Hello Everyone

I am sure their are posts on this but i am feeling lazy today :-)

I am going to be doing my first Autocross in 2 weeks time, is there anything i should do / think about in advance? I realize i need a helmet and i think i can borrow one or i may buy one in advance.

My car (997.1) is pretty new to me and i live in Tampa, FL where the roads are straight and long......so i am hoping to experience some spirited handling for the first time.

Someone mentioned to me i had to wear cotton?

Thanks

 

I haven't AXd in years but I'd offer the following:
- yes wear cotton.
- more importantly, check the organizers website and read all of their requirements and recommendations
- bring a chair and sunscreen, lots of water and other refreshments
- figure who is good and also nice and ask for a ride. See if there are any designated coaches
- if possible, have someone sit with you and point you through it
- be prepared for a long day and have a good attitude
- help out when possible
- bring an air compressor and tire gauge and fiddle to tire pressure and PASM settings etc if you feel like it

That's all I've got off the top of my head.

 

Have fun.
Try and get an instructor.
Don't try and go as fast as the car is capable. The car will out drive you so just be smooth and learn the car's dynamics.

 

+1 on reading the website. My local PCA chapter has an excellent list of what to bring/do.

And Hella nailed the rest, especially about having fun. These cars are more amazing than you can appreciate on the street.

Good luck!

 

Cool man I live in Tampa as well where is the autox?

 

Hey 'speedphreek' - Its Sunday Sept 9th, St Pete College Rookie Weekend (3200 34th St South)

Register at www.clubregistration.net, its $20 - all marques welcome (a friend of mine with an M3 is going too)

Thanks everyone else for comments too

 

Similar advice. First, read the rules and requirements for the club/organization holding the AutoCross. Wear comfortable shoes, as you'll be on your feet all day. If you're not driving you'll be working the corners or helping out somewhere.

Bring all the water, ice and eats you think you'll need. Sunscreen. Buy a helmet as otherwise you'll be trading helmets with others who need to borrow. That means hot, sweaty helmets likely. Find out before hand what helmets are approved for the group you'll be crossing with usually. Some accept M2010 helmets while others only accept SA helmets. You can buy a great helmet for between $100 and $150. Don't buy a cheap discounted 2005 helmet as they will be unusable soon.

Lastly, listen and watch. There will be many instructors there who will be more than happy to jump in the car with you and ride when you drive. Use their skills and experience and (again) listen. Then most importantly...... have fun.

Oh about the cotton. I disagree. Unless your club/group requires cotton, wear moisture wicking synthetic (athletic) clothes to help you stay dry. It's AutoCross, and you're in Florida. You're not going to have a real chance of fire or issues that would benefit you from having cotton. If there were you would be required to wear a race suit.

 

As a beginner, I wouldn't worry too much about adjusting the tire pressure, but you should definitely get a quality pressure gauge. I noticed the tires becoming unbearably greasy past 40PSI on either axle.

I recommend turning PSM off for autocross. I ran it on for an entire season and learned almost nothing about how the car handles or when I made mistakes. You really start to pick up on mistakes and the dynamics of the car when you don't have any safety net to save you from yourself.

Depending on your lot, you may or may not want the sport damper setting (if you have PASM). I played around with it a bit, but in general prefer the sport setting (along with sport mode from Sport Chrono).

Just my 2c.

 

I had my first autocross (PCA Shenandoah VA Region) a couple of weeks ago and I am completely hooked! I have never been to one much less run in one. It was a total adrenalin rush.

Turn off the PSM and your times will definitely improve. I did not get this little bit of advice until my last run. I barrowed a helmet and that worked fine for the first time. I just bought one for the next autocross on the 8th.

The parking lot tore up my new PS2s. The parking lot surface is super abrasive in spots. So I just bought another used set of rims with tires and I am dedicating them for autocrosses.

Be prepared to be hooked!

 

I agree with everything above.
Clean out you car. Empty all the storage areas. You don't want stuff sliding around.
Torque your lug nuts before you leave home.
HAVE FUN!!!

 

+1 on the moisture wicking shirt etc. Good fitting shoes. Also, make sure you get there with a clean windshield. When starting out, and since you won't have harnesses, you may want to lock your seatbelt in place (to keep your body in the seat). Practice setting up your locked seatbelt in the parking lot. In case you don't know, here's what you do.

1) Move your seat back a few inches from your autoX driving position.
2) With your seatbelt plugged in, quickly tug on the seatbelt so that it locks (there should be no play in the seatbelt)... hold it there.
3) While holding the locked seatbelt, move your seat back into position so that the locked seatbelt is holding you very snug.

It may take a few tries to get it just right... but you'll be very thankful that your seatbelt is locking you in to the seat... this reduces arm fatigue becuase you don't have to keep pushing your body back in to the seat. Just a bit of friendly advice.

Cheers,

J.

 

You can also scoot the seat back, twist the belt a few times around, click it, and scoot the seat forward. Now you're snug as a bug.

Water, sunscreen, pocket sized snacks.

Also, purel hand sanitizer.

 

Thanks to everyone who helped me prepare for my first event. I was pouring with rain but it went ahead.................and get this I WON THE ROOKIE PORSCHE EVENT!!!!

Un-believeable, 4 runs with PSM off and pretty good times which gradually got better, them my instructor suggested switching PSM back on......i did a 'Hot Lap' and won the thing. AMAZING DAY!

Was really fun in the wet, getting sideways but i was surprised how easy it was to control. Now don't get me wrong it was a short course (my winning time was 39.011 secs) but it was tight. I bet top speed was only 50mph if that....i was too busy looking out the ****pit to look at the dials!

Anyway it was great and i highly recommend it to any P-Car owner. I saw a completely different side to my car and loved every minute of it.

It was cool to be a marshall too...we all had to work :-)

 

Congrats and nice follow up

 

Well you certainly did much better than I did on my first autox a few weeks ago. Congrats!