AutoX tips

[Greg Phillips]

Andy’s Top Ten Autocross Driving TipsPosted by bky Published in HelpfulBy Andy Hollis
(Andy is a multiple National Solo Champion and an instructor for the Evolution Solo School)

Originally posted on Miata.Net

[Just got back from a weekend of teaching Evolution schools and thought I'd share some stuff that I must have said a thousand times.]

1] Position first, then speed. Positioning the car perfectly is more important than trying to attain the highest potential speed. For example, you will drop more time by correctly positioning the car nearer to slalom cones than you will by adding 1 or 2 MPH in speed. Same with sweepers (tight line). Same with 90-degree turns (use all of the track). Also, position is a prerequisite for speed. If you are not in the correct place, you will not be able go faster. Or at least not for very long!

2] Turn earlier…and less. To go faster, the arc you are running must be bigger. A bigger arc requires less steering. To make a bigger arc that is centered in the same place, the arc must start sooner (turn earlier).

3] Brake earlier…and less. Waiting until the last possible second approaching a turn and then dropping anchor at precisely the correct place so that the desired entry speed is reached exactly as you come to the turn-in point is quite difficult to execute consistently. Especially when you consider that you get no practice runs on the course, and the surface changes on every run, and you aren’t likely to be in exactly the same position with the same approach speed on every run, etc. Better to start braking a little earlier to give some margin of error. And by braking less you can either add or subtract braking effort as you close in on the turn-in point. This will make you consistent and smooth.

4] Lift early instead of braking later. Continuing with the philosophy of #3, when you need to reduce speed only a moderate amount, try an early lift of the throttle instead of a later push of the brake. This is less upsetting to the car, is easier to do and thus more consistent, and allows for more precise placement entering the maneuver (remember #1 above).

5] Easier to add speed in a turn than to get rid of it. If you are under the limit, a slight push of the right foot will get you more speed with no additional side effects. On the other hand, if you are too fast and the tires have begun slipping, you can only reduce throttle and wait until the tires turn enough of that excess energy into smoke and heat. Don’t use your tires as brakes!

6] Use your right foot to modulate car position in constant radius turns, not the steering wheel. In a steady state turn, once you have established the correct steering input to maintain that arc, lifting the throttle slightly will let the car tuck in closer to the inside cones. Conversely, slightly increasing the throttle will push the car out a bit farther to avoid inside cones. It is much easier to make small corrections in position with slight variations in the tires’ slip angle (that’s what you are doing with the throttle) than with the steering wheel.

7] Unwind the wheel, then add power. If the car is using all of the tire’s tractive capacity to corner, there is none left for additional acceleration. At corner exit, as you unwind the wheel, you make some available. If you do not unwind the wheel, the tire will start to slide and the car will push out (see #6 above).

8] Attack the back. For slaloms (also applicable to most offsets), getting close to the cones is critical for quick times (see #1). To get close, we must move the car less, which means bigger arcs. Bigger arcs come from less steering and require earlier turning (see #2). Now for the fun part… When you go by a slalom cone and start turning the steering wheel back the other way, when does the car start to actually change direction? Answer: When the wheel crosses the center point (Not when you first start turning back!) How long does that take? If you are smooth, it takes .25 - .5 seconds. Now, how long is a typical person’s reaction time? Answer: about .5 seconds. Finally, how long does it take to go between slalom cones? Answer: Typically on the order of 1 second. Given all of that, your brain must make the decision to begin turning the steering wheel back the other way just *before* you go by the previous cone!!

Since this is a mental issue, a good visualization technique to get used to this is to think about trying to run over the back side of each slalom cone with the inside rear tire of the car. To hit it with the rear tire (and not the front), the car must be arcing well before the cone and the arc must be shallow. Attack the back!

9] Hands follow the eyes, car follows the hands. ‘Nuf said.

