This Saturday was the first Solo II event I have ever participated in.

We had 8 runs. I got a chance to record my 1st, 2nd and 4th runs on my camcorder. The course was fully wet during the 5th, 6th and 7th runs, ~30% wet during the 8th run.

My setup: Stock springs/shocks, Toyo Proxes 4 - 42psi front / 44psi rear, RSB, stage 1 LTB, ES FSB bushings. (and other stuff in my sig)

Videos: (please keep in mind these were my first runs when I still haven't learned the course. ... But feel free to discuss them. )

Run # 1: http://media.putfile.com/run-1-97
Run # 2: http://media.putfile.com/run-2
Run # 4: http://media.putfile.com/run-3

Results: http://www.autox4u.com/2006results/7222006nnjr.htm (my best time was 59.583 sec. during the 8th run)

BTW: Congratulations to Andrew (Max5spdDrifter) for finishing 2nd in STX

 

Congrats Roman. Looked like pretty tough conditions to deal with that day. Those bleachers looked a bit scary on the left hander (run #2 at 27sec). Now that you've got the butterflies shaken off when's your next event?

 

yeah the bleachers aren't in the best location, that might have made me a little nervous.....

 

Those bleachers were indeed quite close... had to be more careful when the surface was wet...

I will probably run only one more event this season (September 2nd seems like a good time,) as all-season tires do wear quite badly in such conditions.

If everything goes the way I planned, I will get a set of summer tires for the next season (hopefully with lightweight rims) and I'll be able to autocross more frequently.

 

very nice. I suggest next time you video, set up the camera so it can see what your hands are doing. Hand positioning can have a big effect on how efficiently you drive the course, and few things are as instructional as seeing how good (or bad) your "hand technique" is during an autocross.

We took some vid of Jason (soonerfan) down through the sunroof (similar to my vids) and it was AMAZING how much hand-over-arm and upside-down-hand action he had going on. Good hand shuffling could have saved him a second or two.....

 

That's how I wanted to set it up at first, so that it captures both what's in front of the car and what my hands are doing. But I just couldn't figure our how, without buying any special hardware. Next time, I guess, I'll just move the camcorder from one position to another after every run.

BTW, where did you buy those camera mounts that you use? Is this stuff expansive?

 

www.stickypod.com

Not too expensive, and well worth it if you plan to autocross regularly. Maybe someone else you autocross with will go splits with you on it...

 

Interestingly enough, some instructors at a track day will tell you to NOT to shuffle. I really depends on the turn at autocross, but the big difference is that on a track everything you do is much more graceful and you're not turning the wheel as much.

 

Thanks! I'm not sure if I want to spend money on something like this yet, but that's definitely something I will need to get in the future.

 

A little off topic, but it seems like auto-x is actually more interesting than racing on a real race track. I have never been on a race track (only back roads) but it looks like everything is happening much quicker when you autocross and I really enjoy that. Not only do you have to react quicker and REALLY look ahead to get the best time but it also makes you feel like you are in a faster car.

 

Ah, now you understand. There's much more precision and many different driver skills involved than open track. Especially when you get to events where only 3 runs/day count. Then it becomes as mental as physical somewhat like golf. Many track drivers do come "back" to autocross early each year to sharpen their skills again.

 

Try road racing first before make those statements, even if it's just a HPDE organized by NASA. The only problem with a HPDE is the competition aspect isn't there, that I do like better in auto-x. EMRA has some time trial things at Pocono and Limerock that you can do.
Anyway,
these statements are FAR more true in road racing if you're trying to go 7-10/10ths. When most of what you're doing is above 90mph and you're trail braking and flirting with 4-wheel drifts, the adrenaline level is FAR past what you can get in a 50sec auto-x run.

I will say that a big advantage for auto-x'ers while on a roadcourse is that a somewhat experienced auto-er will be so used to memorizing courses that it will be easier to do so than someone with equal experience just with roadcourses. The other inate auto-x trait is they look for 10ths of a second, so they tend to pay attention to where they're actually losing speed a little better.

 

Nice work on the videos and congrats on your first event!

 

agreed, though open track racing is really more centric to the capabilities of the car than is autocross.

For example, I routinely beat an STi here and an Evo there in autocross because of the drivers' marginal skills. But on an open track, I'd venture to say that I would not beat either of these cars, even WITH mediocre drivers, if they were "trying".

 

hmm....irish...I find it the other way around...of course all the sti and evo drivers at the autoX's around me are all veterans...and have been around longer than I have...but those same guys I beat at open track days on a technical course...I think it has to do with the fact that understeer is less of a problem on open tracks...which hurt us so much at the autoX's...and our huge wheelbase allows more grip and stability in higher speed turns...once again another advantage in open road coarses

 

yeah, there are alot of rich kids around here....you see 16-year-olds rolling in Evos and STIs to events. They can't drive for crap, but they have fast cars....

 

Yeah I would think my car would be better on a road course than it would be in autox just because our steering ratio seems so damn slow at low speeds, and its got a longer wheel base which deff seems to hurt us in quick transitions.

My car feels quite quick on the backroads, I feel I could pull away from some pretty high performance cars on a togue type race or a road course, its around the parking lot that even with the suspension and chassis mods I've done my car feels sluggish, heavy and slow. On a twisty back road though, I've deff scared people $hitless with the speed I can carry through long sweeping corners.

 

my point was really more about autocross being more "skill-intensive" than road course racing.....not trying to start an argument about Maximas vs. STIs and Evos. It was just a handy example.

 

I am more really just curious as to what form of racing the maxima does best. I would say its best in long sweepers, thus prob togue or road course racing. My car is just plain embarrasing in a parking lot. At that maxima meet I went to recently there werent any curvy roads around so I brought it into the parking lot (because we had no other option) and threw it around the lot a little bit (to show them how the Eibachs and SFCs handled) . I was embarrased cause I forgot how clumsy the car is at low speed.