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Not my best run - but fun nonetheless! Video was shot last weekend (Aug. 30) at Champaign County Sports Car Club's autocross from inside my '02 MCS. If you listen carefully, you can hear the tires complaining they aren't sticky enough when I overcook a couple of the corners. I took second in STX in a class of 6-7 drivers (a WRX beat me by .002!!!) Hope everyone enjoys!
Thanks Kevin. Actually - this was my first pass through the course for the day. I had a couple better runs later in the day - but I had run out of tape by then!
Thanks very much for posting the video. I'm interested in trying out autocross so watching you was helpful.
Looks like fun.
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#43 Street Modified (SM) Class SCCA Hawaii Region
2005-2009 Solo Run Off and Points Champion (Hawaii)(2nd 2006 Points)
2005-2008 Overall PAX: 8th 2006, 7th 2007, Tied 10th 2008.
2010-2011 Modified FWD RallyCross (Points Champion) http://www.sccahawaii.org/pics2008/s.../img_38944.jpg
I'm doing my first AutoCross ever on Saturday... any pointers? Also, how FAST were you driving between the cones...I mean, an average speed... I have no idea how fast I can push the MINI through the course without losing grip with the road, and I don't want to overdo it... I drive more on the conservative side anyway...
Thanks,
Joe
PS- I'll be driving a stock MINI, 16" runflats, 5-spokes, OEM tires...
Joe,
Drive as fast you feel comfortable.... Push the car hard, it can take it. As far as actual speed, You are usually too busy to look at the speedo :smile: I think the fastest I've gone in my Cooper on an autox course is 70 mph, but average running speed is closer to 35 mph.
Most of all have fun.
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Keith
2002 IB/W MC with the really big checkered flag on top - GONE
2007 MY/B MCS with some sort of stripes or something www.chaserace.com www.tightntidyracing.com
>>Joe,
>>Drive as fast you feel comfortable.... Push the car hard, it can take it. As far as actual speed, You are usually too busy to look at the speedo :smile: I think the fastest I've gone in my Cooper on an autox course is 70 mph, but average running speed is closer to 35 mph.
>>
>>Most of all have fun.
What Motoring said - don't be afraid to push the car more than you normally would. The object is to just get faster with every run. Get there early and walk the course until you can remember it in your head. Hook up with someone who has been racing for a while at your autocross, and ask them if they will walk the course with you and give you an insight on how they will be driving the course. Keep your head up and your eyes looking ahead (try to anticipate what your next move will be rather than "react" to the course). Smooth inputs on the steering wheel and pedals (so as not to unbalance the car) will help you get a faster time. You'll get more comfortable driving the car at the limit as you get more seat time at an autocross.
I found I was able to push myself (and the car) harder after having spun the car a couple times. I guess it helped alleviate the fear that I might be "going over" if I spun.
Average speed in the video was about 35-40 MPH , but the long bit after the first slolam was about 65-70 MPH at the fastest.
Have fun - but be careful. This stuff is highly addictive!
What kind of tires are you running. I was suprised to hear squeeling. Are they street tires? Or race compound tires?
Nice run BTW - The course surface looks scary though. Very fast courses make me hate my local Autocross venue even more.
I promised myself to go to other venues next season to get some more high speed experiance. Our course is so technical and tight you run at the bottom of second gear you could almost be in 1st but not quite. I have gotten so used to it I can spank national champs who show up because they are bewildered when they run. I used to think I was good until I got to a faster venue and they ran away from me. Must go to faster venues next year.
Jims5543 - they are VERY crappy street tires (Dunlop SP Sports), coupled with a little too much momentum as I turned throught the hard 180 (You can almost hear me chanting "Brake in a straight line! Brake in a straight line!" in the video... heheh).
The really fast guys in my class are running the Falken Azenis tires, but for as little as I have been racing this year, I can't really justify the expense to the wife. I totally understand about going to faster venues - I thought I was pretty good until I ran against some national class drivers at a CENDIV event.
I used an I/O Port camera mount attached to a 1" piece of square aluminum tubing that is u-bolted to the metal posts of the passenger headrest. Not the most steady on bumpy courses, but it seems to do the job.
Jims5543 - they are VERY crappy street tires (Dunlop SP Sports), coupled with a little too much momentum as I turned throught the hard 180 (You can almost hear me chanting "Brake in a straight line! Brake in a straight line!" in the video... heheh).
The really fast guys in my class are running the Falken Azenis tires, but for as little as I have been racing this year, I can't really justify the expense to the wife. I totally understand about going to faster venues - I thought I was pretty good until I ran against some national class drivers at a CENDIV event.
I actually found the ABS to be an awesome tool in Autox I late brake and trail brake it into the turn, the pedal pulsing under my foot makes me smile.
What class are you running? Are you allowed to use Victoracers or the like?
Does the Evolution driving school come near you? If so look into them. Tons of seat time lots of really useful instruction.
How long have you been Autocrossing? You have some really good habits. Your hand position is great. Your looking ahead which is the most important key in going fast in Autocross. Like when you reach the 180 you are looking at the exit as you enter. If you have not been doing this for long you are a natural at it keep it up we will be seeing some nice wins from you.
Jims5543 - Thanks for the compliments. I've been autocrossing for about 8 years - with the last couple being fairly intermittent. The local club lost the only venue in the area 2 years ago, and the hour and a half drive to the next nearest one is not as attractive as an option. This is the first year I've driven a front wheel drive car since I started back in 1995 (back then I drove an '86 Civic Si that had been ridden hard and put away wet - with 225k on the clock!), and it's been tough to make the transition back. Between this car, I've raced a couple Porsche 914's (hence the screen name), a 914-6 that I still have, a couple MR2 Turbos and my father's Miata.
I've been running the MCS in STX, which does not allow the use of R-Compound tires like the Victoracer (an AWESOME tire - had 'em on my 914-6 for a while). The Falken azenis tires seem to be the way to go.
I hope to get my classic Mini to the track at some point - but I don't trust its reliability enough yet to drive it an hour and a half, flog it, then drive it home...
I really, really enjoyed it, nynone4!! I did local (HI) events in September & October (FSP) and am hooked . You looked very composed & efficient -- beautiful, man . It's now a "Favorite" of mine ...thanks a lot, nynone4!!
. You looked very composed & efficient -- beautiful, man 
. It's now a "Favorite" of mine ...thanks a lot, nynone4!!
