New To Autocross, Can't Wait To Start

tlunruh · Post by **tlunruh** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 12:33 am

How-do all? It just isn't feasible to imagine my excitement when I learned about Autocross! I was watching Tuner Transformation on the Speed channel this evening and they happened to be hoppin up a Mini to help the owner out in his Autocross races.

I live in Maryville (TN) but have been working in Indianapolis for the last 3 months so needless to say I am surrounded by racing ALL the time (between the Indy 500 a month ago and Formula 1 last weekend) not to mention I am totally imersed in racing sims on my Playstation.

So being the internet junkie that I am, I did a quick Google on Autocross and learned that it was totally amateur!! Then doing a quick, hoping-for-the-best-expecting-the-worst Google on east tennessee autocross, I almost had a heart attack when I saw the very first link listed as East Tennessee Region SCCA. <still gasping...>

So needless to say I have spent the last 4 hours or so POURING over everything I can find in the website; reading the newsletters, browsing the forum, checking out the pictures!! If I were Tim Allen I would be grunting uncontrollably right now! ... <breathless panting>

Anyway, enough of my virgin ramblings, I do have a very noob question for anyone who cares to answer. I was looking through the event schedule and saw that the "season" is pretty much half over. Is this correct? Is it a seasonal thing? Does/can a person start mid-season?

Not that I could start now anyway, my little GMC Sonoma isn't exactly race-worthy plus I am gonna have a hard time convincing my wife to let me trade it in for anything remotely sports-like since she is so over-whelmingly convinced the pickem'up truck is too functionally needed (something about xmas trees and landscaping mulch in a vette doesn't seem doable to her for some reason... go figure).

I read through the novice handbook and got a LOT of great information so I understand the basics of what is needed, just wasn't sure of the whole "season" thing.

Also I noticed there were some races listed as "Regional #1, #2, etc." and I understand these are championships or whatever, but are they only availble to those who started at race #1 or can a person enter at anytime (even though it is probably a points race so if you didn't start at #1 you would be perpetually behind)?

Wow, I didn't expect a noob post like this.. Sorry for the length, just trying to contain/express/grasp my excitement in learning I can get into racing! I would attach a smiley to this but they just won't do me justice.

Well, thanks for reading and sorry again for the length.
Tobey

tscott · Post by **tscott** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:24 am

You can start running whenever you want. We are seasonal but between us, Chattanooga and Nashville you can run 9 months out of the year. If you are trying to modify or maintain your car, those three months go by really fast. If you are needing to get a car, then I would suggest a Miata. They can be found for fairly cheap, are very competitive, and are a blast to drive.

John Brown · Post by **John Brown** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:40 am

OH..slo down Weedhopper...chu hav plenty time to learn fine art of conedodging...
Must take deep breath,close eyes and focus...

come out Sun.observe conemasters,you learn.

MARKP · Post by **MARKP** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:10 am

Race the truck... people love the truck... Oh, wait a minute, maybe that's not you.

Anyway, welcome! If your truck happens to be two wheel drive, you can run it (as long as it will pass safety inspection). I have been known to drive my Suburban at a driver's school before.

Post by **thrdeye** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 8:36 am

Tobey,

I have an old 83 Scirocco that I'd be willing to part with for $600. It will run, but it needs some work....Has an oil leak and runs rough. It does look decent, especially the interior. There is a bit of rust in random places, but should be fixable. They make excellent auto x cars.....My 285 hp WRX generally gets it's ass handed to it and 285 hp is like 3 sciroccos combined or something.

If someone (you) had a few hundred to put into it, it would be the ticket. Post up if interested and I will get some pics up.

scottgib · Post by **scottgib** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 9:32 am

Just so everyone knows, the rule relative to high cg vehicles is:

"Unstable vehicles with a high center of gravity and a narrow track,
including SUV’s, minivans, and 4WD pickups, must be excluded (e.g.
Suzuki Samurai, Jeep CJ series, and GEO Tracker/Suzuki Sidekick).
Extra caution should be exercised with non-traditional vehicles, e.g.
trucks using racing slicks."

I would not encourage a person new to autocross to run a truck unless it were lowered or one of the performance specials that handles well.

