Taking the Celica to my first autocross, Now with Video! Options

[jgreening]

On May 20, I am going run in my first autocross. I would appreciate any tips those with experience can give me.

This post has been edited by jgreening: May 21, 2006 - 9:09 AM

[presure2]

slower, is faster.
power understeer can be a good thing.
most importantly if its your first time,
HAVE FUN!
good luck man, let us know the results!

[Defgeph]

Awesome man, Have fun thats most important.

[Valo666]

im headin out tomorrow to do my first autocross 2. gonne b fun doing it with some friends. got my buddy, butters, comin with his AE86, my friend sasha with his s14, if he gets it out of the impound lot by tomorrow, and my friend dan with his S12. Its gonna be really fun though, my car, winter tires still...15+ degrees outside, racing, with shot rear sway bar end links..lol Gonna see if i can swap the new links in tonight

[lagos]

In a little over a week I am going run in my first autocross. I would appreciate any tips those with experience can give me.

sure, i can give you some great tips... here they are:

1. buy a high quality video camera
2. find somone who can operate said camera
3. record everything that happens at the event
4. FINALLY POST SOME DAMN VIDEOS UP

[Driveby]

Leave your mechanical sympathy at home, you can say sorry to your car when you get home

[Outrider]

power understeer can be a good thing.

I hate sounding ignernt, but what do you mean by this? Turning the wheels too tight for the corner and powering thru so they slide?

I was going to autocross a couple months ago, but the local SCCA lost the location. All races on hold until further notice.

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

power understeer can be a good thing.

I hate sounding ignernt, but what do you mean by this? Turning the wheels too tight for the corner and powering thru so they slide?

I was going to autocross a couple months ago, but the local SCCA lost the location. All races on hold until further notice.

I think he's talking about flicking the car around and using the understear to carry the weight. Practice makes perfect Jay. Find a parking lot and work on the heal-toe and left foot brake. If you aren't comfertable with those, they'll slow you down if you try to use them. Manny is right, slower can be faster. The key is smoothness. I know when you are taking the turns at the limit of your grip it doesn't seem smooth, but if you hit that sweet spot you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Fast wins laps, smooth wins races.

[OrbitalGT95]

keep ur rpms high...best advice i can give u

[dustin15brown]

1) Give me a date time and place and I might try to drive up
2) listen to art
3) hand me the keys and let me give her a go
#1 and 2 are serious

[Defgeph]

You know I make in car camera mounts right ?

[jgreening]

Tommorrow morning is the autocross folks. Wish me luck and the Celica no breakage!

[ILuvMyCelica95]

Greening i hope your planning on taking videos!!!

[presure2]

HAVE FUN JAY!!!!!!!!
got my fingers crossed for ya!
anyone taping for you?
do you have a RCR camara mount at the ready?????????
good luck man, cant wait to hear the results!
=)

[CilverSeliST205]

You know I make in car camera mounts right ?

Damn it man! I WILL buy Jay a camera mout - seriously ill pay for it as long as he promises at least 10mins of various clips of his car running...

Jay if you refuse then i throw up bs flag for the fact that you own 3s powered vert celica with gt4 hawtness parts and you dont want to show it off

[jgreening]

You know I make in car camera mounts right ?

Damn it man! I WILL buy Jay a camera mout - seriously ill pay for it as long as he promises at least 10mins of various clips of his car running...

Jay if you refuse then i throw up bs flag for the fact that you own 3s powered vert celica with gt4 hawtness parts and you dont want to show it off

Generous offer but I doubt it will be here before I leave at 7:30am. CilverSeli, you should come out. Its probably less than a two hour drive for you. Its in Rantoul at the Air Force Base - right before you get to Champaign. I am told that the runs start at about 11am.

By the way, I am taking my digi cam and it does have video capabilities. I will see what I can do for you guys (and girls)

Thanks for the well wishes folks....hopefully, I will have no mechanical issues nor make an a$$ of myself...smiles.

As for your flag, perhaps this pic I took tonight will change your mind:



This post has been edited by jgreening: May 19, 2006 - 9:57 PM

[CilverSeliST205]

Generous offer but I doubt it will be here before I leave at 7:30am. CilverSeli, you should come out. Its probably less than a two hour drive for you. Its in Rantoul at the Air Force Base - right before you get to Champaign. I am told that the runs start at about 11am.

By the way, I am taking my digi cam and it does have video capabilities. I will see what I can do for you guys (and girls)

Thanks for the well wishes folks....hopefully, I will have no mechanical issues nor make an a$$ of myself...smiles.

As for your flag, perhaps this pic I took tonight will change your mind:

I wish i was there right now instead of sitting at work otherwise i would surely come out to see the sexiest vert unleash its power
Good luck!

[jgreening]

I am back and had a blast. Got in 7 runs and each time got better as I went. By the last run, I was taking the car to the limit of traction in every corner. There is no question that I need some sticky rubber. I was only using about 40% of the available power.

I have a video but it is 139mb. If someone can tell me how to compress this so I can post it I will.

Here is a picture:





This post has been edited by jgreening: May 21, 2006 - 9:08 AM

[boosted_K2]

Glad you had fun! did you run a regional SCCA event or was it put on by a club?

obviously i am a little late but my best advice for if/when you go again:
unplanned understeer is not your friend... if you feel excessive understeer lift off and streighten out the wheel... dont turn more, you will only understeer more (this is a very hard concept to turn into practice).
GET YOUR EYES UP. if you think you are looking ahead... you arent looking far enough. trust your peripheral vison to see the cones you are "apexing" and focus on setup for future elements. key to autocrossing is being instinctive not responsive. you dont need to perfect apex every turn or push every corner to the limit. fast times are all about flow and keeping the car well balanced and predictable. once you start feeling more comfortable about looking further down the track you find yourself challenging cones more and more.

BTW, run with the top down

[jgreening]

Thanks for the advice Tim. Your advice was the exact same that I got from my buddy who has been autocrossing for 10 years. I didn't really understand why it would help to look further down the track but it certainly did.

This was put on by a local club but it was SCCA sanctioned so I am not sure of the answer to your question. My first run was 63 seconds and change and my last was just over 54. The Z06 which was the fastest car there was at about 45 seconds and the experienced drivers having cars similar to mine where in the 50-52 range on race rubber so I felt pretty good about the results. The run I have on video is my fourth and I ran a 55.5.