Why autox when you can go to the track?

Ok no flaming or getting mad because people don't like autox or hate the track and like the parking lot

personally i don't get it, i autoxed one time then went to hallett the week after and realized for $30 i got 4-6 laps in a parking lot solo, for $95 i got 40 laps in traffic.

what is the draw for people the spend all this money to build a car for a class then drive around a parking lot in 2en gear for a minute then stand around an hour to do it again? it's like going to the drag strip on friday night, you sit in line for an hour for every pass you want to make.

For me, the biggest draw was competition. I enjoy going to the track, but for different reasons. Overall, lapping days don't offer me the same thrill of competition that sanctioned (SCCA) autocrossing does.

I think autocross also makes you a much better track driver. When you only get three runs, you learn very quickly how to read a course or track. In my expereince, students with some autocrossing experience make much better drivers on the track. They pick up the line quicker and tend to have much better situational awareness and car control abilities.

Some of the pros to autoxing is you have to learn a new track every time. Safer, more than likely, you wont kill your self or someone else (unless you drive off of the course and hit a worker). Can be less expensive. Drive you street car. cons, less drive time, you have to learn a new track every time.

Track pros: more seat time, excitement of side by side. Cons: can cost lots more, can be killed:punchout: even if not your fault.

I'm sure thats lots more, just cannont think of them now.

I find AX to be much more exiting. I can only go around the same course so many times before I'm board. There have been times where I've gone around an AX course ten times and I got bored, so I quit for the day, even though I had more runs available to me. Having a new course each event makes it more of a challenge.

I thought about this a little more. The excitement is also only getting three chances (in National Level competition) to get it right. Imagine if you were given an unfamiliar road course and told that you get three laps to master it, or at least master it more than anyone else in your class. You will not waste a single lap. It makes for some great mental stimulation.

At an AX, you are much less likely to have some idiot with a helmet full of the red mist total your daily driver. That is why I quit trackdays. I went to three events and saw driver failures put people/cars in jeopardy at two and a mechanical failure cause the same at the third one.

If I could afford to club race, and had an expendible car, then I would AX much less.

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Originally Posted by jrj512

I find AX to be much more exiting. I can only go around the same course so many times before I'm board. There have been times where I've gone around an AX course ten times and I got bored, so I quit for the day, even though I had more runs available to me. Having a new course each event makes it more of a challenge.

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+1 on what jrj512 said.

I have only done 1 track day (2 day school). By the end I was getting board.

I find AX more exciting lot of turns in a short amount of time with few boaring straights. I think it is more of a challenge to get it right in 4 runs.

I do think W2W racing would be alot of fun. But you have to be ready total your car at your 1st event. Their is a big differents between a track day and W2W racing.

Nothing aginst the track day bunch I just enjoy AX more, to each their own.

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Originally Posted by altiain

I think autocross also makes you a much better track driver. When you only get three runs, you learn very quickly how to read a course or track. In my expereince, students with some autocrossing experience make much better drivers on the track. They pick up the line quicker and tend to have much better situational awareness and car control abilities.

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Oh, boy...here we go again!

I have brought this up before and I will do it again.

The Time Trials that the Porsche Club of America (PCA) hosts at Mineral Wells are a great way for the track guys and AX guys (and gals) to get together. They use cones to map out the course, but it is designed as a road course rather than an AX. Here is a link with maps of the courses they use -- they alway use one of the three. Perhaps more of you all (track and AX drivers) can join us next season.

I really enjoy autocrossing for the same reasons as a lot of these guys:
- I love the competition
- I love the challenge of learning and optimizing a course in a few tries
- I love the variety of courses (always different)

Plus I also love pushing the car to 10/10ths (or more) without consequences. I've only been to 4 track days including my recent visit to VIR. I'd have to say my experience has backed up Altiain's statements about autocrossers on track. I also had no problem staying with in a couple of tenths of a second from Wags and Gary in similar cars at my first time at Hallett (they were both on race tires, I was on street tires).

What about frequency of events? Most of the track junkies on this forum get out once or twice a year? Maybe?

There's at least 1 AX event most every weekend from March until November and it's always on a new course.

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Originally Posted by sammm

What about frequency of events? Most of the track junkies on this forum get out once or twice a year? Maybe?

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I would guess that there are at least a dozen on the board that hit the track 10 or more times a year. I know we have several that are MSR members, and another handful of guys that get tons of free track days for instructing. There are also 3 or 4 guys that attend several of the monthly Hallet track days each year.

I just like to drive.

and ice cream.

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Originally Posted by ken o

I just like to drive.

and ice cream.

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...and?....any thing else?....

cars! I just remembered I like cars.

and girls, pretty girls.

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Originally Posted by ken o

cars! I just remembered I like cars.

and girls, pretty girls.

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I take it there is a pretty girl working the counter of the Collin County Tax office?

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Originally Posted by ken o

cars! I just remembered I like cars.

and girls, pretty girls.

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And you can afford both? ::2Dollar:

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Originally Posted by jrj512

The Time Trials that the Porsche Club of America (PCA) hosts at Mineral Wells are a great way for the track guys and AX guys (and gals) to get together. They use cones to map out the course, but it is designed as a road course rather than an AX...

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Yeah, but repainting my rocker panels after each event isn't my idea of fun. :punchout:

I did the Mineralring -- admittedly not with PCA -- for 4 years or so, and have decided that while I really like the larger courses, I'm not subjecting my car to that "gravel warfare" anymore. So I'll stick to AXing on the smaller, cleaner courses, and save the track days to proper tracks.

YMMV

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Originally Posted by Titus

I take it there is a pretty girl working the counter of the Collin County Tax office?

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:clap:

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Originally Posted by Kestrel

Yeah, but repainting my rocker panels after each event isn't my idea of fun. :punchout:

I did the Mineralring -- admittedly not with PCA -- for 4 years or so, and have decided that while I really like the larger courses, I'm not subjecting my car to that "gravel warfare" anymore. So I'll stick to AXing on the smaller, cleaner courses, and save the track days to proper tracks.

YMMV

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You're starting to sound like the stereotypical Porsche owner. ::BaHump::

;)

Are there autox's that have elevation changes and off camber turns? That's what I like about the track.

This forum is great because we get along and respect each other for our preferences.

I autocrossed for six years before going W2W. Starting doing track events after a year or so of autocrossing and became addicted after one event at TWS(College Station). I can't imagine getting bored at track events. MSR is my home track, and I've got lots and lots of laps there(1.7) and am still learning, and still get the same rush each time I'm there. The big difference, to me, between autocross and track events is that one gets so much more seat time at the track, and as I always say......nothing can take the place of experience in the car.

W2W is the most exciting driving I've ever done. I've raced on tracks all over the country and nothing makes me feel better than to make a difficult pass, offline, on another SM for the lead. The thrill of a "start" at TWS with thirty SM's all around you and making it thru turn one safely while gaining a couple of positions is a RUSH! Just imagine making a pass at Laguna Seca in the corkscrew.......or bump drafting down the front straight at Daytona at 130mph, only to drop three gears to make the left into the infield side-by-side, only inches apart! OK, sometimes it doesn't work out that way, and that usually means $$$$$, but one knows that going in. I haven't missed autocrossing at all, but that's just me. To each, his own!