xsboost90

it is true though that not every autox is created equal. After i started doing DE events autox is not as thrilling but i would still enjoy it- if my car would spool up ever. If you think that DE is just a parade of cars going round the track you have obviously never driven in the instructor group on a friday.

Chris White

Autocross, DE, Racing - 3 different 'sports' that just happen to use the same toys.
Feel free to argue about which is the 'best' sport - but all you can really do is say which YOU like best...not which one IS best.

I like 'em all. Maybe DE more than the others. MY reason for liking DEs is the comradeary in the pits. It’s a fun shared experience vs a competitive one.

BTW – I took the Mini to a PCA autocross last week end….spanked a lot of Porsches…

333pg333

Without the pretty hefty expense and risk of racing, our club events are somewhere inbetween your DEs and proper door to door handle paint swapping. We are timed, have only one outlap then into it hard for 3-4 laps and a cool down. We can pass or be passed (safely) and you do get to do some pretty close nose to tail 'hunting' so this is a good bridge between your two types of events on the track.
Our version of Auto X is shorter and tighter. The hardest thing is to remember the way around the track. We don't have cones either side either. You have to go in and out of a single line of cones which are laid out on the concrete and you are given a few minutes to remember the correct path. If you miss just one cone you get the slowest lap time of the day (up to that point) plus 5 seconds. It's a brutal punishment and makes it hard if you have a fuzzy head.
The points are accrued through the season and at the end the Club Champion is decided. Pretty good fun without going crazy $$.....well most people don't go crazy....some pretty rich dudes too though.

Last week one guy blew up the diff in his highly modified 996 GT2. Problem was we were almost 3 hours away from Sydney. No dramas. He just hopped in his Fez 430, fanged it back to Sydney and picked up his 997 GT2 to use over the weekend. Poor guy!!!!

vt951

I've had some fun autocrossing my 951, but after starting DE's last year, I haven't gone back.

IMO, the biggest drawback of the 951 in autocross is its classification. With just suspension mods, you are thrown into ASP. If SCCA would loosen the rules on the street tire classes, a 951 could potentially be competitive in STU. I was head to head with modded e36 M3's locally in STU until I found out that the ST_ classes specifically exclude all Porsches. But, to be competitive in street prepared, I would definitely need to run hoosiers, and that turns a $20 per day sport into about $200 per day.

Another big drawback is what a lot of you guys are eluding to... autocross exploits the weaknesses of the 951, whereas track events showcase its strengths. When I autocrossed my car, I was constantly worried about messing up the tranny. All those quick acceleration bursts in 1st and 2nd gear can really chew up a 951 trans and clutch. Also, keeping it on boost can be tough (sometimes you just have to step on it a couple seconds ahead of time). And, the steering ratio is really way too slow (you end up crossing hand over hand on the steering wheel often).

I would definitely pick an early 944 N/A over a 951 for autocross. Put some welt 250's and bigger t-bars, m030 sways, throttle cam, and hoosiers. That would be a blast.

Chris White

Tape over the Porsche badge and write in "Audi''

CurtP

Last time I went I was in B-Stock and was the only one in that class. Not sure what would bump me up a class though. Aftermarket waste gate (LR Clubgate), bypass (adjustable, but plumbed in exactly like stock) and EBC are the only things that I think would. But I had all those, except the bypass valve (but was an aftermarket non-adjustable unit).

vt951

I guess I could put a VW badge on it now, too.

95ONE

Just got to choose the right "large" turbo. had a blast. almost always in boost. AX can be fun

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

Paseb

^damn your car moves air!!! loll

great job

brrgrr

That course looks like road america compared the one I drove on.

flosho

Just run the street tire index of ASP. That's what I am planning to run with my 931. "T-ASP"


Also, I'm fairly certain that you can upgrade to the biggest sway bars/best shocks available on a 951 and still be in the stock class and then just run a tire with minimum of 140 treadwear.

vt951

I don't know if they have the street tire groups in our local SCCA (Cincinnati). Pretty sure the local autocross club doesn't do that, and that's who I used to run with. That would definitely help a lot, though.

I overshot a little on the suspension to be able to stay in stock class. (aftermarket springs and shocks, bigger t-bars, 968 sways, custom control arms and caster blocks, and camber plates).

333pg333

Don't forget how much less Bruce's car weighs when viewing that clip. Seriously Gnarly car.

SamGrant951