(Tires screeching)
(Gasps of offscreen audience)
- Hey guys before we even get into it
we want to let you know we've officially
partnered with Konig Wheels to give away
another free set of wheels for the month of July.
So you can actually get entered in to win
by picking up one of these T-shirts.
You can send in a postcard too but that's super lame
T-shirt, the cool way! There's a description
link below, it's got a back that says
Drift Mode it's got a Supra
which is pretty cool, it's blue and yellow.
It's very like retro-ish but it's kind of
updating now into the 90's,
and we're also making a donation to the ASPCA
with every T-shirt that gets purchased.
So if you're looking to get entered in
to win a free sit of wheels,
check the description link below,
and of course, good luck to those that pick one up.
Autocrossing is by far
one of the easiest automotive sports to get into,
and right in like the top five automotive activities
that get you to truly enjoy your car
and your connection to it.
Autocross events happen pretty much all over,
mall parking lots, Walmart parking lots,
college parking lots, new parking lots,
old parking lots, and sometimes track.
So can you just jump into an autocross event
with your Honda Fit?
(car engine sounds)
Heck yes, you can!
But should you?
Probably not.
Because you're gonna probably make some silly mistakes,
you goose, and that's why you're watching this.
I'm Alex from Fitment Industries, Alex.fi,
today we're going to be talking about rookie mistakes
people make when they start autocrossing their car.
Also don't forget to check out Fitmentindustries.com
if you're looking for any sort of wheels,
tires, or suspensions.
Kind of what we do, it's a sales plug,
but we love that,
so you don't have to deal with a 90 second Squarespace ad.
Okay, don't judge me.
Anyway, if you haven't subscribed,
look at all the great content.
You're also probably missing out on it.
This guy sure (beep) doesn't (beep) race.
Dude's got some (beep) fake carbon fiber part.
I know that he's covering up a crack
with all these stickers everywhere.
Good thing I know it's on airlift performance.
Autocross events happen every weekend,
all over the country.
You'd be hard pressed not to have one going on,
and if you can't find any,
we recommend trying to find your regional sports car club.
Which goes into rookie mistake number one.
Not really understanding how autocross events work.
Autocross is a little different than most automotive sports,
because you actually end up helping run them.
Most, if not all, autocross events will have you work
the event due to its demanding staff
and to get the cars moving.
With most autocross occurring on large asphalt parking lots,
the need to create a track
is essential for any fun autocross.
And if you didn't have the cones,
you're just, you're running up,
you're pretty much doing a very 1/8 drag strip run
is what you're doing.
So as a result you end up needing and having
hundreds of cones spread throughout the lot
that need to stay where they're supposed to stay.
This might come as a surprise to some,
but not everyone avoids those little orange triangles,
and if you run the event,
you'll likely end up staffing the event
on your off run, or team, or cycle,
or whatever they may call it.
This helps the organization run the event
without charging up the wazoo,
and keeps you busy
while you're not actually running the track.
Something you may not be expecting if you don't know,
so probably bring some sunscreen,
'cause you're gonna be standing in an asphalt parking lot
for about eight hours,
which is not an extremely exciting thing to do.
So you're gonna end up chasing after traffic cones
and people are gonna be yelling,
it's gonna be a fun time
but you're gonna get burnt.
Sunscreen, numero uno.
Biggest tip.
Actually tip like number zero would be bring sunscreen.
Another common rookie mistake with autocrossing
is overthinking it.
Now that's not to say that autocross shouldn't require you
to worry about your car's integrity,
because you should.
A little bit.
You should be double checking your tires
and your brakes and your power steering
and your lugs and your coolant
and of course ensuring you Tabasco sauce is tightly
packed away in case it were to flip over.
But above that, you're going to likely be okay.
Many autocross tracks aren't massive in length
because they are in, can you guess,
they are in parking lots.
You won't often find yourself banging through gears
and breaking three digit numbers,
instead you'll find yourself sweating through your
DOT and Snell approved helmet as you find yourself
stuck in second gear going on average
about 34 miles per hour
round the slalom, because your front end
hits the traffic cone,
and you just can't figure out how the hell your car
is over steering on the second portion of the slalom.
And it's just kinda, that's just how it goes.
Or maybe you just ate a traffic cone
three turns back,
and you just can't figure out how to get it out of there.
Autocross is something you just need to jump into.
You don't need anything fancy.
You just need a safe car, a good helmet,
and a positive attitude without expecting
to really take home a trophy,
especially as you go into your first runs.
