Possible 1st Auto-X this weekend!
 

Hey guys, I'm a 43yr old mid-life crisis guy with an 09 SS Sedan. It's completely stock with a baby-booster seat in the back. I used to road race in the AMACCS (Motorcycles) back in the 80's. I've not raced competitively since other than RC cars and online racing sims but I've been dying to do it. This SS really seems to handle nicely and there's an auto-x event this weekend at Firebird (In Phoenix Arizona area)

As mentioned it's completely stock, it has 11 thousand miles on it (just got it in Mid March) and is about ready for the 2nd oil change...

Any tips?

Should I removed spare tire and other goods?
The temps should be 80-100F
Tire pressure recommendations? (I was thinking 38-40 cold)

Any other tips/suggestions/war stories would be greatly appreciated.

I'm trying to line up a camera (vid) to record in car and my son will be hopefully taking external pics of my run/s.

Cheers to all!

Buzz

When I lived in Prescott in the early 2000s I trailered my autocross Mini down to Firebird. Regarding your questions: First, be sure to turn off all the ESC programs before each run. Light is always good, so remove the spare tire and any other stored stuff. If you are running street tires, roll-over should be avoided. Mark your outer sidewall with chalk to see how much you are getting. I would think maintaining 40 psi would be sufficient. More pressure = less traction is the general rule for both front and rear so you can deal with under and oversteer by playing with the presssures between your runs. And you may want to have a water sprayer to cool your tires in the AZ heat. Having said all of that, I would recommend just concentrating on your driving until you get to know your car. The SS tc is very capable and it takes a lot of skill and experience to fully exploit that capability. Good luck.

Thank you SO MUCH for the very kind and informative post/reply!!

Excellent advice!

I'll hopefully post on here how terrible I did... I also am trying to figure out how to mount a vid-cam in the backseat area. THought it might be cool to see from my perspective how much I struggled!

The bottom line though is it WILL be fun. Thanks again 'old guy'!

walk the coarse lots, ask lots of questions , look far ahead and remember postition before speed. Everyone is different but I run 35F / 48-50R with the stock tires. But, I like it loose.

I agree with all the advice given above. Usually at autox events there are a lot of people that are willing to help so don't be afraid to ask lots of questions. Besides walking the track a lot make sure you walk the track with an instructor or an experienced autox'er to get some advise. Other than that have fun and tear it up.

take out all the weight u can thats wat i do in mine. and keep on the gas threw the corners as maitenence throttle to help u get out of them. and roll on the throttle out of the corners. if u feel like ur gettin understeer give it some gas to get rid of it.
this is wat i do at my auto-x's and i beat quite a bit of cars

Thanks guys, excellent advice!

Forgot one thing. If you are struggling ask for an instructor to ride along with you so they can guide you through the course at full speed.

According to their rules... Since I'm a novice, an instructor will have to ride along for the 1st and possibly 2nd run I do.

No worries though, I think that's cool.

I say get some Pedders Springs and hardcore (time attack) rear sway bars and you'll be driving one hot ride.

that is very true. get pedders and hardcore bar if ur really into auto-x/track. i love my set-up i get a little bit of oversteer its amazing

Certain mods though put you into different categorys. I'd like to stay in the 'stock' class.

As it is this car it put into competition w/BMW's and lots of other 'fast' cars.

o well in my auto-x club its for its bmws, but they have a non bmw class of about 20cars which any mods go so i dont have to classify any of my mods :]

SCCA's website doesn't mention the turbo ss anywhere so I imagine that it will be in the D stock class just like the supercharged car. Here is what my local SCCA group says is okay for mods in any stock class.

"Stock class is for nearly unmodified street vehicles. The rules allow you to use certain aftermarket parts for wearable items. Replacement shocks, brake pads, plugs/wires and air filters are 'free'. Any wheel can be used as long as it's the same diameter and width as stock and has the stock offset within +/- .25 inch (6.7 mm). You may replace the front sway bar and use a cat back exhaust. You may not use a chip, headers, cold air/cone type air filter or cut/replace/lower your suspension springs."

