The official Auto-X thread

Started by MX793, August 21, 2016, 06:31:45 PM

Eye of the Tiger

mang i miss autoxin, but im thinkin aboit drag racin
2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

Xer0

Quote from: giant_mtb on April 21, 2019, 02:41:08 PM
That's sick, man. Is it sometimes hard to follow those courses?  I find myself wondering sometimes how people don't just fuck up and go the wrong way. Like I can tell that they lay cones out to make it at least a bit intuitive, but damn. I feel like half my brain power would be focused on where TF I'm supposed to turn next. I assume you get practice/walk time?

The local autocross group in my area, Chicago, does a yearly event for newbies were you go over the basics and run a course that's a bit shorter than average.  Think 30 seconds to complete instead of 50-60 seconds for the regular season.  Anyway, a couple years ago when I participated in it there was this hot shot in a brand new M3 that brought his girlfriend with him and his first run he instantly got lost in the course.  It was pretty embarrassing  :lol:  Point is it happens, but honestly its pretty hard to get lost if you're always looking a turn or two ahead and not just what's in front of you.  Plus you walk the course a couple times and if you're running any group but the first one, you should have a good idea of the layout. 

MX793

I'm far more likely to forget the course layout when I'm not in the first run group.  I typically work timing, so I'm not as focused on watching cars on course.  I also run registration, so I'm lucky to get more than one walk-through in the morning.  I find I need at least 3 walkthroughs to really commit a course to memory.  I started helping with course setups the day before just so I'd get more time walking the course.
Needs more Jiggawatts

2016 Ford Mustang GTPP / 2011 Toyota Rav4 Base AWD / 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS
1992 Nissan 240SX Fastback / 2004 Mazda Mazda3s / 2011 Ford Mustang V6 Premium / 2007 Suzuki GSF1250SA Bandit / 2006 VW Jetta 2.5

Xer0

Makes sense.  I'm not very consistent with going, maybe a couple times a year, so my assignment is on the course itself and picking up cones.  You get familiar with the course real quick when you're out there watching the runs.

FoMoJo

Do these layouts ever involve backing up?
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Xer0

Not that I'm aware of.  The course is laid out so that there are usually 3 cars running it at any given time with about 20 seconds or so separating them.  It always needs to be moving forward in the same direction or you'll have lots of problems.

FoMoJo

I was wondering whether it was similar to gymkhana courses.  I used to go and watch a few of them at one time.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Eye of the Tiger

Quote from: FoMoJo on April 22, 2019, 07:34:05 AM
Do these layouts ever involve backing up?

Only when you run over the timing lights. :mask:
2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

MX793

If courses included having to reverse, I can think of several vehicle classes that would no longer be able to compete.  Karts and most/all motorcycle-powered formula cars (F440, F500, FSAE) don't have reverse gears.
Needs more Jiggawatts

2016 Ford Mustang GTPP / 2011 Toyota Rav4 Base AWD / 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS
1992 Nissan 240SX Fastback / 2004 Mazda Mazda3s / 2011 Ford Mustang V6 Premium / 2007 Suzuki GSF1250SA Bandit / 2006 VW Jetta 2.5

FoMoJo

Quote from: MX793 on April 22, 2019, 10:14:08 AM
If courses included having to reverse, I can think of several vehicle classes that would no longer be able to compete.  Karts and most/all motorcycle-powered formula cars (F440, F500, FSAE) don't have reverse gears.
It was kind of neat though.  It wasn't so much about speed, more about control and consistency.  You could power out of the reverse box though.
"The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." ~ Albert Einstein
"As the saying goes, when you mix science and politics, you get politics."

Soup DeVille

Quote from: FoMoJo on April 22, 2019, 07:34:05 AM
Do these layouts ever involve backing up?

That's gymkhana, which has gotten pretty rare these days.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

giant_mtb

Gymkhana is like auto-x on meth with a hit of weed to keep you focused.

MX793

Quote from: Xer0 on April 21, 2019, 09:43:45 PM
The local autocross group in my area, Chicago, does a yearly event for newbies were you go over the basics and run a course that's a bit shorter than average.  Think 30 seconds to complete instead of 50-60 seconds for the regular season.  Anyway, a couple years ago when I participated in it there was this hot shot in a brand new M3 that brought his girlfriend with him and his first run he instantly got lost in the course.  It was pretty embarrassing  :lol:  Point is it happens, but honestly its pretty hard to get lost if you're always looking a turn or two ahead and not just what's in front of you.  Plus you walk the course a couple times and if you're running any group but the first one, you should have a good idea of the layout. 

