What to bring for a first Autocross
05-14-2010, 11:06 PM
#32
Drifting
You may want to check on the regulations of the organizations you plan on racing with. For instance, SCCA requires 8" numbers for autocross, but others may require 10". You may need class numbers, too.
05-14-2010, 11:26 PM
#33
Good point, I've been trying to find this information. Does anyone here know what the magnetic door number requirements are for PCA NER Autocross?
05-14-2010, 11:46 PM
#34
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The size is 11.0in x 17.5in Oval Magnetic
Looks just about right for the 997 door
05-23-2010, 06:15 AM
#35
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Hi,
Before the event, you'll want to make sure you and your car are ready so that you can have a safe and fun race. Make sure your car is in good working order, check to make sure your lug-nuts are tight, and your tires are not worn. Clean everything out of your car. Everything! There should be nothing in your car that is not solidly tied down, any cd's, Mcdonald's wrappers, floor-mats, and other junk should be removed. If you want, you can also take out your spare tire and jack for a little weight savings and a little better balance. Although it's optional, it's best for your car to look it's best, so you may want to clean it up a bit.
You want to be prepared so that you can have a good time without worrying about stuff you forgot. Here's my list of stuff the first timer should take.
* Sunscreen - You will be standing in the sun all day long except for brief stints driving
* Sunglasses - again, standing in the sun all day...
* Cooler - Depending on the schedule and your club, you might not get much of a lunch break. I always take a cooler with bottled water, ice, and a couple of energy bars so I can keep myself going if we're tight on time. The water is most important, you'll want to drink a lot to avoid dehydration.
* Tire Pressure Gauge - so you can adjust if needed. Several people there will have air tanks and most people won't mind letting you use it, but if you have a compressor, bring it along too.
* White Shoe Polish - unless you want to buy magnetic stick on numbers ($$$) you'll need to put your number on your windows with shoe polish (it comes off with Windex). You can also use it to mark the sides of your tires so that you can see how far your tires are rolling over and adjust tire pressure accordingly.
* Money - The fee will vary from club to club. For my local region, events are $20 for members or $25 for non members. Most clubs also have a policy that if you join the club that day, you can race for free.
* Aspirin - you're not going to have much fun if you get a headache from standing out in the sun all day, so it never hurts to have some aspirin or ibueprofen.
* If you're the type who likes their car to look good, bring some rags and quick detailing spray
car covers
Before the event, you'll want to make sure you and your car are ready so that you can have a safe and fun race. Make sure your car is in good working order, check to make sure your lug-nuts are tight, and your tires are not worn. Clean everything out of your car. Everything! There should be nothing in your car that is not solidly tied down, any cd's, Mcdonald's wrappers, floor-mats, and other junk should be removed. If you want, you can also take out your spare tire and jack for a little weight savings and a little better balance. Although it's optional, it's best for your car to look it's best, so you may want to clean it up a bit.
You want to be prepared so that you can have a good time without worrying about stuff you forgot. Here's my list of stuff the first timer should take.
* Sunscreen - You will be standing in the sun all day long except for brief stints driving
* Sunglasses - again, standing in the sun all day...
* Cooler - Depending on the schedule and your club, you might not get much of a lunch break. I always take a cooler with bottled water, ice, and a couple of energy bars so I can keep myself going if we're tight on time. The water is most important, you'll want to drink a lot to avoid dehydration.
* Tire Pressure Gauge - so you can adjust if needed. Several people there will have air tanks and most people won't mind letting you use it, but if you have a compressor, bring it along too.
* White Shoe Polish - unless you want to buy magnetic stick on numbers ($$$) you'll need to put your number on your windows with shoe polish (it comes off with Windex). You can also use it to mark the sides of your tires so that you can see how far your tires are rolling over and adjust tire pressure accordingly.
* Money - The fee will vary from club to club. For my local region, events are $20 for members or $25 for non members. Most clubs also have a policy that if you join the club that day, you can race for free.
* Aspirin - you're not going to have much fun if you get a headache from standing out in the sun all day, so it never hurts to have some aspirin or ibueprofen.
* If you're the type who likes their car to look good, bring some rags and quick detailing spray
car covers
Last edited by ricky47; 05-23-2010 at 07:42 AM.
05-25-2010, 10:11 AM
#36
Rennlist Member
A bit late but as NER is there next weekend... White masking tape will work just as good as the blue stuff. Blue tape is a complete wast of money for an autocross. The blue stuff has a different adhesive that will strip off clean after a very long time on your car, long as in weeks. BOTH tapes will leave a tiny bit of residue behind at the point where you use your fingernails to lift the stuck edge to pull it off. Workaround is to fold a tiny bit of the end under making it easier to strip off.
Most everything else has been covered so...go there and have a good time. All of us were noobs when we started. Leave all thoughts of competition at home. You don't want that in the way at your first few events. You know what I drive and how I placed at the last event, and that was my attitude when I started. In my first season (07) I ran about 30 events and finished about dead last at most of them. Did not care in the least because I was having fun doing something with my car that would kill myself (and possibly others) on the street. I spun about every other week.
Do ask other drivers if you can ride along with them, but not drivers close to you in the grid. Grid police will get pissed if you are not ready to run when your time comes. If there is a car that you want a ride in, and they are gridded close to you, then it is usually not a problem for you to move your car in the grid. Ask the grid police where to relocate to. Also don't be afraid to get rides in the cars in the opposite heat from yours. (NOT the opposite run group) Most drivers don't care about having a passenger. Some of them will want to go alone on their last run, I sometimes do. Other than that I usually have a passenger.
See you next Sunday.
Scruffy
Most everything else has been covered so...go there and have a good time. All of us were noobs when we started. Leave all thoughts of competition at home. You don't want that in the way at your first few events. You know what I drive and how I placed at the last event, and that was my attitude when I started. In my first season (07) I ran about 30 events and finished about dead last at most of them. Did not care in the least because I was having fun doing something with my car that would kill myself (and possibly others) on the street. I spun about every other week.
Do ask other drivers if you can ride along with them, but not drivers close to you in the grid. Grid police will get pissed if you are not ready to run when your time comes. If there is a car that you want a ride in, and they are gridded close to you, then it is usually not a problem for you to move your car in the grid. Ask the grid police where to relocate to. Also don't be afraid to get rides in the cars in the opposite heat from yours. (NOT the opposite run group) Most drivers don't care about having a passenger. Some of them will want to go alone on their last run, I sometimes do. Other than that I usually have a passenger.
See you next Sunday.
Scruffy
05-25-2010, 10:14 AM
#37
Rennlist Member
Almost forgot. Wax the areas of your car that are likely to hit cones. Makes it very easy to clean them off after the event.
I prefer to leave the cone marks on the car as battle scars.
I prefer to leave the cone marks on the car as battle scars.
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box (10-30-2019)
05-25-2010, 02:20 PM
#38
Thanks for the advice. My magnetics arrived last week, windshield has finally been replaced, see you Sunday.
A bit late but as NER is there next weekend... White masking tape will work just as good as the blue stuff. Blue tape is a complete wast of money for an autocross. The blue stuff has a different adhesive that will strip off clean after a very long time on your car, long as in weeks. BOTH tapes will leave a tiny bit of residue behind at the point where you use your fingernails to lift the stuck edge to pull it off. Workaround is to fold a tiny bit of the end under making it easier to strip off.
Most everything else has been covered so...go there and have a good time. All of us were noobs when we started. Leave all thoughts of competition at home. You don't want that in the way at your first few events. You know what I drive and how I placed at the last event, and that was my attitude when I started. In my first season (07) I ran about 30 events and finished about dead last at most of them. Did not care in the least because I was having fun doing something with my car that would kill myself (and possibly others) on the street. I spun about every other week.
