Does anyone know where they do autocross in northeast ohio or western PA? Also would you say it is easier to start in the stock class or do a few suspension mods and go from there?

thanks.

 

Steel Cities SCCA runs in Beaver, PA - about 40 minutes north of Pittsburgh.

Northeast Ohio SCCA runs at Lakeland community college

Northern Ohio Valley SCCA runs in Stuebenville

Oooooops, forgot part two.

Until you really learn the skills you need to REALLY be competitive, stay in stock class. You're handicapping yourself by adding mods that you're not ready for just yet. At least try 1-2 events in stock form. If you want to be competitive, stay there and improve. You'll have your fellow competitors as benchmarks - as you get better your time will get closer to theirs.

 

i was going to come in here and post ask alley but she got here first

 

+1 to what Alicia said.

Also, if you start out with the Steel Cities region ( SCR ) #39, you have the option to run the Street Tire Index. This will put you in a class with other street tire driven cars and your standings are classed that way.

This is a great learning class, and won't discorage new people since most if not all cars in stock classes run a race tire ( R-comps ), and it's frustrating to have drivers with similar cars running 2-3 seconds faster than your best time.

You can still guage your times off the stock classed cars, and see what you need to get there.
PLUS>..... you'll be running a different heat so you'll have time ( possibly ) to ride along with others in that class, or at least watch what they do. PLUS, you can get someone that is more experienced ride along with you.

I ran D-Stock in my Cobalt SS/SC this year and ran street tire class the year before.

If you have any questtions, feel free to ask Alicia and I. We're the 2 autocrossers locally in the pgh area.

I run 90% of my local event in the pittsburgh region, but I hear NORA and the other Ohio region aren't bad either.

 

^^^Some places have a dedicated n00b class too. That's always a good thing to take advantage of. It's different from ST in that it's limited to first year drivers. So you get the advantage of learning who is just starting out like yourself, plus you can still look and see what you would be doing if you were in stock class.

I ran my first year in Novice and it helped a lot. It's funny because it's almost like a high school graduating class. Even now, I still tend to flock to the driver's I went through Novice class with to see how they're doing, how they're progressing, what their plans are for their cars, etc.

Also it points you out to some of the more seasoned drivers (some will know you're new just cause they know EVERYONE, but others won't know unless they see you in the novice class). They'll know to give you some advice and encouragement to make sure you get the most out of the experience. This goes doubly so if they have the same car. It really does help a lot.

 

If you DO run the SCR region next year @ all.... let me know. even if I'm not running my SS next season I have about 35 events under my belt now and have a decent idea of what the stock trimmed car can do.

 

Kinda sad I"m the one that got you started and you've run about 3x the events I have. Brokeness FTL

 

Thanks alot. thats alot of help! i really want to get into it next season. all the events are pretty much over by now im guessing since winter is approaching?

How many events do they hold usually in a season?

i figured it would be best to stay stock as most beginners are probably stock. if you put in new seats or a harness are you no longer stock? from what i hear the stock seats dont hold up to well for autocross. i thought i read somewhere that you can put in a harness and still be stock but i might be mistaken, or are those pretty much pointless especially for a newbie? i have an LT by the way

thanks again, your helpin me out a ton!

 

I am also in the Northeastern part of Ohio and looking to start autoxing next season as well. I will be usuing my SS/NA though. I see that I should start off in a stock class from what you are all saying. My question is, if I am in a stock class, I have to use the stock tires and wheels correct? In that case, does autoxing do any damage to the lips of the factory wheels??

 

OK, so you would be in H-stock with the base (2.2) model. I can't say what those seats are like, but in stock form, they should be ok.


SCR does 10 events begining in april/may... and ending in October. We run @ beaverun, and @ Console energy park in Washington, PA.

I don't know for sure, but I am not sure a harness BAR is legal, but you can put the harnesses that bolt into the rear seat belt holders. I have the stock SS seats and while they're not as supportive as the Recaros for the G85 cars, they're not bad. Just dont' put the leather treatment on them that wekk...

When we get closer to the season, check back with me and Alicia. I'm not sure how much she'll be there, but I'm on the board for the region, so I'm there.

You should do a test and tune event to get some seat time. We can ride along with you and help better @ those. Also, BR has lowkey autcrosses during the week that are less intense.


You have to use the stock SIZE wheels, with the same offest ( within 6mm ). Tires are unrestricted as long as you don't have to modify the car to make them fit under it and they fit on the wheel. If your region has a street tire class, you can put some stickier tires on them and have at it. OR, you could get r-comp tires ( non-street legal ) and run those, but there is a whole differnt learning curve with those.
You should start off on street tires so you learn more. R-comps hide mistakes.

