local autocross meets?

[stevo_EF91]

hey guys im wanting to do an autocross event.. never done one but its always something ive wanted to do. any local sugguestions i can go to.. any event in the near future i can sign up for?? thanks reps for info

[matthewAPM]

please do some research. First off dont ever put meets.

Go to the competition section and look at SCCA/NASA blah blah events. its listed with a website

[stevo_EF91]

mkay. sorry if i offended you by calling it a meet...

[matthewAPM]

www.soloatlanta.com should get you on your way.

car info?

[©hris]

forget Auto-X.... Road Racing is where its at :) ... www.Nasa-se.com

[Elbow]

X2

[StraightSix]

x3

I started out autocrossing when the Clemson Sports Car Club was still holding on campus events. My autocrossing "career" ended once I did my first HPDE with NASA. I think I've done one or maybe two autocross events in the three years since I started track driving.

[Elbow]

Yeah I have done quite a few, but once you hit real track autocross becomes a kids game and you can skip two autocrosses and run a SCCA PDX.

[quickdodge®]

mkay. sorry if i offended you by calling it a meet...

No need for apologies. There is no offense to calling it a meet.

There's nothing wrong with starting off small. It's actually not bad to a do a year or so of auto-x to get your feet wet and to get a decent feel for your car in a shortened run. That was my initial plan before it all fell apart. I did the Solo II thing for two years and had planned on taking the car to the actual track to do it's thing there, but as this was my DD and my income was very low, it was a just a "dream."

But if this guy wants to get into something, whether it be auto-x or roadracing, then it should be a welcoming party here instead of a "forget this, do that" type of ordeal. Later, QD.

[stevo_EF91]

No need for apologies. There is no offense to calling it a meet.

There's nothing wrong with starting off small. It's actually not bad to a do a year or so of auto-x to get your feet wet and to get a decent feel for your car in a shortened run. That was my initial plan before it all fell apart. I did the Solo II thing for two years and had planned on taking the car to the actual track to do it's thing there, but as this was my DD and my income was very low, it was a just a "dream."

But if this guy wants to get into something, whether it be auto-x or roadracing, then it should be a welcoming party here instead of a "forget this, do that" type of ordeal. Later, QD.

wow thanks man. never seen you be nice to someone before lol

[quickdodge®]

wow thanks man. never seen you be nice to someone before lol

Haha. I just call it as I see it. Later, QD.

[StraightSix]

There's nothing wrong with starting off small. It's actually not bad to a do a year or so of auto-x to get your feet wet and to get a decent feel for your car in a shortened run. That was my initial plan before it all fell apart. I did the Solo II thing for two years and had planned on taking the car to the actual track to do it's thing there, but as this was my DD and my income was very low, it was a just a "dream."

But if this guy wants to get into something, whether it be auto-x or roadracing, then it should be a welcoming party here instead of a "forget this, do that" type of ordeal. Later, QD.

I agree with QD here, and I didn't realize that my post may have made it sound like I was bashing autocross.

For clarity, I started my "journey" into amateur motorsports by autocrossing. It is an excellent low risk way to begin something that makes a herion addiction look like a vague craving for something salty. Autocross is very low risk; I've seldom heard of anyone balling up a car at an autocross. Hell, I've been to more Atlanta Region SCCA autocrosses since moving to SC than I went to when I lived in Lawrenceville.

For me, I'm more interested in track time than autocross.

[stevo_EF91]

I agree with QD here, and I didn't realize that my post may have made it sound like I was bashing autocross.

For clarity, I started my "journey" into amateur motorsports by autocrossing. It is an excellent low risk way to begin something that makes a herion addiction look like a vague craving for something salty. Autocross is very low risk; I've seldom heard of anyone balling up a car at an autocross. Hell, I've been to more Atlanta Region SCCA autocrosses since moving to SC than I went to when I lived in Lawrenceville.

For me, I'm more interested in track time than autocross.


lol no worries. thanks for the feedback though guys

[quickdodge®]

I agree with QD here, and I didn't realize that my post may have made it sound like I was bashing autocross.

For clarity, I started my "journey" into amateur motorsports by autocrossing. It is an excellent low risk way to begin something that makes a herion addiction look like a vague craving for something salty. Autocross is very low risk; I've seldom heard of anyone balling up a car at an autocross. Hell, I've been to more Atlanta Region SCCA autocrosses since moving to SC than I went to when I lived in Lawrenceville.

