I'm interested in autocrossing so I'm wondering if anyone has done it. If so, where can I find an event and how much prep will be needed... it seems like a crap load of fun for newbies. Since it is OT, stories are welcome too

look into your local car club associations. they usually schedule these events.

start here:

www.bmwcca.org

also check out your local scca region and the track forum for more information

Post in the regional forums here too. There should be at least a few people that actively participate in your area.

+1 for regional scca

great fun to discover handling technique in a semi-low speed environment. you'll be amazed to find out your inputs to the car and handling characteristics....good luck and enjoy!:buttrock

Racing forum is also a good place to start reading.

Autox is great to get started with. There should be plenty of autox newbie FAQ around the internet at various clubs/sites. BMWCCA is a great club to get started in autox with, probably the best. You can even go spectate an event first if you're unsure, you'll see pretty much everything you need to know. You'll pick up fast after one or two events as well. Good luck.

There is an autox forum and a local forum. Those are the places you should look.

Depending on where you are in NJ, you have some options. In northern New Jersey you have BMC CCA and SCCA (NNJR). In sourthern New Jersey you have SCCA and over in Philadelphia you have another region of the SCCA. Unofrtunately, the Philly area BMC CCA does not autox. All the local clubs are listed here: www.autox4u.com (http://www.autox4u.com)

I run with NNJR and Philly regions of the SCCA. I'll be glad to answer any of your questions.

Scott

Check out both, BMWCCA and SCCA. In most regions there's more competition in SCCA, but often fewer runs per day there. CCA often runs smaller events to some degree, less formal, more laid back, and some would say more fun.

In some regions, like Boston, you have a great choice, others one dominates. Only way to know is to go to both. Then pick your poison. :argue

All you have to do to try it out is bring a helmet that meets the specs for the sactioning club, or sometimes you can even borrow one, make sure the car is in good shape mechanically, clean out all the crapola...and it doesn't hurt to wash it...

Bring an open mind, plenty of humility, and be prepared to eat a huge helping of humble pie.

Bang for the buck? Can't be beat. And very, very good training for track days...yes, autocross can lead to 'stronger stuff'.

Finally, welcome to the 'club'. Support groups meet on Tuesday nights down at the Knights of Columbus. Don't worry, we only use our first names.... :evil2

find a local club and just run what you brung and have fun

www.njbmwcca.org - We're having an event on 8/19 in Bridgewater. I'll be there driving and instructing. Come out and have a good time!

I'm easy to find - ask anyone for Ken, or look for the Red Rocket (#17 car - red E30).

Ken

As Phredden pointed out be prepared to eat humble pie as it usually takes awhile to become proficient (or is that just me :confused). It is an excellent starting point for going on to Track Days if you wish.

Don't expect you or your car to be terribly competitive to start with but that's fine as what you really want to do is learn. Avoid the temptation to make changes to your car until you've gained some experience and a) gotten to the point where you can feel the difference changing tire pressures makes and can actually adjust them to improve your times. You'll actually learn quicker in a slower car than in a faster one.

You'll have fun meet nice folks and make some good friendships.

Here are some resources to get you started:

http://www.tunnellracing.com/advice.html

http://www.tunnellracing.com/handbook.html

and after you've decided that you'd like to go a little further and do some prep work:
http://www.tunnellracing.com/M3toBSP.html

What I tried to do when I started was to look at the run times of people that were close to mine who were veterans and would likely run consistent times. They'll typically be in much slower classes in the beginning but what you're looking for is a yard stick to measure your progress by. Because each event has a different layout you need to find a few people to mentally compete against and work at slowly learning what is needed to post good times.

Talk to the event organizers early and ask if they could introduce you to a veteran competitor who might be willing to take you along on the course walk. This is an important step to understanding a) where you'll be going b) what to avoid and how to approach or exit a section.

Many clubs will allow a novice participant to take a veteran along in the passengers seat to help out for the first few runs or even the first few events. If this is the case for your first event then make certain you take full advantage of it. This can be invaluable to getting a quick start and avoiding mistakes.

Take Ken up on his offer. It appears they'll be having an auto-x school which would be great ot take part in. It's always easier to lean when you've already got a connection with someone.

Regards, Alan

talk to the fast guys, and ride with them if you can. offer to help load/unload their cars off the trailer. :D

Question relevant to the topic: are convertibles allowed to autocross? I read instructions for NYBMWCCA driving school and there it said that no convertibles are allowed. Now I feel a little sorry that I did not purchase a coupe.

verts are allowed in auto-x. If not, there would be alot of unhappy Miata and s2000 owners.

They're ok here in NJ...

As was mentioned above verts are fine for Auto-x. Where they run into trouble is for some driving schools are now banning them unless they have an approved rollbar.

