1st Autotest on Sunday – Any Tips?

1st Autotest on Sunday – Any Tips?

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McSwerve II

Original Poster:

313 posts

206 months

Monday 25th July 2011
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I guess it’s hardly F1 but I’m doing my first Autotest on Sunday in my newly acquired 205 gti (1.6).

It’s on grass, and according to Met Check it should be dry. So any tips from any Racing Jedi’s?

Cheers

stinkysteve

732 posts

204 months

Monday 25th July 2011
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Post some pics up of the car. especially the engine bay and controls. If anything's untoward someone may notice and save you some problems on Sunday.

( I speak from experience of having my throttle jam open on Saturday at Croft, someone with experience of pedal boxes would have told me i'd made an elementary mistake!)

and good luck.

Roadru77er

473 posts

202 months

Monday 25th July 2011
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Let a little air out of front tyres pump up rear tyres (Helps with traction/handbrake turns)
Pull the ABS fuse if fitted
Tape handbrake button in to make it ''fly off''
HAVE FUNbiggrinbiggrin

robg2

304 posts

222 months

Monday 25th July 2011
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The car setup won't be the most important thing - autotesting is all about being able to remember the route (which is given to you on a diagram, and is quite complicated) and then drive it at speed without making mistakes. It's actually not very easy...! Definitely a challenge though.

Find out if you can take a navigator - you might be able to depending on which (MSA) permit the event's being run under. That would make it easier, but you need someone who won't be sick!!!

Occam's Razor

140 posts

179 months

Tuesday 26th July 2011
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Grass autotests tend to have a slightly easier route, and, more often than not, are all forwards - a lot easier on gearboxes/driveshafts!

It's all about keeping momentum. If you watch the quick guys they will never actually stop, each maneuver flows into the next. It's a great way to learn car control with no risk of hitting anything apart from a cone or two! I've been autotesting since I was 14 in a variety of different cars and it's excellent fun.

MrHanky

64 posts

214 months

Wednesday 27th July 2011
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Ive only done one so far (although should be doing second tonight) but have the following advice.

Make sure you take a jack and some basic tools. My handbrake got stuck on part way through the night and we needed to jack car up and take wheel off to release. Also a flat piece of wood was useful for jacking car up on the grass. Oh and obligatory tie wraps and ducktape may come in handy.

Check things like exhaust hangers as depending on the field, things can get very bumpy. I ended up snapping one of my back boxes off.

Just don't worry about what people think and go and have a good time. It is great fun and just a great way to have cheap fun with your car.

Good luck

Mark

McSwerve II

Original Poster:

313 posts

206 months

Thursday 28th July 2011
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Excellent advice chaps.

I had a quick go over the car yesterday, and spotted a couple of bits to sort out.

Really looking forward to it now! Even the weather is ‘on side’.

I’ll report back on the results.

Cheers

kartman24

459 posts

258 months

Friday 5th August 2011
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How did you get on, it`s years since i last did one. I wouldn`t mind finding an event to do sometime.........Martin

thepawbroon

1,191 posts

191 months

Friday 5th August 2011
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My only advice (I do a few grass autotests in my 205 GTi rally car) is to change up to 2nd gear!

notax

2,091 posts

246 months

Friday 5th August 2011
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I agree that grass autotests tend to be much easier, bloody good fun too - although using a convertible with the roof down results in a pretty big cleaning job smile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyeChgOvhrs

Ben Jk

1,714 posts

173 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
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notax said:
I agree that grass autotests tend to be much easier, bloody good fun too - although using a convertible with the roof down results in a pretty big cleaning job smile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyeChgOvhrs
That isn't an Autotest tho lol!

Ben Jk

1,714 posts

173 months

Sunday 14th August 2011
quotequote all
notax said:
I agree that grass autotests tend to be much easier, bloody good fun too - although using a convertible with the roof down results in a pretty big cleaning job smile...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyeChgOvhrs
That isn't an Autotest tho lol!

McSwerve II

Original Poster:

313 posts

206 months

Monday 15th August 2011
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Apologies for the delay in a follow up.

Well, I arrived at the event not quite as prepared as I would have liked. As following the advice from here, I was going to swap the just legal fronts and new rear tyres around, but ran out of time the night before.
I thought about doing it after the scrutineering and before the drivers briefing, but thought it best not to stress myself out, and leave it as was. I just changed the pressures and taped up the handbrake.

Lots of the opposition had bought cars on trailers, or were changing tyres, or steering wheels with knobs on. I unloaded the tool box and broke out the sandwiches.

Lesson 1 – Leave enough time for preparation.

After they issued out the course layouts (which initially looked bally confusing) we walked the course’s, which helped, and then it was time to crack on. There were 9 tests over the day, and we got 3 go’s as each one. Which I understand is the usual drill.

