So after nearly 3 years of leaving my 240 in the garage, I finally busted it out autocrossed it with a nice 2nd place. Only 7 seconds away from a mini. While I was hella pleased with my time. I know with brake pads and a fluid upgrade, and some stickier tires, I could get close enuff to take out those got damn mini's
Anyone got any got any tips? Everywhere I look the mini rocks the g stock class
SCCA GS technique (battlin the mini)
seat timeseat timeseat timeseat timeseat timeseat timeseat timeHoosiersseat timeseat timeseat time
Those Minis are so much fun to drive it isn't even funny. Especially when it isn't yours!
Brakes and fluid won't really get you all that much either. Lightweight wheels and some Hoosiers will help more than most anything, ohh, that and seat time.
Good Luck, there is a reason that Minis do so well. I have never driven a car so easy to control, and recover spins in. No matter what, just stand on the gas, or in case of push, lift throttle.
BTW, if those mods listed are for the car you ran in GS, you should be in either a prepared or modified class (not the Street variety). Metal bushings are not allowed in almost all but the highest classes. not sure specifically which ones allow it though.
Those Minis are so much fun to drive it isn't even funny. Especially when it isn't yours!
Brakes and fluid won't really get you all that much either. Lightweight wheels and some Hoosiers will help more than most anything, ohh, that and seat time.
Good Luck, there is a reason that Minis do so well. I have never driven a car so easy to control, and recover spins in. No matter what, just stand on the gas, or in case of push, lift throttle.
BTW, if those mods listed are for the car you ran in GS, you should be in either a prepared or modified class (not the Street variety). Metal bushings are not allowed in almost all but the highest classes. not sure specifically which ones allow it though.
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n00b240
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Re: (cracker)
Thanks for the tips, there is another autocross today ima hit that and see what i can do, drivers meeting at 930, I'll ask them about the classing. Maybe have the guy in the mini drive my car
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n00b240
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Dag, I had a really good weekend in the 240, well it ended so. I had the guy in the mini drive my car on the fourth run, with two runs left to go for me. I was 8 seconds behind his car at 69 seconds on the auto-x course.
Had him drive my car, and holy EFF, I didnt know my car was able to perform to such abilities, guy was standing on the gas, standing on the brakes, car felt like it was gonna fall apart on every turn. And he finished at 63 seconds 2 seconds away from his own mini time.
I was flabbergasted with the difference in driver skill. I imprinted everything he did on the 5th run and got a time of 64s, I said got DAMN!!! I was literally standin on the gas, out of every turn, standin on the brakes into the turns.
But then on the last run, I got a bit too excited, too much adrenaline goin on there, and spun out on a sweeper. I am definitely going to try and get as much seat time as I can, sit with other drivers, and have others drive my car. Thanks for the tips cracker, I'll definitely be hanging around this forum and auto-x more.
Still needa find out more about this car class that I need to be in. Doubt Im going to stay in stock, I really like the metal bushings, so I'll spend the time building it into whatever class Im in. Plus hella lots of seat time
Had him drive my car, and holy EFF, I didnt know my car was able to perform to such abilities, guy was standing on the gas, standing on the brakes, car felt like it was gonna fall apart on every turn. And he finished at 63 seconds 2 seconds away from his own mini time.
I was flabbergasted with the difference in driver skill. I imprinted everything he did on the 5th run and got a time of 64s, I said got DAMN!!! I was literally standin on the gas, out of every turn, standin on the brakes into the turns.
But then on the last run, I got a bit too excited, too much adrenaline goin on there, and spun out on a sweeper. I am definitely going to try and get as much seat time as I can, sit with other drivers, and have others drive my car. Thanks for the tips cracker, I'll definitely be hanging around this forum and auto-x more.
Still needa find out more about this car class that I need to be in. Doubt Im going to stay in stock, I really like the metal bushings, so I'll spend the time building it into whatever class Im in. Plus hella lots of seat time
Re: (n00b240)
Good to hear it turned out well. It is amazing what another driver can do in your car isn't it! And that was his first and only run in the car, imagine if he had more time in it!
I had a couple of national level drivers / champions drive my car a few weeks ago at an EVO school here in KC (If there is one in your area, and you can afford it, DO IT!)(Evolution performance driving schools, usually 250.00 for each level), and I thought they where going to flip my car a few times. They where able to get so much more out of my car it wasn't funny.
Also do any local schools offered as well, they are usually cheaper, also check with the Porsche/Audi/BMW clubs to see if any of them do an AutoX school. The local BMW club does one here in KC usually, and you don't have to own that make of car, just pay the club fee, and the entry fee.
Just remember:Be SMOOOOTH with your inputs. A lot of Mini drivers (In my experience anyways) tend to hack the wheels and controls, but Mini's will forgive a lot more than most cars will.
Look as far ahead as possible, and look where it is you want to go.
Try and remember (or take notes) as much of the course as you can when you walk it, then "drive" the course in your head. Try talking your self through the course as you drive it as well. It helps me.
The more wheel you use, the less grip you have for brake and gas, and vise versa.
If you start to rotate on sweepers, try feading in more gas, again SMOOTHLY.
If you are understeering, try a SLIGHT throttle lift to shift the weight and induce some rotation, also, if you are understeering, use LESS wheel not more. just dial it out a little until the car starts to turn again. It sounds counter intuitive, but the first time you do it you will know it works.
Use Slow hands/feet, goes with being smooth. The local evo instructor here in KC has always told me that. When I ride with him it doesn't seem slow, but he never upsets the car.
