Went to my first AutoX the other day, need some advice!!

Well I went to watch, I have crappy tires and it was rainy, so I decided to just spectate:) My buddy likes to autoX his 350Z, and since I beat him pretty bad on the dragstrip I told him I'd give him a chance to beat me!! His car handles very well, and I'm prepared to lose, but I have a couple of questions before I run my first event.

Keep in mind I'll be in a class that doesn't really have any limits to what I can mod or not since I'm not stock and just racing for fun. So if you guys have any tips or tricks let's hear them!!

1) I'm getting some BFG Comp T/A VR4s. Are these tires any good? I know this forum is concerned with handling, but I want something that will grip good at the drag strip, and also handle well on an autoX. I guess a good balance of the two would be fine. Has anyone run these tires before?? There were recommended to me by a guy that drags and road races his mustang.

2) I walked the track a few times before the race began, and it looked pretty simple. However, after riding with my buddy, once you get up to about 50 mph it's get confusing as hell:eek: The funny thing is this was set up as a very non technical course since it was the first race of the season, and also in bad weather. Any tips on keeping the track layout straight so you don't miss any gates or anything??

3) Just how do fourth gen F-bodies do in an event like this?? I'm gonna see if I can race when the track is nice and open, I don't want a tight track at all!! I'd like to let her rip a little. I saw an LS1 SS run the other day, and he seemed to do well.

Lastly, do you think having an automatic will hurt me?? I plan on staying in second gear mostly and dropping to first only for 90* turns. I really don't think it will be too much of a disadvantage, am I wrong:confused:

John

I cannot comment with experience on the tires. Sorry. Treadwear is a good starting point towards deciding what a good autox tire would be. Lower than 300 is waht you want. The lower the "stickier". Also, drag radials aren't the best for autox since the sidewalls are designed to deform to assist in acceleration not cornering. I don't think those are drag radials, though.

The first hurdle in autox is remembering the track. When I was starting out, a (now) friend and fellow 4th gen autox-er showed me that it is smart to crouch down when walking the course since this is closer to the view you will see at speed. You'll be surprised at how different the course looks. My advice is to take it very easy the first run. Going off-course on your first run can mess with your head.

4th Gens are fine in autox. However, if you are running SM or CP, you will likely be against better prepared cars and this can be discouraging. Compare your times to FS and ESP to get a feel for where you should be running. Go for fun and fight the competitive anger until you've had some seat time.

The A4 should be fine. I left my old 88 IROC in 2nd and let it decide when to down shift.

Go have some fun.

You'll have a damn good time I'm sure. Walk that course like it's the last track you'll ever be at:) Watch every car go before you and see who messes up where and when. Mainly rear wheel drive cars is what you want to watch since they put the power down just like you do. Watch the cars to see how they're adjusting to the surface. Note any bumps, hills, dips...anything that will get the car out of shape or off balanced.

Go slow the first time for sure. Even if you feel you can put the pedal down in a few turns/exits, just go slow and focus on the next turn. Be as SMOOTH as possible. Apexing turns isn't exactly easy on such a tight windy course but TRY to:) Hit a cone or two just to see how close you REALLY are to them:) You may not be using all of the track offered, and since a 4th gen hood isn't the easiest thing to see over....you understand.:cool:

If you're still not satisfied, try drawing the course out or draw a few of the turns out and figure out the quickest/smoothest way through them.

Your auto trans should be fine also!

I would also bump tire pressure UP a little(10psi?) more than normal and keep an eye on how they're wearing out(and they will:bow: )

Actually Nitto DR's work supprisingly well for Auto-X. You probably want them on all 4 corners othewise the car would probably understeer pretty badly.

The auto is fine, it probably better than manual for novice drivers (one less thing to worry about).

As far as getting lost the only way around that is to walk the course as many times as possible. Dont just walk it either, pay attention to where to are and where you're going. Also try to walk it alone or with a more experienced driver who can give you some tips. Walking it with your buddies is just another distraction that could cost you.

Watch the shifts. I raced my A4 for the first time last season and the biggest problem I had was the transmission down shifting mid corner (or right before) and breaking the rear tires lose. The best thing to do is leave it in second gear (like you said). It will still shift to first on you, but not to third.

I raced one pass with the Transmission in first, and the rear end broke loose on EVERY corner (because it kept shifting on me).

My 94 T/A has the Performance Shift option that seams to help by holding gears longer. It is a free mod for some Camaro’s but I’m not sure what years that applies to.

Stick to street tires for your first season.

Thanks a lot for the help!! I'm just gonna try and have some fun with it. If I do good then great, if not, it should still be a blast!!

There ya go! The perfect attitude to have! Don't go in expecting to win. Just feel it out your fisrt time. Have fun. Let us know how it goes.

Since I don't have an F-body I can't help you there (except to say they do just fine in auto-x). As for your first season I would say don't do anything to your car. I did all of last season in my stock S2000 with plans to upgrade it this year (tires, sway bars, roll bar). I've decided not to because I haven't yet mastered the car stock! No use spending money to fix what may or may not be broke. Sure you could get some damn sticky tires and shave 2 seconds off your time but you also might be slowing down your learning process, hiding your mistakes and reinforcing bad habits.

Good luck and have fun.