbobbybooshay10]

Okay, doesn't sound all that bad really. Especialy if I work it in the morning, then run in the afternoon, cause I can watch all the cars and identify problem spots before I run.

This is EXACTLY what I recommend for a first-time auto-X'er. My first time, I didn't realize that in the Novice group, we got to choose our run group. I left mine to the "default" "A Group" because I thought I would just be grouped with the other SM cars. When I got to the event, I realized that I was scheduled to be the SECOND car on course immediately after the drivers meeting. :eek: Thankfully I was early enough to do a "course walk" beforehand (I actually walked it 3 times) so I knew which direction to go. I really wished I had been able to see other cars on course before I went though, that would have helped alot for my first time.

[GuidoThePenguin]

If your starting out in autocrossing, using an ATX tranny car isnt a bad idea. Its what I did with my old ATX Cougar for 5 years.

You can focus more on your line, acceleration, and braking and begin to get a feel for car handling and just how much is too much....

Once you've done a few events, moving on to an MTX car will yield better results with all other things being equal.

I can turn lap times 2-4 seconds faster in my manual car than an automatic car just like mine. And this on a 40 second course.

[shoult]

And what does "Working corners" mean? Standing on the coarse directing which way the car is supposed to go?

Most events are held in parking lots with the course marked out with cones. Usually the placement of each cone is outlined in chalk. When a car goes by the corner you are working and hits a cone so that it moves outside it's markings one worker radios in the car number and penalty (eg: Car ASP 9, +1 cone) while the other runs out to get the cone and replace it properly. You are also there to wave the Red and/or Yellow flags and man the fire extinguisher.

Your time is made up of the actual time you took to complete the course plus 2 seconds for each cone you hit out of it's box. You can DNF a run it you fail to go around a cone the right direction. This is why it's SO important to arrive early, walk the course with an old shoe and to have your ears open and mouth shut.

[jaged]

then after a while you get to be solo chair like me and get to boss people around and tell them what to do.

[freednighthawk]

Lol, Can I be just like you when I grow up? Anyways, I prefer autos anyway... I dunno, just something about being able to coast without having to hold down a different pedal.

Of coarse, the only manuals I've driven were my dad's Kia Spectra, and my old 86 Cabriolet, with the useless clutch... You know, the kinda thing where you can put it in first, leave your foot on the brake, and release the clutch and the engine doesn't even hiccup...

[GuidoThePenguin]

then after a while you get to be solo chair like me and get to boss people around and tell them what to do.

Then you can become R.E. and boss around the solo-chair, like me. :evil:





oh wait, I'm also the solo chair...... :(