For me, I'm more interested in track time than autocross.

Nice reply man. Later, QD.

[Elbow]

Yeah I was just saying X2 because I personally would rather do a track day, BUT, I started autocrossing before I did a track event in a car. Autocross is a great cheap thrill at what, $30? Like said, no risks, cheap, easy to get into, and car wear is far less.

With all of this, www.soloatlanta.com is your best friend. :)

[Thighs]

i dont see why any of you guys would recommend someone who doesnt seem to have any experience in competitive or high performance driving other than the backroads on his way home from work to skip autocross and go straight to PDX/HPDE... in my opinion, everyone who wants to do any sort of track driving needs to get a few autocross events under their belt before going to road atlanta and actually putting themselves in a high-risk environment before they REALLY know the limits of their car...

to the OP: go on www.soloatlanta.com for more information on local autocross events. autocross is a great way to learn your limits and the cars limits, and also to get a feel for everything.

[©hris]

i dont see why any of you guys would recommend someone who doesnt seem to have any experience in competitive or high performance driving other than the backroads on his way home from work to skip autocross and go straight to PDX/HPDE... in my opinion, everyone who wants to do any sort of track driving needs to get a few autocross events under their belt before going to road atlanta and actually putting themselves in a high-risk environment before they REALLY know the limits of their car...

to the OP: go on www.soloatlanta.com for more information on local autocross events. autocross is a great way to learn your limits and the cars limits, and also to get a feel for everything.


i agree but not always.... HPDE with NASA is a great program. Last Road Atlanta event i was with a girl that had never been on a track or had any high performance driving experience and her BF got her the HPDE thing as an anniversary gift. she went out in a Z06 Corvette and did great... even though i did pass her a couple times, she seemed to be learning quickly and having a lot of fun.

HPDE is a learning experience... they dont just throw you to the sharks and say good luck.

[Elbow]

Yeah true, hell PDX only allows what like 90mph tops I think in the A and B group, no curb use, etc. SCCA really went pussy on PDX, it's more of fast parade laps then a real track day.

[StraightSix]

i dont see why any of you guys would recommend someone who doesnt seem to have any experience in competitive or high performance driving other than the backroads on his way home from work to skip autocross and go straight to PDX/HPDE... in my opinion, everyone who wants to do any sort of track driving needs to get a few autocross events under their belt before going to road atlanta and actually putting themselves in a high-risk environment before they REALLY know the limits of their car...

to the OP: go on www.soloatlanta.com (http://www.soloatlanta.com) for more information on local autocross events. autocross is a great way to learn your limits and the cars limits, and also to get a feel for everything.

One does not need to autocross before getting into HPDE. As a general rule, the track day newbie won't be pushing his/her car nearly hard enough to get into much trouble. One of the jobs an HPDE instructor has is cultivating the tools available to the student to get the most out of the car. Our, that is NASA's, first HPDE 1 sessions of the day typically start out as little more than higher speed parade laps. The sessions get faster as the weekend progresses and the students become more confident behind the wheel on track.

Track driving and autocross, although related, require slightly differing approaches. I had an instructor once that nearly instantly recognized that, up to that point, most of my driving experience was from autocross rather than track days; my control inputs were more abrupt than was appropriate for the track.

The bottom line, though, is that amateur motorsports is a great way to develop one's driving abilities, get to know the car, and actually use the car up to it's limits. It matters more that one get involved with an activity that he/she is comfortable with and will have fun doing than which of those activities it is.

[Elbow]

Good points StraightSix. I have noticed lots of drivers who are fast at autocross aren't as fast at road racing right away, it's a different ball game. Autocross requires a much more aggressive form of driving as road racing requires much more smooth driving.

By the way, do you HPDE? What car?

[StraightSix]

I get out and HPDE when I can. I'm usually in my gold '90 Civic hatchback, #74. I drove some at Road Atlanta the last time we were there, in HPDE 3 on Friday and some of the HPDE 2 sessions on Saturday. The brakes started feeling really mushy after the last session I drove in, and tried bleeding them Saturday night and Sunday morning. I say tried because the master cylinder wasn't pushing fluid to the left front or right rear caliper; it had failed. Drove the car back home and replaced the master Monday morning, and had a decent pedal again.

