[atakacs]

Ok it's like this: At my last AX I was probably 6 seconds slower than the avg for my class, ESP on what was mostly a 50-60 second course. Most cars were mid to low 50s and a Z06 even ran a 49. My best was a 60. I am literally one of the slowest drivers at the event. I'm on stock tires which I know sucks, but... even when I let a buddy drive my car, he got a better time than me the 1st time ever driving it so I know it's me, not the car. I mean... there's a guy in a lightly modified CTS-V on street tires that gets better times than me!!!

I ran a few AXs last year... 3, maybe. How can I improve or practice without spending several years doing it? We get so few runs per event and then I couldn't attend the local driver's school, and I'll miss about 4 of the AX events over the summer for work as well as the EVO school. I thought about setting up some cones in a Wal-Mart parking lot after hours but I'm sure the cops would show up in no time... so I tried something different. I got a Logitech/Momo racing wheel & pedals for the PC and a few driving games/simulators like NFS and GTR2. I'm not sure how good they are at making you a better driver... unfortunately I think they made me more cautious, not more competitive.

So what do I do? I'd like to be competitive by the end of the year and recognized as the most improved this year. Do you think there's any hope?

This post has been edited by atakacs: May 11 2007, 08:21 PM

[atakacs]

Guys, thanks for all the input. Some of it is really helpful.

Step 1: Seat time, go to every event possible, out of town events, etc
Step 2: Secrets of Solo Racing by Henry Watts, buy it, read it, and then read it 10 more times
Step 3: Start taking solo seriously, ride with fast drivers, walk the course with fast drivers, walk the course two or three times, have fast drivers ride with you and give you feedback
Step 4: If money and time, get to an Evolution School. They aren't cheap, but worth every penny if you are serious about getting faster.
Step 5: More seat time

Edit: I now see you can't make the Evo school. Try and make it anyway (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

1-going, 2-got it, read it, will re-read it, 3-I do... know anyone in the OH area? 4-I'm working on getting into the EVO at BeaveRun on May 26th, 27th but 26th is full and I'm on a waiting list. 5-How can I get more seat time when there are so few runs? 4 runs *60 seconds = 4 minutes a week, assuming I go every week???

...Also, this place:

http://www.beaverun.com/

has a lot purpose-built autocross pad. They often have informal autocrosses where, again, you can run so many times that you run out of tires.

I don't know where you are located so I don't know if this is useful to you.

-Thanks for the tip. I'm going there for EVO School on 26th, 27th if I can get in. Are you going to be there?

Edit: I now see you can't make the Evo school. Try and make it anyway (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

If you absolutely can't make the local school, drive to one you can. Stay in a hotel if you have to.

Thanks. See last reply.

...Have you spun the car or come close to it? ...

Yes... I spun it once last year and DNFed because I left course a few times. Not this last time, though... I didn't hit a single cone. I'm wondering if I became more (too) cautious? After every run I thought to myself, I should have pushed harder... but to my newb senses, it felt like I was always at the verge of breaking loose.

In addition to what others have said:

See if you can get a better driver to codrive your car for a day. I did this with someone in our club, and they immediately jumped from lower 10% to mid-pack, and are now in the upper 1/3 of times. For me, I improved alot after the EVO school.

Playstation GT3 and GT4. The driver's tests I think are especially good, as well as the test tracks. I highly recommend a force feedback steering wheel.

You might not be as far behind as you might think. I assume you have a Camaro? ... It is probably worth giving everything a good wiggle, and make sure nothing is loose on the car, and having the alignment checked... Did you copy a proven ESP setup, or did you mod on your own? ...
Did you transition from a front wheel drive car?

by codrive do you mean I drive, he drives my car, etc? Are they allowed to drive more than one car on race day?
I have GTR2 for the PC and a Momo/Logitech FF wheel.
I have a WS6... read sig (IMG:http://www.frrax.com/rrforum/style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)
Everything is tight... car is a low-mileage '02. I'm planning on getting an alignment before the next event. My mods are minor: a STB and a battery relocation.

My wife's car is a FWD but my last car was an automatic '98 Z28.

This post has been edited by atakacs: May 11 2007, 08:18 PM

[Mojave]

5-How can I get more seat time when there are so few runs? 4 runs *60 seconds = 4 minutes a week, assuming I go every week???

Fun runs, practice events, double entry. Any/all of these can help get you more seat time. Some clubs, like PCA and BMW, give more than 4 runs. Run with them when possible.