Driving/Racing Schools

[Murray Peterson]

Originally posted by rage2

I agree. Also, if you're looking for track time, AutoX isn't really worth it. It'll take you forever to get enough experience to be competitive. I learned how to drive from real street racing in my early teens, and tons of laps in different cars at lapping days later on. You have 4 runs to nail a perfect lap on a course you have never driven on, that's what makes AutoX fun. 4 mins of track time per event doesn't teach you much.

Hmm, I have to disagree (slightly) with you. The reason I love autox and rallyx is that it is one of the few sport variations where I can really, truly drive my car at "ten tenths" every single second. When the speeds get up higher or other cars get beside you, I find that almost everyone backs off a bit -- for darn good reasons. Not many people are really willing to take the risks of living at the edge with their own vehicle (and body). I love the feeling of having my car slither around a corner at some nice yaw angle, but not many people like that feeling at turn 1 when you are doing 150 kph and have cars on either side of you

You get less seat time per event in autox, but every second is about driving your car at the outer limit of control and usually a bit beyond. The OP asked about improving his driving skills -- I would argue that autox/rallyx are the best for this.

I haven't tried karting yet, but it sounds like the really fun way to get into wheel to wheel racing while still "living at the edge". Not nearly as huge a penalty for taking that corner just a bit too fast

[94boosted]

Originally posted by Murray Peterson


Hmm, I have to disagree (slightly) with you. The reason I love autox and rallyx is that it is one of the few sport variations where I can really, truly drive my car at "ten tenths" every single second. When the speeds get up higher or other cars get beside you, I find that almost everyone backs off a bit -- for darn good reasons. Not many people are really willing to take the risks of living at the edge with their own vehicle (and body). I love the feeling of having my car slither around a corner at some nice yaw angle, but not many people like that feeling at turn 1 when you are doing 150 kph and have cars on either side of you

You get less seat time per event in autox, but every second is about driving your car at the outer limit of control and usually a bit beyond. The OP asked about improving his driving skills -- I would argue that autox/rallyx are the best for this.

I haven't tried karting yet, but it sounds like the really fun way to get into wheel to wheel racing while still "living at the edge". Not nearly as huge a penalty for taking that corner just a bit too fast

And in most auto-x events it's 6-8 runs per day (granted that the course changes slightly after the first 3-4) + fun runs

The nice thing about the SoloPro Schools is you get a lot of seat time you probably make more passes in one day at the school than you will for the rest of the season in regular events so you really do learn a lot and get a good feel for auto-x and if you like it or not.

But if OP is more interested in wheel to wheel racing then auto-x is definitely not his thing

[rage2]

OK 6-8 runs, that's 8 mins of split up running time. That's like 5 laps on a lapping day where you stop 8 times. You're not going to come close to driving 10/10ths with so little track time haha. It's like asking a rookie to qualify pole in a F1 race with no testing.

AutoX is awesome if you already have a solid background in driving. Very little opportunity to run a perfect lap, and that's where the challenge is. I did 3 years of AutoX, and I've only come remotely close to a 10/10ths lap twice, where my 2 best laps were within 1/100ths of each other. Even then, realistically, it was probably an 8/10ths lap... I'm sure a professional driver would've been able to hop in the car and smoke that laptime.

[94boosted]

Originally posted by rage2
OK 6-8 runs, that's 8 mins of split up running time. That's like 5 laps on a lapping day where you stop 8 times. You're not going to come close to driving 10/10ths with so little track time haha. It's like asking a rookie to qualify pole in a F1 race with no testing.

AutoX is awesome if you already have a solid background in driving. Very little opportunity to run a perfect lap, and that's where the challenge is. I did 3 years of AutoX, and I've only come remotely close to a 10/10ths lap twice, where my 2 best laps were within 1/100ths of each other. Even then, realistically, it was probably an 8/10ths lap... I'm sure a professional driver would've been able to hop in the car and smoke that laptime.

