Need some insight on auto crossing

msp03rbuld

Member
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mazda, mazdaspeed protege
Hey guys, looking on getting into autocross.I'm doing this in the memory of my sister and mother. They always knew I liked it so I'm gonna pursue it now so I was wondering , what would I need to do just to start out and eventually wanna get really serious down the road. So if someone could provide a building guideline for autocross I'd appreciate it. Thanks guys
 
start off slow, ive never done it but a LOT of it is about the driver and not AS much about the car, you can take on those srt4's and evos and such but just as easily as some guy with a stock 1998 civic can beat you. also beef up your suspension, transmission and go for some forged internals, the car is gonna be takin a beatin. also try to get your hands on a better oil pump, theres someone selling them from a long time ago on this forum see if you can try to get them to make you one.
 
Best thing to do is get some ride alongs with experienced drivers. Watching and learning from them will help you out alot! Also Take the modding slow... people who throw all the parts they THINK will make them quicker never learn what works or doesnt. Also practice practice practice!!! I have been autocrossing for a few years now and I can say it takes time... truly the hardest thing to learn was not over driving the car. Smooth transitions are the key!!!
 
what martispeed said......I have been racing for a few years but not doing it right now due to deployment. I rode along with an older guy in a turbocharged miata with race tires and suspension and he was amazing. He would drive it to the edge and call out what he was doing as he was doing it. Actually really talented. You might get frustrated as I did in my 93 se-r but I learned and slowly added things to the car. I ended up loving it and actually doing fairly well. Choose your parts carefully. And martispeed is right.......smooth transition is key
 
Autocross is a great time but the real fun is on a dedicated road course. Especially in a well handling RWD car with lots of power.
 
I would do some ride alongs with others, but you aren't really going to learn until you get behind the wheel and do it your self. What kind of autocrossing are you doing. I say this because it depends what class you want to get into. There are stock classes and modified classes. For the first year I just went with what was on the car. It was all about getting my feet wet, then you spend a LITTLE money as you go. The faster the class, the more money you are going to spend to compete with the big dogs. I'm in a STX class which limits you to having no engine mods excpt a cold air intake and exhaust. No boost change or internals. Can have up to a 245 seriestire with a tread wear rating of 140. You can redo most of the suspension as long is bolts into the original location. I was running behind close to 2.3 seconds the whole year with crappy tires (400 tread wear rated) and no suspension mods except a AWR rear sway bar. I know with the coil overs and tires I'll be spanking most cars witht the exception on 3 RX8's that are basically race cars that they fit in within the limits of STX. I'll be hunting for them next year.
 
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