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View Full Version : What's the deal with the Miller Park auto-x?



letsrunem
03-10-2009, 04:24 AM
Info from people who've been there?

srt4eh
03-10-2009, 05:28 AM
what exactly do u want to know?

TURTLE
03-10-2009, 09:07 AM
ummm... you show up, put your helmet on, pay the fee, drive through the cones, have fun...

sure there's some other stuff in there, but that's the cliffs notes of a day... lol

seriously though, what would you like to know?

srt4eh
03-10-2009, 10:12 AM
I would suggest not actually driving through the cones...lol

-stew-
03-10-2009, 10:28 AM
is a hood required?

TURTLE
03-10-2009, 11:58 AM
that is up to tech, i've seen cars run with no hood before, but i also believe it is frowned on...

i'm not a tech person, so that question i'll have to defer to someone with more tech experience for auto-x...

and if you're wondering schedules... the 2 local auto-x clubs have their schedules up already...

www.scca-milwaukee.org
www.waiautox.org

letsrunem
03-14-2009, 02:46 AM
Is drifting-type driving allowed? How big is the course I've never seen it before? Cost?

TransAm12sec
03-14-2009, 09:20 AM
It's not a drifting event.

Costs for WAI
Fees for 2009 are as follows:

$30 for member online

$40 for non-member online

$35 for member onsite

$45 for non-member onsite


You can see the auto-x marks on google maps for size compared to miller park.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.028322,-87.967025&spn=0.005341,0.012885&t=h&z=17

turbogarrett
03-14-2009, 10:58 AM
Is drifting-type driving allowed?

They probably would not appreciate it. I go once and awhile, but just for fun. I'm terrible at navigating through cones and my car gets classed with tube framed guys in emod, so chances of a trophy are not great.:goof

2006wrxtr
03-14-2009, 12:21 PM
Been to a few of them fun fun fun....:banana1:

SSLEVO
03-14-2009, 12:21 PM
It's not a drifting event.

Costs for WAI
Fees for 2009 are as follows:

$30 for member online

$40 for non-member online

$35 for member onsite

$45 for non-member onsite


You can see the auto-x marks on google maps for size compared to miller park.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=43.028322,-87.967025&spn=0.005341,0.012885&t=h&z=17

Damn, that looks like a tight course. How fast are we seeing? From the looks of the tire marks like 30-40? I did a lapping day up at the shawano go kart track and i don't think i like the tight tracks. On the other hand, that is much cheaper than a HPDE at a road course, lol.

Drivinhard
03-14-2009, 02:51 PM
I don't think it looks that small, I spectate there often. I never had a car set up for tarmac. I always did my racing on dirt (rallyx). I hear speed get up to 50-55 mph, never did it at miller. Although my current car is set up for tarmac and I would like to participate at this venue. Racing is much better than watching.

TURTLE
03-14-2009, 02:55 PM
on average in a decently prepped car with a decent driver, you might pop the limiter in 2nd... on average in the srt i co-drove last year i had to grab for 3rd only on 3 courses all year between scca and wai... so in the srt that's about 64-65 in 2nd on the tires we were on... most people wont see that unless you've got uber short gearing, but it does happen from time to time...

i can point people in the right direction for setups, tires, etc, for this purpose if you're thinking about getting into it... if you're thinking of going, post up here! there's a few people on the board who religiously attend all the events in the area, so we can point you in the right direction!

Drivinhard
03-14-2009, 03:06 PM
Thanks turtle for the info. I will have to take you up on the offer to pick your brain alittle. from what I read my car is going to be in the stu class due to some of the mods. I am looking into a good set of tires for this year. The hot tire this looks to be the Dunlop Direzza or the new Bridgstone. I have a srt4, looking at a 225/50/16. Unless some know of a better choice.

Drivinhard
03-14-2009, 03:13 PM
Oh yeah another quick question I have a bwoody traction bars and h-brace, is it legal or illegal? The rulebook says traction bars are legal but under solid axle suspension allowances.

TURTLE
03-15-2009, 10:44 AM
it gets complicated.... you can theoretically have them, but then you can't run camber plates or caster plates... although, traction bars really dont' help on an auto-x course...

as for tires, you're gonna need as much rubber under the front as possible.. the srt i co-drove was on 245/45-16 up front and 225/50-16's in the back... they will fit on the stock acr wheels, or similar sized ones as well for that matter...

and what engine mods do you have, because if you say boost controler or stage 1, you're in street mod or prepared with the race cars... :( sad but true...