I love hotshot newbies with fast cars.  A few years ago, I attended an event at our neighboring region.  A guy with a Viper showed up.  Attracted a bit of a crowd since we don't usually see a lot of high end stuff.  He was a short way behind me during morning coursewalk and I overheard him telling the people he was walking with that he'd never autocrossed, but has done some track days so this should be a breeze.  He finished 110 out of 112 in raw and handicapped time.  Only cars that ran slower raw times were a couple of little kids (like under 8 years old) in mini karts that were governed to like 15 mph.  I watched one of his runs and it was slow.  Overconfident Viper guy quit and went home after morning runs.
Needs more Jiggawatts

2016 Ford Mustang GTPP / 2011 Toyota Rav4 Base AWD / 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS
1992 Nissan 240SX Fastback / 2004 Mazda Mazda3s / 2011 Ford Mustang V6 Premium / 2007 Suzuki GSF1250SA Bandit / 2006 VW Jetta 2.5

giant_mtb

Track and auto-x are soooooo differet. Auto-X is so much more rapid and intense. Sounds like a douchebaggggg.

r0tor

I never liked auto-x as I always had issues with trying to figure out where the course was among the sea of cones at our crappy laid out parking lots.

But put it on something like a go-kart track and it's impossibly fun. With slower speeds you can try much more maniacal driving moves then on a large track.
2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee No Speed -- 2004 Mazda RX8 6 speed -- 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia All Speed

68_427

Quote from: MX793 on April 22, 2019, 05:04:40 PM
I love hotshot newbies with fast cars.  A few years ago, I attended an event at our neighboring region.  A guy with a Viper showed up.  Attracted a bit of a crowd since we don't usually see a lot of high end stuff.  He was a short way behind me during morning coursewalk and I overheard him telling the people he was walking with that he'd never autocrossed, but has done some track days so this should be a breeze.  He finished 110 out of 112 in raw and handicapped time.  Only cars that ran slower raw times were a couple of little kids (like under 8 years old) in mini karts that were governed to like 15 mph.  I watched one of his runs and it was slow.  Overconfident Viper guy quit and went home after morning runs.

If you see a guy with a light blue Lincoln MKZ in the fingerlakes region tell him sweet ride grandpa.
Quotewhere were you when automotive dream died
i was sat at home drinking brake fluid when wife ring
'racecar is die'
no


CaminoRacer

2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

CaminoRacer

2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Eye of the Tiger

2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

CaminoRacer

Quote from: Eye of the Tiger on September 23, 2019, 01:19:47 PM
HS? That's bullshit. :thumbsup:

Fiesta ST is the dominate car in that class. Similar HP to the Bolt, less torque, but also less weight. I think they're pretty similar overall.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Laconian

No engine noise, only tire squealing!
Kia EV6 GT-Line / MX-5 RF 6MT

MX793

Quote from: CaminoRacer on September 23, 2019, 01:30:40 PM
Fiesta ST is the dominate car in that class. Similar HP to the Bolt, less torque, but also less weight. I think they're pretty similar overall.

Fiesta ST shouldn't be in H, either.  But they keep punting faster cars into slower classes.  You used to be able to show up in a stock Corolla or non-Si Civic with decent tires and at least have a chance in H.  Those were the kinds of cars H was intended for.  Not anymore.
Needs more Jiggawatts

2016 Ford Mustang GTPP / 2011 Toyota Rav4 Base AWD / 2014 Kawasaki Ninja 1000 ABS
1992 Nissan 240SX Fastback / 2004 Mazda Mazda3s / 2011 Ford Mustang V6 Premium / 2007 Suzuki GSF1250SA Bandit / 2006 VW Jetta 2.5

12,000 RPM

Next mods: Hoosiers, flux capacitor, drain pipe RSB.
Protecctor of the Atmospheric Engine #TheyLiedToUs

CaminoRacer

RE-71Rs would be the tire of choice. Hoosiers would bump me out of street class.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

CaminoRacer

2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Eye of the Tiger

I want to see the slowest run with doritoes.
2008 TUNDRA (Truck Ultra-wideband Never-say-die Daddy Rottweiler Awesome)

CaminoRacer

No doritoes this time. I did drift the last sweeper a couple of times.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

CaminoRacer

Event #2 of 2021 is on Saturday! I skipped the first one because it was freezing & raining. More like Winter-X than Auto-X.

El Camino is mid-transmission swap right now, so this will be the Miata's time to shine.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

CaminoRacer

Got 10 runs today, 6 in the morning and 4 in the afternoon. I got progressively better each run, as I got used to the car. I was in 3rd place out of 3 Miatas in C Street until the last run, when I dropped 0.6 seconds and took 1st place. Not bad for the first event in this car :rockon:

For raw time I was 28th out of 78, PAX was 20th.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

CaminoRacer

This is one of my runs from the morning heat, but I went like 2 seconds faster in the afternoon when the camera was off.

https://youtu.be/NfGXfP--B_I
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV