a front sway bar upgrade and an agressive alignment will help keep the oversteer in check if not completely eliminate it. If you are new to autocross and your car is stock it is very difficult to keep the car straight especially in an AP1.

 

Have a more experienced driver ride with you and try to get a ride with him/her. Most autocrosses are usually helpful/friendly - especially s2k owners Like you said, there are a lot of variables and a more experienced driver will be able to tell you if coming in too hot or not hot enough, turning too much or not enough, throttling too hard or not hard enough, etc.

 

What you're asking is a fundamental driving question. Sign up for the next autocross school that's available and you'll get to practice balancing the car's traction using braking-steering-throttle. This isn't really something that can be taught on a forum.

I second the suggestion on reading Ross Bently's "Speed Secrets" book series.

 

trial and error. learn what NOT to do as well as what TO do.

 

best answer here!

 

Understand your lines...where the breaking point it, apex, turn it....after that

think about having a cable connected between the steering wheel and the throttle...As you come through the apex start slowly applying throttle and at the same time letting the wheels straighten out...do not apply full throttle until the wheels are perfectly straight.

 

It also shows you're at the edge of adhesion. That can be a good thing since it allows you to position the car by simply changing throttle position slightly. Whether you can do that repeatably is another issue. I wouldn't be trail braking at this point, especially with a stock suspension - that's a recipe for oversteer. Brake in a straight line, off the brakes just as you start turning and throttle modulation.

It's only seat time and some understanding of the physics that will help.

 

I'd also make the suggestion to get the "driving fast" thought out of your head.

What you're trying to do is drive "quickly" through the element.

Fast usually equates to speed in most people's heads. Whereas quick is more linked to time.

So people get in the mindset of not wanting to give up speed and getting stuck for 2 seconds at 25 mph rather than slowing down to 20mph, executing neatly and clearing the whole turn in a lower time....

 

Personally, as an instructor I disagree with the "brake-in-a-straight-line" approach, even for beginners. It's just not natural to be completely off the brakes at turn-in, the car doesn't behave properly. Braking should be smoothly reduced, as you turn in you're trading braking for steering angle. Trying to force students to be totally off the brakes at turn in just slows the learning process. IMO...

 

By going slow into it.