next auto-x event

[obrien2]

I would like to try out auto-xing, and was wondering with the next local event will be.

[OversteerS2K]

Zephyrhills Porsche Club of America (Suncoast Region), in conjunction with the BMW Car Club, at Zephyrhills airport on Sunday September 28th.

There is a "sticky" post at the top of this forum that has a schedule of all autocross / solo 2 events within an 8 hour drive from Tampa.

The Z'Hills thing would be a great first event for a Z-28. It won't be very difficult to follow the course (i.e., not challenging). the gates will be pretty wide, and there is nothing to hit when you lose the back end - not being a dick here, I'll probably do it too. The surface is slick and the speeds are fairly fast (for an autocross). Mix that with a high HP RWD and little experience= 180*. 270*. 360*.... You'll have fun, regardless.

Go to www.PCA.org/sfl and look under "AUTOCROSS" for directions, etc.

There are also events in Jacksonville and Orlando Sunday.

[OversteerS2K]

Oh, there will be novice instruction available from Danny Shields, one of the best autocross drivers in the state (and probably country). Don't let your ego keep you from taking advantage of this. I wish I had asked for some help at my first few events, I would have progressed quicker and had less "off-courses".

[obrien2]

thanks for the help guys. Unfortunately I won't be running the camaro, it's gone. I will be running my s10 extreme 5 speed. I hope I won't get laughed at for running a truck. If I do oh well, I just want to have some fun. Do you guys have any idea what the cost is, and will I need a helmet?

[TurboJZA70]

Originally posted by obrien2
thanks for the help guys. Unfortunately I won't be running the camaro, it's gone. I will be running my s10 extreme 5 speed. I hope I won't get laughed at for running a truck. If I do oh well, I just want to have some fun. Do you guys have any idea what the cost is, and will I need a helmet?

wile i was in cali i drove a 86 ford pickup. Bone stock with brown primer paint. wile i was there i hardly missed an autox. my buddy that i went with had an S10 Extream, even tho he raced his miata most of the time he did take the Extream out every now and then, it handeled well. Dont sweat the Extream, you could be in a 86 ford pickup ;)

[Loren]

We had a dood back in Wichita that regularly autocrossed a bone stock Ford Ranger for at least two seasons and was flat out kicking ass with it! It was scary to watch what he put that poor truck through, but learning to control that beast on an autocross course made him a much better driver when he finally moved on to a better vehicle.

(He moved on to a STS-spec Cavalier, though... to I don't know how much "better" it really was!) :D

"Run what ya brung" and have fun!

Y'all are really giving me the itch to go to Z-hills this Sunday...

[oilleak]

Careful there Loren - In some parts of the country there's a difference between a "dood" and a "dude":)
Do you think the PCA crowd would frown on a truck - I don't know. We had 2 or 3 Cyclones out a Sunriders event once.

[Muddy]

Who cares what we think the PCA and BMW guys think? I have never been looked down upon or mistreated by anyone at their events. Just go have fun dammit! :D

[robofunc]

I drive what many people would consider a pretty "laughable" car, but my basic philosphy is this:

I'm trying to have fun and become a better driver. If people want to look down on me because of what i drive, then they aren't the kind of people i like spending time with anyway.

I may be relatively new to autocross, but i've been picking my friends my whole life. assholes aren't worth the energy to deal with.

run your truck - you’ll have fun.

[perdition79]

hey, i ran my car for the first time last weekend at sunriders and the fairgrounds. and it's a neon. everyone was decent, for the most part. being out there shows that you're willing to learn to actually drive your car. there was a rav-4 at sunriders last saturday, so a pickup should be fine.

besides, porsche club=rich people. have you ever known a rich person to turn down money? they'll gladly take your entry fee!

[OversteerS2K]

It's $20, you do need a helmet (open or full face) that is rated "Snell 95" (or'00). I don't see why you couldn't run the truck. I see a Ranger at every Martin event I go to.

Come have fun and if you can't turn up a helmet you can use mine, as long as you don't mind the huge Honda decal on the sheild.

Loren, you should go. It's slick and there is no shade, that's as much as I can come up with on the negative side. You'll have fun and only the top "other" gets some award (a beer mug I believe), so it's not really any kind of competitive thing.

[Loren]

I've been to one of the Z-Hills events, last November, I think it was. The surface is downright bizarre. Asphalt that turns to dust under your feet!

Gotta help a friend move Saturday. If I'm not completely wiped from that and if the wife doesn't have other plans, I might trek over and help y'all beat up on some German cars. :)

RE: The RAV4

That one was pushing the limits of what should be allowed at an autocross, and I quizzed my chief tech inspector about it before the event got started. If it had stock suspension, I probably wouldn't have allowed it. The driver was a first timer, so we were confident that she probably wouldn't get over her head. But with H&R springs and really low profile tires (20"+ wheels) it got around the course competently enough.

I've never seen a club that wouldn't allow a standard pickup to run. Anything that's more top-heavy than that should be considered very carefully.

[oilleak]

Maybe I shouldn't have said "looked down on". There was a question about a Subaru Forester being allowed to run at a CFR event. Just don't know how strick the PCA is with High CG long wheelbase vehicles. I'd have to think letting a truck run would up the stakes considerabley. Not good for you and your Boxster to be beaten by a Ford Ranger, you know.

[obrien2]

Thanks for the info and encouragement guys, I really appreciate the info. I tried the pca website but it wouldn't work for me. So if I can make it on sunday, I will need directions. If I am not able to be there, I will definetly try to make it to the next one. I really want to try this out, I have done some auto crossing before, but is was with a couple of electric vehicles that my high school built. The courses were pretty short, but they were a blast. I can't wait to get my truck out there and see how it does.

[Leonard]

Originally posted by oilleak
Do you think the PCA crowd would frown on a truck - I don't know.


They won't care as long as its in a different class and doesn't prevent them from giving each other trophies. :-D

[Muddy]

Originally posted by obrien2
I tried the pca website but it wouldn't work for me.
Try this: http://www.pca.org/sfl/

[OversteerS2K]

http://www.pca.org/sfl/autocross.htm

[robofunc]

Man, i didn't know that Zephyrhills needs us to bring our own helmets. I guess i should buy one, since i'm not planning to stop attending avents any time soon. Anyone know where i can pick one up on a Saturday?

[w0rd]

Automotive Engineering
or
One of the two Yamaha shops.
or
Motorcycle Shop behind Burger King on 60 in Brandon. They had really good prices. The helmet I got retailed for $140 and they gave it to me for $110.

[Leonard]

If you get a helmet, make sure that it has a Snell rating. Helmets with just a DOT rating will not pass SCCA Solo2 Tech inspection.

SA (special application) is preferrable to M (Motorcycle) if you ever start to do open track or club racing. Some sanctioning bodies require SA helmets.

[obrien2]

for some reason when ever I go to the pca web site my online service stops working. oh well.

[perdition79]

got my helmet new on ebay for $41.99 with shipping. snell 95 open-face helmet.