I'm going to run my GTA at the local track! The suspension is tired worn-out stock stuff, so I'm not expecting radical times. I also have Aquatreads on it, so I'm not expecting awesome traction either. It's a chance to baseline the car as-is before I start tossign suspension parts at it, and to baseline myself, too.

 

welcome to autocross
First mods to make
Koni SA
Hawk HP+ pads
good tires
Hang on and enjoy the race

 

the best mod you can make, is the driver. Be ready to learn alot about your driving skills.

my best advice is, follow the guys that are good around on the course walk. also, walk the course until they drag you off kicking and screaming. get as much time out there as you can.

also, make sure to let them know it is your first time. see if you can get a pax driver to ride along with you. some free instruction will go a long ways.

 

Everything dewey said. Walking the course is really important. Walk it enough so that when you're done you can sit in your car and draw out the course without looking at the map.

Howd you do?

 

Actually, you should not make any mods till you get the suspension back up to snuff. If it is worn, no matter what you do, it will still drive like crap. Replace bushings and all wear parts. A good set of shocks, stick tires and a good alignment. Run it in F-stock for a while.

 

My co-worker runs his S-10 at the local track, he said the same stuff - #1 mod - the driver. I have zilch experience at this sort of sparts driving stuff, and I do NOT consider street racing to be an impromtu class in driving skills. Too many variables and just plain irresponsible. Then its a polygraphite bushing kit - I'm sure the stock ones are well-past their useful lives. As for the car, it seems to want to handle well enough when I need to avoid the occasional wacko that almost hits me... Except when the road is wet. Go figure. He says I can request a PAX driver to go along, I'll do that for the first run, then I'll see how I do.

All-in-all, I'm loooking to baseline the car now, then I'll go back as I do some mods, in order to gage exactly what helped and what didn't. Then at least I can brag about doing something! 1/4 mile comes later.

 

I ran, it was a fun day, and the wife loved every minute of it - save the mosquitoes and the sunburn. The instructor who rode shotgun with me said I did really well, I knew when to turn, I was smooth on the controls and I didn't make him wonder if I was going to flip the car over or send it into a wall. I only ran a 66.something, whihc was pretty sedate compared to most everyone else, but hey, first time. The car didn't complain much, I knew it had more in it, but I was testing MY limits. Then it rained. Hard. The instructor had told me that I needed to simply speed up more and I would be okay... So, even though the road is coverd in water, I SPED UP! I ate four cones, got a bolt stuck in my tire and one cone I hit managed to shove its way between the y-pipe and the frame. But it was still fun. I wasn't able to do the whole four runs becasue of the bolt. The ruling car that day was a 240Z, with a 46-second time. Everyone said it was a fast course, though. Most times were in the fifty-something second range.

 

Having fun is really all that matters when you first get started. I've been to 4 autox events for a total of about 15 runs, and it was so much fun. Even with a 150K mile suspension, hard street Yokohama tires, and excess horsepower, I still had a great time, and learned a lot about my car and my ability. But if you want to be competitive, definitely get some good tires. Street tires are good for one thing: turning into smoke and noise. In the regional competition I ran in a while back, I was the only car in my class (Street Prepared) with street tires and I was at least 5 seconds off the next car. Wasn't anywhere near competitive, but still had a great time.

 

So I am not the only idiot out there running in prepared with street tires.

 

At least Im in street modified with street tires

 

Since i haven't done any auto-x this year, i don't know if the rules have changed, i ran CP last year, i don't know if they still have the prepared class, i may end up in modified now.