The Official 370Z Autocross Thread

[cossie1600]

sounds very tempting. i am debating that or go all out with a set of c51 or bfg r1s. i cant run the re11s anymore, sick of getting outrun by drivers that are slower

[AutoX Z]

Originally Posted by Shamu

I would contend that A6's are very much DOT R slicks as opposed to DOT R treaded tires. An A6 is closer to a radial race slick than a treaded street tire. Compounds the A6 uses are very similar to true race slick compounds as well. I have always found it amusing when some people try to say an A6 isnt a slick but a DOT R race tire. What exactly does that mean in a practical sense as in many venues an A6 is superior to non DOT race slick. Thats especially true now as Good Year and Hoosier have stopped producing many non DOT race slick sizes in soft compounds in favor of supporting road racing compounds that just dont work in AX. Again there are exceptions but really A6 is a slick in general sense of the word. Its not a tire you can drive on the street any more practically than a true radial race slick.

Also I would challenge assumption that A6 is only way to go for a DOT R tire. It depends on your goals and skill level. Toyo R888 is a fair tire and if you need something to drive back and forth to event its far better choice than a A6. Treaded DOT R can also double as an intermediate rain tire where A6 would fail. And tread life will be far greater on treaded DOT tire. I'm actually a fan of Nitto NTo1 as intermediate tire that can be driven to events.

Not everyone is headed to Nationals and having flexibility to run a streetable treaded DOT tire is something many of us who dont want to trailer tires use. My street wheels have R888's and I only use them for local AX now. My race wheels have R6's for track work. A6 is just over priced and only really required if you are out for National Tour or big event win. Also dont ignore the new Good Year DOT R tires. They make a soft AX compound now and cars on Good Year DOTs in San Diego were beating Hoosier clad cars at National tour. I think a few more National title winners will be on Good Year DOT R tires this year. That pretty much puts a stick in things for Hoosier being the " only ones worth paying for".

Yes the A6 is very much like a slick but it is not. It just bothers me when people refer to all minimally greased tires as slicks, there is a still a relatively large difference between the two.

It is also my opinion thatif you arent going to make the jump up to A6 then just get a good street tire like an re11 or rs3 and play on those. I drove my car with the oem bridgestones for a year and beat plenty of guys running other rcomps. Also since Hoosier is the only company who makes 19s goodyears are a non-issue to me.

[christian370z]

This is a great thread, I just read through it in anticipation for the Solo SCCA event I am doing this Saturday. The only thing I am wary of is the course as I have watched tons of auto-x videos and find that many of them are hard to follow in terms of knowing where to go.

Is it more obvious when you actually get to the course in person?

[ChrisSlicks]

Originally Posted by christian370z

This is a great thread, I just read through it in anticipation for the Solo SCCA event I am doing this Saturday. The only thing I am wary of is the course as I have watched tons of auto-x videos and find that many of them are hard to follow in terms of knowing where to go.

Is it more obvious when you actually get to the course in person?

It is much more apparent in person when you are walking the course at low speed. There should be some people available for the course walk to assist the novices in understanding the course and its elements.

[ChrisSlicks]

Originally Posted by AutoX Z

Yes the A6 is very much like a slick but it is not. It just bothers me when people refer to all minimally greased tires as slicks, there is a still a relatively large difference between the two.

It has no tread and is a super soft compound so to me that is a slick whether it has a circumferential grove or not. The A6 is one of the softest compounds used in racing, the only thing softer is a drag slick.

[cossie1600]

What makes it DOT legal over the racing slick anyway?

[AutoX Z]

Originally Posted by cossie1600

What makes it DOT legal over the racing slick anyway?

The two circumferential grooves and it has to pass some other DOT tests but I'm not sure what there are.

[Shamu]

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

It has no tread and is a super soft compound so to me that is a slick whether it has a circumferential grove or not. The A6 is one of the softest compounds used in racing, the only thing softer is a drag slick.

Well thats not completely true. Plenty of softer compounds than A6 on non DOT race tires however its still very soft and its operating tempreture range is much lower than most race slick compounds.

Remember that DOT R's were born from "cheater slicks" People would buy race slicks and put groves in them to run on the street. About the only differnce between Race slick and DOT R slick is fact that tire has DOT approval which means it has minimum contruction to pass DOT standards and has minimum tread groves to satisfy the DOT regulations. All the suppliers of slick type DOT R tires say for racing only now. DOT R's are very close in construction to regular radial race slicks they are just use a little heavier construction and belt to meet DOT requirements. Tire compounds and construction used in true race slicks tend to be more tolerant of heat as well.

But truely tires like A6 are race slicks by defintion. They are made for racing and they are slicks. Many people use A6 and R6 as they would a radial race slick. In some situations A6 is faster than a non dot slick.

[cossie1600]

The A6s are softer than some of the racing slicks out there.

[supunna_picta]

Originally Posted by christian370z

This is a great thread, I just read through it in anticipation for the Solo SCCA event I am doing this Saturday. The only thing I am wary of is the course as I have watched tons of auto-x videos and find that many of them are hard to follow in terms of knowing where to go.

Is it more obvious when you actually get to the course in person?

Best advice: Walk the course as many times as possible (and walk it with the novice group if your region does that) and also look far ahead, not just at the next turn.

Sometimes courses are set up like a sea of cones so course design can make a difference.

[christian370z]

Originally Posted by ChrisSlicks

It is much more apparent in person when you are walking the course at low speed. There should be some people available for the course walk to assist the novices in understanding the course and its elements.

Originally Posted by supunna_picta

Best advice: Walk the course as many times as possible (and walk it with the novice group if your region does that) and also look far ahead, not just at the next turn.

Sometimes courses are set up like a sea of cones so course design can make a difference.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. It's an SCCA event this Saturday, I am going early to walk the course a few times in response to your recommendations. They have a mandatory driver's safety course as well before the first drivers head out which I hope will cover that stuff.

I will make sure to catch some GoPro footage so that I can have evidence of my noobish autocross skills!

[handyman]

On top of walking the course, some other things that I've found helpful are to draw the course on a piece of paper (you can also note key points or draw the line you want to take) and run through the course in your head.

Good luck and have fun

[Shamu]

Even more important. Get an experienced ax instructor in the car with you.

[boardkat]

so much tr00f, so much fail. i love this thread so much!!

[christian370z]

Originally Posted by Shamu

Even more important. Get an experienced ax instructor in the car with you.

That is definitely my plan, that is the part of the event I am most interested/excited about.