Help with first auto X

I am going to take my DD, its a 11 focus automatic. It has a CAI and will have a rear sway bar added next week. Tomorrow I am putting factory replacement Baer rotors with EBC pads on. I was thinking of adding a trans cooler. Maybe I could source one from a junkyard P71? Any tips for a novice would be appreciated. I'm berkeleying stoked

Anything you do to the car, other than overfilling the tires a little, is irrelevant. The slowness is in the driver, so concentrate on that at this point.

Enter a novice class if possible.

Take the novice walk and walk the course as many times as possible with different people. Eavesdropping is allowed on a course walk. I still do it. Then walk it again. Then one more time just for good luck.

If you have a question, ask someone. They will answer, or at least point you toward someone who can answer.

Concentrate on staying on course rather than being fast. Fast will come with practice. Stay on course.

Oh, and look ahead. Look where you are going, not where you are.

Blitzed306 wrote: I am going to take my DD, its a 11 focus automatic. It has a CAI and will have a rear sway bar added next week. Tomorrow I am putting factory replacement Baer rotors with EBC pads on. I was thinking of adding a trans cooler. Maybe I could source one from a junkyard P71? Any tips for a novice would be appreciated. I'm berkeleying stoked

None of it will matter.

You will be slow your first event. Focus on remembering the course and learning the limits.

As stated: LOOK AHEAD.

Have pro/more experienced drivers ride with you for input.

Here's a good page from my old SCCA region that was very helpful when I first started(along with all the people there):

http://cincyscca.com/autocross/getting-started/

Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.

Take your first run kinda slowish(like 70-80% speed) to learn the course line and put a solid no-cones run down. Early on I tried being too aggressive and coned away all but my first slowest feeling run. That is very disappointing.

Start trying about 40psi up front and 50psi in rear. Adjust front pressure to get least-awful wear/sidewall roll-over, adjust rear to change balance(more for oversteer less for understeer). I'd suggest don't fiddle with pressures much, focus on driving. 40/50 worked well on my Mazda3(similar to your focus) and my Mazda2 when on stock all-season tires.

Also if you have the stock intake still put it back on so you run on the H-street index, otherwise you go to STF I believe.

No need to add a trans cooler.

If you shifter has a 2 position I'd leave if in second the whole time. IIRC it will still start out in first, this will just keep if from constantly trying to upshift for fuel economy.

Edit again:

Big help for me was change your seating position... Make it so your arms are about a 90 degree bend when holding the wheel and make it so you can brake making fine adjustments to pressure in a controlled manner.

For me that is normally same recline angle but bottom moved forward 1-2 inches or so.

In reply to flatlander937: I disagree with the tire pressure. I suggest just bumping them up by 5 psi all around. He will have enough mental work trying to learn how to race.

Skip the rear bar and brake upgrade. If you end up loving it and compete in every event for a few years, you will probably trade in your current DD for a 5-speed version of your current car. Ask the event workers and the veteran racers questions to everything you can think of. They will be more than willing to help a new guy have fun and direct you to where you should go and what to do. Also, be open to talking to the drivers about cars and other fun topics; There is quite a lot of downtime before the racing starts to socialize so take advantage of it. Bring some water, a hat (preferably a straw one), wear comfortable shoes, and a cooler for the water and lunch if you don't want to eat fast food. After the event, let us know how it went (you'll probably like it). If you do, we will all have a slightly different opinion on what you should do next.

My Mazda3 absolutely killed front tires with no camber at anything short of 42psi. The 11 Focus should be on the same/very similar chassis. All season tires are pretty likely a given which need considerably more pressure to not roll over on the sidewall. I have about 2.5 years experience autocrossing on crappy all seasons, most of which was on the 3. My opinion of course, but just trying to back up why that is. You're free to disagree of course.

Edit: notice tire deformation particularly in the slalom near the 50sec mark:

https://youtu.be/tti5aJSeDgM

That was still with 40psi. And it was still creeping up the sidewall a good 1/2in IIRC.

I had a 3 just like yours,the chassis is different from the focus although I cannot give specifics.I had to get a auto for the wife/kid. But I refuse to let that stop me from becoming a better driver. I have a long history of drag racing both bikes and cars.... So fast is not new, but turning is :). I appreciate all of the advice

Ask for an instructor. It's still the only way I don't get lost.