As my first drive in a FWD / Non-PAS / Traction Control for some time you forget how differently you have to drive them. Controlling the throttle rather than flooring it and letting the computers sort it out, and battling the under steer. It was also the first time in years for using the handbrake turns … legally. All that with trying to remember where the hell to go next.

It also took all of two run’s before I started getting competitive. Timing the opposition to give a benchmark to see how I was doing.

I progressively got better throughout the day, but on a number of tests, I posted my best time on the first run. The second and third run’s being corrupted by trying too hard / the red mist.

Lesson 2 – Try and understand what goes well on the best runs, and apply to the next one.

Results wise I came 14th overall (out of 25) which was enough to get the Best Beginner prize, so I was chuffed with that.

However for next time if I could improve by 4% (up to 7th Place) that would have taken the Best Novice prize, so that would be a target for next time.

Looking forward to an Autosolo event next time I see one on the list to see how the little Pug goes on tarmac.

Thanks for all the input, and to anyone who’s looking to do some cheap as chips ‘motorsport’ Google a local car club, join, enter an event and get on with it. From the average age of the competitors at the event I went to, all the clubs could do with some new members.

Cheers

MrHanky

64 posts

214 months

Tuesday 16th August 2011
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Good write up and well done. Great advice RE giving yourself enough time. I failed to reach my last one, last week as I got a few miles down the road only to have a cooling issue and lots of steam.

Your club sounds a lot more organised than the one I go to, as we literally turn up at a field, sign on and get going straight away. Definately tricky at first when you just see a load of cones in the middle of a field.

Also know what you mean regarding the average age. Nothing wrong with that, but I guess all car clubs need to get young ones involved at some point.

Definately a good cheap time out though, and from a dads perspective its great that you can take your kids out for a safe hoon. Last time my 7 year old was my co driver (he loved it), and I chucked my 3 year old in at the end for one, just so he could enjoy being chucked around as well smile


Mark

Occam's Razor

140 posts

179 months

Thursday 18th August 2011
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My local club ran the last grass autotest of their season last week, just as well because the weather 1 week later is rubbish! First time that my OH competed too, driving my road car, fortunately nothing broke - it really is an excellent way to spend a summer evening.

Kozy

3,169 posts

225 months

Friday 26th August 2011
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A little promo video we did for the IOWCC off road Autosolos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHsgneBQ0xU&fea...

That was me finishing the camera off at the end. biggrin

OP, if you haven't guessed already, the key to a fast time is smoothness. Often we see the n00bs driving very aggressively, wheelspinning everywhere, handbrake turning and generally making an arse of it. It's not fast and it marks you out as being a bit of a knob. wink

Edited by Kozy on Friday 26th August 10:28

Kozy

3,169 posts

225 months

Friday 26th August 2011
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Double post.

McSwerve II

Original Poster:

313 posts

206 months

Friday 26th August 2011
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Great video chap. Looks like you all had a great time.

I'm about to sign up for an Autosolo at Farnborough Club, so Tarmac. Trying to talk my mate into taking his toy (E30 325 Sport)along also.

I'm currently looking for some suitable tyres (185 / 60 / 14) as the Toyo CF1's are shot, but nothing available looks very sticky. Any idea's.

Or I could use the RX8, but that puts me in with the grown ups.

Starting to get a bit adictive this competition lark.

Kozy

3,169 posts

225 months

Friday 26th August 2011
quotequote all
McSwerve II said:
Great video chap. Looks like you all had a great time.

I'm about to sign up for an Autosolo at Farnborough Club, so Tarmac. Trying to talk my mate into taking his toy (E30 325 Sport)along also.

I'm currently looking for some suitable tyres (185 / 60 / 14) as the Toyo CF1's are shot, but nothing available looks very sticky. Any idea's.

Or I could use the RX8, but that puts me in with the grown ups.

Starting to get a bit adictive this competition lark.
Consider yourself hooked!

IOWCC is starting to do a few events with the Farnborough MC, there's a fair few of us attending the Odiham sprint next weekend!

When you start getting into those, you need to check the blue book for what tyres are allowed. If your car is standard then you'll most likely be limited to list 1a tyres, of which the best is probably the Yokohama AD08, if you can get those in your size.

McSwerve II

Original Poster:

313 posts

206 months

Friday 26th August 2011
quotequote all
Kozy said:
, there's a fair few of us attending the Odiham sprint next weekend!
.
It's the Solo event on the Saturday I'm hoping to do.

As it seems to be designed as the 'light' version of the Sunday Sprint, there's nothing in the regs about tyre selection.

I think I'll stick with the Toyo CF1's for this event and then pick peoples brains from there.