I have a video (http://vimeo.com/5281283) from RA. I also have some older stuff up on YouTube. One is an AR Region autocross (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12_vGXGrn5Q) the other is from a DE 2 session @ Roebling (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwJlSMImN1E).

When NASA is at Road Atlanta I don't usually get the time to get out on track. My duties in timing tend to keep me pretty busy.

[Elbow]

What do you do? I'm usually F&C.

[StraightSix]

Chief of Timing and Scoring. I'm in the tower but not on the track net, so you guys on the corners never get to hear my cheery voice, lol.

[quickdodge®]

One does not need to autocross before getting into HPDE.

No one said you had to. Just stating that it would probably be a good idea to do so. Like we all seem to agree, a nice cheap way to get out and test (to an extent) your car and get a good feel for it before you head out to an open track.

Saule Goode, fellas. Later, QD.

[Elbow]

Chief of Timing and Scoring. I'm in the tower but not on the track net, so you guys on the corners never get to hear my cheery voice, lol.

Haha well darn. :(

I work for Road Atlanta so enjoy hearing Hazel's, she is my god.

[©hris]

Haha well darn. :(

I work for Road Atlanta so enjoy hearing Hazel's, she is my god.


hiring?? lol

[StraightSix]

No one said you had to.

Eh, Thighs strongly implied it in his post, or I thought so at least.

But, I do think we're all in agreement that autocross is good way to get into the wonderful world of amateur motorsports.


Haha well darn. :(

I work for Road Atlanta so enjoy hearing Hazel's, she is my god.

Hazel is graet. I actually started working for NASA by flagging corners. I've flagged at VIR about a half dozen times, and Road Atlanta once.

You should stick around for our Saturday night awards banquet and meet some of us, that is if you haven't already.

[Elbow]

Eh, Thighs strongly implied it in his post, or I thought so at least.

But, I do think we're all in agreement that autocross is good way to get into the wonderful world of amateur motorsports.



Hazel is graet. I actually started working for NASA by flagging corners. I've flagged at VIR about a half dozen times, and Road Atlanta once.

You should stick around for our Saturday night awards banquet and meet some of us, that is if you haven't already.

When is that, every Saturday NASA weekend? I always forget or am uninformed until the day of about cookouts and get togethers after the races and never have a change of clothes lol.

[StraightSix]

When is that, every Saturday NASA weekend? I always forget or am uninformed until the day of about cookouts and get togethers after the races and never have a change of clothes lol.

Yup. There's BBQ and cold beer (if you're of age) on Saturday night. Whatchu need a change of clothes for? I don't think any of us, officials or the NASA corner workers, change.

[Elbow]

Sweet sounds good, I am of age, and I don't know, I just feel goofy in all white lol.

[©hris]

Free beer and food after every saturday nasa event.... i was in pit lane for the enduro at Lowes during the awards so i didnt get any then but there is always free beer and food during saturdays awards ceremony.

Simon u need to come find us at the Fandango Racing trailer in August RA.... stop by and say whats up.

[Elbow]

Will do, maybe I will have a car out there so I can play lol.

[StraightSix]

Free beer and food after every saturday nasa event.... i was in pit lane for the enduro at Lowes during the awards so i didnt get any then but there is always free beer and food during saturdays awards ceremony.



There wasn't any food or beer at Lowe's since we had to be out by 6pm. That's also why the sprint awards were presented during the enduro.

I know the feeling about feeling a little goofy in white at an awards party. I felt the same way after flagging VIR and going to their awards.

[matthewAPM]

Thighs and QD seem to be the only peoplen with a brain here. (no offense)

Don't go out onto track, especially a track like Road Atlanta for your first performance event. That is just stupid. Finding out that your car has snap oversteer in a autocross is way better than finding that out for the first in the esses.

[evilutionvii]

Lets not forget the difference in price. AutoX is around $40, Road Racing can be nearly 10x that.

[Elbow]

Lets not forget the difference in price. AutoX is around $40, Road Racing can be nearly 10x that.

Ummm SCCA PDX is $100...

[Elbow]

Thighs and QD seem to be the only peoplen with a brain here. (no offense)

Don't go out onto track, especially a track like Road Atlanta for your first performance event. That is just stupid. Finding out that your car has snap oversteer in a autocross is way better than finding that out for the first in the esses.

