Slalom

[pieperz06]

how the heck do i do them successfully!!! i did my first autox event today and it was kickin my ass and im going back out tomorrow and i dont know how i can improve i was getting alot advice about them from a few smaller cars but when i was trying what they were saying i ended up doing just as bad as before any info on how to get through them quicker.

 

[spiral281]

there is usually a rhythm to slolums, best i can tell you is lots of practice...the best way i can think to say is with my 07 i have to do everything early because of the delayed reaction from my cars stock suspension, you should be turning in for each successive either when or before the front of your car is next to the cone, if you wait till after you will be too late, even beside it is too late

 

[pieperz06]

there is usually a rhythm to slolums, best i can tell you is lots of practice...the best way i can think to say is with my 07 i have to do everything early because of the delayed reaction from my cars stock suspension, you should be turning in for each successive either when or before the front of your car is next to the cone, if you wait till after you will be too late, even beside it is too late

see my problem is that i was turning to early acording to every one there and it was mainly on the passenger side because im not use to judging distance on that side

 

[Branomano08BlackBullitt]

see my problem is that i was turning to early acording to every one there and it was mainly on the passenger side because im not use to judging distance on that side

I would assume you would want to know your car almost to the nearest inch before hitting a road course. Knowing where everything is in relation to the track should help alot with keeping a perfect line (again assuming), or knowing where you are in relation to the cones. I would say you should try and get at home with your car as much as possible so you can focus on the track and not the car as much.

 

[pieperz06]

I would assume you would want to know your car almost to the nearest inch before hitting a road course. Knowing where everything is in relation to the track should help alot with keeping a perfect line (again assuming), or knowing where you are in relation to the cones. I would say you should try and get at home with your car as much as possible so you can focus on the track and not the car as much.

well i got to do another 6 runs on the course today and never hit them once. i figured out what my problem was i was trying to cut them to close and to fast. today i slowed down and tried to be smother during my runs and i also started lightly feathering the gas when i was coming back in to the next cone and that also helped me a lot. when i started off on the first run i ran a 1 min 24 seconds and my last run today i ran a 1 min 3 seconds which is about 1 second from the other cars that would be in my class. but after today i still feel like my car has another second maby 2 seconds left in it.

 

[Kaldar142]

Just remember, practice makes perfect.

Also, keep your head up and look ahead

 

[Vapour Trails]

Slalom....

To do well you have to get ahead of the slalom, if you turn late into the first one you are fucked.

Think of attacking the back of each cone, like you want the rear tire to just graze it as you go by. This will get you 'ahead' of the slalom and it gets much easier.

 

[RedMosesSC]

Slolams are tough, epecially when they gradually get smaller after every gate and you have a big car like ours.

I think you found the major things to try and that is to take it slower than you normally would, turn the wheel smoothly and gradually. Upsetting the cars balance by jerking your wheel is your biggest enemy on the coarse, you also want to avoid "Scrubbing" or screeching of tires and keep the car as level as possible. Keep your windows open and listen to the tires, you will start to hear what it sounds like when they are at that optimal point between too slow and too fast.

Its incredibly difficult to steer the car in a relaxed fashion when your trying to go as fast as you can but the more seat time you get the more relaxed you become during your heats.

 

[pieperz06]

thanks guys i defiantly started doing better when i had my windows down but it still feels like my car has so much left in it and it buggs me that i cant drive it to its potential

 

[Vapour Trails]

thanks guys i defiantly started doing better when i had my windows down but it still feels like my car has so much left in it and it buggs me that i cant drive it to its potential

It takes time, it's hard to do well. It took me at least 10 events before I started to get the hang of it. Just get as much experience as possible.

 

[pieperz06]

It takes time, it's hard to do well. It took me at least 10 events before I started to get the hang of it. Just get as much experience as possible.

yah it kinda sucks they only do auto cross down here 1 time a month

 

[RedMosesSC]

As long as your times are getting better throught the day and in general, you know your doing somthing right. Don't be ashamed of having an instructer sit in with you, one event i was having a really hard time making some gates and the coarse designer sat in with me, the time difference was huge!!

