SRT-4 going auto-xing...
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





SRT-4 going auto-xing...
My friend finally convinced me to go autocrossing with him. I agreed to try it once after watching guys for the past couple months...
I picked Monrovia Raceway because I've driven the course before and I feel I know it well. I've never raced it, but I've driven it at what I think was about 80% speed.
I'll obviously be using my baby Neon, hopefully some asswhore does not hit me.
There will be a serious asskicking if that happens. My friend said he would put the paperwork in for us and get us in a good race and he would help me out via our headsets that we normally use for drag during the race. He'll be taking his autocrossing Celica. He's got more suspension mods than I have total mods lol. He said the race we'd be running in, I would have about a 200 whp advantage on most guys so I figure I can hold my own.
I don't expect to win, but a top 3 amongst amateurs would be nice. I just finished a lot of suspension work but the car is really made for a straight line...
Any tips?
I hear life on three wheels is more fun...we'll see. It definetely looks harder than dragging, I bet it is...
I picked Monrovia Raceway because I've driven the course before and I feel I know it well. I've never raced it, but I've driven it at what I think was about 80% speed.
I'll obviously be using my baby Neon, hopefully some asswhore does not hit me.
I don't expect to win, but a top 3 amongst amateurs would be nice. I just finished a lot of suspension work but the car is really made for a straight line...
Any tips?
I hear life on three wheels is more fun...we'll see. It definetely looks harder than dragging, I bet it is...
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by nikoscivicex
Good luck!
to start with I'm going to have to lose some of those weights and raise the damn car up a little...(3/4" clearance is not cool...)
That is not an ordinary rabbit tis the most foul cruel beast
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
From: California
Rep Power: 318 





dont push it... Never push your car fully is my only advice about going around a race circut with other people especially if your worried about nailing someone or having someone nail you. Take it easy until your comfortible since your a noob at it, better be safe than take out a bunch of cars
then when you get the feel just hammer it and see what yuor baby can do!
then when you get the feel just hammer it and see what yuor baby can do!
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by WhiteCastle
dont push it... Never push your car fully is my only advice about going around a race circut with other people especially if your worried about nailing someone or having someone nail you. Take it easy until your comfortible since your a noob at it, better be safe than take out a bunch of cars
then when you get the feel just hammer it and see what yuor baby can do!
then when you get the feel just hammer it and see what yuor baby can do!

exploit my 2x HP advantage
and hope I don't get raped too bad on the curves...hand brake anyone?
Autocross Junky
Hey! Look At Me!! I'm a Supporting Member!!
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 7,211
Likes: 0
From: Las Vegas, Nevada, US
Rep Power: 380 










are you doing open track or autocross? because they are 2 different types of events...
autocross: extream corners on a track outlined with cones, typically a 1st and 2nd gear course..and you are the only one on course(so theres no one to hit, or be hit by).
Open track: a bunch of people rent out a Road course and drive around it... multiple cars on course, Passing is ushually limited to straght a ways....
My personal experiance with both.... autocross is much more extream (on a typical autocross course you are navigating a corner 10X as often as a F1 Driver on a road course...), Open course would be a whole lot more fun if it were acutal wheel to wheel racing. (and the beginer group is scary....) and HP means a whole hell of a lot more on an open course.
just a few tips:
Its best to brake too soon then it is to brake too late....
The gas pedal is not an On/Off switch, so dont use it as one. Ease off the gas as you get on the brake, and ease on the gas as you come out of turns... Your tires will thank you later. Same thing goes for the brake.
Finally, Your steering wheel determins how much Brake or Gas you can use at any one time. The more the wheel is turned away from center, the less brake and gas you can use. SO.... as you enter a corner, and start to turn the wheel, you should be coming off the brake (Smoothly) as you exit a corner and centering the wheel you should be rolling on the throttle (also Smoothly) Smoothness is the key....
have fun, and remember.... its best to keep the pointed end facing forward and the shiny side up....
If you use the handbrake on a road course I will personally fly out to where you live and smack you with it....
(hand brake turns are ALLWAYS the slowest way to take a turn)
autocross: extream corners on a track outlined with cones, typically a 1st and 2nd gear course..and you are the only one on course(so theres no one to hit, or be hit by).
Open track: a bunch of people rent out a Road course and drive around it... multiple cars on course, Passing is ushually limited to straght a ways....
My personal experiance with both.... autocross is much more extream (on a typical autocross course you are navigating a corner 10X as often as a F1 Driver on a road course...), Open course would be a whole lot more fun if it were acutal wheel to wheel racing. (and the beginer group is scary....) and HP means a whole hell of a lot more on an open course.
just a few tips:
Its best to brake too soon then it is to brake too late....
The gas pedal is not an On/Off switch, so dont use it as one. Ease off the gas as you get on the brake, and ease on the gas as you come out of turns... Your tires will thank you later. Same thing goes for the brake.
Finally, Your steering wheel determins how much Brake or Gas you can use at any one time. The more the wheel is turned away from center, the less brake and gas you can use. SO.... as you enter a corner, and start to turn the wheel, you should be coming off the brake (Smoothly) as you exit a corner and centering the wheel you should be rolling on the throttle (also Smoothly) Smoothness is the key....
have fun, and remember.... its best to keep the pointed end facing forward and the shiny side up....
Originally Posted by DodgeNeonSRT-4
hand brake anyone? 