When you're jumping into autocross,
we find ourselves all jacked up on Mountain Dew
trying to impress everyone.
I mean after all, you're in your car,
you're going fast-ish.
You're finally driving your car
instead of taking it to a car show,
and all those autocross people that were
talking smack about car show goers
because they don't use their car.
So now you're there to prove them wrong.
You know, you can use it, too.
And you're gonna go out there,
and you're gonna get a little fancy.
Don't do that.
Never overestimate your capabilities,
especially if you're new to autocross.
A curvy road is not the same driving experience
as a tight autocross track.
Enjoy the learning curve while you get into it,
but don't try to beat it.
Also, while you're there,
go walk the track when they allow you to,
especially in the morning.
Knowing the track actually eliminates
a lot of those initial runs that you need
to improve your time overall.
Because once you know the track,
you've already got it in your noggin.
Focusing on a solid pre-race preparation
is a great way to get out there right away
and run how you want instead of learning the track
on the first couple runs.
Although it's not a competition,
autocross can be a game of chess
that you can win if you prepare yourself correctly
and have the right experience.
For now though, just try to stay away from
making yourself look silly because you overdrove
and ran off the course,
so you're gonna end up like that one Corvette
that kissed a curve,
and the whole thing almost slipped over.
Still, still a popular video.
Another pro tip, get a pro to ride with you.
I know, no one wants to show another person
how bad they are at something,
but if you wanna learn quick
this is how you do it.
In fact, I personally remember someone by the name of Mike
that rode with me when I took my B7 Avant
to an event that was autocross.
And he personally helped me shave off three seconds
on a average 30 second track.
That's 10%, just out of tips that a dude gave me
one time rolling around with me.
Take the advice when you can get it.
Getting others to ride with you to help spot problem areas
or teach you where you should be
is monumental for expediting that learning curve.
Go bug someone, you know,
get 'em in your car and just, and send it,
and then listen to the feedback that they have.
Especially if they're one of the event organizers.
Ready for a speed fire round?
Good, come out of the block at full speed
without breaking loose, and that's crucial.
You never wanna break loose on your tires
on an autocross event,
because most people don't like that,
and it's kinda just excessive.
You need the initial launch to get up to speed
that you can carry throughout the track.
Always drive to the limit but never over.
Remember, it's okay to push yourself
but not be overconfident.
Minimize your under steer,
let the car work itself out
if you need to get through a turn, but keep control.
Too sharp of a turn is usually the culprit
when you start losing control,
especially in under steer scenarios in autocross.
Let off the steering wheel while keeping speed
and use more of the track.
That's gonna allow your car to recorrect itself
more naturally than you slamming on the brakes.
Which goes into another quick tip,
which is to never lock your brakes in a turn.
It kills, absolutely kills time.
Let your car straight itself out again with minimal changes.
Never overreact, remember, you're in a parking lot,
and really just maximize your level of control
with the car that you're driving.
The ultimate goal with autocross
is to work on your accuracy and consistency
as much as possible.
Find that drive route and then keep hammering it
while you learn your car.
Have fun, get ride-alongs.
Ride with other people to see what they do.
Grab photos, but most importantly, just get out there.
Autocross events are quite a bit of work,
and they aren't inherently very profitable.
Most of the time, they barely break even
due to a lot of different costs,
especially when it comes down to the parking lot rental
and the amount of damage that autocross can do to asphalt,
the insurance associated with it,
and just the overall interest in getting people to go.
Going and supporting these events helps a ton,
and especially allows those club and groups
to continue hosting events like those,
and they are in regard and by default
extremely, extremely fun.
If you're looking for wheels because you're setup
just met a parking lot curb after watching this video,
head on over to fitmentindustries.com and check it out.
We seriously have everything,
wheels, tires, suspension.
I know, it's a sales plug,
but it helps us keep making awesome videos like this.
And if you haven't subscribed yet,
you're missing out on some pretty good stuff.
If you're looking to get a free set of wheels,
check the description link below
because we did just partner with Konig wheels.
If you pick up one of these new shirts that we have
for the month of July,
it gets you a chance in to win,
plus we're making a donation to the ASPCA.
So pick up one of the shirts if you want to,
it'd be pretty fun, pretty cool.
Let us know in the comment section below
any rookie mistakes you made on the track
or off the track in a parking lot.
We will heart eye and comment on them,
and either laugh or cry with you,
because we've all been there at one time in our life.
I'm Alex from Fitment Industries,
we will see you later.
Peace.
(upbeat music)