After more than a year of ownership, i've finally decided to take this car to autocross... and i didn't do well.

Please watch and critique my driving. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

look as far down the course as you can. Don't look at the cones, but between- look where you want to go.

steering wheel hand position at 3 and 9 o'clock (well done).

seat time- lots of seat time.

good luck
​​​​​​​darcy

 

Squeeze on and ease off all controls. Think of the gas, brake and steering as boobies. Squeeze them hard and quick... Get slapped. Squeeze them to the same extent slowly and progressively. Get breakfast.

Walking the course three or more times will help you to look ahead when driving, Will also provide your brain with the visual inputs to take the short term thinking out of it.

 

Hey Josh, I recognize that lot. I'm always glad to see another S2000 out at our events; feel free to come up and ask for ride-alongs if we're in the same heat or if you have 2nd heat off when I'm typically running. I have the Laguna Blue with orange numbers. Also don't feel bad if you feel like you didn't do well, the fact that you're trying autocross is a huge step for your car-control skills.

Here's my run for reference (batteries ran out on external mic, sorry for wind noise):

 

Nice first event! Here's a few tips though.

There should never be a lap where you don't think of the previous lap. As much as you should be looking ahead 2-3 turns as other's have suggested, also think about how you took those turns the last lap and how you can improve. This all needs to happen fast but you'll see your time jump. Think about when you started braking the last time, or when you started accelerating and how you could maybe start accelerating a little earlier or brake a little later.

For beginners, the technique of "slow in, fast out" always comes to mind and is the easiest to learn but difficult to master. Don't think too much of braking zones until you can master a good exit consistently.

This is a little bit more advanced but; don't ease into braking and don't ease off throttle before turn in. You're moving the fastest right after a straight so it only makes sense to apply maximum brake force at your peak MPH. Start off at 90% brake applied and ease off and when you have the car under control, think about throttling out. The beginning of a turn is not when you turn the steering wheel but when you enter the braking zone. Give light input in your gas pedal and slowly ease into full throttle. Car control has as much to do with throttle input as it does with steering input.

It's all in the feeling and it may seem technical now but it will become second nature very soon.

It's awesome that you take videos of yourself as that improves you when you go back and watch it. Get more seat time and have fun!!

 

GET BREAKFAST LMAO!
I need to stop squeezing them hard and quick...

 

Hey man!, I think I met you that day.

Damn! you're hitting those corners pretty easy! I'm wondering if my tires aren't gripping enough. If you remember, I spun out 3 times on my worse run haha. Anyways, see you on the 12th. Will try again.

 

Cant look at your video from where I am, but I do instruct locally and can give you the things that 99.99999% of new autocrossers (And some of us doing it for years) need to hear and re-hear.
LOTS of course walks. And try to do them with fast people, so you can learn the line. During course walks, as you see someone fast walking, watch WHERE they are walking,. Experienced drivers tend to walk the line they are going to drive, to get the right perspective. If you know the fast people (and those driving similar cars to yours) watch where they are walking during their course walks. And dont be afraid to ask folks to walk with you and give you pointers. Most autocrossers are more than happy to help out.

If your club allows instructors to ride along, take them every chance you get. Even the really fast guys take an instructor now and then to get another set of eyes on their driving.

You need to know how to recognize the key cones and look at those. Those are the cones you need to apex and backside. The others are just distraction. Find someone experienced on your next course walk and have then show you the concept.

Look WAAAAAAAAAAY ahead. For example, once entering a corner, you should be looking at the exit cone, even if that means looking out the side window to find it. Same goes for a slalom. When passing the entry cone, your eyes should be looking at the LAST cone. Your peripheral vision is way better than you think, it will effectively see the whole slalom together that way and will make you drive a tighter, faster line.

Find the edges of your car. Do this by actually hitting a slalom cone now and then, you may be surprised how far off the cones you were.

Once you feel better about those items, start learning more about lengthening the "Straights" aka techniques to allow you to get on the throttle sooner during/after an element. Those acceleration zones are key to fast times.

Just a few of the things that people typically need help focusing on. Great to see new folks getting into the sport!

 

The further you can look and see down course the less you will be stabbing the controls. Watch the video and listen to your throttle inputs. Look at how quickly you are jabbing the wheel.

When you are walking the course try and divide it into sections. From slow part to slow part. When you are beginning to gain speed from a hairpin or the slowest part of a "slow part" that would be a good beginning to a section. Having a plan for each smaller section can take some pressure off your mind and let things slow down a bit. Think of it like a sentence. You don't speak in whole paragraphs.... Although some internet typing would lead one to think they do.....

Another way to think in sections may be, "I'm going over here doing this". Then I will go over there doing that.

More seat time will also help. If they have "fun runs" at the end of the day make sure and try to do some. If these guys: The Evolution Performance Driving School - Driving Schools come close to you take the course. That will be the quickest way to being quick.

Hope that helps. Breakfast is out there.

 

I think that you did really well for your first time, auto x is way harder than it looks! The best advice you have received and I will reinforce is looking FAR ahead. Although everything happens really fast in auto x, it shouldn't be reactionary. I have found it is very difficult to memorize the course after a course walk and usually takes me a few runs to even remotely memorize it. The focus should be looking far ahead and constantly memorizing the next few cones as far as you can see in a constant stream. Car control will come naturally over time once you get the sensory part down. Try to be smooth as possible and focus on making the least amount of inputs as possible and getting the most out of the high speed sections.