Owned in SM!

[webink_EK9]

Well, seems that my car wasn't quite ready for this weekend of AutoX. I didn't have my slicks mounted so I ran on the old Nitto econo 14's...well I just looked dumb out there. I pulled some bad ass streight lines, but I'd lose my ass in the sharp turns. Just sliding all over. By the last run, I adjusted the tire pressure to give me enough rear rotation to save me a few seconds, but that SM class is full of bad ass cars....M3's, WRX, a fast ass neons. I ended up losing to the leader by 6 seconds (M3). I was off by about 4.5 seconds to most of the rest of the feild. The other SM civic out today was closer (sir swapped hatch) but he had a good setup and out cornered me. Guess thats whats its all about in autox though. Picking up my RSZ's with AVON Tech R's mounted tomorrow and I'm getting a set of Azenis on Rotas this weekend.

Here's what I learned today (quite a lot even with being slow.)
1 Street tires suck.
2 Rear end rotation in my hatch is good.
3 M3's own
4 Sun screen would have been nice.
5 The removal of power steering was a great improvement (wasn't expecting that)

Anyway, I'll be a little more ready next sunday.

 

[E_SolSi]

SEAT TIME

most important thing you can do for better autoX times
get out there and run it as many times as you can as often as you can
good times come with experience

but yeah the tires are probly holding you back as well

 

[UDT]

Probly? ............ try YES

 

[asmallsol]

Originally posted by UDT@Jun 21 2004, 01:50 AM
Probly? ............ try YES

Tires are not the real thing thats holding you back. Yea your tires suck, but better tires are not worth 6 seconds. Sometimes 6 seconds is an improvement of 10-20%. The thing that is holding you back is you don't know how to drive. There are alot of guys in autoX that have been there for 10+ years. My freind who was a decent driver with a GSR with Tein Flex's, azenies, and 22mm Rear sway got KILLED by a basicly stock neon. It was all because the guy had been doing it for 13years.

No matter how prepared your car is, if you don't drive it perfectly, your going to be slow. In autocross, the only thing that matters is the driver.

 

[E_SolSi]

 

[webink_EK9]

but if you can't hold a line and aim your car because you have no grip, you're kinda screwed. yeah, I could drive slower, but thats not going to help that much. I know tires aren't going to make up 6 seconds, but the car that beat me was an M3 and had one of the fastest times of the day.

 

[E_SolSi]

actually slowing the fuck down and pulling smoother more consistant corners WILL make you a hell of a lot faster overall

 

[JDMilan]

agree with both E and AsSmall, good recommendations

street time, better tires, and knowing how to properly enter and leave a turn (not saying that you don't know how - just stating that you might want to look into it.)

I would also suggest speaking with others out there and asking them about possible pointers, shit like that.

 

[ahedau]

what's the saying? "go slow to go fast" "slow down to go faster"


I got seriously owned last weekend myself. I was trying to blame it on a poorly set-up car but the reality was that the driver didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. Most of the people there had 5+ yrs experience AND their cars were better prepared. My car is fast enough but I'm holding it back.

Hopefully I can get to an Evolution school before next year's Divisionals get started. I was thinking about going to Nationals until last weekend's ownage. By Nationals next year I should have another 10-15 events under my belt. While I don't think I'll be winning any championships, I hope that I won't be 3-4 seconds behind the next car over a 2 day event.

 

[vtecsir1]

possibly go to a training class like they have out here at sebring, few hundred bucks and they help you drive