2011 CCR Solo Supplemental Rules / Novice FAQ

CCR Novice FAQ

Here's some useful information if you're new to the sport of autox.



What is autocross (or autox)?

Definition from Wikipedia.com

Autocross is a form of motorsports that emphasizes safe, low-cost competition and active participation. An autocross is a timed competition where drivers navigate one at a time through a temporary course marked by traffic cones, rather than racing on a track with multiple other cars, as in road racing or oval racing. Autocross tends to place more emphasis on car handling and driver skill than on sheer horsepower, and events typically have many classes which allow almost any vehicle, from economy sedans to purpose-built vehicles, to compete. Speeds are slower in absolute terms when compared to other forms of motorsports, usually not exceeding highway speeds.

Autocross events are usually held in large paved areas like parking lots or airfields. Typically, new courses are created for each event so drivers must learn a new course each time they compete. Prior to driving, a competitor will walk the course, taking mental notes, and developing a strategy to be refined upon subsequent runs. National organizations such as the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and National Auto Sport Association (NASA) sponsor autocross events throughout the United States, and many areas have independent autocross clubs.



What happens during an autox?

Car Prep
When you get to the event site, get your car prepped for the upcoming tech inspection. Remove all the loose items from the interior and trunk. If you have hubcaps or lug nut covers on your wheels, remove them as well. This might be a good time to make sure your tire pressures are where you want them. If you are fortunate enough to be running race tires, get changed over to them ASAP.

Registration
Registering for an autocross event requires a valid driver's license and an entry fee (usually $25 to $35). Knowing your class and car number ahead of time will also make things run smoother. You will also be asked to sign an insurance waiver. If the region offers online registration take advantage of that to make things easier for you and the organizers.

Tech Inspection
Your car must pass a tech inspection before you can compete. They will check to make sure your car is safe to compete by checking over various items on your car (tires, wheels, battery, brakes, etc). They will also require that any loose items in your car be removed (jack, floor mats, spare change, etc). Once completed, the tech inspector will mark your car, or recommend changes to make the car pass.

Course Walk
After the tech inspection, it is imperative that you walk the course. This is especially important for first timers, but it is a must for any autocrosser. Without a course walk, you will be lost once you get out there in your car. Most events will also have a novice course walk just before the drivers meeting. Try to have the course memorized before you go on the guided walk, and definitely before its time to run. If course maps are not provided, we recommend a pen and paper be used to draw the course out. This will be handy later if you are having trouble remembering something from your course walk.

Drivers Meeting
The drivers' meeting is mandatory for all drivers. The event chair will hold the meeting approximately one half hour before the first car starts. Be sure to attend. This is where you will find out information you'll need to know about the course conditions, number of runs, particular safety concerns, how penalties are assessed, and how work assignments will be handled.

Racing!
This is what you've been waiting for! Most autocross events will have between 3-6 runs per event. This means that you will get between 3 and 6 laps around the course you walked earlier. It doesnt seem like much, but once you finish your first run, we guarantee you will be hooked. Cars will be gridded by class in the run groups announced during the drivers meetings. Depending on the size of the event, you may get a couple runs in the morning, and then maybe a few more in the afternoon, with your rest and work sessions somewhere in between.

Working the Course
And you thought that all you would be doing is driving. Everyone who competes in an autocross event must also work. Work assignments vary. Most people will work somewhere out on the course, helping pick up downed cones, etc. However there are various other work assignments that exist (timer, announcer, flagger, etc). Report for your work assignment as soon as you hear your group announced. This will make for a speedy transition from group to group.

The Awards
Well, if you did well, you will definitely want to attend the awards ceremony after the event. Most clubs give out small prizes for each class, and also usually for Fast Time of the Day (FTD). This is also a good time to cheer on your fellow competitors...and check out your competition.

Fun Runs
Some events may run fun runs after the competition runs have been completed. This is a great time to work on your driving and try different things. These fun runs usually cost $1 per run.

Course Cleanup
This is a must. Please stick around and help clean up after the event is over. Many people have worked their tails off so that you could compete, now its your turn to return the favor and help collect cones and so on.



What should I bring to an autox event?

One way to ensure full preparation is make a checklist, below is one I created that I still use before every event. It definitely makes things easier knowing you always bring what you need.

MUST HAVE
--> Driver's License (with no restrictions on driving priviledge)
--> Safe Car (nothing loose, take all belongings out the night before)
--> Cash for entry fee ($25-35)

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
-($100)-- Helmet (get what fits you best)
--($10)-- Magnetic Numbers (shoe polish sucks)
--($10)-- Air Gauge (circular analog is what I use)
--($20)-- 12v air compressor cig lighter powered
--------- Ice Cooler with food and water
--------- Foldable chair(s) (8 hours standing and you'll get it)
--------- Sunscreen or Umbrella (especially in the summer)
--------- Sunglasses (open asphalt sun glare is especially bad)
--------- Towels (where you gonna wipe that sweat off?)
--------- Shoes (light athletic running shoes work great)
--------- Spare Tire Kit for long trips

RECOMMENDED
--($30)-- 5 or 10 gallon air tank (~125psi) allows fast inflate
--------- Extra Clothes
--------- Plastic bags
--------- Tool Kit
--------- Paper/Pen for course map drawing, run E.T. recording, etc.

OPTIONAL
-($110)-- E-ZUP Dome II 10'x10' Canopy Shelter (great for rain/sun, stores in most trunks)
--($15)-- Water sprayer if using Falken Azenis (STS/X) in hot conditions
--------- Camera/Camcorder (8 hours for 3 runs, get someone to take pics)



Can you give me any preparation/driving tips?


For First Time Drivers

Tire Prep
Get an air gauge and buy one of those 12V cig outlet powered air compressors, they are only like $15-20 at any auto parts store and it's a good idea to own one anyway. The best way to get the optimal pressure is to put a dab of white shoe polish on the shoulder of the tire between the sidewall and tread. If after a run tire wear eats into the sidwall, add more pressure. If the marking still appears above the shoulder then release pressure. Someone at the site will definitely have some shoe polish or chalk you can use. Tires are THE most important factor in autox after driving skill, so it's important that you prepare accordingly.

Driving Tips
You need to focus on several things: (1) walk the course as often as you can (2) while driving LOOK AHEAD, LOOK AHEAD, and oh yeah, LOOK AHEAD. I can't emphasize this enough. The course will be going by so fast that you won't have time to simply look immediately in front of the car and react fast enough. You have to look ahead on the course to anticipate how you will take the turns that you should have already become familiar with during your multiple course walks. (3) After that you can start focusing on driving the optimal line, by getting as close to the cones as possible and setting up correctly for every corner and/or segment. (4) Finally, don't coast, accelerate and brake hard to try and race the optimal line as fast as possible without losing grip.


For Intermediate Drivers

Here is something I usually read before autox days, a compilation of top ten tips from Andy Hollis, who is a multiple National Solo Champion and instructor for the Evolution Solo School. That makes him pretty credible in my book.

ANDY'S TOP TEN AUTOX DRIVING TIPS
by Andy Hollis

(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.