Cal Club Autocross Forums

Hi all,

Just moved down a few weeks ago from the Bay Area. Have done a few track days at Thill, Laguna Seca, and Infineon, but no AutoX and none of the tracks down here. I'll definitely be at some of the AutoX events down here, and I'll try my hardest to squeeze in a few track days at Buttonwillow and Willow Springs too.

welcome to the boards!

in the following email is all the events for the 2013 season
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=6974" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I can say that I am personally jealous that you have Thunder Hill, Laguna Seca, and Infineon under your belt. I know people who have run there and have nothing but praises about those tracks.
Buttonwillow and Willow Springs should be a lot of fun for you also.

What car do you drive?

I bought an STi a few months ago that I've yet to take out to the track. Unfortunately, I never did get a chance to do Laguna Seca in a car (did it on a moto), but it was amazing nonetheless. The elevation changes are just out of this world...

Try and get out to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway if you can, it was new a couple years ago and I really enjoy it.

http://www.speedventures.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is a great source of track days here in SoCal, I've run with them many times. Looks like they're running at Chuckwalla this weekend.

Mu Jing wrote:I bought an STi a few months ago that I've yet to take out to the track. Unfortunately, I never did get a chance to do Laguna Seca in a car (did it on a moto), but it was amazing nonetheless. The elevation changes are just out of this world...

Hmmmm........have you ever heard of Rallyx? }:)

Mu Jing wrote:Hi all,

Just moved down a few weeks ago from the Bay Area. Have done a few track days at Thill, Laguna Seca, and Infineon, but no AutoX and none of the tracks down here. I'll definitely be at some of the AutoX events down here, and I'll try my hardest to squeeze in a few track days at Buttonwillow and Willow Springs too.

There is an SCCA Time Trial this weekend at Buttonwillow.
http://www.calclub.com/html/html2/archi ... -March.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I thought Ron Chapman said there was going to be a PDX for the Chuckwalla race too but I don't see it on the schedule?
http://www.sdr-scca.com/rr/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Toby Larsson wrote:I thought Ron Chapman said there was going to be a PDX for the Chuckwalla race too but I don't see it on the schedule?
http://www.sdr-scca.com/rr/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Scroll down, I think its on the second page.

http://www.sdr-scca.com/rr/schedule-chuckwalla.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

George Schilling wrote:

Mu Jing wrote:I bought an STi a few months ago that I've yet to take out to the track. Unfortunately, I never did get a chance to do Laguna Seca in a car (did it on a moto), but it was amazing nonetheless. The elevation changes are just out of this world...

Hmmmm........have you ever heard of Rallyx? }:)

Maybe one day if I can get myself a beater that I won't feel too bad about nicking up...for now I'll stick to the tarmac

Jeff Stuart wrote:Try and get out to Chuckwalla Valley Raceway if you can, it was new a couple years ago and I really enjoy it.

http://www.speedventures.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; is a great source of track days here in SoCal, I've run with them many times. Looks like they're running at Chuckwalla this weekend.

I'm thinking about signing up for the speedventures willow springs day in a couple weeks, although I wish I could squeeze in an AutoX before that to get a little more accustomed to the car (first time in an AWD car).

Just got back from the event at Auto Club today. Totally different experience from the track. I had a difficult time getting accustomed to reading cones rather than just looking for the fastest line. I feel like my turn-ins were delayed because I wasn't looking far enough ahead, and I was hesitant to accelerate out of corners because I wasn't confident about what lay ahead. Ended up going off course on 2 of my runs after misreading the cones. Depth perception is not my forte it seems; I completely blew the same element both times by not recognizing it among the cones for the wall .

Mu Jing wrote:Just got back from the event at Auto Club today. Totally different experience from the track. I had a difficult time getting accustomed to reading cones rather than just looking for the fastest line. I feel like my turn-ins were delayed because I wasn't looking far enough ahead, and I was hesitant to accelerate out of corners because I wasn't confident about what lay ahead. Ended up going off course on 2 of my runs after misreading the cones. Depth perception is not my forte it seems; I completely blew the same element both times by not recognizing it among the cones for the wall .

Don't be discouraged Mu. Reading the cones takes a bit of getting used to. What made this course interesting was which line to choose. Christine Grice did a great job with the design offering many choices. Unlike track events where everyone knows the fastest line, autox makes you choose the line you think is the fastest. Hope you liked the challenge and come back for more.

Yep, this is completely normal. It's a very different skill set that's going to take a learning curve. Then just when you think you've got the course down, they go and build a new one that's totally different .

It takes a good 10+ events to get really comfortable reading course and being confident in your decisions. At this point you don't have 'hesitations', but then you need to work on your actual line, steering input, brake points and throttle modulation, which take a lifetime to master.

The good news is it makes you a much better road racer. The bad news is big track time starts to feel a little dull. For many of us, a big track now feels like it's going in slow motion, with enough time between turns to check your e-mail.

Jay W

Mu Jing wrote:Just got back from the event at Auto Club today. Totally different experience from the track. I had a difficult time getting accustomed to reading cones rather than just looking for the fastest line. I feel like my turn-ins were delayed because I wasn't looking far enough ahead, and I was hesitant to accelerate out of corners because I wasn't confident about what lay ahead. Ended up going off course on 2 of my runs after misreading the cones. Depth perception is not my forte it seems; I completely blew the same element both times by not recognizing it among the cones for the wall .

Jayson Woodruff wrote:
The good news is it makes you a much better road racer. The bad news is big track time starts to feel a little dull. For many of us, a big track now feels like it's going in slow motion, with enough time between turns to check your e-mail.

Jay W

hahaha sadly this is exactly how i felt when i went to buttonwillow last year.

Sounds like I should attend the Saturday practices to get in as many runs in as possible. How often do the courses change? Is it a different one each time out?

Mu Jing wrote:Sounds like I should attend the Saturday practices to get in as many runs in as possible. How often do the courses change? Is it a different one each time out?

courses are different each time out.
i would suggest x-runs also on sundays if you can't make it out to the practice days.

also, we have plenty of instructors available for you to show you around the course so you can sort of see where the course goes. these are available even on championship days. i would definitely use that resource to your advantage.

Mu Jing wrote:Sounds like I should attend the Saturday practices to get in as many runs in as possible. How often do the courses change? Is it a different one each time out?

That is the main thing that distinguishes our sport. To be able to drive a track that you have only walked around and do your best in 3 or 4 laps. Course walking varies. Some walk once to get a fell for where it goes and look for any problem areas, others walk multiple times, some make a map and make notes on it. Note that not only is the course different every event, but Saturday and Sunday are run in opposite directions. Welcome to the sport.

Solo, Great Practice for Quick Qualy laps in road racing ...