Sponsored

FS Autocross Classing

Static_LV

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2016
Threads
4
Messages
205
Reaction score
53
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT Prem PP, 1969 Mustang Coupe
Well this past weekend was an eye-opening experience. We had a bunch of national guys out for the SCCA Convention who stuck around until Sunday and came out to autocross with us. I had always heard that national champion level drivers are fast and we have a couple in region that I am able to hang with but the reality was nothing short of amazing. Jeff and Nicole Wong brought out an FS spec 2017 Camaro SS and just destroyed everyone. 3rd and 8th Raw times counting Karts.

On one hand, it is nice to see where the competition is. On the other hand, I need to be able to make up 3 seconds on a 50+ second course to be nationally competitive. I have a LOT of work to do, and Driver Mod 2.0 is the first thing on the list. Even given a perfect run though, I am not sure that I could have caught Jeff.
I almost feel like the gap in platforms is significant enough to warrant a shakeup in the class. It will be interesting to see how this year shakes out, but I suspect that the 2015-17 Mustangs have dropped off the competitive list for FS.
Sponsored

 

wildcatgoal

@sirboom_photography
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Threads
76
Messages
6,589
Reaction score
2,500
Location
USA
Vehicle(s)
TBD
I feel like part of AutoX (for me, anyway) is to tone it down instead of turn it up. If I feel slow in AutoX, I get the best times. If I feel slow a few times in a row, I start sort of seeing the line in front of me and can tunnel vision it a little. Then I can re-apply volume. Problem is, I don't get very many rounds...

That said, I am not that great at AutoX but I might do some more of it this year because cash flow isn't going to allow that many track days. I'm wondering if your local AutoX org has "practice days" or if there's a way for you to practice? I'd like to find the same opportunity (without getting arrested) by me.
 

Steeda Tech JohnC

Well-Known Member
Diamond Sponsor
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
4
Messages
49
Reaction score
24
Location
Pompano Beach Fl
Vehicle(s)
Gt's and ST's
There is no way to beat around the bush, for the 2017 season, the Camaro was very very strong in both F street and Cam C, the chassis is well sorted and the car has some good low end grunt. Im waiting to see how a 2018 GT does with the extra power for F street this year, the PP1 cars will prob stay F, the PP2 cars alot of us feel will go to A street though
 

Steeda Tech JohnC

Well-Known Member
Diamond Sponsor
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
4
Messages
49
Reaction score
24
Location
Pompano Beach Fl
Vehicle(s)
Gt's and ST's
I feel like part of AutoX (for me, anyway) is to tone it down instead of turn it up. If I feel slow in AutoX, I get the best times. If I feel slow a few times in a row, I start sort of seeing the line in front of me and can tunnel vision it a little. Then I can re-apply volume. Problem is, I don't get very many rounds...

That said, I am not that great at AutoX but I might do some more of it this year because cash flow isn't going to allow that many track days. I'm wondering if your local AutoX org has "practice days" or if there's a way for you to practice? I'd like to find the same opportunity (without getting arrested) by me.


flat out all day erry day ;)
 

kz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 26, 2014
Threads
58
Messages
4,102
Reaction score
2,399
Location
West Chester, OH
Vehicle(s)
Mustangs & F150
I almost feel like the gap in platforms is significant enough to warrant a shakeup in the class. It will be interesting to see how this year shakes out, but I suspect that the 2015-17 Mustangs have dropped off the competitive list for FS.
I am not sure if results of National events results support any reclassing, I actually think they're almost certainly don't and it's not going to happen. Mustang was 4th in Nationals (James Paulson) and they didn't look exactly that bad in other events. It is likely slower than Camaro and no doubt will be slower than '18, but at least against a Camaro I think car performance difference is within the margin of all the other factors and doesn't put you at a loosing position immediately.

That said, I've been beat up by Camaro drivers quite a bit last year including GM guys. Came close only once (on NWOR event).
 

Sponsored

OP
OP

Static_LV

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2016
Threads
4
Messages
205
Reaction score
53
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT Prem PP, 1969 Mustang Coupe
I agree nothing is going to happen class wise this year, I am just speculating that in FS the days of the 2015-17 mustangs being top of the class are over. It will be interesting to see how things shake out this year.
 

NightmareMoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Threads
41
Messages
5,623
Reaction score
4,641
Location
Austin
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT PP
Vehicle Showcase
1
I dont think the S550 has ever been the car-to-have in FS at a national level, has it?

