Further information about any of these events can be found at www.mnautox.com in the forum. Event registration is typically opened 30 days before the event on www.myautoevents.com and fills up extremely fast so plan ahead. A full calendar of regional events can be found HERE. This includes events in Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, Wisconsin and Illinois. Apr 26 Novice School – Classroom Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis - FULL Apr 27 Novice School - Driving Midway Stadium, St. Paul - FULL May 3 MOWOG 1 Autocross, Valleyfair, Shakopee - Online Registration: FULL May 4 MOWOG 2 Autocross, Valleyfair, Shakopee - Online Registration: FULL May 18 PCA/COM Autocross, DCTC, Rosemount - Online Registration: FULL Jun 1 MOWOG 3 Autocross, DCTC, Rosemount - Online Registration: FULL Jun 8 CVSCC 1 Autocross, Chippewa Valley Tech College, Eau Claire (MAC providing support) Jun 14 Novice School - Classroom, Dunwoody Institute, Minneapolis - Online Registration: FULL Jun 15 Novice School - Driving, Midway Stadium, St. Paul - Online Registration: FULL Jun 20 CVSCC Members-Only Novice School, Chippewa Valley Tech College, Eau Claire (Tentative) Jun 29 MOWOG 4 Autocross, Dakota County Tech College, Rosemount - Online Registration: FULL Jul 13 Members-Only Test & Tune, Dakota County Tech College, Rosemount - Online Registration: FULL Aug 3 MOWOG 5 Autocross, Dakota County Tech College, Rosemount - Event Details Aug 23 MOWOG 6 Autocross, Midway Stadium, St. Paul - Event Details Aug 24 Autocross-COM/NCCC Super Sunday, DCTC, Rosemount Sep 7 Members-Only Test & Tune, Dakota County Tech College, Rosemount - Event Details Sep 28 CVSCC 2 Autocross, Chippewa Valley Tech College, Eau Claire (MAC providing support) Oct 4 MOWOG 7 Autocross, Canterbury Park, Shakopee - Event Details Oct 5 MOWOG 8 Autocross, Canterbury Park, Shakopee - Event Details Oct 19 MOWOG 9 Autocross, Midway Stadium, St. Paul - Event Details
Matt is somewhat underplaying the speed at which these events fill up. Recently, they've been filling up within a day, so you need to be on the ball if you want to get in. However, there is a fairly healthy black market for spots closer to the events as people realise they can't make it after all. Stuart.
I really hope this m-f job I am trying to get works out. Which of these events might be best for a noob auto-xer?
I have only attended MAC events, so I can only really speak for those. Just get yourself out to a MOWOG event, and look up any of the regulars. We'll point you in the right direction about what to do. We also have instructors at every event, and their services are provided free of charge. There are also loaner helmets available. If you want to come out and get a few pointers before you enter an event, get yourself out to the Test 'n' Tune in July. The TnT events are much more relaxed than the competitive events, and we can even take passengers out on runs. Lastly, keep your eyes peeled for announcements for next April's Novice School. I think it runs about $50 for the 1.5 days, but it's worth every cent. Just make sure your tyres are up for it beforehand... http://forum.mnautox.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9371 (scroll down to post #40 and beyond for the wrecked tyres pics). Stuart.
The novice school is amazing. I've been doing this for almost a year and got into the school a couple weeks ago and learned more in that day of driving with instructors than I had at all of the previous events combined. When you start autocrossing, get instructors to ride with you! I can't emphasize that enough. Beyond that, have fun! Fun first, competition second. Never forget that.
What do you mean "full course" ? We use different elements each time we run there, making a course of our own. Some elements tend to be used every time, others less frequently. Length of course is normally 60-70secs for our faster drivers. Slower drivers can take significantly longer to get around.
That makes more sense. We actually set up the course on the track. The big car park is the paddock, the smaller one is the grid. Some of the die hards would prefer it if we did use the big car park, but running on the actual track is loads of fun, since it has lots of interesting terrain, and a couple of evil wicked surface changes that dramatically change the grip levels. Speeds are still kept in check, although I have hit redline in 2nd a number of times at this site.
MAC has exploded since my days of Autocrossing with them. I recall the days at DCTC back when the senior members would take turns designing the courses. You just never know who's turn it was as they often based their designs on the type of vechicle they drove, so sometimes we end up with really tight course that MiniCooper's would do well in and others times fast sweepers wide tight section for corvettes. I have stayed away for the last couple of years because they're just too many drivers and not enough seats, not that its a bad thing and not enough seat time for me. But its always fun to go back and see old faces and just hang out. I would encourage enthusiast to do at least a season of Autocrossing to benefit from their investments. Breaking traction at low speeds is not as damaging as it is at high speeds. Thanks for posting this info, we should have the Mod's make this a sticky every year.