Slow in - fast out
Slow down for the slow parts, so you can go fast in the fast parts. This is one of my main problems. I overcook the slow stuff, and then I am all out of shape for the fast stuff. Again, the evo instructors could go faster in the slow parts than I could, but they are also better drivers than I.
Brake in a straight line(sometimes you need to trail brake), if you left foot brake, you can modulate your speed with the brakes, W/O lifting throttle.
Do you left foot brake?
Hope that all makes sense and helps. If I get time I will try and check the rule book on those bushings. But if it puts you in any of the classes I think it does, you will be competing with full blown race cars (no interiors, verts w no windshield, not street legal stuff)Here is a searchable PDF of the 08 rule bookhttp://sccaforums.com/forums/s...s.pdfEDIT: Read the "street modified" section. I bet that will be where you go. Better there than in Modified or prepared. At least you will be competing with "normal" (I use that term loosely)street cars.And welcome to your new addiction!
Modified by cracker at 2:19 AM 4/23/2008
I had a couple of national level drivers / champions drive my car a few weeks ago at an EVO school here in KC (If there is one in your area, and you can afford it, DO IT!)(Evolution performance driving schools, usually 250.00 for each level), and I thought they where going to flip my car a few times. They where able to get so much more out of my car it wasn't funny.
Also do any local schools offered as well, they are usually cheaper, also check with the Porsche/Audi/BMW clubs to see if any of them do an AutoX school. The local BMW club does one here in KC usually, and you don't have to own that make of car, just pay the club fee, and the entry fee.
Just remember:Be SMOOOOTH with your inputs. A lot of Mini drivers (In my experience anyways) tend to hack the wheels and controls, but Mini's will forgive a lot more than most cars will.
Look as far ahead as possible, and look where it is you want to go.
Try and remember (or take notes) as much of the course as you can when you walk it, then "drive" the course in your head. Try talking your self through the course as you drive it as well. It helps me.
The more wheel you use, the less grip you have for brake and gas, and vise versa.
If you start to rotate on sweepers, try feading in more gas, again SMOOTHLY.
If you are understeering, try a SLIGHT throttle lift to shift the weight and induce some rotation, also, if you are understeering, use LESS wheel not more. just dial it out a little until the car starts to turn again. It sounds counter intuitive, but the first time you do it you will know it works.
Use Slow hands/feet, goes with being smooth. The local evo instructor here in KC has always told me that. When I ride with him it doesn't seem slow, but he never upsets the car.
Slow in - fast out
Slow down for the slow parts, so you can go fast in the fast parts. This is one of my main problems. I overcook the slow stuff, and then I am all out of shape for the fast stuff. Again, the evo instructors could go faster in the slow parts than I could, but they are also better drivers than I.
Brake in a straight line(sometimes you need to trail brake), if you left foot brake, you can modulate your speed with the brakes, W/O lifting throttle.
Do you left foot brake?
Hope that all makes sense and helps. If I get time I will try and check the rule book on those bushings. But if it puts you in any of the classes I think it does, you will be competing with full blown race cars (no interiors, verts w no windshield, not street legal stuff)Here is a searchable PDF of the 08 rule bookhttp://sccaforums.com/forums/s...s.pdfEDIT: Read the "street modified" section. I bet that will be where you go. Better there than in Modified or prepared. At least you will be competing with "normal" (I use that term loosely)street cars.And welcome to your new addiction!
Modified by cracker at 2:19 AM 4/23/2008
Re: (cracker)
The best auto-x ride i have ever had was amazing in an 05 mustang. The guy has been to nationals several times, placed 7th one time I believe, but FS is heavily dominated by the Shelby now it seems.
ANYWAYS, i agree with you cracker. The run I rode with him was smooth, so smooth I thought I was riding with him on a road course. Massive amount of seat time is key.
ANYWAYS, i agree with you cracker. The run I rode with him was smooth, so smooth I thought I was riding with him on a road course. Massive amount of seat time is key.
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nismoautoxr
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Re: (n00b240)
Pick your mods and the class you want the car in very carefully.I speak from experience .You can really mess the car up and hurt the car for autox with some mods.That car is pretty competitive in GS with nothing more than good driving and tires and always has been but the minis are tough ,especially the turbo'd ones.
I Dominated GS in our region for 2 years with a few exceptions ,then I started doing alot of HPDE and started doing things to the car to make it more favorable for that and kindof slowed the car down in autox + threw the car into SP and SM as well.SM is a mixed bag where on any given day you could either be kickin butt and taking names or having your arse handed to you by an evo or sti.
The biggest thing is to get the seat time ,but if you want to have fun ,stay competitive,and keep it within budget with that car in autox ,do what you have to do to stay in stock.IMHO
I may take my coilovers and RPF1s and stick em in the corner for autox ,because I had much better results in stock trim .
RR
I Dominated GS in our region for 2 years with a few exceptions ,then I started doing alot of HPDE and started doing things to the car to make it more favorable for that and kindof slowed the car down in autox + threw the car into SP and SM as well.SM is a mixed bag where on any given day you could either be kickin butt and taking names or having your arse handed to you by an evo or sti.
The biggest thing is to get the seat time ,but if you want to have fun ,stay competitive,and keep it within budget with that car in autox ,do what you have to do to stay in stock.IMHO
I may take my coilovers and RPF1s and stick em in the corner for autox ,because I had much better results in stock trim .
RR
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evildky
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seat time, seat time, seat time, many regions offer drivers schoolds that get you a lot of seat time for a little money, and if not Evolution is a couple hundred bucks and well worth it, no matter how good you are there are always areas in which you could improve, and these schoold allow you to get a lot of runs back to back wiht instruction to help you refine yur skills