RallyCross

[Aikouka]

So I went to my first RallyCross event this past weekend. I was thinking about participating, but I've only got my daily driver. So, I just watched the races, and went on a ride-a-long afterward. The guy had a modified Toyota truck, and I think he pulled out all the stops for me, because it felt like we were a few MPH from spinning out while going through the corners.

I think I could probably do it next time given one of the participants had a Toyota Corolla. It's been part of my "plan" to buy a second car for these sorts of events (autocross and rallycross), but I wasn't going to do it for about a year; however, this makes me want to accelerate said plan. Tempted to pick up an older (~2003) Subaru Impreza WRX or 2.5RS.

I took some video (unfortunately not while on the ride-a-long), but I haven't posted it anywhere yet. I'd like to get some from a better location next time or more points (if I had more cameras).

But anyway... has anyone done this before? Any possible tips would be appreciated or just sharing some fun stories/pictures/videos.

 

[punjabiplaya]

Raptor

 

[punjabiplaya]

but seriously, the guy with the corolla has the right idea. You could put anything up there, just do some proper suspension/undertray and tire mods, and you can have some great fun

 

[Arkaign]

^^ Definitely. A spare beater with some light mods and some pre-existing dents would be ideal.

 

[Arkaign]

Far more fun than AutoX lol

 

[Aikouka]

^^ Definitely. A spare beater with some light mods and some pre-existing dents would be ideal.

I was considering being able to use the same car for both rallycross and autocross.

Also, the Corolla wasn't a beater.

 

[overst33r]

I took my first Miata with my friend and his E36 BMW. It was a blast.

 

[C101]

I have a 1999 ford escort that I recently took to an autocross, and then a week later, a rally-cross. I was not competitive in the rally-cross to say the least, but decently so in the autocross. On the autocross side, my car had significantly less power than the next car up from me, but I still managed to do decently well. Several people rode along with me on a few of my laps, and they all said good things about my driving, so I'll try and keep at it. After wearing what little tread was left from my all-seasons (past the wear bars by the time the autocross was done), I went off to try my hand in the dirt.

I did laughably badly in the rally-cross, to say the least. My total time was twenty seconds behind the next closest competition, but I still had fun. Driving in dirt is such a different experience than on pavement, I didn't start getting used to it until near the end of the session. Plenty of sliding around, including crossing the finish line sideways on one of my laps.

 

[JCH13]

/car search :awe:

A set of off-road wheels/tires and a set of autox wheels/tires and you'll have a competitive car in both areas I'd bet.

 

[Aikouka]

A set of off-road wheels/tires and a set of autox wheels/tires and you'll have a competitive car in both areas I'd bet.

I was actually wondering how well studded snow tires would work for RallyCross. They tear the hell out of the snow (and the road! :biggrin, which would make me think that they'd work well.

EDIT:

As a somewhat aside, would you specifically avoid a high-mileage ~2002-2004 WRX? I've seen a few that are around 100k miles and some that go up to 190k!

 

[JCH13]

I was actually wondering how well studded snow tires would work for RallyCross. They tear the hell out of the snow (and the road! :biggrin, which would make me think that they'd work well.

EDIT:

As a somewhat aside, would you specifically avoid a high-mileage ~2002-2004 WRX? I've seen a few that are around 100k miles and some that go up to 190k!

I would not avoid them. They're reasonably solid cars to the best of my limited knowledge, and they do well at auto-x events with a good driver. Lighter 2wd cars generally win their autox class in my experience, and I like having a convertible as a Sunday driver.

 

[Aikouka]

I would not avoid them. They're reasonably solid cars to the best of my limited knowledge, and they do well at auto-x events with a good driver. Lighter 2wd cars generally win their autox class in my experience, and I like having a convertible as a Sunday driver.

I'd consider something like your Miata, but I doubt it'd be a good fit... literally. :biggrin:

One of the comments from some of the RallyCross drivers is that FWD and AWD are much easier to drive (in RallyCross) and probably faster than RWD, but RWD is more fun. Out of all of the cars there, I think four of them were Subarus. A WRX, WRX STi (looked new... quite ballsy!), 2.5RS and some older wagon (which won in the AWD non-modified category).

