I've autoX'd more than 10 times now and love it - I'm going to run BSP this season and am wondering what type of stratgey ppl use to get their best times. I'm not looking for car settings, tire pressures, shock adjustments,...I'm looking for how you mentaly go into each of your 3 runs

here's the general way I've been doing it:
1) I walk the course as many times as possible (usualy 2-4 times), try to draw the course without looking at the map, and then try to visualize all of the turns.

2) 1st run I do at 75-80% to get the feel of the course at-speed and make sure I don't get lost in the sea of cones

2) 2nd/3rd runs, I go full out.
a.If I do bad for the 2nd run, I slow it a bit down and get a clean run for the 3rd time.
b. If I get a good 2nd run, I take more risk in my 3rd run

**I only get 3 runs in the club that I'm with, so I looking for what your stradegy would be for this format.

thanks,
Peter

 

Go to the site below for tips from a National Solo Champion. He lives in Austin and often auto-x in San Antonio. I have seen his auto-x skills first hand. If it works for a National Solo Champion, it certainly should work for me also, a novice.

http://dmvrscca.org/topten.htm

 

Try to walk the course alone at least once and keep looking ahead while you're walking. Look far ahead. Don't look at the cones near your feet, don't look at the course surface, look far ahead as if you're driving the course at speed.

Every single run, from the very first, must be flat out. If you've coned on your first two runs, then, maybe, take it a little easier (1% less intense) on your third.

 

betamotorsports wrote:
I agree with this. Even at a local event drive the 1st 3 runs as you would at at a Divisional or the Nationals. My son and I count only the 1st three runs when co-driving regionals as practice for the bigger events. If we get 6 or 8 runs then the later ones are used to make adjustments and work on weaknesses.

Walking the course a second or third time should be done alone as previously said. The first walkthrough is a recon and a social occasion. Pick out the cones that mean something to your line and ignore the rest. Some designers aren't happy without using every cone in the trailer.

If you're serious then run as many events as you can afford or that your relationships can stand. Seat time is the best teacher. Talk with the drivers that are doing better and ask questions. At regionals, ask them to ride with you and you ride with them. You'll learn a lot.

I have run 30+ events for the last 2 years and plan about the same with 3 Tours and Nationals this year. I've exceeded my expectations so my goals are even higher this year.

My wife is happy I finally have a hobby after 35 years together so I have carte blanche again this year. Plus it's great to spend time with my son on the weekends. This is a great sport!

 

If you do fun runs, it is good to have the best driver you can find drive your car with you as a passenger on the first fun run, then try to implement the things he/she did differently when you take your fun runs.

 

thanks for the tips...going 100% for all 3 runs is a big change from what I've been doing - I'm super exicted to go try it out this weekend! Just hoping that it won't rain!

-Peter

*I've just about wrapped up all of the mods for BSP...I'm hoping to leave the car untouched, so that I can spend more time for practices and events.

 

i watch, as many, if not all the other drivers while they're out on the course..

you can see their speed, their line & most importantly their mistakes,

or in the case of the better drivers, you may learn a few things.

 

Jokingly, I always tell the starter on my first run to warn the workers that I'm coming.

Nine times out of ten, I'll find that what I thought would be 100%, but often I find that I'm nowhere near 100% in most places, and over 100% in a few places.