Autocross with the twin-turbo, first outing

[1TONY1]

When I decided to take the Roe/twin screw off my car, I thought that it would no longer be an excellent autocross car. Something I was going to miss but I hadn't autocrossed in several years so I would just have to get over it. In my car with the Roe, I expected to be FTD (fastest time of the day) at any autocross or else I figured the driver didn't do his job Saturday I went to the local SCCA event and to my surprise it did very well. I had a learning curve since I hadn't autocrossed in three years but it came back somewhat and the car even with the turbos did quite well... at least on this course. It was medium size and even since I had went from 3.55 gears to 3.07's it was bumping the rev limiter so I moved the limiter down to 5800 and stayed in first and against the limiter if need be. I wish I had tried second gear one time to see how it reacted...any boost lag etc but I was working on driver skills first. I had moved the boost as low as it would go (7psi or so) and also pulled some timing to try and kill power/tire spin. I had the Hero camera on the car....it just doesn't give anywhere near the rush when you are in the car...heck it looks boring on the video Quite a bit of the time it's a little sideways but doesn't really show except by watching the front tire. I ended up FTD except for a larger open wheeled go-cart....I'm one happy camper....I still have an autocross car !!!

Viper twin turbo autocross - Car Videos on StreetFire

 

[Slypopsracing]

We sometimes forget just a few short years ago we could not have imagined a line of vehicles from one manufacturer as awe inspiring as SRT. When we autocrossed the Caliber SRT at Charlotte last year I realized it was head over heels better than my 68 MGB (that held its own against TR6 s & 240Zs) back in the day. Way to show those SCCA types American muscle!!

 

[jasontiff]

"Boring?!" My ass, man...that looked wicked-quick! We have some events around here and after seeing your video I may give it a try! What kind of tires do you run at autocross?

 

[Tiago]

awesome congrats!

 

[1TONY1]

"Boring?!" My ass, man...that looked wicked-quick! We have some events around here and after seeing your video I may give it a try! What kind of tires do you run at autocross?

I have Kumho 710's mounted up on an old set of CCW/Purner wheels. You should give it a try. With your setup you will be overpowered with the street tires but still have a blast. When I autocrossed my Roe I would change from the 10lb pulley to the 7lb without water/methanol just to tone it down a bit. One of the most fun things is taking passengers.

 

[1TONY1]

awesome congrats!

How about some info on your 94 car...v6 turbo now or ls1 ?
I still have my 94 Formula sitting dead where I busted the motor years ago. It is a 396 LT1 with a Procharger. Ran high nines back when that was actually quick. I need to get it back on the road even without the goodies, I bought it new and it has 22,000 miles on it.
Of course I bet your TT car is awesome

 

[Frankster]

Sounds like you had a ball, Tony. I did as well when I tried my hand at Autocross recently.

You're not too far from South Carolina. When I was there I went to an Autocross event called "Black Lake". It's an SCCA sponsored event and it's called black lake because it's held on an asphalt slab that measures 1400 feet wide by 2400 feet long. It's about the biggest, uninterrupted slab of asphalt in the US. It's the vehicle dynamics test track of the Michelin Tire proving grounds. It's also one of the fastest Autocross courses in the US.

The beauty of it is it's about as flat as can be humanly made, there's nothing to hit and if you spin out there's no harm or no foul. I've spun out a bunch of times on this track. It really helps you get the feel of your tires at higher speeds than usual for an Autocross event.

If you get a chance you've got to attend one of these events. I actually ran the course in second gear bumping the rev limiter. That's fast for an Autocross event.

Good luck and have fun!

 

[Leslie]

Hey you just proved to yourself you are a good driver....PERIOD.

Car doesn't matter.


I have seen drivers start with a slower car and learn how to drive it FAST.....THEN they move up to the big guns.

There's a track buddy of mine I have been running with for years, ANYTHING, I mean a n y t h i n g he drives he is wicked fast!

 

[Simms]

Cool video Tony!

I couldn't even tell where you are supposed to go on that course, LOL.

 

[1TONY1]

Hey you just proved to yourself you are a good driver....PERIOD.

Car doesn't matter.


I have seen drivers start with a slower car and learn how to drive it FAST.....THEN they move up to the big guns.

There's a track buddy of mine I have been running with for years, ANYTHING, I mean a n y t h i n g he drives he is wicked fast!

I appreciate that. I am good BUT, I think the car.....tires, tons of power make me better than I am and allow me to do well competing against other cars. Yes, in a stock Viper in large general groups, everyone driving the same car I do quite well.....buuuuut:

There is much better than good. A few examples:
1. Autocrossing with/against the SRT team and the VCA team in Detroit as I have done three times I believe. Good doesn't buy you much there
2. I took an Evolution autocross school about four years ago. I "thought" I was pretty good until one of the instructors climbed in my car and on his second time through the short course he beat my best time of the day. Quite humbling I might add
3.I've also had my butt kicked in Atlanta too. Lots of very serious players there !

Your buddy...like you said can drive "anything" fast. Unfortunately I don't think I fit that category when placed against folks that have that gift. That's what I mean when I give a lot of credit to my car

 

[Tiago]

How about some info on your 94 car...v6 turbo now or ls1 ?
I still have my 94 Formula sitting dead where I busted the motor years ago. It is a 396 LT1 with a Procharger. Ran high nines back when that was actually quick. I need to get it back on the road even without the goodies, I bought it new and it has 22,000 miles on it.
Of course I bet your TT car is awesome

The 94 was a V6 Turbo car, now H/C LS1, future all out race car . I have too many other projects so that one is on the sidelines for now. The 99 and the Viper keeps me busy and my wallet empty

 

[1TONY1]

Cool video Tony!

I couldn't even tell where you are supposed to go on that course, LOL.

I think that's the biggest part of autocrossing: knowing the course.
Walk the course as much as possible before hand....I don't take notes but some do and it's not a bad idea. I always even do the walk through with the novice group. Normally an experienced person...maybe even someone that helped design or set up the course is giving tips to the newbies.
I always, ahead of the first run sit in the car and visualize the course. If you can't do that with a short course then you needed to walk it more or draw it. A very large course you still have to have a reasonable idea. Lot's of times the first run needs to be easy just to learn the course.
The designer can make or break it too. If you look at the video, there are "pointer" cones. That's a cone on it's side right next to a gate or apex cone and the pointer tells you which side you need to be on. Some places even outline the course with a chalk machine like you would use on a baseball field. VERY helpful on a large course. Anyone that has never autocrossed needs to go play. I autocrossed back in the late 80's and started back in the Viper after I found out how unforgiving the concrete barriers were at Road Atlanta. My wife's totaled Porsche (me driving) and her broken arm (surgery the next day) told me that I needed to play "safer"

 

[Simms]

Thanks for the autocross tips Tony! I have never had my car on an autocross course, but I'm sure I will at some point. A road course or drag strip seems to appeal to me more, but I hear it is fun.

Sorry to hear about Road Atlanta. I never knew that, glad you walked away.