JackoliciousLegs

I'm about to start autoXing... what should I take a look at before I hit the... um... lot...

I've done coolant and oil. I'm gonna change plugs as well...

rmaier

I guess you could put in some real nice tranny fluid if oyu haven't done that in a while. Play around with the tire pressure for maximum traction. Take out the spare tire or anything not necessary that adds weight that isn't a big trouble to remove unless you're down for putting in more time. Less weight is free acceleration!

fc3seeker

you should go in speedos and a helmet! MAXIMUM weight reduction.

BDoty311

How about an alignment?

F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

Going along with the alignment, check your bushings under the car. You want to "Shore-up" and tighten the car as much as possible. The more worn bushings/suspension/end links are the more chance you have of mis-reading the feedback your car is giving and then losing control.

Also if you havn't replaced the DTSS elminators, learn how they work. Extremely worn DTSS bushings will keep tracking to the outside way after the turn and can be very annoying.

Wankel7

Your first Auto-x

First thing is to make sure you have read the novice handbook. .

I would bring plenty of drinking water, sunscreen, and some munchies food to keep your stomach quite for the day. Before you drive to the site, remove stuff from your car that will fly around and hurt you. Remove the subs from the back. Also, buy some white shoe polish. In addition, I would recommend one of those portable air tanks and a good air pressure gauge. Put your tires at 32psi before your first run.

Look over your car and make sure it is not leaking fluid. Also, check your battery to make sure it is secure! Shake around make sure it doesn’t move. Also, check your wheel bearings (http://www.fc3s.org/how_tos/maintena...nspection.html ). Make sure your brake and clutch fluid is topped off. Mare sure your tires are not showing cord. I mention this because your car does have to pass a tech inspection. If you fail you might not have time to fix it and race that day.

I would get there before registration opens open. Get your car parked and get a good spot. Then you can remove your jack and spare if you want to. Helps mark your spot.

After you register, make sure you walk the course. I walk it at least four times. I also write the course down on graph paper. This really helps you learn the course faster.

MAKE SURE you attend the novice meeting. Most of the times this includes a novice walk. You will have a knowledable racer walk the course with you and tell you how it works and how to drive it. When I was doing it every season I was still doing the novice walk because you can ALWAYS learn something. And generally, the guy/gal doing the walk was faster than I was. Also, be in the front of the pack so you can hear what they have to say.

Then you will attend the drivers meeting for everybody else. This does not have a course walk. But it will explain run groups and when you will be working. Everybody that races works.

Working is either running the grid or being on the corners counting cones hit. Since it is your first time, make sure you aren’t stuck working by your self. When you work the course, you can learn a lot. Watching how other drivers do it.

Before you run take that shoe polish I mentioned and put two small stripes on your tires starting at the tread and extending down the side wall about two inches. Put them opposite of each other on all four tires. The reason you do this is to see how much your tire is rolling over to the sidewall during hard cornering.

If you come back from your run and see that, all the shoe polish is gone. You need more pressure in your tires. Maybe 2psi. This is where you play with it. The goal is to have the rollover confined to the tread of the tire. Since it has grip there. Not the sidewall.

Just have fun out there! You are not going to do well out there and bet everybody! Just realize that. Just have fun. And make sure you make to more races to get better.

At the end of the day, I would recommend staying the whole day even if your done racing and working. Just to congratulate the people that won their class. Also, to help clean up the course.

Before the awards, there might be a chance they will have fun runs. Basically, for a few bucks, you can go run the course. Do it. It is fun. And good experience.

If you do have a chance to do a fun runs. See if you ask one of the best drivers in the club to drive your car. If you can let somebody drive her. The reason I say this is because it will give you a chance to see what your car can do with an experienced racer behind the wheel. You will probably be amazed. Try to time it.

The best way to make you a faster driver is to work on you. That means seat time. There is no substitute for it. You can slap mods on the car to make you faster. But in a way, you set your self back. Because now you have to relearn your car. If you do want to mod. Try to do it one at a time.

Have fun out there! Here is a link to the novice handbook. PM me if you have any questions.

http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm

James

Wankel7

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JGard18

I would also highly recommend having an instructor ride along with you ALL DAY. Yes, it adds more weight, but it's your first time out, and you will not be competitive, no matter what.

BDoty311

Great info Wankle7.

F1blueRx7

iTrader: (5)

Wankel I think you really gave some good information but you need to stress the operating condition of the car.

IMO, Your car should have all wearable items on it in complete working condition before you even look at a track. 15 years on stock springs and then you think you're going to go race around a track with them? Just make sure your car is in working order. The tech guys will probably point out any issues that need to be fixed immediatly.

snub disphenoid

That's not true. I placed first in my Novice class and third overall my first time out.

I'd say go with Wankel7's advice. On top of that, up your tire pressure before you hit the course. I run 40psi up front and 38 in the rear. The rub marks are in just the right spot, and I've never experienced any trouble with my tires.

Wankel7

f1blueRx7

Good point on the preventitve maintance. I missed that one.

I understand what you are saying about springs being worn. Or the struts being shot.

I would agree with you totaly on that. However, it is autox. It is not a racetrack.

Racing on 15 year old suspension is going to fine. If something breaks it will not kill you like could on a track.

If the person who posts this lets an experienced racer drive his car they will prob. point out things that might need work on the car.

I think it would be fine to race on the car as long as it is not a saftey hazard to others. There is no reason to spend 400 plus to do suspension for one autox. Just go out and race. Then start to realize that your car might be lacking in areas as you build up seat time. Then work on these areas slowely so you can adapt as a driver to your cars changes.

Also, it would give him a chance to think if he wants to be competitve. If that is that case then he might regret springs because that puts him in a different class. However, with the BOV and FCD he is most likely going to Street Mod after he cant run novice.

I do understand your point of view though. And you can't go wrong with it terms of saftey.

James

Davidov

iTrader: (2)

Dont worry about going fast....worry about where your hands, feet, eyes, and brain are.

andrew lohaus

look as far down the track as possible. dont fixate on the nearest apex. look to the next one and the nearest one will figure itself out instinctivley. trust me.

JackoliciousLegs

bov will be removed for the autox, but the fcd will still be there...

thanks so much for all the advice and for the link to the solo2 handbook... I'll let you guys n gals know how I do!

Wankel7

Yeah, please do ! Good luck and have fun!

snub disphenoid

The FCD would still put you in street mod, I believe.

JGard18

yeah...novice class.


plus, in your first season or so, you shouldn't even worry about being competitive. You should worry about learning your car and learning how to drive.

dorifc3s

suspension suspension suspension