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Posted by: elantragt Feb 6 2005, 10:37 PM

Ok so your interested in autocross and you want more info about it. well here it is:

Assuming you know the basics of autocrossing here is the info that you will want to know. the average cost is anywhere from 20-35$ for a event. just depends on the group you run with. you will need a helmet and normally the club has ones you can rent. you will want to get there fairly early. if the racing starts at noon you probaly want to be there around 9:30-10.

Our cars in stock for all fall under the HS class. classing From there with simples mods like a CAI you move to STS (street touring - S). this is nearly a wide open class and a really good class to run it. the downside is that there are people that have race only cars that are in this class. there is a lot of mods that you can do. from there you move to FSP (F stock prepared). This is a class where the only limit is that you have to be street legal.... or close to it. from there you go into either FP (F prepared) or SM (street modified). just depends on what you do.

Once you get to the event and have your car registered you will want to get the car ready. take everything out or your car. spare tire, jack, any tools, floor mats, and anything else that can move while you drive. now. give the car a good once over. check all the fluids and generaly make sure that everything is tight and won't cause you to break down. next up is tire pressure. this is where you need to just get in the seat and figure out what works for you. you will want to have a lot of pressure to keep the sidewalls from rolling over. this also depends on the tires too. the front tires need a lot of pressure to keep the tires stiff during braking/corning. the back tires are what you get to play with depending on your likes. you still want a lot of pressure but you can adjust it up more to allow the back end to break loose or down a little for it to stick to the ground.

Once your car is prepped go walk the course. you want to walk it AT LEAST 2 times. if your a novice find someone who looks lie they know what they are doing and ask them to walk the course with you. unless they are busy with the car they will walk with you. as you are walking try to picture which lines you will take as you drive. keep in mind that when your walking the course your going 3 mph and when your driving you are going 30-40mph. but think of your lines and try to get a solid mental image of the track in your head. if you have time find someone else and walk it with them looking at thier lines. just remember that the vettes will take different lines as the elantra because of the RWD.

Now comes the drivers meeting and the real fun starts. The drivers meeting is a way to get everyone together and let you know the rules of the event. this is a really good spot to ask any questions you might have. depending on the event you will either work next or drive next. working the event is a good way to get a good view of the course. just be aware of what is going on. keep your eyes on the car that is on course. and let the other people at your worker station that your a novice and someone will tell you what to do.

Next is your race. here is where the fun begins. make sure the car is warmed up and ready to go. as you pull up make sure your helmet is on, seatbelt is tight, and your drivers window is down. something i was told today and it made a difference is adjust your seatback forward a notch or too. it makes a difference but i'm not really sure why. now lean over and turn off the radio and the traction control if you have it. when you come up to the starting line someone will inch you up and tell you when to start. here you have anywhere from 30 seconds to a min. quickly run through the first few turns in your head. the starter will tell you to go. its not like drag racing. you don't have to go as soon as he tells you. rev up the engine a little and dump the clutch. or take a deap breath and just go.

After your run get back in line, take off your helmet and relax for a bit. maybe think about what you can do differently or ask questions if you really messed up. or just talk to the people near you and see where your times are.

-vabeachxd

Posted by: smp85 May 12 2006, 10:16 PM

more tips for new autocrossers...esp those going to use their elantra...

well i need to let you guys know that if you are planning on autoxing a completely stock elantra GT, it sucks. i had a crappy set of tires on (thank god) b/c the 15" wheels allow for competely too much give in the tires, even with them inflated waay up to rock hard. also got lots of terrible understeer, and the tiny brakes don't help either. still had fun though, got some respect from the people with the dubs and subies coz i was actually autocrossing a pos hyundai and did somewhat well with it...fun experience, but never again with my hyundai. i'll wait till i can get my beater MkI rabbit GTI or MkII golf GTI...ooh that will be fun!

Posted by: cobas May 13 2006, 08:40 AM

Rumor has it in rallycross you can place somewhere short of mid-pack after a couple of runs with just the tib sway bar.

Posted by: smp85 May 18 2006, 09:59 AM

i placed right around mid-pack with a completely stock elantra GT, with really shitty tires at the time. i came in second in my class. i guess i'm just a decent driver

Posted by: joehyundai Mar 23 2007, 11:26 AM

Mid pack? Elantra GT sucks? All you really have to do is put some sticky tires on them and learn how to drive. This is a vid of my final run last year. Not only did I win the class in this stock elantra, it was faster that some vettes, miatas and even an s2000. This was not my only win, so you can't blame it as being a fluke. The elantra is one of the best kept secrets in autocross. BTW this car is an auto.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2Jos031GyM

Posted by: SWortham Mar 23 2007, 12:31 PM

Very nice driving. I hate to say it, but it's going to be a heck of a lot harder to be competitive at nationals. You can see what cars are competitive if you look at national results. That's not to say that there aren't other cars that can do well that you do not see in the national results.

But at least in STS, the Elantra doesn't stand a chance up against all the '89 Civic SI's. Those Civics are running at around 2,000 pounds after a little weight reduction. So that car paired with a good driver can be extremely quick.

Posted by: oiml8 Mar 23 2007, 12:35 PM

Your particular SCCA division and region have a great deal to do with how well you do. I know Detroit it is highly competetive. I can't imagine a stock elantra with sticky tires running in HS could beat the Focus's and Mini's. One guy who was running in a Focus was putting up times very close to the best times in STS. He was an excellent driver. I think the Elantra is a pretty good car to run in though. Fantastic if you can win in your region.

