Most liked posts in thread: Just A Cooper

I have manual, and automatic MINIs. I spent last year autocrossing my manual. The dealer I got the automatic from sponsored a autocross school, so I have a little experiance autocrossing a automatic. Most autocrosses are run in second gear. I would suggest you use manual. Upshift to second and stay there. The transmision even in manual will not let you over speed the engine. It will shift. The engine has a rev limiter as well.

 

I would agree. I do not know the ratios in the auto tranny, but in my manual I shifted out of first and stayed in second 99% of the time. Some courses might have a tight section that would be a little faster in 1st, but that is rare and shifting back to first is hard on the tranny.

The other thing to do is try it both ways and see which one feels better and gives faster times. What I have learned from years of AutoXing is to have fun and use it as time to learn your car and what it does at its limits. Your first time out ask around to see if other people will let you ride with them, there is no better way to learn the course and how to drive fast than by riding with people who know what they are doing. My first year I rode with as many people as possible and had people ride with me. Both were a huge help.

My other advice would be not to modify your car very much. It is easy to drop your times with new tires, but you will be increasing your cars limits and making it harder to learn how to properly drive. I started with all sesasons then moved to a summer tire then switched to a better summer tire over 5 years. The tires made a huge difference, but I never would have learned to drive fast if I had started with the better tires.

 

Have fun and try different things out. As rigidjunkie said, have people ride with you, especially those with front wheel drive experience.

Another thing, take a note pad and write things down after each run..... tire pressure, track condition, things you nailed, things to work on.

Autocrossing is addicting!

 

I've been AutoX'ing for 4 years now. I've had many cars (2006 MkV GTI; 2006 350Z; 2005 Mustang GT; 2010 MCS). I can tell you two things that will help immensly regardless of how you drive: Look ahead (farther than might feel comfortable); and slow-in fast-out.

I ran a MINI sponsored AutoX event with auto MCS. Best bet in those was to put it in sport mode, traction control off, and let it shift. In a Justacooper you won't have to worry about bogging as much as there is no turbine to keep spooled.

When you start you should be focusing on controled imputs such as: Progressive gas and brake pedal use. They aren't on/off switches. As well as smooth & small steering inputs. You usually don't need to move the wheel that much and when transitioning directions make your steering changes smooth. Smooth is fast.

Now, given all the advice you've read and the other online articles you have or will read before your first event remember this above all else: HAVE FUN.

If you are like 99% of us you won't be the fastest guy/gal out there and the first couple of runs you have all that advice you read up on will go right out the window with your excitement taking over. Thats okay! It means you're having fun. After a couple runs you will start remembering the advice and you can start applying it to get faster.

Good luck and enjoy.

 

Your first event or 2 just remembering the course can be a task in itself..(depending on course layout )
Walk it as many times as you can to help. After a few events it gets much easier...
Like was mentioned have someone ride with you and or you them.
Helps learn the course and if you miss a gate they can tell you which one..

 

When walking the course try to walk where you will be, not the perfect line. On a right turn you will be on the outside of the turn in your car so it is better to walk from that perspective to see what it will look like as you go around the course. If you walk the inside of the corner you will have a different view than you will when you are driving. I know this sounds silly, but it helped me when I started doing it, especially in a solomon.

 

That's some very "wise" advice!

 

Also, when you walk the course try to do it by yourself, not in a group. You see groups walking the course and talking to each other and not really concentrating on the course.

 

With 30 years of autocross experience I agree with most everything posted. Don't forget, while walking the course, make sure you can see it! I'm always amazed when I see a group of people talking about various topics while walking the course all the while following another group of entrants. Make sure you can see at least 3 to 4 gates ahead. Try to get the most unobstructed view of the course while walking. Never look back either. Your mind will semi remember the course automatically. If you look backwards, you get a different (wrong) view of the course. If you're not sure of a segment, get off the course go back a few gates and walk it again. But don't look back.

Also take as many walk thrus as you can. Run later in the day possibly to get more course walks.

You'll have much more fun and get more competitive if you can actually find your way around.

 

In the Las Vegas Region we actually have a first time driver's course walk put on by one of our experienced members. They walk the course with new folk and go over basics. We've had good feed back from the firstimers and some newer drivers.