Poncho
03-15-2009, 10:57 AM
not that I'd do it, but i wonder how my car would fare.

1st gear is good till around 50ish, 2nd till somewhere around 72.

TURTLE
03-15-2009, 11:19 AM
your car would be ok, just a little heavy. in stock form, it's classed against mustangs and f-bodies. you you're traction limited, and when you throw big tires on it, you're lumped in with fire breathing mod cars... it sucks, but unfortunately, it's the way most of the classes go with the scca...

srt4eh
03-15-2009, 12:46 PM
josh - whatcha think about the srt4 in G Stock?

letsrunem
03-16-2009, 02:02 AM
I didn't mean actual drifting, I just don't see much chance of hooking up coming out of a corner with a high hp rwd going that slow. Price is right though!

srt4eh
03-16-2009, 04:43 AM
thats where driver skill becomes a factor ;)

-stew-
03-16-2009, 08:51 AM
and what engine mods do you have, because if you say boost controler or stage 1, you're in street mod or prepared with the race cars... :( sad but true...

That is one thing that scares me, all the shit done to my car is gonna throw me in the cage with the big dogs my first time out.


I didn't mean actual drifting, I just don't see much chance of hooking up coming out of a corner with a high hp rwd going that slow. Price is right though!

Proper tires, good suspension, and not treating the gas pedal like a toggle switch should help you avoid that.

TransAm12sec
03-16-2009, 09:37 AM
Car's will spin out, but it is helpful to have an instructor ride with you. I'd like to take the training event held by the SCCA this year, but I don't know if I'll get around to it.

SSLEVO
03-16-2009, 11:52 AM
I think i may try it a few times this summer. I am a bit confused as to what class i'm running in. The car is an 04 evo with stock suspension and stock sized street tires. As far as power goes its moded quite a bit more. All the bolt on stuff and more boost so that may screw me over and put me in a class with the really fast cars. I see there is a worksheet you can use to figure that out, but from the above link it doesn't explain it very well.

srt4eh
03-16-2009, 01:16 PM
you sound like Street Mod...thats what I ran...

SSLEVO
03-16-2009, 02:11 PM
you sound like Street Mod...thats what I ran...

Cool, what type of cars are in this class? Would an evo with 350whp be competitive if i could drive the thing?

Prince Valiant
03-16-2009, 02:20 PM
I'd love to take the coronet...I wonder how the 4 wheel drums would fare?

SSLEVO
03-16-2009, 02:57 PM
I'd love to take the coronet...I wonder how the 4 wheel drums would fare?

Haha, i suppose it depends how much power you have :durr

Drivinhard
03-16-2009, 03:48 PM
thanks for the info. The more I look into the rule book, I think I get bumped in to a higher class. Is there a class where a car can run without a cat or do I have to get a new exhaust?

TransAm12sec
03-16-2009, 04:07 PM
I'm sure there is a class, you just wouldn't be as competitive in that class if everything else is not as modified. I just run street mod(I think) and don't plan on winning any trophies.

TURTLE
03-16-2009, 09:52 PM
Cool, what type of cars are in this class? Would an evo with 350whp be competitive if i could drive the thing?

locally, yes... nationally, no...

and i'm guessing you'd be on street tires when you auto-x... so you'd be running in an indexed class... a whole nother ball o wax...

that's something left for a person to person conversation to explain...

and eddie, srt's in g-stock are gonna suck until they pull the MCS's out(mini cooper s' for those not in the loop) :goof

SSLEVO
03-16-2009, 10:45 PM
locally, yes... nationally, no...

and i'm guessing you'd be on street tires when you auto-x... so you'd be running in an indexed class... a whole nother ball o wax...

that's something left for a person to person conversation to explain...

and eddie, srt's in g-stock are gonna suck until they pull the MCS's out(mini cooper s' for those not in the loop) :goof

I see, might have to come out for the first one and see what its about, it would be for fun so i'm not worried about winning. But if i'm getting my ass kicked all day long by racecars that wouldn't be so much fun on the other hand. Maybe i'll have to do some reading and see what i can figure out. Sht seams kind of complicated, lol.

srt4eh
03-17-2009, 12:01 AM
its definately a good time....I'm in no way good at all but I like havin fun

TURTLE
03-17-2009, 08:45 PM
reading the rulebook makes it look much worse than it actually is... if you want an easy explanation of it, come find me out some weekend at culvers... i can pretty much explain it to my g/f, so i should be able to explain it to anyone :goof

Exitspeed
03-19-2009, 06:17 PM
I suggest you go spectate at a couple events so you get what is going on. Talk to people there.

racing geek
03-21-2009, 12:33 AM
I have been autocrossing for two years... Started shortly after I turned 16. Those of you that frequent the SCCA events may remember a silver Dodge Dakota Quad Cab... That was me racing my dads truck. Fortunatly I now own a 1987 IROC-Z that I run in STX.

