Will you autocross your Elise?
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You don't drive your car on Sundays? I love to go driving on the weekends.atyclb said:
>>> I also find Auto-X to be VERY tiresome!<<<
It's a great way to learn how to drive while exploring the limits safely. You can try out different techniques in a safe manner too. Some folks never get the hang of autocross and never return though. You have to drive quite illegally to be able to do this on the street in an Elise with either suspension package. There are many excellent autocross drivers, many now have an Elise. Maybe there is one in your area - what part of the country are you in?
You can get more seat time if you go to an EVO Auto-X school, where you will likely get about 30-35 runs in a day. Those cost about the same as an open track day. At open track events you can't push quite as hard there in general due to the speeds and other rules / cars. Those tend to be harder on the car as well which may be a concern for some.
Just some ideas.
It's a great way to learn how to drive while exploring the limits safely. You can try out different techniques in a safe manner too. Some folks never get the hang of autocross and never return though. You have to drive quite illegally to be able to do this on the street in an Elise with either suspension package. There are many excellent autocross drivers, many now have an Elise. Maybe there is one in your area - what part of the country are you in?
You can get more seat time if you go to an EVO Auto-X school, where you will likely get about 30-35 runs in a day. Those cost about the same as an open track day. At open track events you can't push quite as hard there in general due to the speeds and other rules / cars. Those tend to be harder on the car as well which may be a concern for some.
Just some ideas.
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Agree that Auto-X is a good learning tool for most!
The main thing is that ******** need to keep their cars out of the barditch......when flying down America's highways and byways.
Practicing in a relatively safe parking lot or abandoned airfield makes sense.
Two major concerns is that some are'nt too keen on having to coordinate their free time....an entire Sunday afternoon for instance. The other, and a point I found to be irksome, is that these courses tend to be VERY tight.
Not that much of an issue for lightweights such as a TR-3 or an Elyse, but a real pain for heavier vehicles which typically can't reach their optimal performance envelopes.
Both my 944's ( one turbo ), were classic examples.
Maybe try it once for the hell of it?
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The main thing is that ******** need to keep their cars out of the barditch......when flying down America's highways and byways.
Practicing in a relatively safe parking lot or abandoned airfield makes sense.
Two major concerns is that some are'nt too keen on having to coordinate their free time....an entire Sunday afternoon for instance. The other, and a point I found to be irksome, is that these courses tend to be VERY tight.
Not that much of an issue for lightweights such as a TR-3 or an Elyse, but a real pain for heavier vehicles which typically can't reach their optimal performance envelopes.
Both my 944's ( one turbo ), were classic examples.
Maybe try it once for the hell of it?
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Re: Agree that Auto-X is a good learning tool for most!
Anyway, the tightness of the course depends on your region. If your club happens to have access to a football field parking lot you can do pretty good. Both DC's SCCA and NYC's NASA have some very open courses. I seem to remember NASA out in oakland had a pretty big lot too, but thats been a while.
Well frankly the only thing else I have to do on sundays is watch F1, and I have TiVo for that.dickedup said:
Anyway, the tightness of the course depends on your region. If your club happens to have access to a football field parking lot you can do pretty good. Both DC's SCCA and NYC's NASA have some very open courses. I seem to remember NASA out in oakland had a pretty big lot too, but thats been a while.
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Re: Agree that Auto-X is a good learning tool for most!
Well, you only get out of something what you put into it....dickedup said:
Idunno where you've run, but here in Dallas, I use 3rd gear a lot in my Europa. Our courses are anything but tight.
Sounds to me like your autox experience was acquired in the 1970s. There are quite a few current "heavyweights" that do very well in autox, including C4 and C5 Corvettes, GM F-bodies, and certain Porkshe models.
Given that 944s and 924Ss ran at the very top of their class in National events in the 1990s (when they were still being manufactured and shortly thereafter), I've gotta call BS on that. A 968 with M030 suspension is still a possible major contender in next year's B Stock.
If that's all you do, you'll have your ass handed to you, and it won't be because of your car.
>>>The other, and a point I found to be irksome, is that these courses tend to be VERY tight. Not that much of an issue for lightweights such as a TR-3 or an Elyse, but a real pain for heavier vehicles which typically can't reach their optimal performance envelopes.<<<
Sounds like you may have had some trouble in past autocross endeavors!!! It can be pretty humbling. What part of the country are you in? You seem to talk about CA and TX a great deal - is that where you reside?
Somebody on another Elise message board posted a few hundred times about the crushing, debilitating, unforgivable understeer oozzing from the pores of the base Elise. A tight autocross would make a STUPENDOUS place to learn how to deal with that very effectively. Our last local autocross up here was on a very tight course - but the base suspended Elise was able to set RAW and PAX fastest times of the Day against trailered cars on slicks. Corner entry is the key. And some of the faster cars that day were quite large - they knew how to drive.
Sounds like you may have had some trouble in past autocross endeavors!!! It can be pretty humbling. What part of the country are you in? You seem to talk about CA and TX a great deal - is that where you reside?