Do ask other drivers if you can ride along with them, but not drivers close to you in the grid. Grid police will get pissed if you are not ready to run when your time comes. If there is a car that you want a ride in, and they are gridded close to you, then it is usually not a problem for you to move your car in the grid. Ask the grid police where to relocate to. Also don't be afraid to get rides in the cars in the opposite heat from yours. (NOT the opposite run group) Most drivers don't care about having a passenger. Some of them will want to go alone on their last run, I sometimes do. Other than that I usually have a passenger.
See you next Sunday.
Scruffy
Most everything else has been covered so...go there and have a good time. All of us were noobs when we started. Leave all thoughts of competition at home. You don't want that in the way at your first few events. You know what I drive and how I placed at the last event, and that was my attitude when I started. In my first season (07) I ran about 30 events and finished about dead last at most of them. Did not care in the least because I was having fun doing something with my car that would kill myself (and possibly others) on the street. I spun about every other week.
Do ask other drivers if you can ride along with them, but not drivers close to you in the grid. Grid police will get pissed if you are not ready to run when your time comes. If there is a car that you want a ride in, and they are gridded close to you, then it is usually not a problem for you to move your car in the grid. Ask the grid police where to relocate to. Also don't be afraid to get rides in the cars in the opposite heat from yours. (NOT the opposite run group) Most drivers don't care about having a passenger. Some of them will want to go alone on their last run, I sometimes do. Other than that I usually have a passenger.
See you next Sunday.
Scruffy
05-25-2010, 06:11 PM
#39
Drifting
I know it's OBE since you have magnets, but blue tape on a blue car is hard to see. Use purple instead 
We keep all 3 colors in our club tech box (blue, purple, tan)
We keep all 3 colors in our club tech box (blue, purple, tan)
05-29-2010, 01:33 PM
#40
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Great info guys, thanks! Looking forward to my first one this Sunday as well. Utkinpol, I'll be on the lookout for you to say hi...i'll be easy to spot. haha.
-Alex
-Alex
05-29-2010, 03:04 PM
#42
Drifting
Yes, floor mats have to be removed. Generally speaking, you can leave LIGHT items in the trunk, so long as the trunk is not connected to the interior. Some people put their floormats and jackets in the trunk. I leave my floormats at home, and put everything else in a pile in the paddock area.
Some clubs will require you to clear out the glove box and center console cubby, but others are OK so long as they're fully secure. What's important is that everything be secured to eliminate the risk of debris flying around during violent maneuvers and wedging under your brake pedal.
Some clubs will require you to clear out the glove box and center console cubby, but others are OK so long as they're fully secure. What's important is that everything be secured to eliminate the risk of debris flying around during violent maneuvers and wedging under your brake pedal.
05-29-2010, 05:51 PM
#43
Rennlist Member
I still put a heckload of blue tape on my front clear bra as even with goo-off it is a PITA jobs to clean off those deep black marks from clear bra film. Painted surfaces are very easy to clean.
05-29-2010, 06:26 PM
#44
Drifting
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (and the Food Lion knock-off) are the best thing I've found for taking cone marks off of clear bras. They do short work of taking them off paint, too. Not to mention brake dust off wheels. I use one every time I wash my car. It takes the wax off, so if you do this, plan to immediately wax, too.
05-30-2010, 08:03 PM
#45
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As you gave me this advice last year - goo-off product (home depot) cleans off cone marks very well.
I still put a heckload of blue tape on my front clear bra as even with goo-off it is a PITA jobs to clean off those deep black marks from clear bra film. Painted surfaces are very easy to clean.
I still put a heckload of blue tape on my front clear bra as even with goo-off it is a PITA jobs to clean off those deep black marks from clear bra film. Painted surfaces are very easy to clean.
Quick trip to HD, got Goof-Off and Magic Eraser pad. After quite a bit of spraying, rubbing, sweating, cursing - most of the black cone residue is off. Now the problem is that the stone guard plastic is looking rather dull where most of the rubbing occurred.
Have to figure out if/how to polish this dulness out - looks, not so good
Anyone had succes polishing their stone guard or 3M clear bra'ed parts?