It really is a lot of fun even if you are near the back of the pack like I was in the Dakota. In the truck I was getting up to like 40-45 since it's so heavy, in my Camaro, I typically get up to about 50 before I have to slam on the brakes. For those of you concerned with how tight the courses are, they usually aren't that bad. As for the drifting, it isn't against the rules, but you'll make the corner workers upset if you start sliding into cones and everyone upset if your sliding slows down the flow of cars going through the course.

I'll be at pretty much every SCCA event unless my car decides to act up like it did for the last two events last year.

Side note... What is a good 255/xx/16 tire for autocross and as daily driving duty (4000 miles/year). I know 265 is my max in STX, but I don't want to have to buy wider wheels to run those tires (currently 16"x8" wheels).

Mike

letsrunem
03-21-2009, 03:32 AM
Crap just decided to delete the front swaybar/mounts so it looks like no auto-xing for me..

TURTLE
03-21-2009, 01:32 PM
Side note... What is a good 255/xx/16 tire for autocross and as daily driving duty (4000 miles/year). I know 265 is my max in STX, but I don't want to have to buy wider wheels to run those tires (currently 16"x8" wheels).

Mike

not too much available in the 16" wide sizes anymore, but if you'd step up to the 17's, i know a lot of stuff opens up at the 255 and 265 sizes... and aren't you allowed to run 9" wheels on a 2wd car in stx? only the awd cars are restricted... i'd find a set of 17's and run 265's all around...

racing geek
03-21-2009, 03:06 PM
not too much available in the 16" wide sizes anymore, but if you'd step up to the 17's, i know a lot of stuff opens up at the 255 and 265 sizes... and aren't you allowed to run 9" wheels on a 2wd car in stx? only the awd cars are restricted... i'd find a set of 17's and run 265's all around...

That's what I was afraid of... I know hankook makes a 255 tire that is supposed to be decent, I just can't remember the model of tires at the moment. I'm not sure about my limitations with the width, but yes, I would like to move up to a 17" wheel. The problem is that I already completly rebuilt my suspension and steering so my wallet is a little light at the moment. Plus I'll be starting college in the fall, so I'm trying save money to pay for that. MSOE here I come! I've also got bigger front brakes and a STB waiting to be installed atm.

If I can sell my Wii, other 3rd gen F-body parts, and extra set of stock wheels... Then maybe I'll have enough for a set of wheels. Does anyone know of a cheap set of 17"x9" 4th gen F-body wheels or corvette wheels?

Mike

srt4eh
03-23-2009, 07:48 AM
hey Josh....what class do u think my Challenge car would run in? Thats most likely the car I'll be running this year

SSLEVO
03-23-2009, 09:45 AM
I just picked up a 09 civic si for a daily driver so i may have to beat it up in one of the stock fwd classes. Not sure if i'm keeping the evo around yet.

TURTLE
03-24-2009, 05:53 PM
eddie, if it's nome stone stock minus the cage, it'd be a G stock or H stock car(haven't looked at the 09 rules yet) if you're running it on hoosiers... if it's got any sort of CAI or suspension(other than the stock konis) it'd be sts on street tires or FSP with hoosiers...

let me know what it's got and i'll help point you in the right direction....

srt4eh
03-24-2009, 11:11 PM
its got a Kirk bolt in cage and halon fire suppression....otherwise bone stock. although it does have about 100hp worth of stickers ;)

lasttimearound
03-24-2009, 11:45 PM
halon? bromocholordiflouromethane? that shit's terrible. ever fire one off? its like getting punched in the chest and having the wind knocked out of you, then being left with the taste of rotten steak in your mouth. i was in a non racing accident automotive accident where someone used and aviation fire extinguisher to fight the fire. pretty sure it did more harm than good... what kind of halon is in a NC car? its not 1211 is it?

srt4eh
03-25-2009, 03:25 AM
honestly I didn't even look. When I get home I'll take a closer look at it.