Well maybe, but you don't really go that fast the in autocross to tell, and the conditions are different. You are driving differently.

After flagging many track days now, I can say honestly most the accidents happen with the higher groups then beginners.

[evilutionvii]

Ummm SCCA PDX is $100...

Which is still cheaper than any track event...

[Elbow]

Which is still cheaper than any track event...

That IS a track event....on a road course, like Road Atlanta....

[©hris]

Which is still cheaper than any track event...

but not nearly as fun....

look auto X is cool and all but the experience is nothing like an HPDE event. HPDE you drive at your own pace.... dont push the limits of the car the first few times.... hell in a NASA weekend in HPDE1 you get at least 8 20min sessions.... thats well worth the money you pay. That is 2 1/2 hours on the track.... you learn a lot in that amount of time.

My first time ever on any track was Road Atlanta and i highly recommend saving up and doing the HPDE before you attempt anything... you will go home on Sunday knowing exactly what your car is capable of and what you are capable of as a driver.... autoX doesnt really give you the effect of learning your car at high speeds.

going around cones at 30mph is much different than taking turn 12 at Road Atlanta at 85-90mph.

[StraightSix]

Thighs and QD seem to be the only peoplen with a brain here. (no offense)


Are *you* really the best person to be making that judgment, eh DK? Even better, have you read the entire thread?

Nearly no one has said that one should forego autocross in favor of a track event. I *did* say that one doesn't *need* to autocross before getting on track. There's a big difference.

I stand by the statement that autocross is a good way to have some fun with a car in a lower speed, lower risk environment than a track event. I'll also stand by the statement that once someone gets on track, autocross loses some, if not nearly all, of its appeal.

I don't think that one event is necessarily better than the other. They are both fun activities with pros and cons. Nor do I think that one must autocross before stepping up to a track event. A driver will learn lessons at both, but not necessarily the same lessons and further a car that isn't that great in an autocross can be a fantastic track car and vice versa. A great example, IMO, is a C5 Z06. People autocross and track those. IMO, the Z06 has too much power to be used effectively in a typical autocross setting, but those cars are fantastic track cars. Another example, EF Civics....great autocross cars but not so great a track car; after tracking and autocrossing mine, I really would like more horsepower on track so that I don't get passed by, literally, everything in the session.

[evilutionvii]

That IS a track event....on a road course, like Road Atlanta....

There are very few PDX hosted throughout the year and most of the time, its only a portion of the track with cones included. Take this weekends PDX at Roebling for example. Not the full course and is designed to be an entry level track event but at a fraction of the cost.


but not nearly as fun....

I would say that depends on the individuals personal interests

[matthewAPM]

street mod evo? what region you from?

[evilutionvii]

a relatively small one

[Z0_o6]

Are *you* really the best person to be making that judgment, eh DK? Even better, have you read the entire thread?

Nearly no one has said that one should forego autocross in favor of a track event. I *did* say that one doesn't *need* to autocross before getting on track. There's a big difference.

I stand by the statement that autocross is a good way to have some fun with a car in a lower speed, lower risk environment than a track event. I'll also stand by the statement that once someone gets on track, autocross loses some, if not nearly all, of its appeal.

I don't think that one event is necessarily better than the other. They are both fun activities with pros and cons. Nor do I think that one must autocross before stepping up to a track event. A driver will learn lessons at both, but not necessarily the same lessons and further a car that isn't that great in an autocross can be a fantastic track car and vice versa. A great example, IMO, is a C5 Z06. People autocross and track those. IMO, the Z06 has too much power to be used effectively in a typical autocross setting, but those cars are fantastic track cars. Another example, EF Civics....great autocross cars but not so great a track car; after tracking and autocrossing mine, I really would like more horsepower on track so that I don't get passed by, literally, everything in the session.

I can completely agree with this statement. My STi for example, would make an absolutely terrible Autocross car now, because I have a 35R on it, so I would never be able to get it spooled until too late, and if it does spool in 1st or 2nd gear into a corner, it does so violently that it will break traction and snap oversteer. On the track the power band would be much much more usable. Whereas when I autox'ed it almost stock, it did absolutely great (for me lol) but on the track I think it would be lacking some in the straights because of the very short gearing and (in my opinion) relatively low power to weight.

[StraightSix]

Whereas when I autox'ed it almost stock, it did absolutely great (for me lol) but on the track I think it would be lacking some in the straights because of the very short gearing and (in my opinion) relatively low power to weight.