(hand brake turns are ALLWAYS the slowest way to take a turn) Last edited by Zzyzx; Oct 19, 2004 at 06:01 PM.
That is not an ordinary rabbit tis the most foul cruel beast
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,579
Likes: 0
From: California
Rep Power: 318 





hes doing open track I thought.....sounds like that. No cones involved...hehe cone man zzyx 
I love circut/track racing speaking of which one of the best spots near me is the califonia speedway. You got to have your racing license and class card handy at all times there though

I love circut/track racing speaking of which one of the best spots near me is the califonia speedway. You got to have your racing license and class card handy at all times there though
Last edited by WhiteCastle; Oct 19, 2004 at 06:05 PM.
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by Zzyzx
are you doing open track or autocross? because they are 2 different types of events...
autocross: extream corners on a track outlined with cones, typically a 1st and 2nd gear course..and you are the only one on course(so theres no one to hit, or be hit by).
Open track: a bunch of people rent out a Road course and drive around it... multiple cars on course, Passing is ushually limited to straght a ways....
If you use the handbrake on a road course I will personally fly out to where you live and smack you with it....
(hand brake turns are ALLWAYS the slowest way to take a turn)
autocross: extream corners on a track outlined with cones, typically a 1st and 2nd gear course..and you are the only one on course(so theres no one to hit, or be hit by).
Open track: a bunch of people rent out a Road course and drive around it... multiple cars on course, Passing is ushually limited to straght a ways....
If you use the handbrake on a road course I will personally fly out to where you live and smack you with it....
(hand brake turns are ALLWAYS the slowest way to take a turn)
um, I think it's a little more of open track. but he said it's a competition where there are entry fees and prizes and there is supposed to be a huge crowd (500 from the ones I've been too). passing goes anywhere and he said we would be in group 2A I think it was. I think he mentioned it's the highest amateur level at this track...enough to challange me without killing me and high enough to stay away from wrecking noobs.
I planned on using the hand brake on one particular turn that's almost 90 degrees
but just for fun...why not drift once or twice during a road race?

oh yeah there are supposed to be 12 cars in our heat. four heats. then a final heat. I think he said it was 30 laps and if I remember right the course is just over a mile...
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 5,230
Likes: 0
From: Daytona Beach, Florida, US
Rep Power: 349 

Don't worry if something happens to your srt-4.. they are so cheap just go out and buy a new one.. hehe..
try and find a map of the road coarse you will be going on and memerize it.
make sure to take some pictures for us and good luck.
try and find a map of the road coarse you will be going on and memerize it.
make sure to take some pictures for us and good luck.
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by Spider883
Don't worry if something happens to your srt-4.. they are so cheap just go out and buy a new one.. hehe..
try and find a map of the road coarse you will be going on and memerize it.
make sure to take some pictures for us and good luck.
try and find a map of the road coarse you will be going on and memerize it.
make sure to take some pictures for us and good luck.
yeah I've driven the track before and been reviewing tapes...I think I know it like the back of my hand...we'll see...
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by WhiteCastle
take your civic dont damage the srt-4!!!!!!!
haha I just want to see everyones remarks to this comment
haha I just want to see everyones remarks to this comment
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 13,151
Likes: 3
From: Washington DC
Rep Power: 423 










Forget the map. they do next to nothing. Walk it. The whole track. Its a much better way to get a sense of it, you can stop and look at things, find braking points etc.... Paper tells you very little about a track. Don't push it until you feel comfortable and please no hero ****. You'll be worse off trying to save a loss of control than you will just riding it out.
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by Boilermaker1
Forget the map. they do next to nothing. Walk it. The whole track. Its a much better way to get a sense of it, you can stop and look at things, find braking points etc.... Paper tells you very little about a track. Don't push it until you feel comfortable and please no hero ****. You'll be worse off trying to save a loss of control than you will just riding it out.
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by Skunk2ner
good luck man... heres a srt-4 from the SCCA WC final race from the touring car class.
take pics or video
take pics or video
Registered!!
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 0
From: Orange County, CA
Rep Power: 0 
Originally Posted by DaddyFatSacks
Oh ya, they did, the PT Cruizer, the ugliest thing on 4 wheels.
it's not the ugliest... i'd put hyundai elantra gt and pontiac aztec way higher on the list of ugly cars.
Thread Starter
Banned
iTrader: (1)
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 4,096
Likes: 0
From: NJ, USA
Rep Power: 0 





Originally Posted by Skunk2ner
it's not the ugliest... i'd put hyundai elantra gt and pontiac aztec way higher on the list of ugly cars.
as far as the srt-4 goes, you're getting your wish. dodge is dropping the neon platform as of the end of 2005 car year...
supposedly an awd lancer-type model is in the works with a body redesign...
Thread
Thread Starter
Honda Civic Forum
Replies
Last Post
DistinctiveBP
Honda Civic Racing: Drift/Drag/AutoX/Time Attack
28
Apr 15, 2004 08:01 PM
HondaGuru
General Automotive Discussion
44
Dec 18, 2002 03:31 PM