Come up to the Great White North and do one of our BMW Advanced Driving Schools, in Nova Scotia. The Bluenose Chapter of the BMW Club of Canada has, if I do say so myself, one of the best school/track/instructor packages available. Next school is September 8/9 and as of this morning there was still room. The track is 1.6 miles long with 11 turns, and 90+ feet of elevation change. It's not a HP track it's a handling track that is a load of fun. We get folks from 1-2k miles away coming just to enjoy it and verts are welcome.

Regards, Alan

I'd like to give some advice. Give it a shot for a few events. But DO NOT be shy to talk to and ask help from someone faster. Ride with them if they will let you (they will) and have them ride with you. Watch carefully. Don't divebomb into corners and MOST IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN.
You will almost certainly get beaten by several people and probably beaten bad. Som folks take this hard and don't come back. Others won't give up until they are competitive.

After you have just a few events under your belt look up an Evolution autocross school....And take one....WELL WORTH THE MONEY.

If you like it after all this hit up big events. If your playing ball with your 1st grade sons buddies will you play as well as if you were playing with your high school sons buddies......??? Jump head first into big events. A very good learning experience.

All IMO

Do the NJ chapter's autocross, and on Oct 13-14 the BMW cca Del Val chapter will be at Pocono (north course). Come join us it is an easy track to start with and the instructors are great. The cost is $375 for two full days on the track with classroom instruction as well.

My only $0.02 is don't do anything to your car (except make it safe), and spend you money on seat time.

As mentioned by many, 'verts are allowed. See sig :D

Something to be aware of, in NJ, we cannot take passengers (state law) only designated instructors are allowed to take students on a run. So wehn you go to your first event, tell them, it is your first event and you want help from instructors. They will be glad to help.

Don't forget to have fun!

Scott

Something to be aware of, in NJ, we cannot take passengers (state law) only designated instructors are allowed to take students on a run. So wehn you go to your first event, tell them, it is your first event and you want help from instructors. They will be glad to help.

Scott

I'm unaware of this regulation - our club insurance merely restricts passengers by age (18) who have signed our waiver and wear a helmet. Riding as a passenger with other drivers is encouraged.

We were recently spot checked by the State Police racing division (who holds our license) - I don't remember that topic being mentioned.

Ken

You know Scott, I've always wondered about that (well since they started 'enforcing' it at NNJ and MSNE). What defines an 'instructor'? I mean there's no official certification for Instructing up there - essentially you're (possibly) a quick driver and one of the in-crowd and you instruct. I knew a guy who was 'instructing' after 3-4 events.

Seems a pretty arbitrary interpretation of this supposed state Law.

Nevertheless, to the OP, the NNJR SCCA is a great place to get a good feel for this whole thing. There are some quick drivers running Pro, and you should get yourself at least 6 runs on the day.

Ask for Perry to do a run in your car and you'll know what this whole SoloII thing is all about.

Thanks for invitation Alan, but unfortunately my schedule will not allow me. All advice from you guys is well appreciated. I am going to attend my first autocross event in 2 weeks at a local BMWCCA club.

Have fun and as everyone has said, don't expect to do well your first, second, maybe even third time. If you do that's great, but it does take most people time to get OK at it and significant time to get good at it. I've been doing it a a little while and it comes very slowly to me.

I share my car with a great co-driver (Canadian B/SP National Champion in 2002 in an E36 M3) and he's shown that it's definitely me that is slow to medium, not the car.:embarrasm:eek::)

You'll have fun, meet some nice people, and be developing excellent car control while finding out that in most situations it's 75-85% driver and only 15-25% car.

There is a lot to take in at first so my advise is:
- Don't have anything to drink the night before at all (sounds miserable but you'll be glad you did later).
- Get plenty of rest the night before.
- Have everything prepared before hand.
Do this and you can arrive a little early, rested and alert.

Regards, Alan

Go do it. You won't regret it.

All you might "need" to start would be an air pressure guage and just fill up your street tires higher than normal on your way to the event. Bleed out as necessary.

Find out the rules on numbering your car before the event. They might just let you get away with shoe polish numbers, but it's worth checking into.

Definitely a slippery slope though. If you don't go in humble, you'll go away disappointed and an armchair racer for life. Go in with the right attitude knowing that a Mini Cooper with a good driver on street tires will eat your lunch, then learn what you need to do to go faster. Some regions have novice groups so you might be able to salvage some pride before the day is over.

Most of all, have fun and enjoy. You'll keep coming back.

P.S. Not sure if the E46 cars have valve lifter tick like the E36 cars exhibit. If they do, you might want to "overfill" your oil with an extra quart or so to help quell the ticking.