I think you'd be surprised at how really quick and AWD car is on track. You can carry a lot more speed through a corner and get the power to the ground better. Lots of Subies appear at our events; everything from bone stock to stupid fast nearly all carbon fiber bodied monsters.

[Z0_o6]

I think you'd be surprised at how really quick and AWD car is on track. You can carry a lot more speed through a corner and get the power to the ground better. Lots of Subies appear at our events; everything from bone stock to stupid fast nearly all carbon fiber bodied monsters.

Oh I'm not gonna argue that! I can't wait to get mine to a track one day.

[evilutionvii]

Lots of Subies appear at our events; everything from bone stock to stupid fast nearly all carbon fiber bodied monsters.

You wouldn't be referring to Bart's 600hp Subie?

[Elbow]

There are very few PDX hosted throughout the year and most of the time, its only a portion of the track with cones included. Take this weekends PDX at Roebling for example. Not the full course and is designed to be an entry level track event but at a fraction of the cost.



I would say that depends on the individuals personal interests

Um...well come to Atlanta, you can run the FULL Road Atlanta, every SCCA weekend there... :screwy: So your region sucks lolol.

[StraightSix]

You wouldn't be referring to Bart's 600hp Subie?

That's one of them. That car is straight up ridiculous.

[evilutionvii]

That's one of them. That car is straight up ridiculous.

He just bought topspeed's old red time attack subie. The motor he's droppin in that thing is insane.

[evilutionvii]

Um...well come to Atlanta, you can run the FULL Road Atlanta, every SCCA weekend there... :screwy: So your region sucks lolol.

I'll eventually make my way up there. For now, i'm content with supporting my local region.

[©hris]

He just bought topspeed's old red time attack subie. The motor he's droppin in that thing is insane.

he was telling us about that at Barber. cant wait to see it

[claybird]

Can someone select me an event i cant find one

[Elbow]

Can someone select me an event i cant find one

www.soloatlanta.com....come on now... :screwy:

[Tirewarmer]

Can someone select me an event i cant find one

Here are a couple of links for you to a SCCA PDX and Time Trial FAQs that I wrote:

SCCA PDX FAQ: http://www.scsportscar.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2142&forum=13
SCCA Time Trial FAQ: http://www.scsportscar.com/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=2150&forum=13

Just to clear up a few things that I saw written in this thread:

The recent event that run on July 11th by the Buccaneer SCCA was a SOLO/Autocross event. This wasn't a PDX. A PDX was run by the SCR-SCCA at Roebling Road on June 27th and 28th that I was the event Chair at.

There is a considerable difference in cost to enter an autocross versus a PDX. The Roebling autox for example was $35/$45 for members/non members for one day, while my PDX event at Roebling was $320 for two days with in car instruction included.

But, there is a huge difference in seat time between an autocross/SOLO event and a PDX. At the Roebling autocross, you received six ~70 second runs on the course. A total of ~7 minutes of seat time. At the SCR Roebling PDX, you had ten 20 minutes sessions, a total of 200 minutes of seat time.

So at best, the autocross was ~$5 per minute of seat time.
The PDX was $1.60 per minute.

SCCA PDX does not neccesarily have a "90 mph" speed limit as was mentioned earlier in the thread. At our SCR Roebling PDX I was one of the instructors, and none of us gave our students any sort of speed limit, we simply worked with them to get them comfortable at speed. By then end of day one, my student could go as fast as he could with the corner exit speed that he was able to get onto the front straight. Day two, he went even faster down the straight, since his exit speed was faster.

I run SCCA Autocross and Track events, and I also run track events with NASA. You can't go wrong with any of these events. Autocross teaches you great car control that translates well to driving on the track. Former autocrossers usually pick up track driving very quickly, but that isn't to say that you need to autocross first. Some people have no interest in autocross.

Whatever your interest is, get out to an event. I have had most of my students look at me and say that they wish they had found these type of events sooner.

[Tirewarmer]

he was telling us about that at Barber. cant wait to see it

Chris, do you know if Bart is planning to run TT or go wheel to wheel with the new car?

[©hris]

i dunno... i know he was doing very well with TT. A lot of the NASA-se guys that run TT will be switching to w2w next season from what im hearing.

He has not mentioned anything or posted on the forums about switching