10] Scan ahead, don’t stare. Keep the eyes moving. Looking ahead does not mean staring ahead. Your eyes must be constantly moving forward and back, and sometimes left and right. Glance forward, glance back. Your brain can only operate on the information you give it.

Bonus Tip: Don’t forget the stuff in between the marked maneuvers! Too often we think of a course as series of discrete maneuvers. There is typically more to be gained or lost in the areas that are in between. Pay special attention to the places where there are no cones.

Permission to Publish below:

Andy Hollis Miata Forum Member Member # 3320 posted 18 March 2002 23:52

For those asking permission to reprint or copy elsewhere, no problem. I only ask that you keep my name attached for credit.

[lbevins]

Good information in a condensed form. This would make a nice "hand-out" sheet for PDS students.

[Jad]

Anyone else disagree with number 2?

I agree with the others, but have some problems with 2 as most people turn in too early and while his info is true on a given arch, how often do you get to drive a nice smooth consistent arch. Sure can cause you to get on the gas late if you are still turning around the corner for a long time....

[SDGT3]

Anyone else disagree with number 2?

I agree with the others, but have some problems with 2 as most people turn in too early and while his info is true on a given arch, how often do you get to drive a nice smooth consistent arch. Sure can cause you to get on the gas late if you are still turning around the corner for a long time....

It depends on what type of car your driving. Ironically enough I was speaking with a guy today that races Mustangs and say that you have to turn in early with those cars to get them where you want it to go as opposed to a Porsche or BMW.

[rshon]

What I think he is trying to say is:
"2) Try to make turns using bigger arcs, as you can carry more speed than with a short, sharp turn. To do this, you may need to initiate your turn sooner than if you were making a sharp turn."

These tips are helpful, but for faster courses, they tend to ignore the differences between Type I and Type II turns.

The way #2 is worded doesn't necessarily make sense for Type I turns, and when it comes to a real Type II turn (on a track), I tend to disagree with #3 and #4 (depending upon whether you have ABS and whether your car is set up loose or tight).

[MTrotter]

Andy is only referring to Autox. not a track. There are a lot of things that carry over to the track but not everything.

Turning early and making a bigger arc is effective in transitions on an autox track and also slaloms. If you dont turn early enough and get a nice arc you will be behind. We have all been behind on a slalom its not fun.

getting your braking done early does not mean shutting the car down and creeping through the turn, it means its better to have an apex speed of 1-2 mph slower than 1-2 mph too fast.

here are some tips Randy Chase wrote:


Autocross Tips
by Randy Chase

1. As soon as you pass the start line, you are only losing time.
Minimize how much time you lose. It's not just going faster, it's
spending less time on the course.

2. The trick is to drive 10/10ths. A novice will drive 7/10ths and then
not realize that they went to 13/10ths. Learn the edge and drive it.
That may mean some cones get hit and you spin. It's what teaches you
where 10/10ths is.

3. There are fast parts and there are slow parts. Learn the difference.

4. Don't square off the corners and point and shoot drive. A lot of
corners are parts of smooth arcs you can make. It's faster to drive a
smooth arc than a short straight and two jerky turns.

5. Be aggressive in chicanes. Attack them, stay in front of the turns
and as straight as you can. Getting "behind" in a chicane is a bad
thing.

6. Doing this well means being smooth. Being smooth DOES NOT mean you
are slow. To drive the car smoothly may require controlled chaos in the
car. Fast hand and foot movements do not mean you are not smooth.

7. Know your line you intend on driving. Understand it. Look for it. If
you drive such that you are forcing yourself off that line, you made a
mistake and need to slow down. The line is everything, unless you are
wrong about where the line is...then you need to change your mind.

8. Look ahead to where you want to exit the turn. Adjust your speed into
the corner to make sure your car will be on the right spot when your
exit the corner.

9. It's better to corner under acceleration than braking. Brake earlier
and then get on the throttle as quick as you can.

10. The earlier throttle points will be faster. Give up the end of the
straight to make your corner exit faster. That speed coming out of the
corner will carry thru the whole straight following the corner.

