New TO AUTOX NEED HELP PLEASE??

[Korben007]

Hello Fellow AutoXer,
I am starting my first season of autocross this year. I have alot of questions I am going to go all out. First of all our the wheels and tires. Do you have to have the stock wheels to compete? What tires will change what class I compete in? I have aftermarket rimes for driving and what to put autoX tires on my Car? I have an intake and exhaust, is that enough to throw me out of the stock class? I took note on tire pressures aready, but should I do a different set up if I have autoX tires? Also I will get my car aligned, what is a good alignment setting for the track that will not wear out my street tires to fast? OK, last question I have a 2000 GT-S Manual, what class would I go in? Also do my current mods effect my class?
Thanks You for you help
Rory Keeney
Reno SCCA Region

[scapamouche]

First question: what are your mods? That is the critical item. To stay in the Stock class, you can only change shocks, exhaust and I think, front swaybar. Nothing else.

For tires, in the stock class, the limit is wheels. They must be stock, or within .25 inches in width from stock, and the same diameter as stock. For the GT-s, this means 15x6.5 (the GT wheels) or 16x6.5(?) the optional GT-S wheels.

DOT approved race tires are allowed, but for your first season, don't waste your oney. Learn the car on street tires, and save yourself some effort. Once you have learned to the limit of the stock tires, then start with better rubber.

I've been autoxing off and on for 6 years, and I just bought my first set of 'race' rubber. Of course, I run in STS, which has different tire regulations than the stock class.

AS for alignment, again, don't go wild at first. I can't give you good numbers, but some of the other guys can. I'm getting mine set to -2 deg front and -1.5 deg rear camber, and 0 toe front and rear.

Stock, you would go into DS- with cars like the eclipse, Integra (incl type R) WRX, and 1st gen M3. Unfortunately, the GT-S is not really up to the pace of some of those cars, but it's still lots of fun.

If you have the normal aftermarket mods (coilovers, strut braces, intake, etc.) then you go into either DSP (D street prepared) a class for modified street cars, using race rubber like the stock class; or STS (Street Touring- Street tire, the class I run in with the mods listed below) which exists largely to get the guys who can't leave their cars stock, but aren't up to full race preparations, who still want a chance to be competitive. STS has become very competitive as well.

First, you should train yourself how to drive by getting seat time, THEN worry about making more mods to be faster in whatever class you end up.

[nxracer]

Korben007: Your intake and puts you in STS. In STS you can do lots of other stuff but for get the alignment and just drive the car. The most important mod you can make right now sits in the drivers seat.

The alignment settings in scapamouche's post are a good place to start and they really won't hurt your street tires very bad. In fact the car will handle SO much better you won't really care anymore.

After you've done a few events you will have a big decision to make. Stay in STS and add the goodies or remove the intake, get the sticky tires (Kumho V700's) and well go faster than STS in stock class. Funny how that works, lots of money in suspension mods gets canceled by a set of tires.

STS rules (http://moutons.org/sccasolo/Rules/street_touring.html)

[NoCones]

minor correction on stock wheels: the 0.25" tolerance is for offset, not width. Must have stock width and diameter.

I'd go ahead and run STS with the wheels/tires you've got...after a few cracks at that, figure out whether you want to go STS or DS. In my opinion, if you want to go DS (the "regular" stock route), I'd get some R rubber pretty quickly. While seat time with street tires is certainly valuable, the R tires are significantly different...if you're going to be serious, might as well get used to the stickies ASAP.

[Karim]

another nevadan, but you a reno guy. i'm down here in vegas. good luck with auto-x i concur with the advice above.

Karim

[pitcrew]

One of the best places for a newbee to start:
www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm