How many autocrossers do we have here?

[sph33r]

Guess I'll get this started off right. I picked my 240 up last year and started autocrossing it as soon as I got it running. I can't wait till the 2003 season and I'm also looking forward to my first open track days with this car.

[thelinja]

I did my first two races last fall and I can't wait until February 23!!

[bbp]

I used to be pretty heavy into the Autox scene. I had a CRX then (no flames pleez). I havent had the chance to run the 240 yet. Maybe next season!

Come do a HDPE, you'll never look at parking stuff the same way again!

[uuninja]

I started doing HPDE's before i did autox. I have been out to a few autoX's but I fear that HPDE's have spoiled them for me :(

[AKADriver]

I've autocrossed my Volkswagen to very limited success.

I'll probably take my 240SX to a few this season. Ditto bbp's comment about HPDEs though. Still, autocrossing is a great way to spend an afternoon even if you never get out of second gear. It's still pushing a car to the limit, few things on this earth are more fun than that :cool:

[HippoSleek]

I did my first track day. I used to autox my old Civic somewhat regularly. When I bought my 240, there was an autox I went to the next weekend, then there was a track weekend two weeks later. I haven't been to many autoxes since.

[Bbandit]

i autoX!! :D :D
yea i've been doing it for the last 2 years...
i spent my first year autoXing with my integra (sold last year)
i've been autoXing with my 240 since then
cant wait for next season

[DSC]

Auto-xing sounds like a cool way to blow a day for 20 bux. I've never done it but plan to. Hopefully it'll be fun after doing track days...

[sph33r]

I've yet to do a track event so I'm hoping it doesn't kill my love of autocross. Especially since I've been busy recruiting people into the ranks of cone dodgers.

[tnord]

i autoX, but i do Solo I style stuff, not the cone dodger thing.

[Dousan_PG]

i just track, yet to do auto-x. i cant see myself waiting a few housr for a 1 minute run. sure its cheap and fun when you go with a group of friends, but nothing beats going to the track and driving on it balls out for a good 2-3 hours (sometimes a good 5-7 hours depending on event). costs more but damn..i love it. 2-3 times a month!!

i hope to try auto-x next year..early .see how it goes...

[sph33r]

Originally posted by dousan36
i cant see myself waiting a few housr for a 1 minute run.

For me, it's mostly about competition at the autocross. My good friend owns a 89 hatch with almost identical mods as mine and we tend to be quite competitive with each other. Basically we show up to beat each other and have fun with the other people we know. I do agree though, it's kinda a waste of a day if you look at it but if you have a bunch of friends that run in different classes you have something to watch all day long. It ends up being quite a fun day.

The problem with track events is the low number of tracks in Michigan and the fact that they are usually booked on weekends so they don't have a lot of open track days. There is one that's a couple hours away that does test-n-tune on thursdays but I'd have to get off work, drive 2+ hours and pay $50. So, while I plan on doing that a few times next year, it won't be a regular thing.

It sounds like you west coast people have more tracks to your disposal. Plus I'm sure the weather is better.. stupid Michigan :(

[HippoSleek]

Hey - some of us are on the other coast! :cool:

FWIW, I can only go to a track about once a month during the good weather months. And even then, it is a commitment - up to a 5 hour drive, $300 entry fee, hotel (b/c it is over a weekend), etc. Track days are much more of an ordeal than an autox.

Cone chasing was fun... but once you take a nice long pull off the GFCP (go fast crack pipe), it is hard to get into something that doesn't involve third gear!

Mark - the mid-atlantic 240 track day pusher extrodinaire :D

[Tubed4evr]

I started autox about 6 months after I got my car and it really taught me alot about how to drive. That is where I learned the limits of my car and I feel I became a much better driver after a couple autox days (especially in emergency situations). Anyway autox is a really good way to spend a sunday and the people at them are usually really cool. That is also what got me started on modifications. I haven't been able to do it too much in the last 2 years because of school (dont have my tires up there) but I can't wait to get back into it. I also am gearing up for a track event next fall and really wanna try that out.

[Justin-ATL]

I finished 3rd in the ATL region SM2 class with my ZTT last season. I'm hoping to have it sold and have an S14 ready for the 03 season...argh, March is coming up fast.

[fastpace]

I started autoxing about 4 months ago. Man I can't get enough of it. I am with you Tubed4evr, I barely got my car and I really know how the car feels and I feel really confident when things come up on the road. Sometimes if even dream about autox it is crazy. I can't get enough of it and it is driving me crazy because I have to wait next semester to do it some more.

[sph33r]

Originally posted by HippoSleek
Hey - some of us are on the other coast! :cool:

Cone chasing was fun... but once you take a nice long pull off the GFCP (go fast crack pipe), it is hard to get into something that doesn't involve third gear!


Well, there's a few tracks near me.. I'll be spending more time finding more about them this season..

And .. GFCP eh?? You read much of the Pulp Racing/Nsxfiles site?? (where the term seems to have originated) If not.. you should check it out. I've spent hours and hours and hours reading his racing stories. Good thing I did it at work ;)

[Krunko]

I just moved to Sherman Oaks, CA from Tulsa, Ok. I used to autocross in Tulsa. Anyone in my area into auto-xing? It would be nice to get back into it.

thanks,

chance

[Dousan_PG]

nah man!! HIT THE TRACK! speedtrials!

www.speedtrialusa.com

[MovinUp-1]

I've been autocrossing since '95. Started out with an NX2000 while I worked on a dedicated autocross car. Been racing my Camaro since about mid '96 with some success. Took a lot of years to get it and me competitive in CP. Now I'm building a 240 to run in SM and take to the new track we have in Louisiana, 1.8 mile 13 turn road course. Gonna be lots of fun.

Some pics of my CP camaro (http://community.webshots.com/album/25838756vOBPGJrCIE)

Pics of the $400 240 (http://community.webshots.com/album/41780973LFUEHv)

of course that $400 240 is now buried under a few thousand dollars worth of new parts. Oh well, gotta do what ya gotta do

Allen

[HippoSleek]

Krunko - IIRC, Lauren (96SEChick (?)) is in Tulsa, along with a couple others. I know that she's pugged-in to the local autox circuit down there.

(that's gotta be an eye-opener :eek: - Sherman Oaks to Tulsa! )

dousan - Speedtrial doesn't hold events on the East Coast, so... Not to mention that by many accounts, the West Coast ST events are a bit out of control (by our standards).

Movin - you Southerners w/ all your new tracks. There's a very nice new complex in AL, too.

[Dousan_PG]

Originally posted by HippoSleek

dousan - Speedtrial doesn't hold events on the East Coast, so... Not to mention that by many accounts, the West Coast ST events are a bit out of control (by our standards).


out of control? how so? can you elaborate?

[HippoSleek]

Just heard some bad things about the level of organization and adherence to the rules of HPDEs (not enforcing passing restrictions, non-certified instructors, etc.). Everything is a bit stricter out there though, from my understanding. Quite a few local NASA people got a bit bent when some of the CA big-shots came out and didn't play by the local rules.

[Dousan_PG]

ahhh like that. i c. not sure cant comment. but out of the 3 events i've been to and another who knows how many in 2003 and forward, i've never had a problem. everything has been cool and they run a safe track. its the drivers (participants) i wonder about. some people buy themselves big balls on the way to the track and find out that they cant counter when their rear tires drop in the dirt only to let them total their m3.

dont buy balls if you cant use them right! haha..

[DarkRaptor42]

SCCA ALL THE WAY!!

I used to rally cross. Thats a trip, cant wait till I get to Ax my 240.

[LanceS13]

MovinUp-1, where you located? I've done 3 open track days at NPR myself. Me and a friend are gonna try to run a '87 RX-7 in their bracket series this coming year.
I think I remember seeing your CP car at Meridian in '01, too.

The Birmingham complex is supposed to be top-notch, world class. I think I heard some of older road race guys (ITS 240Z and EP Miata) talking about an upcoming event there this spring (March?). I might try to crew for one of 'em.

I've been autox'ing off and on since '99. I ran the entire '02 season in STS, taking Open Tire PAX Championship...however, I chalk alot of that up to the small pond effect. I rarely had more than 8 or 10 competitors in Open Tire...most run the separate Street Tire class.

[MovinUp-1]

I am in New Orleans (Delta Region SCCA). You're right, I was at the Tour in Meridian. Came in third that year :D Everyone in my region LOVED racing in Meridian. Hopefully they can bring back the Gypsy Queen. That event was more fun than the tour.

I think I've heard of the Birmingham track. Isn't that one of those private racing clubs? If it's the one I'm thinking about I heard it was a first class facility. How did you like running at NPR?

