Winning Autocross Techniques

By Ross Bentley

A champion racer and pro driving coach’s secrets for success in this popular, skill-driven motorsport—includes color photos.

With its solo set-up, more subdued speeds, and endlessly varying events and courses, autocross is the easiest, safest, and least expensive way to get into motorsports. Anyone with a helmet and a car can do it. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to have some driving skills—which is where this book comes in.

As a veteran racer and professional driving coach, Ross Bentley knows what it takes to compete and win, and he gives you the benefit of that knowledge in this book. The first in the Speed Secrets series to address a specific form of racing, this volume focuses on the skills critical to autocross success: car handling and driver skill at high speeds on unique courses. Though slower than other motorsports in absolute terms, autocross, with its high number of turns per minute, can challenge even the most expert driver. Adapting his time-proven method of teaching drivers how to go fast, Bentley clearly details the steps and techniques that help autocross drivers maintain control and dominate a course at speed. Though specific to autocross, and essential to mastering its particular challenges, his advice and instruction in this book will prove invaluable to drivers who go on to road racing as well.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Open Road Integrated Media
• Release date: Jan 10, 2009
• ISBN: 9781616730659

Book preview

SPEED SECRETS

WINNING

AUTOCROSS

TECHNIQUES

ROSS BENTLEY

Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1   Getting Started

Chapter 2   Behind the Wheel

Chapter 3   Chassis and Suspension Basics

Chapter 4   Vehicle Dynamics

Chapter 5   Pedaling and Steering

Chapter 6   Shifting

Chapter 7   Sensory Input

Chapter 8   The Line

Chapter 9   Priorities

Chapter 10 Car Control

Chapter 11 Different Cars, Different Techniques?

Chapter 12 Event Strategy

Chapter 13 Going Faster

Chapter 14 Mental Preparation

Chapter 15 Your Brain’s Software

Chapter 16 Practice

Chapter 17 Errors

Chapter 18 Conclusion

Appendix

Index

About the Author

Acknowledgments

My autocross experience has been sporadic—some events when I first started racing and then more throughout my road racing career, including a few guest appearances at club events when I was competing in Indy cars. But through the years, I picked up tips and knowledge from some very talented and committed autocrossers.

Years ago, I observed drivers like Gary Milligan, Sam O’Young, and Joe Cheng (probably more than they realized)—these guys are absolute masters of the sport—and I learned through events put on by the Vancouver Chinese Motorsport Club and the Burnaby Coquitlam Motorsport Association. These were some of the best organized motor-sport events I’ve seen in my long career in the sport. And yes, I even learned a few things from the legendary Andy Field! Thank you to all those friends and club members for your contribution to this book.

When I first began Winning Autocross Techniques, I knew I needed help from an autocrosss expert. Per Schroeder is that expert. The main difference between an expert and someone who’s really good at something is the expert can explain it. Per is not only fast, as proven by his extensive list of autocross wins and championships, but he knows how to explain what he’s doing.

Chris Endres has been invaluable from two perspectives: as an editor, but also as someone relatively new to the sport of autocrossing. The perspective of a newcomer—one who needs to know the basics—was the perfect balance to Per’s years of experience. Without the help from Per and Chris, this book wouldn’t exist. Thanks, guys! But you do know that you’ve given away a lot of your own secrets, and the competition just got tougher for you, don’t you?!

During the time I was writing Winning Autocross Techniques, I was traveling and speaking to car clubs around the country, conducting advanced driving and instructor training workshops, and being a guest speaker at club dinners. Along the way I asked many club members what they would like to see in an autocross book, and I hope I’ve been able to address their wish-lists, as well as include their advice. To all of you, thank you.

And, as always, thank you to my in-house editor, my wife and inspiration, Robin.

Introduction

In writing this book, I’ve attempted to cover a broad range of driving experience. It’s meant to be a valuable resource for someone just looking to enter the sport, for both novices and experienced autocrossers. Even champion autocrossers should get something out of it. If I can challenge you to push yourself, rethink how you do things, and help you take your driving to the next level, I’ll be ecstatic.

You can never learn too much and there is always more to learn. No matter what sport you look at, the superstars are constantly looking for ways to improve themselves. My hope is that this book will help you improve your performance, no matter what level of driving you’re at. To me, the investment in a book may be the least expensive and most effective way of improving.

Let me tell you what this book won’t give you:

• An explanation of what autocrossing is.

• A description of the different forms of autocrossing.

• A rundown of the different classes of cars competing in autocross events.

• Descriptions of the various clubs organizing events.

• An understanding of the rules.

• An explanation of how autocross events are run.

• Advice on modifying and tuning your car to enhance its performance.

Why am I not giving you this information? Three reasons:

1. There are other resources (books and websites) out there that do that, and I don’t want to duplicate other peoples’ work. However, I will list some resources in the appendix of this book.

2. Things change. Organizing clubs come and go (well, some do—the bad ones), rules change (always), and classifications of cars change. If I wrote about those things here, they could be outdated by the time the book is published and you have it in your hands.

3. This is a driving book. My expertise is in helping drivers improve their driving. I like to stick to what I do best, which is helping you learn more about autocross driving.

My hope is this book will do for autocrossers what my other Speed Secrets books have done for oval and road racers. I’m always pleasantly surprised when I see how many drivers carry my books in their equipment bags to every race. Based on the comments I hear from them, I know that they use my books as a constant resource and motivator.

I’d like for you to use this book in the same manner. Take it with you to events. Between runs, open it and flip through to remind you of some things you need to work on. While sitting in your car, with the engine revving, waiting to start a run, read chapter—wait, I’m just joking!

My point is this: This is not a book that you should read once and place on a shelf. It’s a resource, and its value is in using it.

Talking about performance and competition driving, no matter what form of motorsport, is a complex subject. The challenge is in breaking it down into manageable bites, allowing you to learn one thing before moving onto the next. However, autocross driving is not a linear subject. It’s not like you learn and master one thing, then move onto the next, and then the next, and the next, and so on. No, autocrossing is a dynamic, constantly changing, multidimensional activity. While you’re learning about and improving one aspect of it, you’re likely to be doing the same for many other things concurrently.

In writing a book, the challenge is in presenting the information in an orderly fashion so you, the reader, can take it all in. A word of warning: While I will present the information in a linear, orderly fashion, understand that is not how driving works. I will be tossing many balls in the air, talking about vehicle dynamics at one point, driving techniques at another, the line through a set of turns, and the mental aspects of the sport. But to be successful as an autocrosser, you are going to have to be able to manage them all at the same time.

The key to winning autocross events is not just one thing; it’s many things integrated together in the perfect mixture at the perfect time.

Having said all that, I’ve tried to present the information in the book in a logical order, starting from the basics and moving through to more advanced information. Because I say the later chapters are the more advanced, some readers may be tempted to skip the chapters before them and go directly to this section of the book. While this won’t hurt if you’re an experienced autocrosser, I strongly suggest if you’re relatively new to the sport that you follow the natural progression of the book, at least for the first time through it. After you’ve read it and gotten the basics as well as the more advanced material, then you can jump around to any part of the book at any time.

I have a confession to make to you: I have not won a national championship in autocrossing. Hang on! Before you throw this book down and question what I can teach you, hear me out. While most of my motorsport experience is in road racing, I have competed in a number of autocross events (and won a high percentage of the ones I’ve competed in).

However, my real expertise, my real strength (everyone has one, even me!) is in teaching driving and helping people perform at their best. I’ve taught and helped road racers, oval racers, top fuel drag racers, flat track and road racing motorcyclists, and even autocrossers. The saying goes, Those who can’t, teach. That may or may not be the case with me; it doesn’t matter. What matters most is that I can teach you how to be a more successful autocrosser. In my case, the saying should be, Those who can teach, teach.

Autocrossing is all about car control and mind control. Both of these are things that I know a lot about, and I plan to share my knowledge and experience with you over the pages of this book.

Ready? Go . . .

Chapter 1

Getting Started

In many areas of life, I believe you should take time to think (learn as much as you can), launch (just jump in and get at it), and learn (fine-tuning as you go along). This think-launch-learn can be applied to autocrossing. If you haven’t started autocrossing yet, read and learn as much as you can through books and the Internet. But most important, just get out to some autocross events and observe. There is nothing like having a basic idea of what’s going to happen to help you feel comfortable during your first event. You will be nervous enough as it is; at least having an idea of what to expect will help relieve some of these nerves.

But at some point you just need to jump in and give it a go. There is only so much you can learn by reading, talking to other people, and observing. You are going to learn much more by actually doing than you will ever by observing. No matter how experienced you are, learning should be a primary objective.

Once you get started, then you will at least know what you don’t know and then you can begin the never-ending process of fine-tuning what you do know.

Why Autocross?

If you’re new to the sport of autocrossing—either just considering getting involved or have just begun to participate—you may be asking yourself why. Why should you get caught up in this sport?

Drivers compete in autocrossing for a variety of reasons, but I can almost guarantee the number one motivation is fun. Autocrossing is huge fun, in many ways. It’s a great social event, allowing you to meet new friends with a common interest. Few activities provide such an opportunity to share something as exhilarating and challenging as autocrossing, where you can compete against each other at one moment and then help each other the next. Few things in life are as much fun as driving your car at or near its limit through a demanding autocross course.

There are many reasons people autocross, but the thrill and fun that comes from driving that near-perfect run is one of the best.

Many drivers initially get involved in autocrossing for one reason: They want to learn more about their car and specifically how to get more from it, both mechanically and as a driver. Just walking around an autocross event you can quickly divide competitors into three groups: One type of driver sees the sport primarily as an exercise in modifying and tuning his or her car; the driving is simply a way of measuring how well the driver did with the mechanical exercise. The second type of competitor doesn’t really care what he or she is driving, the driver only cares about the driving and competing. Many of these drivers would prefer if everyone drove the exact same car, so as to take that variable out of the question. The last group of drivers is some combination of the first two: They enjoy both the technical challenge of tuning the car and the driving.

Many autocrossers would suggest that the sport makes them better and safer street drivers, and learning how to control a car on an autocross course is something that every driver should experience. They’re right. A season of autocrossing will teach you more about controlling a vehicle than 25 years of typical street driving. When faced with an emergency on the street, they are much better prepared to respond.

Of course, there are some autocrossers who use what they learn from the sport for evil, not good. These are the drivers who become overconfident and want to show off their skills on the street. Not only does this usually result in harm to the driver, it really hurts the sport and everyone in it (keep that in mind). I think autocrossers should be a little like Superman, never revealing their super powers until they are absolutely needed on the street, and then only for good.

SPEED SECRET

Use your autocrossing skills for good, not evil,

when driving on the street.

But if you want to learn about your car—what it can and can’t do—there is no better place to find out than in autocrossing. Learning the limits of a car can be one of the most challenging, frustrating, rewarding, fun, and expensive activities you take on in your life.

Ultimately, autocrossing provides an awesome opportunity to learn about yourself: how to deal with frustration, how to manage pressure, how to have fun, how to socialize, how to raise your game when it matters most, and how to learn, all in a way that can be used in other areas of your life.

I think motorsports, in any form, are the ultimate laboratory for learning and testing how to respond to so many areas of your life. There are not