11. Do not try to save runs. If you get screwed up, go off course or mow
down cones. This saves tires.

12. Understeer is often caused by going in to a corner too hot. To
reduce understeer, straighten out the steering and/or reduce throttle
input.

13. A lift or quick stab at the brakes can cause the front of the car to
weight and allow better turn in.

14. Alignments are important.

15. If you start going slower or are less succesful than you should be,
check the car. Sometimes things change and it's hard to notice.

16. Seat time is important.

17. Autocross deliberately. Try to drive deliberately. Not just
reacting...but control the steering and drive the line. Then do it
faster.

18. Don't worry about long lists of tips. Work on one or two things at
a time. Don't try to adjust everything, put in a new swaybar and struts,
try out Hoosiers, and decide to use left foot braking all in one
weekend. Make changes one at a time and see how they feel.

19. There are many ways to setup your car and your driving can
accomodate them. Spend more time on your driving than your car setup.
Human nature is that it's easier to point to your car, or the classing,
or maybe someone else is cheating, or they spent more. But the biggest
variable in autocrossing is still always the driver.

20. WALK THE COURSE!!! If your region or event allows walking of the course, DO IT! While you are walking, try to get with a more experienced autocrosser and just listen to him/her. I say listen because if you tell them you want to walk with them for tips etc. they will tell you everything you would otherwise be wondering about. Also ask questions, tell the person you are walking with what kind of car/tires you will be on etc. Don't be suprised if the person you are walking with says this is a 3rd gear turn without a doubt, and then he/she turns to you and says "2nd in your car". This will save you the hassle and confirm what you may have already thought. While walking the course decide whether turns are "fast in/slow out" or "slow in/fast out". Handling these turns in the proper way is often what seperates trophy positions from the "packers"

21. LEARN! how to left foot brake in your car. Autocrossing is all about time, and if you have to lift your foot off the gas just to tap the brake with the same foot, you could have saved some time if you used that "dead' foot that is lying on the floorboard. Hundreds/thousandths of seconds can/will make a difference!

22. Ask lots and lots of questions. Most autocrossers are more than willing to help. This is especially true if you are in a stock car and are asking someone that drives the same car in SM/STS/ or street prepared. They will help all they can since you are not in danger of beating them. However you will still be amazed how even a guy in your class in the same car will tell you what tire pressures he is running etc. Autocrossing is as much about competition and ensuring you come back again for a "2/5/10 car class" as anything and autocrossers know this. They will help!

23. If you are beginning to autocross regionally, do at least 1 divisional and if a national is anywhere near you do one of those too. A national is quite the different monster, however if you are a beginner you can set good goals, see great cars, awesome drivers and learn a ton!

24. Only run as much gas as you need for the event. Gas weighs about 8 pounds a gallon. I used to run 2 gallons for a 3 run event, or just as much as I thought I needed. Less gas=less weight!!!! Also if you can help it, spray every bit of windshield wiper fluid out of your car before you wash it to take it to the autocross. Again WEIGHT! You would be suprised some cars can nearly hold 2 gallons, or 16 pounds of washer fluid. And if you have just visited the neighborhood jiffy lube, chances are your tank is full.

[mrondeau]

My favorite!

19. There are many ways to setup your car and your driving can
accomodate them. Spend more time on your driving than your car setup.
Human nature is that it's easier to point to your car, or the classing,
or maybe someone else is cheating, or they spent more. But the biggest
variable in autocrossing is still always the driver.

[gocart]

19. There are many ways to setup your car and your driving can
accomodate them. Spend more time on your driving than your car setup.
Human nature is that it's easier to point to your car, or the classing,
or maybe someone else is cheating, or they spent more. But the biggest
variable in autocrossing is still always the driver.

Then why was I unable to pace Boxters through the turns in my 911 at the recent DE? I think I SHOULD work on my SETUP.