[LanceS13]

Ok...Delta Region. I think one of y'all's guys came up and blew our Street Tire class away in a B Stock S2000 back in July (our night event). I think his name was Chip.
NPR was alotta fun.
I haven't been down since this past March, and I'm itching to go back. At that time, it had yet to get curbing...so it looked kinda bleak compared to other tracks I've seen/been on. But I guess that's expected for a new, low-budget racing complex. There's also no elevation change...but whatcha gonna do?...It's southern LA. :p All in all, it's a really decent facility. The track itself isn't that hard, but it's not obvious either. Hey, maybe we can have a little 240SX/RX-7 skirmish this spring if we can get our stuff running. ;)

[MovinUp-1]

Yeah sounds like fun. Are you going to continue to autocross the 240 as well? I have never driven one at an auto-x but the car looks like it is well suited for SM with the SR20 swap and the suspension I have for it now. I went with koni SA and ground control coilovers with 500lb front and 375 rear. Gonna be quite stiff but I wanted to be able to do lapping days with it as well and 500lb is as much as the koni sa will handle without re-valving.

A friend of mine has an FC turbo that we have been doing quite a bit of work on. He's got a greddy fmic, ported throttle body, much bigger injectors, and a haltech standalone. He made 265hp at the wheels at 11psi last week. Needless to say the car is well tuned. He and I and another guy have been racing together for a few years and decided to rent a shop together back in the spring. It's been working out well since we all know a good bit about suspension, the rx-7 guy knows a lot about tuning efi cars, I'm good with a carbureator (CP guy you know). So we help each other out a lot.

Hopefully we can get together at some events this year. I see from the website that Mississippi region has a few 240s racing. Any chance of getting back on the airport?

[N+ PwR]

Originally posted by HippoSleek
Krunko - IIRC, Lauren (96SEChick (?)) is in Tulsa, along with a couple others. I know that she's pugged-in to the local autox circuit down there.

(that's gotta be an eye-opener :eek: - Sherman Oaks to Tulsa! )


hrm...I autoX in NE Oklahoma near tulsa and I remember seeing a teal 240 that a girl drove.

-bishop

[kurissuS13]

Originally posted by Krunko
I just moved to Sherman Oaks, CA from Tulsa, Ok. I used to autocross in Tulsa. Anyone in my area into auto-xing? It would be nice to get back into it.

thanks,

chance

krunko - i autocross, and i'm in ur area. plus, i thought i gave u the info for autocross in SoCal. i thought i'd be seein ur S14 at Hollywood Park on the 15th. thur was also 3 LHD Evo 7's there. oh well, thur's another one jan 26 at Hollywood Park again. hope to see u at that one.

Hipposleek - he said that he moved FROM tulsa to sherman oaks.

[HippoSleek]

Originally posted by kurissuS13
Hipposleek - he said that he moved FROM tulsa to sherman oaks.

I n0t 5mArt.

:wheres that embarassed smiley when you need it:

Thanks for the correction.

[LanceS13]

Originally posted by MovinUp-1
Yeah sounds like fun. Are you going to continue to autocross the 240 as well? I have never driven one at an auto-x but the car looks like it is well suited for SM with the SR20 swap and the suspension I have for it now. I went with koni SA and ground control coilovers with 500lb front and 375 rear. Gonna be quite stiff but I wanted to be able to do lapping days with it as well and 500lb is as much as the koni sa will handle without re-valving.
...
Hopefully we can get together at some events this year. I see from the website that Mississippi region has a few 240s racing. Any chance of getting back on the airport?

I could have swore I already replied to this, but I don't see it, so I'll do it again.

Yeah, the 240 will continue to serve regular autoX duty staying in STS for now. Depending on how much of my budget the new RX-7 project takes up, it may see SM by the end of the season with a built KA-T under the hood. Time will tell.

Yeah, you should definitely come to some of our events. We have a couple 240s should up now and again...I'm the only regular. There's a couple of older guys that share an STS 240SX and an ITS/BSP 280Z. When they run the 240, they give me some excellent competition.
I'm afraid Meridian is out of the question for the time being...especially with all this threat of war stuff going on. We did have our August and November events at the Grenada airport, though. It's not as big or quite as sticky as Meridian, but it's better than the sandlot we have to play in at the Jackson fairgrounds. Our first event is next Sunday in Jackson, but I don't know if I'll make it (driving my car anyway). Baby needs a new pair of shoes (not to mention a fan clutch, belts, oil change,...). I got a friend with a Miata that owes me a favor, though. :cool: