Slipstream - March 2015

Beginning Autocross: What to Expect at Your First Event
By Wes Lincoln, Autocross Chair
Before
my first
Autocross,
I did not know
what to expect. I
was apprehensive
because it was new
to me. I feared the
unknown aspects
of this sport. Little did I know how
much fun I was going to have.
The interests that led me to the
Porsche Club in the beginning
stirred my interest in Autocross.
First, I wanted to meet people who
were Porsche enthusiasts. I wanted
to experience the social aspect
of Porsche ownership. Second, I
wanted to improve my driving skills.
There are many ways to become a
better driver. Autocross is one of
the most stimulating, safe, and costeffective
methods of accomplishing
this goal. Third, I wanted to experience
the thrill of “spirited” driving.
Before The Event
Make sure your car will pass Tech
Inspection. Most of the preparation
for Autocross takes place before
you arrive at the event. Your car
must be ready for braking, accelerating
and turning in ways not usually
experienced on the street. However,
this is easily accomplished.
The Porsche repair facilities around
the Metroplex are experienced in
this type of inspection. In fact, most
of them complete the inspection
in a complementary manner.
The inspection follows the requirements
for cars entered in
our Drivers’ Education program.
This “inspection checklist” can
be found at mav.pca.org/Events/
DE.asp; click the Tech Form link to
download the tech inspection form.
The reason we do this is because
there are certain requirements for
cars used in Time Trials, Drivers’
22 March
Education and Autocross that are
not typical of normal driving. For
example, the brake systems, for cars
that are used in Autocross, must
be checked and flushed annually.
The cost of a brake flush is worth
every penny, and all of the Porsche
repair facilities that advertise in
Slipstream will discuss this with you.
Before I bought my 1994 911, I
formed a relationship with a local
shop that has continued to this day.
Several times each year I will stop
by and discuss repair or upgrade
plans I have for the car. They are
always willing to take the time to
talk to me, and sometimes will steer
me away from unnecessary work.
Porsches are race cars that are built
Most of the preparation for
Autocross takes place before you
arrive at the event.
to handle everyday driving, and
are well equipped for the demands
of Autocross, but the inspection
process is required for your safety
and the reliability of your car.
Select a driver number. Consult
the Equipe Rapide website (www.
autocross.com) for help in choosing
a unique number. If you want
to use vinyl or magnetic numbers,
they will have to be ordered ahead
of time, so give yourself plenty of
time to receive them. Painter’s
tape is perfectly acceptable, but
must be of a color that contrasts
with the color of your car so it can
be easily read from a distance. At
most events, shoe polish or window
paint is not allowed. Also note
that, if there will be more than
one driver in the car, each driver
will need his/her own number.
Wash and clean your car. Washing
the car makes it look great,
provides a clean, grit-free surface
for your numbers, and clears all
the bugs off your windshield so
you can see perfectly. Clean out all
loose items from the interior and
trunk. This is easier to do at home
rather than at the event. Loose
items include all the things in your
door pockets, glove box, and trunk
that are not bolted down. My spare
tire is bolted down in my trunk
and I leave it there, but you can
choose to remove it if you so desire.
However, I would recommend
removing it at the event in case of
a puncture en route. Floor mats
should be removed because you
do not want them to float under
the accelerator or brake pedal.
Check your tire pressures. Inflate
your tires to the manufacturer’s
recommendations printed on
the inside of your driver’s door
panel, or as published in the
owner’s manual, and check those
pressures the morning of the
event. Please do not skip this
step – it is extremely important.
Check the lug nuts on each wheel.
Your owner’s manual has torque
specifications for your lug nuts
and it is advisable to use a torque
wrench when tightening lug nuts.
Consider buying this tool if it is
not already in your toolbox. Alloy
wheels have a tendency to crack if
the lug nuts are over-tightened. As
you become more experienced,
you may want to purchase an extra
set of wheels and mount high
performance tires. This means
that wheel changes will become
more frequent and a torque
wrench will become a necessity.
Fill your gas tank. You do not want
to run out of gas at the event and
your car may have better balance
with a full or, nearly full, tank.