Autox or track in an auto?

Who has tracked their auto mustangs and how was your experience? Thinking about doing autox in mine. I do regret not getting a manual but trying to make the best of what I have.

Do it!

You don't need to have the fastest car to have fun at an autox. Just got back from one in my '16 manual transmission GT. There was a GT350 there getting dirty with only 500 miles on it and I got a ride. Very well sorted car!

That's awesome! I compromised and got an auto so fiancee could be more comfortable driving it (taught her how to drive my 13 gt but the clutch was too heavy for the stop and go traffic she had to drive in and I couldn't not find the assist spring to put back in.) The biggest thing I hate about the auto is that the shift paddles are mounted on the wheel and really wish they were mounted on the column. I know your not supposed to shift while turning but it sucks that they are always moving and can be hard to track when shuffling the wheel.

At most autocrosses you'll only shift once, and after you're in 2nd there will be little need or opportunity to use anything else. When you're not going too fast to be in 1st, it'll be because you're cornering and won't be able to use much throttle (let alone WOT) anyway.


Norm

I have not tracked / autocrossed an automatic mustang, but there are a couple of people in the local club who do, along with some M3 guys with a paddle shift setup. They all seem to have plenty of fun with it

For autoX you'd likely put the car in manual mode, get to 2nd gear, and leave it there. Should work out pretty well.

For road course, the biggest issue is likely to be heat. If you are able to monitor transmission temps and back off for a cooling lap if necessary, you should be fine. Backing off is sometimes easier said than done, though.

-T

as stated before, 2nd gear and go. doubt you will need to shift. I kind of wish it had the option to shift with the gear selector like my 335i did (pops over to the side for manual mode then forward and back throws to shift) made it much easier if i was sliding sideways or in a little sweeping turn. impossible to find the little paddles while your ripping sideways constantly correcting the wheel

Just two races so far in my 94 Automagic, but I will tell you it removes one part of the difficulty. I cannot tell you how many crappy shifts I heard on the course that day! My 94 I put in "2" so it would not shift any higher, so I cannot speak to the new ride yet but will report back asap.

I suspect that the difference between auto/stick will only be relevant for the top 5% of drivers and the rest of us are just out there having fun. Drive you you have and enjoy it, I know that is my plan!

I plan on having fun. Kinda wish I had 3.55's instead of the 3.15's because first gear tops out around 45-50 mph (I think). I know second gear feels a little leggy till around 35mph. Main thing I guess I should be worried about is just having fun and driving the damn thing lol. I miss reading your post on the s197 forum Norm.

I hope to get a chance to get to an actual track. There are no road courses in Arkansas so would want to find a good one hopefully close by. I would love to go to Mazda laguna Seca some day.

Fleeger said:

Main thing I guess I should be worried about is just having fun and driving the damn thing lol.

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I think maybe once in my life I autocrossed a car that was actually somewhere near ideal for the class that it fit into. The rest of the time I was just out there to find out how to get the most out of whatever underprepared car I did have and have fun while doing it.

Don't discount the additional pleasure that comes from running a faster time than drivers in cars that are at least nominally better suited to this activity. Doing better with what is generally regarded as less =


Some of the autocross experience (but not all of it) definitely transferred over to the road course running that I'm now doing.


Norm