So the only real thing that you can do is put on some stickier street tires and a catback.

Yeah, I can do new shocks, tires, catback...that's about it. For me, I'm just going to leave it stock. Since this is my 1st one...I'm going to see how much I like it. Then I'll consider looking for an extra set of rims w/some sticky tires.

Cheers guys... I'll post back here on how firmly I hold last place down. (1st time novice)

u wont come in last thats for sure. my very first auto-x in a stock suspension ss/sc with just sway bar i came within .10 of my friends e46 m3 that had cabs and sways.
just get a good instructor and take it easy the first 2runs to get ur line down

The results aren't posted yet but I think I did ok for my first auto-x. quicker each run and all runs clean with no cone touches. As soon as I figure out how to edit the vids I'll upload them. It Sure was fun.

when you throttled out of the corners, did u find urself having to be careful feathering it and not engaging the turbo too early in the turn?

well u should roll on it not just mash it

Results have been posted...
I got 2nd in the NV1 (Novice class) and 36th overall out of 97.
I was fastest of the cobalts (3 of them) by over 2 seconds...and I was the only 'stock' one.
I was also faster than an 04 Z06 vette that had 'slicks' on...(actual time was 1 second slower than him..but the corrected for car PAX system had me faster than the vette)


As for having to "Ease on the throttle"... hell no. When you lift, which I had to for many corners, boost dropped... then the softness of the power hit w/out the boost, or as the boost built up was just perfect. By the time the boost got up to where the power was massive, I had enough speed that wheelspin wasn't a problem. I was however, not being friendly to my tires. I think there are HUGE AREA'S for improvement in all aspects of my driving...but the fact that this little cobalt could go in there in a novice's hands and beat 2/3rds of the participants...AND on stock tires says a helluva lot for these little cars.

The best part was this guy...I hesitate to say DORK but the urge overcomes me... He was in an NSRT-4 with the big "PSSSH-CHOOOO" blowoff valve noise that he seemed so proud of... It's modified and he's not a novice. I was over 5 seconds a lap faster than him...

As soon as I figure out how to edit the vids I'll upload them...

In the meantime,
Here are some images

Sunrise
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/9183/sunriseatfir.jpg

another version of sunrise
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/6596/sunrise2atfir.jpg

OEM's with 11k miles
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/8949/oemswith11k.jpg

My pits
http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/1500/mypits.jpg

Vid-cam setup
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/9093/vidcamsetup.jpg

blown corner...(fastest lap though!)
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4513/blowncorner1.jpg

Brakes on HERE? mistake! (again on fast lap)
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3...owncorner2.jpg

Hard Left
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/9953/hardleft.jpg

Closer to cones
http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/3...sertocones.jpg

A buddy of mine
http://img36.imageshack.us/img36/2499/mr1s.jpg

rear lift!
http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/6107/airbornep.jpg

Consequences
http://img196.imageshack.us/img196/2031/ouchdq.jpg

Turbocharged SS Stock D class
Supercharged SS Stock G class

atleast for 2009 that is

And nice photos ;) Where you running w/ any mods?

No, box stock. Still got my original air filter in. The only things I've done on my car are adjust the seat, mirror and steering wheel....Oh.and I added a short antenna.

I've got the stage 1 kit, but now I might not install it until after the end of the season...(if it even comes out before then). I don't want to get moved out of D-Stock.

Where do you get the short antenna from, I have an 09SS coupe and that short black antenna you looks a thousand times better than the stock one. Thanks.

Your camera mount looks a lot like mine;) Can't wait to see your vids:)

One thing that impressed me most was the way these cars put their wonderous power down. Boost comes on so smooth in 2nd you can just smash the gas with little wheelspin.

Sounds like you are getting the hang of it. Good job.:twothumbs

Thanks!! Oh and I love the quote you have there in your sig!

As soon as I figure out how to edit the vid to a shorter version I'll post them up.

I actually found it in these forums somewhere. I'll see if I can find my online reciept and send you the link. I think it was 19.99 plus shipping. Definately worth it if you ask me.

Cheers!