Those more experienced racers can clear up a lot of concepts that your banging your head on. Ive gotten to know some of the better guys in the scene just from going to the events and i always make sure to talk to them to get their feedback on the coarse after a couple heats. Also, walk the coarse as many times as possible and make notes on the map if its provided.

The problem is, as soon as you get the Go! your plans are out the window from the adrenalin rush but the more seat time you get the more you will be able to correct the mistakes you have identified in your runs.

Man, this thread is getting me all pumped up, ive got another event coming up in 2 weeks!!

 

[pieperz06]

yah me to im pumped because im doing the driving school at texas world speed way at the end of the month and that should be fun....and no slalom

 

[RedMosesSC]

Hahaha, im dying to do open track events but they require a 4 point roll bar for Verts. Ive been doing Autocross to work on my driving skills and at some point i will install the roll bar and participate. Ive picked all the low hanging fruit mods and i feel that the car is now ready for some safety equipment, the roll bar will prolly be the next major mod. Also, NASA / PDA is expensive about 200 - 500 to run on the track for the day not including gas, tires and wear n tear, sometimes you have to get towed home or worst case wreck, so... But they do 2 to 4 20 min heats on the open track, thats A LOT of driving, even after 6 or 8 heats of Autocross the driver will be tired.

 

[Sleeper_08]

Here is a link to a Master at autox - Sam Strano in a Mustang - Post #129

http://mustangforums.com/forum/s197...-your-track-day-and-autox-experiences-13.html

What I find amazing is how smooth he is and how quickly he gets into it off the line. He just won ProSolo for F-Stock this past weekend.

http://scca.com/popup/raceresult.aspx?event=13631&file=822

Here is a link to a thread that lists suggested reading material and at the bottom of post #1 are some web links on autox

http://mustangforums.com/forum/s197-handling-section/400123-reading-list.html

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Hahaha, im dying to do open track events but they require a 4 point roll bar for Verts. Ive been doing Autocross to work on my driving skills and at some point i will install the roll bar and participate. Ive picked all the low hanging fruit mods and i feel that the car is now ready for some safety equipment, the roll bar will prolly be the next major mod. Also, NASA / PDA is expensive about 200 - 500 to run on the track for the day not including gas, tires and wear n tear, sometimes you have to get towed home or worst case wreck, so... But they do 2 to 4 20 min heats on the open track, thats A LOT of driving, even after 6 or 8 heats of Autocross the driver will be tired.

+1 it is a LOT of track time, but when it all boils down, it's still the deal of the century... For example, as a "track virgin," you would sign up for HPDE-1, and you'll get 3-4 classroom sessions to cover the essential basics, like "the line," vehicle dynamics, car control techniques, and track etiquette. Then you get to apply those lessons in four 20-minute driving sessions, with an instructor riding along with you to refine your techniqes, and help you go faster safely. That's a full day, believe me, and from what I've seen (Midwest and Great Lakes regions), 300-400 is the price for a weekend, not a day, so multiply what you get times two. The hands-on instruction is worth it's weight in gold, believe me.

 

[RedMosesSC]

Thanks for Sharing Sleeper!

Man, Sam Strano is a bad ass on the AutoX coarse, 36 seconds, wow!!

 

[Vapour Trails]

Thanks for Sharing Sleeper!

Man, Sam Strano is a bad ass on the AutoX coarse, 36 seconds, wow!!

It's so short because it isn't Auto X, it's ProSolo. ProSolo is part drag race, part AutoX. Did you see the Christmas Tree? 2 cars line up, react to the tree, then complete mirror image courses of short duration. I would love to try it, as it has more of an "heads up" feel.

http://www.scca.com/contentpage.aspx?content=57

 

[Kaldar142]

i kind of want to start autoxing, road course events are too far apart from each other and i hate drag racing so i need something to do... lol

 

[SoundGuyDave]

Depending on how far you're willing to travel, track events aren't all that infrequent... Determine how far you're willing to go (200mi? 300? 400?), then hit trackpedia.com, find all the tracks in that radius, and start looking at the schedules... Weekdays are not uncommon, as well... I can keep myself on track as often as my pocketbook will allow, and there are 10 good road courses within my personal travel limit... Also, if you've got vacation time coming, think about heading south during the winter: Southeast and Southwest tracks seem to keep running!