MSP rocks Autox

[monkeymsp]

Well I decided to take the MSP out to a few autocorss events to see how it does. I gotta tell ya it ROCKS! In stock form they are AWESOME... Since I am new to the whole autox thing I am in the novice class. Even so, I am smoking guys in the open classes. Here is a brief list of the cars I owned (in raw time , unpaxed)

Another MazdaSpeed Protege ;)
Mazda RX8
WRX
Subaru WRX STi
2000 Mustang Cobra
2000 Mazda Miata
Lexus IS300
RX-7
Infiniti G35

I only listed the stock class cars because the modified/prepped classes are tough to know much about unless you went around and made a list of what these people did to their cars. for example I got beat by an SM2 92 camaro... not too impressive unless you saw it. racing motor making upwards of 500hp NA, complete race suspension and racing slicks and definitely no where near street legal.

And I did all this on the stock tires. :D

[StreetUnit]

(first) Nice job, its fun beating all those expesive cars isn't it??? Slam it down...(drinks)

[evolv]

I just competed in my very first auto-x with my MSP. I was very impressed with my results, placing 24th over all and 15th in PAX. This was against many others with years of experience, even beating some of them.

What impressed me the most was the ease at which the MSP handles those turns. I'm looking forward to this Sunday where I get to do it again, but hopefully better.

THE MSP DOES ROCK

[AZDriftR]

congrats!!!!

[03MSPRO]

I dont see how you could beat half of those cars, but congrats anyway....

[DistantTea]

My car has been faster than every Porsche it has autocrossed against, including an ASP 911 Turbo and I the Vette Z06s do spit takes when they see my times (on street tires no less)

You can't judge regional autocross events the same way you would a national event... and you certainly can't judge it by drag racing levels... autocross has very little to do with the car at a regional level. My last event I took an STI by 12 seconds on a 50 second course... the type of car dosn't mean a thing.

[03MSPRO]

so I wonder if those people can't drive a performance car why they even buy it?

I also know if that course is tight enough, even a tricycle can beat a 500 hp car since the 500 hp won't be able to develop all of its HP.

[AutoBox]

to look like a pimp lol

i know a z06 makes alot of power at low rpm....i think the issue is grip and traction of all that power...and wieght...alot of factors...not just mad hp

[mazdaowner123]

Nice, it's addicting isn't it? :)

~brian

[DistantTea]

to look like a pimp lol

i know a z06 makes alot of power at low rpm....i think the issue is grip and traction of all that power...and wieght...alot of factors...not just mad hp
The Z06 is a killer autocross machine... The barnone fastest car in SS and ASP. Corvettes make amazing autocrossers because of that torque down low and a very wide 2nd gear good for some pretty serious SPRINGS into speed.

Autocross isn't drag racing... a fast car does not gaurantee a fast time. In a list of novices like what was given in this thread its pretty easy to see how the MSP won out with ease. Put somebody who dosn't know how to autocross in a rear wheel drive car and they'll have a much harder time keeping things neat and tidy than the driver of the MSP. Even the STi is quite the handful on a course. Is the MSP the faster autocross car? No way, not stock. But its stock autocross drivability is far better than any of the other cars listed meaning a novice can hop in one and have an easier time navigating the course compaired to the others, which require much more skill to drive quickly and are much easier to screw up in.

[rarefc3s]

YOu can hustle these things around an Auto-X course. My one complaint is the steering in the car though. You barely move the wheel and the car moves a bunch. A firmer feel would make it my perfect car.

[DistantTea]

YOu can hustle these things around an Auto-X course. My one complaint is the steering in the car though. You barely move the wheel and the car moves a bunch. A firmer feel would make it my perfect car.
Thats your one complaint? Thats a good thing! Ever drive a mustang? The MSP steering is fabulous... very akin to an evolution's steering rack in feel.

[AutoBox]

the turning radius suxs though...alot more turns lock to lock compared to my old 240...still its nice a quick....not evo territory though i think...they are extensions of ur hand si swear lol

[Newf]

Thats your one complaint? Thats a good thing! Ever drive a mustang? The MSP steering is fabulous... very akin to an evolution's steering rack in feel.
try an mp3. Steering feel is even better and more precise/direct with less turns. That's the one thing I really miss from my mp3. Although I don't miss it just cruising around town as it was a bitch on bad roads.