Eat breakfast. Pack lunch. Take a E36 M3ton of water. Wear sunscreen.

Oh, and if you hear of a get together afterwards, go be social.

Lastly, expect to suck compared to most other drivers. I find that i have a lot more fun with that mindset.

Also, print off the number you preregistered for or a high number someone else is unlikely to run as well as STF on a piece of paper. Printed numbers are much easier to read and look better than masking tape numbers. Also, bring masking tape.

Toyman01 wrote: Oh, and look ahead. Look where you are going, not where you are.

This... And have fun.

Have fun.

Sunscreen.

Expect to be slow, have fun anyway.

Start shopping for a cheap Miata.

Good advice above. Also, try to talk to other people in your class, make sure they know you are new. Whenever I don't have a noob of my own (I enjoy taking newbies along as codrivers, it makes me look fast), I always offer to ride with new drivers and allow them to ride with me. Try to hitch a ride with an experienced driver in a car similar to your own. If the club does "fun runs" afterwards, try to get an experienced driver to take a run through the course in your car, with you in the passenger's seat. Believe me, its eye opening, and it will keep you for worrying about modding the car for a while. Most of all, have fun. If the club you run with isn't friendly/social, find another one. Its the friendships and people as much as the competition that makes the events fun.

Are most clubs welcoming to people who just want to take their stock cars? Not really into tuner culture? I've always wanted to take my crown victoria to an auto X, would be fun. Now I'm thinking of getting a hyundai genesis, even the automatic model, but sort of wanted to take it to an auto X even more than my crown vic. Though I'm not getting the "sport" model or whatever, just the cheap automatic to enjoy around town.

or should I just stick with Gran Turismo on Playstation 3 and going to F1 races.

To quote the movie grease, if you can't be an athlete, be an athletic supporter.

Go out and have fun. Be a part of, not apart from.

Above all: Have fun. If you're not having the time of your life then you're doing something wrong.

When I was autocrossing we used to do three runs before lunch and three runs after lunch. I found that I was so worked up and exhausted by my sixth run that I always ended up screwing up (without fail) and would leave disappointed.

So my last run of every day became my "fun run" where I'd do all the stuff I wasn't supposed to if I were trying to get a good time. Launch a bit too "hard", brake too late, give it too much gas, hang the tail out, finish sideways, etc. It was a HOOT! I never failed to leave with an ear to ear smile AND it made for good conversation material afterwards (good for learning too)

It's harder than you think to do though, the "fun run". You always get to the start line thinking you could do just a "bit" better if you really try this time. You might find you really have to force yourself to cut loose on that last one.

Oh and meet people. I met two people (Andy Hollis, and Brianne Corn) who went on to become celebrities and other people (M4ff3w here on GRM, Michael Allen) who became some of my best friends.

Cheers!

Coldsnap wrote: Are most clubs welcoming to people who just want to take their stock cars? Not really into tuner culture? I've always wanted to take my crown victoria to an auto X, would be fun. Now I'm thinking of getting a hyundai genesis, even the automatic model, but sort of wanted to take it to an auto X even more than my crown vic. Though I'm not getting the "sport" model or whatever, just the cheap automatic to enjoy around town. or should I just stick with Gran Turismo on Playstation 3 and going to F1 races.

Absolutely!

You're welcome to come up to a TSCC or ODRSCCA event and ride along if we're not in the same run groups.

flatlander937 wrote:

Coldsnap wrote: Are most clubs welcoming to people who just want to take their stock cars? Not really into tuner culture? I've always wanted to take my crown victoria to an auto X, would be fun. Now I'm thinking of getting a hyundai genesis, even the automatic model, but sort of wanted to take it to an auto X even more than my crown vic. Though I'm not getting the "sport" model or whatever, just the cheap automatic to enjoy around town. or should I just stick with Gran Turismo on Playstation 3 and going to F1 races.

Absolutely! You're welcome to come up to a TSCC or ODRSCCA event and ride along if we're not in the same run groups.

Up in VA right? I'm so down. That would be a fun thing to do, to break in the new car.

In reply to Coldsnap:

Yep. I'll probably run next in September, I'll be sure to let you know ahead of time.