Always got the Test & Tunes to get all the seat time you ever wanted. I kind of wanted to get into the whole schedule this year, but procrastination and lack of funds tends to bog that down some. I still try and hit the test & tunes since you get so much for your dollar and hopefull 2 or 3 events. It's nice to hit up at least a couple auto-x, rally-x, and the always fun ice racing events each year. I don't know how much my car likes all the abuse, but I'm having fun. :laugh: I'd consider heading up Sunday and see if I can squeeze myself in if there are no-shows, but I'm helping a friend move furniture Sunday. I want to do the test & tune, but I see that's full already too and still half a month away. I've got my brother and a friend that wants to go to it too. I thought those were more like 100 entrants than just 60, guess not. We might just head up to that and see of the organizers are feeling generous that morning. :biggrin: I know you guys always seem to end up a tad short on workers later in the day. Even if you can't participate, it's always a good opportunity to bum rides and drivers with folks.
No problem. I've done it for nearly every local car forum and this unfortunately was the last one for me to get an account on.
So at these T&T sessions what kinds of things do you guys work on? The ultimate goal is go be faster, so can you give some examples and details on how you go about it.
Test & Tune = Happy fun play time :biggrin: 2 hours of work for each participant and do whatever the heck you want in between. It's a truck driving school course. They set up two seperate tracks on this course, one a shorter, slower speed course, one a longer faster speed course. They've been meaning to have a skid pad up but never managed to do so in the previous year. You just line up and run all day long if you want. There have been folks with 40-50 laps accumulated during the day. If you want seat time, this is it. It's very open-ended and very lax. You can basically do whatever you want any time you want. You can ride along with anybody or drive other people's cars if they'll let you, just need a helmet. Other than the 2 hours of scheduled work for each registered person, it's a play land. It's a whole lot of fun. It puts LOL's Test & Tune days to shame which are structured just like a normal auto-x event. You can also bring friends along for free. They can ride along with anybody as long as they have a helmet. If you're driving, you have to register and pay and work. MAC is an awesome organization. Missing this makes me a sad panda http://video.google.com/videoplay?d...utocross+club&ei=-uZlSLXVGqaO4wLO4snJAg&hl=en
The TnT breaks down like this: 1. Any registered driver can drive any teched car (with the owner's permission of course) 2. These are not competitive runs, so passengers are allowed on runs (I believe passengers have to be at least 16, have signed the waiver, and must wear an approved helmet) 3. Drivers must perform their work assignments. When not working, you can be driving, eating lunch, dropping the kids off at the pool, hanging out and chatting etc etc etc. 4. Spectators are welcome, but please don't go distracting the workers from their duties; the event does still need them in order for it to run smoothly. The hot rumour is that we *will* have the skidpad in July. And by that I mean the big circle, not the actual blacktop that the police use to practice on. Oh, and this event sold out in 10hrs. If you want in, you really do need to be on your toes. And the 60 limit is to allow for more runs. If it were 100, we'd get much less seat time.
When every single person at the event can get in 40 to 50 runs, it tends to be "enough." :laugh: I'll probably still head up and try and squeeze in if there's no-shows.
There were a LOT of Subarus at the event today, unsure who is and isn't on here but I hope everyone had as much fun as I did.
That course was awesome. 5 runs made me sad, esp when i figured out the course and shaved 1 second off on my 5th run, but tagged a cone with my rear tire in the slalom.
first time out. and definitely not my last. hit a few cones but i improved as the day went on ill be back aug 3rd. nice to meet some of you out there
Yes, the course was fun yet technical. Sometimes they can be a borefest and not very fun and extremely frustrating to drive. I was within .25 seconds of the class lead in BSP, made up .8 in my last two runs so I have no doubt that I could have got there with that 6th run. Help spread the word! I wouldn't do this as much as I do if it wasn't fun. I am #26 BSP, I was in a silver Evo yesterday. I talked to a couple Subaru people, unsure who else I ran into.
I was there in the silver Boxster. I got better with every run. Not quite competitive in my class though. Ok not at all... Was a blast even with all the technical problems and "auditing" timeouts
matt i was richards buddy with the limited. i may not have posted the best times, but not the worst. i still want to just drive back down there and keep on going around. next year im signing up for the novice school for sure
Do it. I don't think we've ever had anybody come out of the Novice School and ask for their money back. It's that good. I saw a whole slew of fresh Subarus out there yesterday, but was too busy saying goodbye to old friends to run round the grid making new ones. Oh, well, such is life. Stuart.
yeah that was pretty bad ass to see, im assuming it had some suspension mods or the stig at the wheel, i never got the check that beast out. i had an... ok day best at 65.3 on 3 hours of sleep. nice to see everyone out there
Not my best day...I think the tires are about heat cycled out, as well. Great course, though. #202 DSP
yeah, I had one good run and went down hill from there. Every second I made up on the early parts of the course i lost 2 on the slalom....
In my first 5 runs I hit 9 cones... I wanted at least one clean run so I slowed down .7 seconds on my final run to wind up with a 60.3. Hope to see some of you at Midway Stadium and at the Corvettes of Minnesota autocross at DCTC on August 23rd and 24th.
Good seeing some more people out this weekend, Saturday at Midway Stadium and Sunday at DCTC. Does anyone know who drives the blue WRX sedan that was running in SM at DCTC? Please PM me.
If you are really interested in getting better- have Neal Tovsen, Pat Washburn, Lee Frisvold, or Shane Donahue ride with you as an instructor. Those guys are all great instructors and will be able to offer advice on the line to follow and timing of turn-in, throttle application, and braking that will help you get faster quickly. Good to see everyone out there. I had a great time both days this weekend.