2] Turn earlier…and less. To go faster, the arc you are running must be bigger. A bigger arc requires less steering. To make a bigger arc that is centered in the same place, the arc must start sooner (turn earlier).

Maybe in a Miata or 944. But in a higher powered car, I don't know. Type 2 turn?

[Kim Crosser]

1. As soon as you pass the start line, you are only losing time. Minimize how much time you lose. It's not just going faster, it's spending less time on the course.

This is an important point and is often overlooked. I occasionally hear people talk about "making up time" in a particular section of a course, but I think a key point is that time - and momentum - can never be regained once it is lost. We talk about "give up" corners, but in reality, everything you give up is gone forever - even in a "give up" corner, you need to only give up as much as you need to optimize the next turn.
Every inch of the course is another opportunity to lose time - there are no places where you can back off from 10/10ths if you want to win.

[mrondeau]

19. There are many ways to setup your car and your driving can
accomodate them. Spend more time on your driving than your car setup.
Human nature is that it's easier to point to your car, or the classing,
or maybe someone else is cheating, or they spent more. But the biggest
variable in autocrossing is still always the driver.

Then why was I unable to pace Boxters through the turns in my 911 at the recent DE? I think I SHOULD work on my SETUP.

I would say that proves the above point. If you can achieve good results from a less than optimum car, you'll achieve great results when you finally get it set up. You should also change only one thing at a time. Start with tire pressure/temps and once they're optimal, make one small adjustment to your setup at a time.

BTW, at the last DE, I was able to keep my 944 close to a lot of cars that I shouldn't have been able to (Dan C.) and wouldn't have been able to on a track that rewarded more horsepower. It was a great momentum track.

[Mmagus]

Here is one I actually heard in a documentry about skateboarding but it really works for AX too:

FAILURE is an essential key to SUCCESS. Realize that you will fail, repeatedly, at various skills. Don't give up because those failures can be used as tools for learning to succeed.

[MTrotter]

2] Turn earlier…and less. To go faster, the arc you are running must be bigger. A bigger arc requires less steering. To make a bigger arc that is centered in the same place, the arc must start sooner (turn earlier).

Maybe in a Miata or 944. But in a higher powered car, I don't know. Type 2 turn?[/quote]

Higher horsepower cars dont handle any different, they carry momentum just the same. The drivers only think it needs to be driven differently.

[gulf911]

Higher horsepower cars dont handle any different, they carry momentum just the same. The drivers only think it needs to be driven differently.

Sorry, but I'll have to disagree with that statement, having owned a 944, 911 2.4L, and now a 3.2 in a 73. Everything changes with higher horse power, locations for braking , turn in, throttle on exit, etc etc etc...
Yeah, all cars have to turn in, brake and throttle and carry momentum, but the way you drive a 2.4L and the same car with a 3.2 is quite different...IMHO...
Or am I only thinking I have to drive differently??

[Kim Crosser]

Yeah, all cars have to turn in, brake and throttle and carry momentum, but the way you drive a 2.4L and the same car with a 3.2 is quite different...IMHO...
Or am I only thinking I have to drive differently??

The driving mechanics are different, but I am not sure that "the line" is significantly different. Yes, a low-HP car and a high-HP car must be driven differently (use of throttle and brake, at least), but I think the turn-in and apex points are going to be pretty similar. Getting off the ideal line, whether turning early or going wide, is going to cost you in either car. Just my $0.02...
When I have ridden with other instructors (with various 911s), I can't tell any differences in their lines from the ones I take in my Boxster. When I autocrossed some Cayennes in LA and then took my Boxster around the same track, the turn-in points felt the same between the 5700-lb, 500HP Cayenne Turbo and my 3000-lb, 217HP Boxster.

[gulf911]

at 25mph I would suspect the points to be the same in any car, its when the speed increases and what the limits of the car are that will change turn in etc. , again I am only relaying my experiences , for all I know by driving the same line a boxster does , I could beat Erik...