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There are two organizations you can run with - the
SCCA and your local chapter of the BMW CCA. The best one for you
as a BMW owner and beginner autocrosser would be the BMW club as
they're more relaxed and better geared for the beginner.
The
SCCA events are mostly for the serious competitors and while
most regions do have good Novice Programs, the majority of
entrants are there to compete and get points and trophies. SCCA
events usually only give you 3 runs on the course and that's it.
BMW Club events often give you a lot more runs than SCCA events.
The
BMW CCA events tend to cater to the average BMW owner who wants
to learn how to better drive his (or her) Bimmer. BMW events
usually have a lot of instructors on hand to ride with you and
help you learn the fine art of reading the course and handling
your car at speed. My two local chapters (L.A. and San Diego)
both hold autocross/driving schools and we give the guys two
practice/instructional sessions with 5-10 runs per session, then
we give them 3 official timed runs at the end of the day (for
trophies). Some chapters only give you 3 or 4 runs total with no
practice sessions, but it depends on your particular BMW CCA
chapter (wherever that may be).
Aside
from the different ways these organizations format their events,
your basic car preparation procedures are the same (car in good
running condition, approved helmet, loose items removed from
trunk and passenger compartment, battery securely bolted down,
tire pressures pumped up much higher than normal street
pressures, etc etc).
Here's
a little write-up I made up a while back including a few
websites with good information on getting started in
autocrossing. I'd strongly suggest contacting your local BMW CCA
chapter and see if they hold autocrosses (you probably have to
be a member of the BMW CCA to enter, most require it).
Autocross for Beginners
The
SCCA events are organized differently than BMW CCA events, but a
lot of the basics are the same. BMW events usually have several
instructors at your disposal throughout the day, where the SCCA
events usually have a Novice Meeting before the event, and
sometimes offers a Novice Course Walk led by experience
autocrossers. BMW events often have practice sessions throughout
the morning and early afternoon, with timed runs occurring in
the late afternoon. SCCA events usually have 4 to 6 rungroups
and you'll run in one group, and work during another. BMW events
usually give you a lot of runs, but SCCA events only give you 3
or 4 runs. You'll get a lot more runs for your money at a BMW
event, but the competition at the SCCA events will be a lot more
intense, with no practice runs beforehand.
Get
there early and make sure the folks at the registration table
know it's your first time and they'll help you get signed up.
Getting there early gives you time to get your car and stuff
situated, get registered, have your car "Tech'd", and
walk the course all before the first car goes out at the
scheduled time (usually 9:00 am around here). If the club has a
Novice Program then they'll probably have a Novice Meeting
around 8:00 where the instructor goes over the basics of
autocrossing and working the course and other newbie issues,
then you'll all walk the course together with the instructor
who'll be telling you about the line and braking and cornering
and other instructor stuff and the various sections of the
course. You'll almost certainly be required to work the course
during a session, which is a good way to get a close look at
what other drivers are doing on course.
Don't
be afraid to ask questions - everybody is friendly and willing
to help the newbies so don't be shy - Ask !
Your
car must be in good condition, with no bad leaks. The battery
must be bolted down securely, and all loose articles must be
removed from the car. Most folks will also remove their spare
tire to save weight. You'll definitely need to pump your tires
way up above normal street pressures, probably in the 40-45 lb
range for most street tires (most race tires too). Tire
pressures are very important in autocross !
Most
clubs require the helmets to have a Snell rating so get one with
the current Snell M95 or SA95 rating. You can get an inexpensive
open-face G-Force or HJC helmet with a Snell 95 rating for under
$100 at many motorcycle shops or via mailorder from several
sources. If you can spend more money, you can get a Bell Mag 4
or Simpson LX series for under $200. I bought my Mag 4 directly
from Bell and they beat the price of their dealers. I prefer an
open-face helmet for autocross cause I can see and hear and
breathe better, although it's harder to hide your facial
expressions from the corner workers if they can see your whole
face :-) You're only wearing it for a minute or two at a time so
if you're not claustrophobic, a full-face helmet is an option.
Things to bring
- Valid
drivers license
- Money
or checkbook
- Snell
95 helmet (M95 or SA95 rating, I prefer open-face)
- Air
pressure gauge (get a good one)
- Portable
air compressor (cig lighter type capable of 45+ lbs psi)
- Layers
of warm clothing in case the weather turns cold
- Plenty
of drinking water, and food if none will be available
locally
- Tools
and floorjack just in case, maybe some hand cleaner
- Sunscreen,
and maybe a hat if need be
- And
anything else you think you'd need for a day outside
I keep a spare Bentley Manual in the
trunk at all times :-)
Tire Pressure Info
Tire
pressure ranges will vary, but on a 3 series BMW they're usually
in the 40-44 lb range on street tires. It will take several runs
or events to determine the best pressures front and rear, but as
a starting point I'd recommend setting them on the high side so
you can bleed them down a little before your next run if need
be. I check and/or reset my pressures before every run since the
pressures grow as the tires get hotter. They'll grow the most
during the first run (by 2-5 lbs in front), then will grow less
on subsequent runs. A quality cig-lighter plug-in air compressor
is good to have around. Also, if you plan on running again later
in the day you'll find your previously set pressures have
dropped while the car was sitting so you'll need to pump them
back up before going out again.
The
trick with tire pressures is to run them as low as you can get
away with without allowing the front tires to roll over onto
their sidewalls. Most BMWs seem to need about 40-44 lbs in
front, and a few pounds less in the rear. Once you find the
right settings up front, you then balance the handling by
adjusting the rear pressures depending on if the car is over or
understeering. It'll take time to find the right pressures for
you and your car. If the fronts start rolling over, pump them up
till they don't, and adjust the rears up or down a little to get
the car to turn the way you need it to. It all revolves around
the front settings though. You may find that pumping the rears a
little higher than the front makes the car turn better which
reduces the chance of the car pushing the front tires over onto
their sidewalls. An understeering car will roll the front tires
over so you have to get the car to handle neutral. Take notes of
your changes as you experiment, then when you finally find the
right pressures write them down and use them as your baseline
from then on. I use different settings depending on the course
design and pavement surface, so you really never stop fiddling
with pressures.
Any
decent air pressure gauge will work as long as you stick with
it. If you try 5 different quality gauges you'll get 5 slightly
different readings, so just get one that fits your needs. I'm
starting to like the digital types, but I use a nice little
compact VDO dial type gauge.
Basic things to do on course
- Drive
smoothly
- Look
way ahead
- Drive
smoothly
- Use
the whole width of the course
- Drive
smoothly
- Brake
in a straight line
- Drive
smoothly
- Turn-In
gently, slow hands
- Drive
smoothly
- Generally,
you'll late apex
- Concentrate
on driving smoothly
- Drive
smoothly
- Be
careful with your throttle foot
- Drive
smoothly
- Keep
wheelspin to an absolute minimum
- Drive
smoothly
- Drive
smoothly
- Drive
smoothly
Here's
a few websites with lots of newbie information:
>
http://www.grmotorsports.com/flysolo.html
> http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm
> http://www.sdbmwcca.com/Firstautox.html
And
above all, have FUN!
Randy
Walters
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