Guidance Going Into 2nd AutoX Event

[SeeAsInChad]

Last weekend, I ran my car (2017 Toyota 86 - no mods) in my first autox event. While I didn't hit a cone or spin out (to my knowledge), I did DNF twice and run through each heat much slower than expected. I'm planning to practice before the next event by driving as close to the lines on the highway as possible for long stretches of time in order to get a feel for how close I can get to cones. I also plan to put up a small course in an abandoned parking lot to try driving slowly through. Does anyone else have guidance for how best to train for an event? I would love to ride passenger with folks in LA (COVID-safely) who have more of a grip on their autox car.

P.S. My stock tires are worn pretty low. Any guidance for replacement tires?

[EndlessAzure]

@SeeAsInChad



When you are actually doing the driving, relax and practice looking further ahead at the track. AutoX can be pretty disorienting the first time since it's just a field of cones. However, they are laid out in a specific way. You can read-up some more about the basics to better understand and navigate them. That really is the first step: know the driving line (i.e. where to go).



Then, you can focus on driving as fast as you can through that line (i.e. finding where your limit is). With an understanding of where to go, you can start to experiment different ways to go about going from start to end. Like you mentioned, having an instructor/friend be your passenger or getting in someone else's car can help a lot. From personal experience, being in someone else's car who is very experienced/talented doesn't help as much as driving yourself with that same person as your passenger. While they are a passenger, they can help absorb information that is personalized for you, about habits or things to try that you can't/don't notice because you are focused on the act of driving.



That being said, the best thing to do before your next event is to practice looking ahead and out further. Don't stare at the dash or the car right in front of you. Look out at roadway and ahead for information about cars coming or traffic signals. Notice the details around you and in your peripherals that you didn't before. Notice the information that the road and your car are communicating to you through sound, the seat, and the steering wheel.


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As far as tires, depends on what your budget and what you mostly use your car for. If it's a daily that sees a lot of miles, probably not a great idea to get a soft race-oriented tire, as they will need to be replaced very often. Since you're in Southern California, you can opt for summer performance tires (as it doesn't rain as often or get so cold) that you can enjoy every day and can take some occasional AutoX/track use.



On the same vein with regard to improving your driving skills, don't get the softest/stickiest/highest performance tire possible while you are first starting-off or learning. You might feel fast and get some better times, but it will mask poor technique. You are likely to build bad habits that will hinder your growth. (Tires like A052, RE71R, R888, RC1, etc.)


Eventually most folks who enjoy performance driving either have a second car as a daily, two sets of wheels&tires (one for street, one for track), or both.

[Locust]

Originally Posted by SeeAsInChad

Last weekend, I ran my car (2017 Toyota 86 - no mods) in my first autox event. While I didn't hit a cone or spin out (to my knowledge), I did DNF twice and run through each heat much slower than expected. I'm planning to practice before the next event by driving as close to the lines on the highway as possible for long stretches of time in order to get a feel for how close I can get to cones. I also plan to put up a small course in an abandoned parking lot to try driving slowly through. Does anyone else have guidance for how best to train for an event? I would love to ride passenger with folks in LA (COVID-safely) who have more of a grip on their autox car.

P.S. My stock tires are worn pretty low. Any guidance for replacement tires?

Okay step one - Stop this insane plan to drive on the lines of the road to help with autocross. Getting inches closer to cones is the last thing you should worry about. Plus your plan is mostly illegal.

The best thing you can do is get more seat time at more autocross events and ask experienced drivers for tips/help at those events (while being COVID safe of course). Setting up a small course in a parking lot can be helpful but if you don't own the lot or have permission from the owner I would advise against it. That's a solid way to end up in jail and with an impounded car.

Tires - I'd recommend Bridgestone RE71R in a 225/45/17 size. It's good in the rain and is a top tier tire in the dry. You'll get about 20,000 road miles out of them if you just do a handful of autocrosses a year. Aside from driver, tires are the place where you will find the most time.

[racingfool]

Look ahead, be smooth, floor it when you can, slow down for the turns, breathe.

Originally Posted by SeeAsInChad

I would love to ride passenger (COVID-safely)

[steverife]

First step is learning how to walk a course. Learn where to go, learn where to look when you are driving, recognize places that may require extra attention. Ask people to walk course with you to help you.

Once you can get thru a course with little worry about getting a DNF, it is time to start focusing on technique. I recommend filming your runs and sharing and asking for tips.

As far as street driving, I actually do try to drive over the reflectors on the road when it is safe to do so. I live off an industrial road with a divided median. When there is no traffic, I drive in the left hand lane and try to hit every reflector on the yellow line. Also, you can really work on being efficient with your hands.

[VTEC]

Originally Posted by SeeAsInChad

Last weekend, I ran my car (2017 Toyota 86 - no mods) in my first autox event. While I didn't hit a cone or spin out (to my knowledge), I did DNF twice and run through each heat much slower than expected. I'm planning to practice before the next event by driving as close to the lines on the highway as possible for long stretches of time in order to get a feel for how close I can get to cones. I also plan to put up a small course in an abandoned parking lot to try driving slowly through. Does anyone else have guidance for how best to train for an event? I would love to ride passenger with folks in LA (COVID-safely) who have more of a grip on their autox car.