Posted by: joehyundai Mar 24 2007, 02:12 PM

The Focus' has not really been an issue. There is a Mini however that if he's sitting on R compounds is untouchable I'm not running R's at the moment but I think a good set would make quite a difference. Other than that, there is an older driver with a 69 porsche 912 that is really good.

Posted by: NY2002ElantraGT Mar 24 2007, 02:30 PM

Great Post Mitch.... im looking to get into AutoX this summer. hopefully get a Gonzo G7 Rear strut bar! im ready to go!

how much do helmets go for?

Posted by: Ishtar Mar 24 2007, 02:34 PM

Most Events have helmets you can borrow.

On the flip side, check eBay. You need I think the 2000 rating?

Most shops have the open face helmets for $175. Full face about $300.

Posted by: J-son Mar 24 2007, 07:35 PM

NIce one Mitch...right b4 the season starts!!!

I have a few links you newbies could check out...

For autocross stuff...this is a nice site: http://www.soloracer.com
and a few reads that I have picked up along the way...

Solo2 Novice Hand book: http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm

ANd one of the best site ever for finding events: http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae/frmMain.Show

You can even pre reg for the even through my auto events. OUr region request people to pre reg to help get the event off faster for more run time!!!

If I find some more...I will post it here!

CHeers

Posted by: deloveh Jun 1 2007, 06:45 PM

I think it depends which year of an Elantra you put on an AutoX course. I have done it with both a stock 99 and 01 and they act completely different. The 99 suspension is much stiffer and the engine a bit easier to wind out, but this all comes at the cost of comfort on normal driving. The 01 handled better for late breaking but I could not get a feel when to break to avoid the understeer as well. Since then my 01 is gone and I continue to run my 99 mostly for AutoX in the FSP category. I am in FSP and placed 3rd in the last event in the Washington D.C. Region where it is even competitive to get registered for an event (sadly no joke).
I am in FSP because I have a light weight flywheel. Everything else would keep me in STS. My other mods are I have Motegi Tracklite wheels with Kumho Ecsta v710 R compound tires. My air intake at the moment is a short ram with a K&N filter. And I have Iridium plugs, an upgrade my car seemed fond of at idle speeds.
In regards to someone mentioning the R compound tires earlier, yes they make a noticeable difference. From what I have read it means 1-2 seconds on a 60 second course. My opinion is that it means 2-3 over my stock tires which are not very good. Might mean less on a car where it comes with wider and better tires like a WRX or VDub.
But what really matters, and I say this with certainty, is the driver. You can have the best mods in your class, the coolest company stickers, and a really cool paint job, and get smoked by everyone. Watch any event closely and you will see that the best times are put down by people with good control and smooth action (neither of which are me). Usually they are not even the fun people to watch because they don't slide and drive the car uncontrollably. And to reiterate what I keep hearing from people, you improve by "seat time, seat time, seat time!"
As for RallyX I even did that this year and on my stock tires. I placed upper middle compared to all other drivers, and there were six subies there and a Tiburon GT.
I am only a novice having 2 years of total AutoX experience, and I think the other posts in this thread really have hit the mark on things to know.

Posted by: Bobzilla Jun 1 2007, 07:27 PM

I couldn't agree more! My first event this year and the car, being a hyundai, got lots of snickers. But the "race team" from Rose Hulman with their matching uniforms, stickered up car and full trailer with tools got all the laughs. THey were the slowest car on the track. . . with few exceptions.

I'm finishing mid-pack in our 10-12 car STS class here in Indy. We have some very good and very competitive drivers here and I feel lucky (and a little proud) to be where I am with the car I have. Most of the cars in my class have more power, better tires and a better suspension. I'm lucky that they just screw up more than me!

Posted by: saturn Jun 24 2007, 11:28 AM

as soon as I get a tib sway bar and the gonzosport rear strutbar... I'm going to give autox a try.

would like to hopefully find better wheels and tires too. being broke doesn't help.

Posted by: Ishtar Jun 24 2007, 11:36 AM

why not run in stock classes Saturn...?

Posted by: JohnsRedGT Jun 29 2007, 05:43 PM

bobzilla-
I'll be moving to the Cincinnati area as soon as my house sells - not to far from Indy. Maybe we will be settled enough to race in your area before the season winds down...........

Posted by: saturn Jun 29 2007, 10:17 PM

I think there is a guy with a "stock" Lotus in the stock class...

but aside from that, the elantra doesn't corner very well without some upgrades... I was going to give it a try anyway. would like to get 17" wheels and some sticky tires + sway bar... rear strut bar. eventually new struts and springs. then I'll probably be done modding the elantra (since it'll never go fast, I don't want to waste money)

Posted by: trololololo May 15 2014, 04:59 PM

any ither newbies thinking about starting?

i dont have an elantra.. ( after realizing my 26.6:1 power ratio @4025lbs i wish i did!!)

but i would still like to get together with any yall VA/MD folk

Posted by: Bobzilla May 16 2014, 09:51 AM

Like I mentioned in another thread.... we need to get a big group together for a good event. I know it'll never happen, but it would be awesome.

Oh... and holy necro-thread!

Posted by: trololololo May 16 2014, 07:09 PM

this is hours from me but closer to some of yall

$30 for no scca members and $25 for members

here is the last event map... jun 1st and beyond not available

http://www.odr-scca.org/component/option,com_docman/task,doc_download/gid,203/Itemid,29/