We still did pretty well at 'nats with a 4th place. The BMWs are still really tough competition with little more than an alignment, and GM support for some of those Cameros has got to help.

I always like to say its the Indian, not the arrow, and with a margin of ~1sec out of 120, you know its possible.
 
OP
OP

Static_LV

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2016
Threads
4
Messages
205
Reaction score
53
Location
Las Vegas
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT Prem PP, 1969 Mustang Coupe
Much more driver practice is needed on my side for sure.
 

NightmareMoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Threads
41
Messages
5,623
Reaction score
4,641
Location
Austin
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT PP
Vehicle Showcase
1
Just think how the S197 guys feel!
 

jdub.csu

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 18, 2015
Threads
6
Messages
229
Reaction score
34
Location
United States
First Name
Jon
Vehicle(s)
2015 Mustang GTPP
The 18 is going to have a very distinct advantage over the 15-17. I can tell you from driving one recently I think the 18s will stand a much better chance against the camaro and the bmw nationally. It is part of the game you play in the SCCA there are cars that come along in the stock classes that are the cars to have.
 

Sponsored

dontlifttoshift

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 12, 2015
Threads
3
Messages
159
Reaction score
24
Location
Beach Park, IL
Vehicle(s)
2015 GT PP
Looks like V6 1LE will be added to the FS mix according to the new FastTrack.


***edit to add*** Shelf life of Street class cars is typically very short unless ES miata or C5Z
 

Steeda Tech JohnC

Well-Known Member
Diamond Sponsor
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
4
Messages
49
Reaction score
24
Location
Pompano Beach Fl
Vehicle(s)
Gt's and ST's
Looks like V6 1LE will be added to the FS mix according to the new FastTrack.


***edit to add*** Shelf life of Street class cars is typically very short unless ES miata or C5Z
pretty much this, or a well set up CRX for STS
 

SteveW

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 3, 2015
Threads
8
Messages
700
Reaction score
271
Location
Columbia Gorge area
Vehicle(s)
2015 Mustang GT PP
. On one hand, it is nice to see where the competition is. On the other hand, I need to be able to make up 3 seconds on a 50+ second course to be nationally competitive. I have a LOT of work to do, and Driver Mod 2.0 is the first thing on the list. Even given a perfect run though, I am not sure that I could have caught Jeff.
Don't look at 3 seconds as a whole but rather break it up into chunks of time:

1. Some of that difference is going to be in the car choice. The Camaro is a better FS autox car for sure. So give it .5 sec right there.

2. Are you fully prepped?

#1 is tires and if you're not on 19" RE71Rs, or maybe the 19" Nexen Sur4G then there's like at least a second right there.

#2 is shocks. Gotta have Konis or better but the time gap here is much smaller than tires.

#3 sway bar, light wheels and alignment

3. With car and setup out of the way it's time to look at the driver.

#1 Are you relaxed and ahead of the car? Are you making the car do what you want it to do or reacting to it all the time?

For example, when i first got into this car i came from fwd cars and was a wreck, honestly. I was so tense and unsure of myself i couldn't hardly breathe during a run and my arms were almost locked up at finish. Nowadays I'm driving multiple seconds faster than at first, way more relaxed in the car and can recognize right away where i made small errors in a run because i have so much of the actual driving of the car in my subconscious that there's brain power free to think about the details of the run itself. Not sure if that makes any sense but that's how it feels to me.

#2 in this is choices you make for line, braking, steering and throttle inputs with the course.

#3 every once in a while have someone else drive your car and see if they're faster or what. Preferably, someone who gets better results than you.

#4 in car video and data can help with coaching and information to fix issues with #1-3

Hope this helps.
 

Steeda Tech JohnC

Well-Known Member
Diamond Sponsor
Joined
Nov 1, 2017
Threads
4
Messages
49
Reaction score
24
Location
Pompano Beach Fl
Vehicle(s)
Gt's and ST's
To build off of Steve, i like to mount my cam to my helmet jaw, it lets me see where im looking during the run, along with a cam over my shoulder on on the top of the car

[ame]https://vimeo.com/244587163[/ame]
 

NightmareMoon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 22, 2015
Threads
41
Messages
5,623
Reaction score
4,641
Location
Austin
Vehicle(s)
2016 Mustang GT PP
Vehicle Showcase
1
Somethings off about that camera position. The interior looks... distorted somehow.
j/k

Yeah the jaw-cam is a good one. Really lets you know where and when you're looking at what. Only trick is getting the exposure right with the gopros.
Sponsored

 
 




Top