in-car autocross videos, any pointers on my driving?

[Schubitzky]

Hi, I'm relatively new around here and have entered my first full year of autocross in my '81 camaro in SCCA CAM. I finally gained access to a go-pro and shot these in-car videos a couple weeks ago. I was just wondering if anybody had any pointers on how I drove the course or possibly even setup advice. The car has a mild 350/700R4, running -0.5 degree camber, 5 degree caster, 0.125" toe in. Stock camaro front sway bar, stock T/A rear sway bar, 600 lb/in front springs 125 lb/in rear springs, ridetech HQ monotube shocks, and subframe connectors. I have C6 JL9 brakes in the front and stock drums in the back.

Third run was the quickest. enjoy! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_v2BRcXVaOw
mike

_v2BRcXVaOw

[rchaskin]

Looks good.

I would run more neg camber, like closer to -2.
I have 4 shims that I add before going to an event. I run like -1.2 all the time, and then about -2.2 for events.

The best thing that helps me is to compare videos from other (faster) people at the same event.
I run them side by side to see differences in picking lines and throttle/brake application.

Here are some of my vids.
http://www.youtube.com/user/rchaskin/videos

Keep it up!!

[SSLance]

That is a pretty good vantage spot for the GoPro, I use one similar a lot of the time. You are making your way around the course pretty decent, your car control is excellent, your feel for when the car is going to loose grip is there and you are sneaking right up on that edge real well. What tires are you running?

A couple of things I saw that might help are easy to say, but harder to translate into working on your end. In order to get the most grip out of the car, you need to transfer weight to the tires that need the most grip first. Brake hard first to transfer the weight to the front tires, then turn in...abruptly. Once you are turned in, all of the weight is transferred to the outside tires...try to keep the weight on those outside tires until you are ready to exit the turn. Once you are at the apex and ready to exit the corner, straighten the steering wheel and transfer the weight to the rear tires with the throttle.

Just three movements for each corner, weight to the front for turn in, weight to the outside for roll through, and weight to the rear for corner exit.

In the slalom, instead of tight quick turns, you need to throw the car out to transfer the weight to the outside tires, then turn in and throw the weight over to the other side's outside tires before turning back in the other way. For our cars you have to have maximum weight transfer on the outside tires to get the most grip for the turn back in. You still want to backside the cones in the slalom but transfer the weight to the outside first.

Car looks good, love seeing more big cars out there running in the CAM class. How many other cars are running in CAM in your Region?

Here's a video of me racing my car in the rain recently, check out how I'm transferring the weight. Doing this creates WAY more grip, even in the rain.

Also watch how I'm turning my head looking way out past the exit of the corner before I even get into the corner. Your hands are going to make the car go to where you are looking...so LOOK AHEAD!!


http://youtu.be/HKxes9NqIRA

[BMR Sales]

1st Pointer - Your Hand Position is all FUBAR! Even before you start, your hands are about an Inch apart at the top of the wheel and at times during the run they are still an Inch apart. You should start at either 10 & 4 or 9 & 3 Position, and also use a Hand Shuffle technique. Hand Shuffle means that you never cross your arms over - when making a right hand turn, when your left hand brings the wheel to 12 o'clock, you bring your hand to twelve, continue the turn and your left hand slides down the wheel

here is a Video to explain it

http://youtu.be/Ps1aMcv1kqY

[BMR Sales]

Your line looks to be pretty good. To get fast times at A/X, IMHO, you need to be either on the Gas or on the Brake...Hard! and you have to make that Gas to Brake Transition as Smooth as Possible.

At this point work on your technique more than trying to improve the car. If your technique is off, More Power will only exaggerate flaws.

Is that at Hershey? It looks familiar. I haven't been in Pennsylvania in about a dozen years.

[BMR Sales]

Also - Eyes Up and to the next corner!

I have Worked for Skip Barber for over 25 Years, have over a Dozen A/X Titles, race Go-Karts about every other week (hand position is totally different in a Kart vs. a Car), I have 2 Vintage Race Cars - one I do A/Xing with

[Schubitzky]

rchaskin - Thanks. I've been thinking about adding more neg camber. I guess it might be a good idea to figure out what shims make it more extreme, and then I can add them and take them out as I need as to not ruin my tires on the street. I try to watch other vids, but haven't been able to find too many from the same course, or if I can, it's a complete different type of car.

lance - I'm not going as fast as it may seem because my speedo is off, but thanks. The tires are BFG Sport Comp2s 245-40R18 on the front and 275-40R18 on the back. I definately need to work on getting the weight transfer thing down, I think I still lack confidence in the brakes, but I'm trying to overcome that. Slalom's are my worst enemy and they seem to be everywhere. Thanks for the advice, I will definately try to implement that next time. Our biggest field in CAM has been 4 cars so far and it only happened once. We have a '71 ElCamino, an '80 malibu, another late 2nd gen, and we actually had a '64 Falcon. Unfortunately we haven't all been very consistent so that field is good every time, I think I have 2 event of the 5 that I was the only car. Our region doesn't seem to be taking very well to the class and hasn't put much effort into promoting it and I live too far away to attend meetings or anything. I've tried to recruit on other forums, but not much luck.

BMR - I've read about the shuffle technique and I practice it on the street, but it's so unnatural for me that I haven't been able to do it subconciously yet. But I'll keep trying. I agree, I am the weakest link in the car and have no plans to add more power, other than maybe more braking power with more aggressive pads. Giant Center is right next to HersheyPark. I tell my self to look up before every run and I think I'm getting better, just need more practice.

thanks for all the input, I do appreciate it. I'll take some time to digest the videos you've posted and try to work on things at the next event.

on another note; i followed the directions in the "how to embed youtube videos" thread, but it didn't seem to work. not sure what I did wrong.