I went autocrossing last weekend; I would consider myself a novice autocrosser...2nd time...

Anyway, the autocross track was relatively slow where you didn't have to get past 2nd gear...I have FI which would overpower the track, so I decided to keep the TCS on since I'm a novice and I figured the extra power wouldn't help on such a slow track...

Anyway, after getting the hang of the track I was getting consistent track times within about 0.5 secs of each other...at the end of the day for my final run I decided to have some fun and go crazy and turn off the TCS...

When I ran without the TCS, I was all over the place, tires were screeching and smoking and sliding, and I was barely keeping control of the car, too much power without the TCS...at the end of the lap I figured I probably lost 2 seconds or something with the crazy driving...however, my final lap time was about a second faster than my best time! I was pretty surprised...

Does this make any sense? I figured TCS would help with slower tracks so you wouldn't be sliding and screeching all over the place...I wasn't expecting the faster time with it off...

 

There's a lot going on so don't be surprised by a faster time. I'd chalk it up to experience more than TCS on or off.

VDC/TCS are great for a noob on your first couple of runs. It will help keep you from overpowering the car and losing control. It will also slow you down. As you get more experienced, you'll learn how to drive the car closer to the edge of handling and performance without the help of VDC/TCS so you'll get faster times. With VDC/TCS off, you can drive the car harder because they are designed to kick in long before you really get in trouble.

 

...if you want to get better and faster....TCS OFF!!

...crazy driving with counter steering is NOT the key to AX. Go slow where you have to and fast where you can....but YOU should control this not the TCS. Keep those front wheels aligned with the cars direction, there are no points for style in AX.

Good AXers do not have dramatic looking runs.

 

OFF. Too much power for autocross is like too much power for drag racing. Nonsensical bragging.

 

It's not about power but who is controlling the car. The computer won't let you get to the edge and stay there. Only the driver has that capability. Get a lot of seat time and ask for help and advice from the more experienced autocrossers you run with. Have fun every time you go out. Autocrossing can be a most rewarding sport on and off the course. Otherwise, why would we drive days for 6 or less minutes of autocrossing?

 

The first time I had my Z out on course, it was in the rain.

VDC off, and I learned how to deal with that much power with no traction (street tires in the rain).

Precision is the name of the game in every form of motorsports -- even drifting.

 

Off plain and simple. Auto-x is a form of racing, we're not in F1 cars, we don't need TCS. I drive with TCS off 99% of the time.

 

Usually can't get into TOO much trouble autocrossing. Spin out and you hit a cone or two. Road racing is a bit different :-D

 

Never use TCS because my car never came with it (base model FTW )

 

the VDC/TCS is too intrusive, def. faster w/o it in autoX speed

 

I am a new driver myself (did 3 autox and 1 solo school) and I did better times with TCS off. I was very skeptical about it, but slowly am able to control the slide.

 

The whole reason I ever did autox was to learn car control. With TCS on you can't learn ****. The only thing it's good for is rain and snow.

 

OFF ,