Your totaly right about not getting a lot of seat time in auto-x..... a 9 hour day yields about 6-10 minutes of driving lol. But there is not much else to do in Calgary & area anymore.

And IMO driving at 10/10ths doesn't nescesairly mean your very good/fast it just means your at the limit of the car either way not something you do in wheel to wheel racing or even on a track unless ofcourse you are really, very good

[HiTempguy1]

Originally posted by Murray Peterson

When the speeds get up higher or other cars get beside you, I find that almost everyone backs off a bit -- for darn good reasons. Not many people are really willing to take the risks of living at the edge with their own vehicle (and body).

Then you are not actually "racing". When people ask these questions, I make the assumption that if they are going to drop $50k in one year on a "hobby", good isn't good enough, they want "best". My advice delivers that. I race to compete, and it is "fun" to push as hard as I can. The chances of bodily harm in racing (or damage to your car) is significantly lower than your trip to the office in the morning, so in fact those are HORRIBLE reasons based in irrationality. I auto-x'd for years (non-competitively due to car selection) and it is nothing like being on track. It does help familiarize yourself with a cold car, and gets you comfortable racing on pavement. As I said, if you have a car that you can throw r-compounds on and hit auto-x's, EVERY BIT HELPS. But I would not go out of my way to be competitive/buy a car for it.

Also, 10 runs in a day at an auto-x might equal one session out of the two or three you'd get doing time attack, and things do change in how you deal with a car at two times the speed.

I didn't get a mention? I used to be the biggest auto-x and lapping whore. At one point, I was competing or lapping 4x a week and blowing through 2 sets of tires a month haha.

But no competitive racing beyond auto-x, which we agree isn't where he should focus his efforts.

[Murray Peterson]

I don't think comparing seat time is a useful comparison between the sports. For that matter, the various race track sports have little in common. Time Attack isn't the same sport as a Chump Car race.

In other words, it just comes down to personal taste.

The OP should really try auto-x, karting, lapping, etc. to see which he prefers. Auto-x does have the advantage of being the cheapest one to try out. Free if he just want to go for a few rides.

[msommers]

Thanks all to for the words of advice, its given me more to think about.

[rage2]

Originally posted by HiTempguy1
But no competitive racing beyond auto-x, which we agree isn't where he should focus his efforts.

I'm under the impression that the OP doesn't have any experience at all, hence attending a school. I doubt he'd want to go straight into wheel to wheel racing.

[Murray Peterson]

Auto-x schools for novices being hel at both Edmonton and Fort Macleod:

http://mrheavyfoot.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=2532
http://sascsolo.ca/forums/index.php?showtopic=1150&st=0


You won't get driving instruction for less money anywhere.

[Skyline_Addict]

Originally posted by Murray Peterson


Hmm, I have to disagree (slightly) with you. The reason I love autox and rallyx is that it is one of the few sport variations where I can really, truly drive my car at "ten tenths" every single second. When the speeds get up higher or other cars get beside you, I find that almost everyone backs off a bit -- for darn good reasons. Not many people are really willing to take the risks of living at the edge with their own vehicle (and body). I love the feeling of having my car slither around a corner at some nice yaw angle, but not many people like that feeling at turn 1 when you are doing 150 kph and have cars on either side of you

You get less seat time per event in autox, but every second is about driving your car at the outer limit of control and usually a bit beyond. The OP asked about improving his driving skills -- I would argue that autox/rallyx are the best for this.

I haven't tried karting yet, but it sounds like the really fun way to get into wheel to wheel racing while still "living at the edge". Not nearly as huge a penalty for taking that corner just a bit too fast

Great post which applies to 99% of people out there. Auto-X is a great way to hone your driving skills in an environment that is not as unforgiving to mistakes. Auto-X is also good in the sense that it is an equalizer, as horsepower and even drivertrain don't factor too much into laptimes. It really is more about the skill.

I drive and enjoy cars which shine in the long winding twisties as opposed to 90 degree turns in first gear. But I enjoyed doing auto-x as you surround yourself with great people who are passionate about performance driving and would surely help refine your driving skills.