[Leigh]

Here is a brief list of the cars I owned (in raw time , unpaxed)

Another MazdaSpeed Protege ;)
Proving that Black is faster than blue? But yellow is still the fastest color you know :D

[monkeymsp]

Proving that Black is faster than blue? But yellow is still the fastest color you know :D
I did get beat by a yellow MSP, and now that I got caught talking $h1t I am sure I will be singing the 'blue's' next time. :D (inside joke)

True though she (yellow) (first) was a far better driver than I (second)


There were 3 MSPs at the autox out of about 80 cars. A Blue a Mica and a Yellow. Yellow beat Mica and Mica beat Blue. But Mica was beat bad by Blue in a previous event, hence the inside jokes and $h1t talking.

Our cars rule!

[murph1379]

Heh, I'm AutoXing my msp as well, and I love it!

But seriously, how bad do the drivers of those RX-8 and STi's have to be to get beat by a first timer in an MSP? Pretty damn bad!

I've done remarkably well in just my first couple AutoXes as well, the MSP was made for this kind of racing.

I was so pissed on sunday though, I got beat by an SRT-4! The old clunker without the LSD! I wanted to hide in shame! But while he definitely got all he could out of his last run, I cut half a second on my fun run, which woulda put me .1 below 1st place... awww... 3rd place out of 7 in DS for me instead.

Can't wait for this weekend at Valley Fair!

[03MSPRO]

Proving that Black is faster than blue? But yellow is still the fastest color you know :D
where do you autox?

[Leigh]

I did get beat by a yellow MSP, and now that I got caught talking $h1t I am sure I will be singing the 'blue's' next time. :D
I am 90% sure I'll be able to make it out there in May - you're going to be able to beat me by then, right? ;)


where do you autox?
All over Texas? Mostly I run in Houston - but we're talking about a group in Austin.

[monkeymsp]

where do you autox?
There is an Austin, TX club that goes @ Tech Ridge and a San Antonio one that goes @teh Alamo dome... There is also one in College Station.

[monkeymsp]

[QUOTE=Leigh]I am 90% sure I'll be able to make it out there in May - you're going to be able to beat me by then, right? ;)

Guess I'll be singing the "Yellow's" in May again!

[Black Majik MSP]

GRRR...I used to live in Austin. If I still did, I'd be out there auto-xing with you all too.

[mazdaspeedpower]

Well, I plan on doing some autoxing this summer. Hopefuly. If I don't get the time to, It'll be happening for sure next year. I know she'll do great, cause me and a few friends set up our own little auto-x track in a parking lot one night. It was great fun. There was me(MSP), Tom(Blue STi), John(Yellow lancer OZ rally Edition), Lauren(Probe), and andrew(Mustang-2001). We all had great fun, we didn't keep times or anything, just had some fun watching each other blast around. Got to take turns in each others cars and such, and let me tell you, those STi's, haul serious ass man. The probe felt kinda similar in power to my MSP, and we are thinking of taking them to a track to drag race, and have the time on slips, just to prove we did it, and who won and all. It's so much fun just racing around, not worrying about hitting another car, or pedestrian, or being pulled over or something.

[Rock]

I have to agree with everyone here that autox (aka soloII) is fun as heck.
What I most enjoy about it is trying to beat the clock instead of the drivers.
I also agree with what tea said. Generally speaking, FR,MR, and AWD cars are much more difficult to learn as they require very technical and experienced drivers to be successful in these kinds of events. Generally speaking FF cars are more manueverable and can take corners at higher speeds (generally) than say a FR car with a novice driving. So, I am not at all surprised you beat those kinds of cars. However, as you move up in class it is MUCH MUCH more difficult for a FF car to contend. All I can say is practice, practice, and practice some more. If you can find a good place to practice(like an abandoned parkinglot), I'd try learning some more advanced techniques like left foot braking, Handbrake accelleration(using e-brake to lock up rear-brakes causing rear-end to drag/drift and allow you to take corners at a higher rate of speed), faints, etc. Winning in these events is 75% driver skill, and 25% is vehicle.
I wish all of you good luck and most of all HAVE FUN!!!!!!

[KyRaceFan]

YOu can hustle these things around an Auto-X course. My one complaint is the steering in the car though. You barely move the wheel and the car moves a bunch. A firmer feel would make it my perfect car.
I think the steering feel is a bit light as well... but the car still feels very firm and not at all floaty through the course... :)

[rarefc3s]

My comments about the steering are directed at the power assist. The feel is way to light. The wheel should be firm and a lot harder to move than it is in this car. The power assist at high speeds is the same as if I was squeezing into a tight parking spot. My other cars are a RX-7 and Passat. Both have much better feel from the wheel. The RX-7 has a system where the steering gets more firm the faster you go. The Passat...well the german feel is excellent. Real race cars don't even have power assist ;)

[AutoBox]

LOL....take ur "race car" on the streets and yall have arms bigger then popeye within a week lol