P.S. My stock tires are worn pretty low. Any guidance for replacement tires?

Do you know where you went off course or did you only realize it after you got your results?

If you're getting DNF and it's not due to a spin out, my suggestion is to do more course walks in the morning. Walk it four or five times if you have to. You don't have to memorize the track exactly but you should always know the general direction you are headed without even seeing the cones. Especially focus on sections of the track where the next set of pylons aren't immediately in your field of vision, or double gate/crossover sections. Those are the easiest sections for a beginner to get lost on. Basically, if I gave you a piece of paper you should be able to draw out a rough outline of the course.

Once you have the track in your head, you can concentrate on pushing the car hard and driving fast, instead of figuring out where to go.

Also if you're not sure where you are getting DNF, get a dashcam or Go Pro so you can replay the lap. You would be surprised how obvious it is where you went off course when you're calmly watching a replay on dashcam, than when you're adrenaline is pumping, the engine is screaming and the tires are squealing.

[AllThePeat]

To reiterate what some others have said — walk the course. Walk it over and over — I will typically walk 4/5 times depending on length. Our chapter offers a novice walk — I would definitely suggest that if offered where you are. For us, it’s tpically the guy that always wins PAX that walks this group — it’s a great way to learn the line. Sometimes we also get fun runs at the end — if you are able to do that, I would ask an instructor/top driver to ride with and provide pointers.

Look ahead — eyes always up — don’t death grip the wheel/stay relaxed. Try to turn earlier — most of the time, newer drivers are turning at the cone instead of before. If your making the car rotate at/after the cone, you are late — try to get it to rotate more before the cone so you can get on the power earlier. And try to stay smooth — if you are constantly sawing at the wheel your weight is always in motion and will take away from controlling the weight and using it to your advantage (which will come later with seat time).

I also use a GoPro to review my runs — typically the day after as more of a debrief than at the event, but could see doing that after your heats helpful as well — especially if you are DNFing.

Good luck, have fun — and ask lots of questions. I’ve found the autocross family to be pretty awesome!

Couple of my runs:

[SeeAsInChad]

Thanks for all of the speedy guidance!

@EndlessAzure - You hit the nail on the head. I was so concerned with being the guy who knocked over all the cones that I wasn't looking ahead. I will practice that in the coming weeks before the next event here in LA. Do you have recommendations on a summer performance tire? That sounds like exactly what I need.

@racingfool - Love the haiku. Short & sweet

@steverife & @VTEC - I missed the first half of the novice course walk my first time. I won't do that again. I got stuck at tech. I'll be sure to get there earlier next time. I'll setup my DJI Osmo Pocket in the car to figure out where I can improve as well for the future.

@AllThePeat - Yeah, everyone here seems to be super supportive. I will practice turning earlier in the future. I have a feeling this is part of my problem.

[EndlessAzure]

Originally Posted by SeeAsInChad

Thanks for all of the speedy guidance!

@EndlessAzure - You hit the nail on the head. I was so concerned with being the guy who knocked over all the cones that I wasn't looking ahead. I will practice that in the coming weeks before the next event here in LA. Do you have recommendations on a summer performance tire? That sounds like exactly what I need.

Plenty of discussion and reviews around the forum. Just figure out what size you need and your budget. That will guide the way.


Hankook Ventus V12 Evo2, Michelin Pilot Sport 4S, Firestone Indy 500, among others.

[whataboutbob]

A lot of good comments in here already. I'll just chime in with my 2 cents.

0) You're there to have fun and learn, make friends and ask questions.

1) Understand how to read the cone setups for the various element types.

2) Walk the course with an experienced autocrosser. When registering/checking in on the morning of the event, ask the person working the event if they can/are providing a novice course walk. Typically an experienced autocrosser will walk with a group of novices through the course and explain the various elements and what might be a good line to traverse the course.

3) Focus on completing the course without any DNFs before you try to set your fastest time. Don't view each course element as its own task, look to link elements together as one big track. Look ahead to the next course element as you are driving the course.

4) When driving the course, focus on car placement that will allow you to maintain the smoothest line while linking all of the elements together. This will allow you to maintain a higher average speed throughout the course. A higher average speed is more important than the highest peak speed in reducing your times.

5) Make sure you slow down enough on the corner entries such that the car will turn when you need it to. Overdriving the corner entries can typically lead to understeer situations where the car won't turn in. The second benefit of this is that if you do it right, typically you can get on the gas quicker out of the corner.

6) When applying the brakes, gas, or steering inputs, do it smoothly. The less smooth you are, the more you will tend to upset the car, reducing grip.

- Bob

[SCFD]

The most important thing for beginners to the sport is to not DNF and just put down a time.

If you don't know where/why you DNF'd, it means you don't know the course well enough. Get to the event early and walk the course as much as possible.

[SeeAsInChad]

Thanks @SCFD & @whataboutbob! I will focus this weekend on not getting a DNF by walking the course more in the morning at the novice course walk.