Somebody on another Elise message board posted a few hundred times about the crushing, debilitating, unforgivable understeer oozzing from the pores of the base Elise. A tight autocross would make a STUPENDOUS place to learn how to deal with that very effectively. Our last local autocross up here was on a very tight course - but the base suspended Elise was able to set RAW and PAX fastest times of the Day against trailered cars on slicks. Corner entry is the key. And some of the faster cars that day were quite large - they knew how to drive.
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Amount of time you dedicate and the size of the course depends on your region and the lot size.
For example, here in San Diego... our autocross courses are normally over 1 mile long (sometimes 1.5 miles) and involve higher speeds (3rd gear). No first gear stuff.
Cars like the Z-06 do very well, though top times normally go to formula cars.
Not the best example, 7 megs
And you can show up at 8:00am, register. Run at 9:00am and be heading home at 10:30am (possibly). Or you can attend practice days where you can run all day.
For example, here in San Diego... our autocross courses are normally over 1 mile long (sometimes 1.5 miles) and involve higher speeds (3rd gear). No first gear stuff.
Cars like the Z-06 do very well, though top times normally go to formula cars.
Not the best example, 7 megs
And you can show up at 8:00am, register. Run at 9:00am and be heading home at 10:30am (possibly). Or you can attend practice days where you can run all day.
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The best experience for me is karting in a parking lot. Nothing beats that rush. It is insane to head straight at a cone at 90mph.
For me, track lap days get boring after a while.
Now if I am really racing... that is another story.
For me, track lap days get boring after a while.
Now if I am really racing... that is another story.
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That sombody must really be somebody!
From reading that handsome gentleman's posts, his inference was that you could definitely feel the factory induced understeer spooling-up as speeds became greater and greater. Don't believe that he described the condition to that level of colorful adjectives though.
He IS however, one intense driving MOFO.
Good driving skills certainly must apply for optimal performance....there is a point that the physics of a vehicle will not allow you to push her any further.
Just ask the boys at the Minardi F1 team.
Myself, I enjoy a car that you can toss the tail around on a bit. But oversteer scares the lawyers apparently.
Sad.
From what I'm reading Randy, these Aoto-X courses have become much longer than those I tried back in the mid-eighties.
What was the name of that kart track you loved so much out in Beaumont, California?
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From reading that handsome gentleman's posts, his inference was that you could definitely feel the factory induced understeer spooling-up as speeds became greater and greater. Don't believe that he described the condition to that level of colorful adjectives though.
He IS however, one intense driving MOFO.
Good driving skills certainly must apply for optimal performance....there is a point that the physics of a vehicle will not allow you to push her any further.
Just ask the boys at the Minardi F1 team.
Myself, I enjoy a car that you can toss the tail around on a bit. But oversteer scares the lawyers apparently.
Sad.
From what I'm reading Randy, these Aoto-X courses have become much longer than those I tried back in the mid-eighties.
What was the name of that kart track you loved so much out in Beaumont, California?
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Auto-X sounds like a completely different animal now RopaBoy!
That would be the mid-eighties amigo. Tried a few events in Austin and San Antonio, was bored, so headed back to Texas World Speedway.
The courses today are like little mini-tracks.
Good for you.
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That would be the mid-eighties amigo. Tried a few events in Austin and San Antonio, was bored, so headed back to Texas World Speedway.
The courses today are like little mini-tracks.
Good for you.
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I haven't auto x'd in 4 years so I decided to try it again with the Elise. The car felt great, although it was wet, and I left thinking this car was meant for this. I've never had so much fun going through a slalom!
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6903&highlight=bmwcca
http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=6903&highlight=bmwcca
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Re: Auto-X sounds like a completely different animal now RopaBoy!
:clap:
So, lemme get this straight: you were beating everyone so badly it got boring? Dang, I can tell you're good. Why don't you come to a Texas Region SCCA autocross next season and give us a demonstration?dickedup said:
:clap:
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Re: That sombody must really be somebody!
I just love that name.
9 megs of shifter kart balls out
Moran Raceway. The Full Wood Kingdom.dickedup said:
From what I'm reading Randy, these Aoto-X courses have become much longer than those I tried back in the mid-eighties.
What was the name of that kart track you loved so much out in Beaumont, California?
I just love that name.
9 megs of shifter kart balls out
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Loosen your bullets RopaBoy.......and read again!
Back when you were still in Pampers, I attended a few runs in the Central Texas area. At that time they did'nt do much for me.
And to answer your question, yes......I laid some serious scuyun on the competition with my Lotus 7.
You Auto-X boys typically act like a bunch of crotchety ol' hens?
I'm sure your an ace at tearing up the parking lots.
Where and when are the events held in Dallas?
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Back when you were still in Pampers, I attended a few runs in the Central Texas area. At that time they did'nt do much for me.
And to answer your question, yes......I laid some serious scuyun on the competition with my Lotus 7.
You Auto-X boys typically act like a bunch of crotchety ol' hens?
I'm sure your an ace at tearing up the parking lots.
Where and when are the events held in Dallas?
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