I never had a problem with my 18" wheels getting damamged during events. I use the OEM 18"s on my SS on race tires (225/40's) and you won't hurt them.

On street tires... you have to get teh tire pressures up.... bring a compressort and a ire guage.

See some of the above comments as well...

 

My 18s were fine when I was using them. As Brian says you need to keep the same size (diameter AND width) and offset. Tires are unrestricted, but don't use R-compounds at first. You need to learn how to control the car at the edge of grip and also learn on street rubber where the limits of your handling and traction are.

You'll be in G-stock (GS) with a 2.4. Hehe, each Cobalt has it's own class - 2.0 in DS, 2.4 in GS, and 2.2 in HS.

LOL I need an ire gauge for when I make stupid mistakes......

If you guys decide you like it and are feeling adventurous - find a region that runs at an airport. Going through a slalom at 50mph can really make you feel like James Bond......unnnnntil you spin out at the last gate, wipe out 6 cones and activate the rollover sensor that calls OnStar . THAT was an interesting conversation. Try navigating a hairpin and another slalom while trying to convince OnStar that you were not involved in a collision...."No, ma'am" *screeeeeeeeeeeeeeeech* "I assure you" *errrrrrrrrrrrrrrt* "everything's fine, I just" *whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine* "swerved to miss something and it went off."

*DISCLAIMER* No worries, that stupid sensor goes off for little to no reason. All you have to do is tell them you swerved to miss a pothole and it triggered and they'll tell you how to reset it. It doesn't log anything and they don't report the data to anyone. It's just an annoyance (and fodder for your fellow auto-xers to bring up at a later time in front of EVERYONE).

 

Yeah, as we said, your wheel size must be the same as the OEM. You can use a 1/4" (6mm) spacer if you needed more room, but that's about it.

Stock classes are very strict ( but competitor regulated ) as to what you can and can't do.

once we get closer to the beginnign of the season, we'll talk more about it.

 

Thanks a lot!! I appreciate the advice you have so far!!

 

No problem. Glad to be some help. This was my 1st full year of autocrossing. Alleycat got me into this back in the spring of 06 and I was hooked.

Sadly, not many are running the SS's at all, and those that are mostly all run in STX ( the sc cars ) or STS ( NA cars ), or some other prepped class.

I competed in 2 national level SCCA events this year and both times I was alone with the car. @ Nationals at least everyone knew who I was...lol

I would guess outside of the GMPD guys ( and gals ), I've got more seat time autocrossing a STOCK SS/SC. It is a HUGE undertaking once you get hooked and want to fully prepp the cars.

I only had r-comps, K&N filter ( drop in ) and an alignment before nats. At nationals, GMPD had their own techs there to help ANY GM driver competing. They did all the corner wieghting, alignment, etc. for free. Even ran the computer for codes and troubleshooted ones that were there.

Got 1.3 degrees of neg. camber out of the stock setup. About the most you can from what I hear.

Good luck, and let me know if there's anything you need. There's alot of good people @ events, just have to be pleasant and eager to learn.

 

When you guys go, send me a PM! I'd love to go as a n00b!

 

Well, the SS/NA is going to have to do becuase it's the Cobalt that I bought. I am really looking to give this a try next season as a noob, of course.

 

thanks alot again! i just found the rules for autocross so im gonna go read that!

 

Hey, the NA SS is a plenty good car. Brakes are the same as mine, and you got a nice torque curve with the 2.4. Once you start, you'll find what you and your car likes and doesn't.

1st this I changed was brake pads.


Balt21, don't let the rules overwhelm you. There's alot of stuff in there that can be taken certain ways.. basic rule...

if the rule book doesn't say you CAN... then you can't.

 

Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooo CSP!!!!!!! LOL

LOL you're used to drag racing my friend. And you're about to find the great equalizer - auto-x. I've beat a Viper's time by 5 seconds, kicked Corvette ass, absolutely slaughtered Stage 2 ACR SRT-4s......it's about precision, suspension, brakes, and skill - NEVER about raw speed. My ex-boyfriend's 67 whp Civic could absolutely embarass my SS/SC because he's a phenomenal driver, because it's light, and because it handles like a damn go-kart.

 

driver, prep, and choosing the right car for the class ( and vice versa ) is key to being high up on the board.

Funny to watch a 99 Miata in C-stock beat the 100 other cars ( Including prepped STI's, Elises, Corvettes, and many others....)

 

haha yea thats a pretty big rule book