YAY!! I’m doing my first auto-x event this year too!
I used to do it a couple summers about with the old v6 mustang…might try it again this year
We should get together and perform your avatar activities before the event!
Who benefits from this?
:snky:
I think I want to try this again this year now that I have a car that isn’t going to lose parts while cornering.
lol, gotcha.
I know most of you guys will probably be running at ECC-N and wherever else WNY runs, but I cannot encourage you enough to make the trek out to Seneca Army Depot once or twice, in Romulus. It’s a great venue, one of the best in the area, and just about every region in the area does an event there (WNY, CNY, GLEN, etc.). There’s also a National Tour event in July.
there is an autocross track, very nicely setup from what i have heard, in rushford, ny. right across from my cottage.
Most of the tracks are go-kart tracks and, while they’re definitely fun, there’s not very much variation and technically they usually don’t meet SCCA guidelines for run-off space before a wall. Which can result in accidents, like one that I witnessed at a run at Cherry Valley Raceway in CNY where someone’s car got pretty torn up.
i highly recommend looking into the one at rushford, about 2 years ago they became an actually location for several races to be held, they since then have only been upgrading the place and making it much better. i have walked the whole track, a lot of going up and down hills with a lot of different jumps and gaps.
i cant open this video, but i tried to copy the link for it. this is the track from last year
:picard: :picard: :picard:
Yeah…I’ve done it once or twice. Was thinking about trying to hit some more WNY events this year. sigh
its definitely a good time. The majority of peeps are super cool and willing to help you out, show you the ropes, tips, tricks, etc. As previously mentioned some are dicks and will try to molest you like perrin but whatever at least he’s quick about it
the scariest part for me at first was worrying about actually getting out there, screwing up and looking stupid but it turns out I’m better at being sideways so I’m going with that.
Just dont hit the timing lights.
Andy (OP), I need to stop in to the store soon for some parts again anyways, we can shoot the sht about it
Agreed. The people who make the most mistakes are the experienced people, because they’re cutting things as close as they can, with the car at absolutely the full load of what it can handle, so you see them spinning out and absolutely plastering cones all the time.
I’ve never met any dicks at any events, and I’ve been to a lot of them. A lot of competitive people, but always in a friendly way - again, at least in my experience.
But yeah, hit the timing lights and people will not be happy with you. Not at all.
Just be careful that you aren’t equating experienced with skilled. I am experienced, and hit a lot of cones, but am far from good. The good drivers will probably hit at most 1 cone during the day. The people that get into trouble are the ones that think experience = skill. Just don’t try to drive beyond your limits too much and everyone will have a good time.
x2 on making it out to seneca army depot… I have a blast there. It’s like a road course with tricks 
The only downside is that cheese grater concrete on the “P”
Not every run, but the people who are skilled and experienced will usually be pushing hard enough that something happens. A lot of the class champions in FLR last year had some pretty memorable moments (I beat Alan Schoonmaker on a mirrorkhana run because of one of his spinouts, George Modlin hit a lot of cones last year, Cass’ dad had a couple of nice lift-throttle spinouts in the MINI, etc. - all class champions, or in close competition).
The trick is to drive at 99.99% of your limit the entire way; if you’re too cautious, your time will suffer. If you’re doing it right, occasionally you’ll go a bit over your limit and begin to lose it. I remember one run that Tom Weaver made last year in his RSX where he got tail-happy in a corner, and seemed to struggle for a second before getting back in line. I wrote off that run, but that wound up being one of his fastest of the day, within a second or two of the Evos, and blowing the rest of GS out of the water. All that to say, the most memorable mix-ups I’ve seen came from experienced AND skilled drivers pushing themselves too hard, not from newbies, who tend to be a bit more subdued until they get comfortable.
I like the dynamic that creates though. Changes handling characteristics significantly, and gives an advantage to adaptable drivers.