 

[C101]

I'd consider something like your Miata, but I doubt it'd be a good fit... literally. :biggrin:

One of the comments from some of the RallyCross drivers is that FWD and AWD are much easier to drive (in RallyCross) and probably faster than RWD, but RWD is more fun. Out of all of the cars there, I think four of them were Subarus. A WRX, WRX STi (looked new... quite ballsy!), 2.5RS and some older wagon (which won in the AWD non-modified category).

There was a miata at the rallycross I went to. The owner picked it up for $300 with an engine that was shot, spent $300 on a working engine, and spent more than the two combined on tires. He had the fastest times of the day by a non-insignificant amount.

 

[JCH13]

I'd consider something like your Miata, but I doubt it'd be a good fit... literally. :biggrin:

One of the comments from some of the RallyCross drivers is that FWD and AWD are much easier to drive (in RallyCross) and probably faster than RWD, but RWD is more fun. Out of all of the cars there, I think four of them were Subarus. A WRX, WRX STi (looked new... quite ballsy!), 2.5RS and some older wagon (which won in the AWD non-modified category).

That's all you need to make your decision, especially if you want to balance auto-x performance as well.

As for the size... seats move and can be replaced. Go try one out, smaller is better in this situation. The PO of my Miata raced it and he was 6'2"

 

[JCH13]

There was a miata at the rallycross I went to. The owner picked it up for $300 with an engine that was shot, spent $300 on a working engine, and spent more than the two combined on tires. He had the fastest times of the day by a non-insignificant amount.

Haha, that's how autox seems to work too. He who gets the best tires and knows how to drive, wins.

 

[C101]

Haha, that's how autox seems to work too. He who gets the best tires and knows how to drive, wins.

Indeed. Unfortunately, there's not much choice for decent tires that fit my stock wheels.

 

[JCH13]

Indeed. Unfortunately, there's not much choice for decent tires that fit my stock wheels.

Then why are you still using them? :biggrin:

What are you driving?

 

[C101]

Then why are you still using them? :biggrin:

What are you driving?

I don't care to invest much into the vehicle, as I'm currently still in college, and hopefully will upgrade to something better once I graduate in a year or two and find a decent job.

Current vehicle is a 1999 ford escort, 14" wheels.

It's a good car, relatively lightweight, and everyone who has rode along with me tells me I'm a very smooth driver, so with a bit more practice I hope I can do well.

 

[Aikouka]

The thread on car preferences got me thinking... given rallycross and autocross are typically performed at fairly low speeds, is there going to be much of an advantage to a manual car? I'd imagine that you spend the most of your time in 2nd or 3rd gear.

 

[JCH13]

The thread on car preferences got me thinking... given rallycross and autocross are typically performed at fairly low speeds, is there going to be much of an advantage to a manual car? I'd imagine that you spend the most of your time in 2nd or 3rd gear.

Almost alwaysin 2nd, FWIW. Engine braking is generally your friend, so a manual would be good there. I bet that a torque converter in an AT will completely mess up throttle response, which is critical in these sorts of events. I'd only go stick shift.

 

[Aikouka]

Almost alwaysin 2nd, FWIW. Engine braking is generally your friend, so a manual would be good there. I bet that a torque converter in an AT will completely mess up throttle response, which is critical in these sorts of events. I'd only go stick shift.

Ah, okay. That makes sense given automatic transmissions tend to be a bit "mushier." But that makes me wonder how well my CVT would work for it. The one thing I noticed when I first drove my car is that it engine brakes almost as much as a manual car does!

I saw a Pontiac Solstice the other day and it made me wonder... are those cars any good at autocross/rallycross? They're the same sort of roadster design as a Miata, but it seems that they're a little bit fatter (~2.9k pounds) than a Miata.

Hmm, looking at the Wikipedia article for that car leads to the Vauxhall VX220. Mmm MR goodness! Makes me wish we would have gotten a car like that instead!

 

[JCH13]

I'm a weight whore, lighter is better! But a local kicks serious ass with his Solstice GXP (supercharged version).

 

[coxmaster]

I'm a weight whore, lighter is better! But a local kicks serious ass with his Solstice GXP (supercharged version).

Yep, there is a turbo charged Sky Redline that runs at home that is amazingly fast. With a proper suspension setup and some Hoosier A6's they are amazing

 

[JCH13]

Yep, there is a turbo charged Sky Redline that runs at home that is amazingly fast. With a proper suspension setup and some Hoosier A6's they are amazing

Haha, anything would be amazing with A6s :awe:

 

[exdeath]

Celica GT-Four!