GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

First "real" autocross today. No instructors so would welcome feedback

jmblur

Autocross Champion
Location
Massachusetts
Car(s)
2017 Golf R

Got 3/14 in novice (to a full autox prepped NA Miata and a modified s2000). I've done a teaching event but no actual competitive autocross.no instructors because of Covid.

I need to move seat up and not shuffle hands before turns. Left some room on a few comes down the back stretch in particular and getting used to left foot braking (my times improved by my feel isn't quite there yet.)

And yes the GoPro speedo is a bit ahead. Can't fix it without exporting to other programs but I'm lazy.
 
Last edited:

pseudorealityx

Go Kart Champion
Location
Decatur, GA
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE
Nice! Hope you enjoyed yourself!

The main issue is you're behind on most elements. You gotta look ahead and get the car into position before the element so you can be fast "through" the element. Stop driving directly at stuff and get yourself setup a few feet before.

And then work on learning the limits of the car, both performance wise, and the physical edges of the car. If you can be 2" closer to the cones through a slalom, you can carry more speed.

Overall excellent job for a novice. Keep at it.
 

bfury5

Autocross Champion
Location
CT
Agreed on being behind - movements look good (no major jerking) but a little late costs tons of time and speed. Looking ahead and bring familiar with the placement / feel of the car (how it moves/ reacts to inputs) should help this greatly.
 

RacingManiac

Drag Race Newbie
Location
MI
Agreed with the comments so far. Aside from being late in general its pretty good for your first event! If you are on stock tires some of that lateness might just be from the lack of grip. As noted earlier the looking ahead is probably the most common comment for most instructors to give novice. This COVID time makes that a bit more difficult to do better feedback.

I am also impressed how well you navigated that course, we don't have sites that big around here and even on our small-ish autoX novice class we hold its hard to get people to remember the course well, that course is pretty complicated for a novice.

Good start, keep at it.
 

jmblur

Autocross Champion
Location
Massachusetts
Car(s)
2017 Golf R
Agreed with the comments so far. Aside from being late in general its pretty good for your first event! If you are on stock tires some of that lateness might just be from the lack of grip. As noted earlier the looking ahead is probably the most common comment for most instructors to give novice. This COVID time makes that a bit more difficult to do better feedback.

I am also impressed how well you navigated that course, we don't have sites that big around here and even on our small-ish autoX novice class we hold its hard to get people to remember the course well, that course is pretty complicated for a novice.

Good start, keep at it.

Ps4S but I was probably running pressure too high (was 90F, and I made the mistake of not bringing a heat resistant glove and having metal valve caps. Oops). That said, most of the lateness was almost certainly my inexperience in making a racing line out of cones.
 

Zmoore54

New member
Location
Milwaukee Wisconsin
Car(s)
2017 Golf R
Impressive for a first go out! As far as shuffling goes, diferent things work for different people. I shuffle steer and left foot brake my Bmod and it's netted me a pretty decent finishing history. Biggest thing I can say is look ahead. Some people put tint on the bottom of their windsheild, stickers on the dash saying to look ahead or look up, i've even seen people wedge a pool noodle between the dash and windshield. I used to force myself to set a lower seating position to help with it. Second suggestion is getting car placement down. Another thing that is seamingly impossible, but watching the fast guys wiggle and nudge the same cone every run(but never hit it), is impressive. Lastly, getting the line down is huge. Wider on entry will surprise you with how much you can gain! Like i said, very good first time out. PS. valve stem caps are a waste for autox. Take them off in the beginning of the day when you set first cold pressures and pop them in the center or the thing by your knee. Put them back on at the end of the day when you set your street pressures. On dedicated autox and track wheels, I don't keep caps on them ever.
 
Top