We do welcome new autocrosser. This is a friendly group, and autocrossing is probably the most fun you can have out of ....

steverife · Post by **steverife** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 10:23 am

you mean i shouldn't buy a montero as a dedicated autocrosser? it's known for its slaloming abilities

tlunruh · Post by **tlunruh** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:14 pm

Well, I had actually considered racing ol'blue (but after doing the lowering thing and giving the little 4-banger some additional steroid-type help and all) but I didn't want to be the obvious noob racing an even more obvious everyday car. Although, I have seen some tough lookin pickem'up t-rucks out there...

I am a wee-bit smidgeon interested in the Scirocco thrdeye had mentioned... (hmm...summer bonus is coming, wife doesn't quite know... hmmmmmm).

I told my wife this morning about finding the AutoX and wanting to get into it (been depressively telling her over the last coulple of weeks how much I wanted to get into racing) and I almost fell over when she said "hmm, sounds like fun." <!!!!>

Now, if any of you guys know married-man-ese, you waht was said! For those of you too chicken to jump in, here's what was actually said:

she said:

Hmm, sounds like fun.

I heard:

Go ahead honey, have fun.

Am I wrong??

Am I correct in reading the event schedule and there is a race this weekend in Oak Ridge? I was thinking of coming out with my son (seeing how he had to miss the Formula 1 race becasue of me) and bringing the ol' camera and getting a first-hand perspective.

Whelp, thanks for the advice and it is really good to see so many fellow smart-a$$es in the mix. I can see the beginning of a bee-yuu-ti-ful thing.

See y'all,
Tobey

tscott · Post by **tscott** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 2:18 pm

Yeah if you are married you have to watch out for AIDS (Autocross Induced Divorce Syndrome) though.

Jbgti · Post by **Jbgti** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 3:47 pm

Yes, There is a race this weekend at the Oak Ridge Mall. It will start somewhere around noon I think.

Leadfoot · Post by **Leadfoot** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 5:23 pm

tlunruh wrote: she said:
Hmm, sounds like fun.
I heard:
Go ahead honey, have fun.
Am I wrong??

Nope.

Am I correct in reading the event schedule and there is a race this weekend in Oak Ridge? I was thinking of coming out with my son (seeing how he had to miss the Formula 1 race becasue of me) and bringing the ol' camera and getting a first-hand perspective.

Yeah. c'mon out. Only problem with bringing your son is that he needs a minor waiver form signed by both parents to participate (which includes driving, riding, and spectating).

I'm sure someone would let you ride along...it's really a blast.

BTW, I was at the USGP...my first Formula 1.

tlunruh · Post by **tlunruh** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:27 pm

BTW, I was at the USGP...my first Formula 1.

Leadfoot,
I work for FedEx and they have a suite at the Indy Motor Speedway so sometimes we get "backstage" kinda access sometimes. For the Indy 500, we got all access pit/garage passes so we got to go hang out with the pit crew and drivers. It was awesome. Weirdly, because Formula 1 is the only race sport FedEx sponsors (well, until last week, finally got into NASCAR), we don't get as much access with Formula 1 (those Europeans are so secretive about their cars and setups, mucho secret-o). Anywho, I had to watch the race over smella-vision. Quite a mess those first couple of laps. I envy ya man...

I got quite a few pics from the 500, I'll post some when I get back to Knox-Vegas.

So, regarding the waiver thing, that is required even for just watching? No prob, do you have to do that at the signup/reg thingy?

Cool, well, hopefully I'll see youse guys this weekend.

Tobey

tlunruh · Post by **tlunruh** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 6:34 pm

sorry to double post, but I thought of something I forgot to ask with my last one. Regarding the courses, ar they different everytime or do the people who set them up have a group of layouts they choose from, that sorta thing?

Just curious if a person ever sees the same track twice.

Thanks,
me

scottgib · Post by **scottgib** » Wed Jun 23, 2004 7:25 pm

The minor liability waiver is here:

http://www.scca.org/_Filelibrary/File/m ... eform2.pdf

Please print in color and both parents need to sign it. Forget the notary.

As for courses, they are different each time although we have some good past ones that show up every now and again, sometimes with a variation. Mostly they are new.