Want to get into SOLO II for next year. Questions.

[Stock R]

Hey,

I've always heard of autox on car forums but never knew of such events in Toronto.

I'm curious just how to get into it all. How do I sign up? Do I have to buy a helmet? How much does it cost? What happens if I crash? etc. etc.

Any info would be great. I don't really want to compete for points or anything, just to learn how to drive my car better really.

Thanks.

[AcidGord]

I'm not a local competitor so I can't give you specifics about the particular events you'd be participating in but there's a few generals that are common to all events.

Typically you can sign up for the first time right at an event. Generally you'll need to join a club of some kind to participate for insurance reasons, but its usually not more than a few bucks. Here in Atlantic Canada your first Solo 2 (Autocross) event is $30 which includes 1 year club membership and your first event. Prices in Ontario are somewhat higher but not but a whole lot I don't believe. Event information wil usually include the times you need to show up for registration and car inspection. Plan to get there early your first time out to learn the process and get everything done.

Having your own helmet is nice, but there should always be some loaners available via the event organizers.

'Crashing' is extremely unlikely. Although it may feel like you're going warp 10 when you're out there you're typically not going that fast. Courses are laid out in such a way where the problem points give you lots of room for error. The worst you're likely to do is maybe spin out and take a whole lot of cones. Don't worry, they don't feel pain like you or I do. :)

Its not very hard on your car at all. Most of the wear and tear is going to be on your brakes and tires but even those you're not going to cook in a single event. I know lots of people who have done two full years of autocrossing on the same set of street tires and brakes.

The one thing you do want to do before going out to the event is to boost the air pressure in your tires if you're running streets. Most street tires will actually roll onto their sides during the hard cornering involved in autocrossing and besides not being great for handling it can cause safety problems as well. The pressure you'll want to run depends on your tires but my first few events on 14" all seasons I was running 40psi in all four tires. There's tricks you'll pick up to figure out what the right pressure is for your tires as you get into it all.

As for the competitive aspects, the fact is you're probably not going to be competitive your first bunch of events even if you want to be. Its not as easy as it might look and no matter how good a driver you might feel you are you'll have a good idea after your first event just how much room you have for improvement. :)

Its all in fun though, even the people trading points for first place are in it for the kicks, not the prizes. You'll be hard pressed to find a more friendly group of people than the organizers/drivers at an autocross event. Good luck!

Some useful links:

Solo 2 event checklist: http://www.autocrossing.com/civic/racing/solo2/checklist.html

The Tire Rack (Big US Solo2 promoter) Solo 2 Novice Handbook:
http://www.tirerack.com/features/solo2/handbook.htm

www.solo2.org in general.

[Dave]

Stock R, here in the Toronto area you've got TONS of choices for Solo 2 events. Check out HADA's event calendar at www.hadamotorsport.com/events/ and you'll see what I mean.

There are basically two kinds of Solo 2 events in Ontario. There are club level events hosted by specific clubs that may or may not be part of a club-level championship series. The Corvette club (C4) and the Mazda club (PITL) series would fall under this category. Both clubs put on excellent events.

The other level is the CASC Provincial Solo 2 series, which you can find more info about at www.soloontario.com This is the official Solo 2 series for the province and has a championship point system. Each event is hosted by a different CASC club, so the events are all over southern and eastern Ontario. If you want to attend all these, you have to be prepared to travel a bit, but you can participate in plenty of them just in the GTA area. This is an excellent series, and they also organize at least one Solo 2 school each year, where you can learn the basics of the sport. Attending one of these shcools would be a really good, safe starting point for you.

And like Gord said, there's VERY little chance of you crashing at a Solo 2 event. The speeds are low enough that you're not likely to lose control to such an extent that you hit something immovable. You will hit a few pylons though! :)

Shameless plug time. Since you've got a Type R, you may want to consider joining a CASC club like HADA, which is a club specifically for Honda/Acura enthusiasts. We've got tons of Type R's in the club and a very knowledgeable group of drivers who can help you learn Solo 2 and eventually Solo 1 (time trials on race tracks) if that's something you want to get involved in. Have a look at our website at www.hadamotorsport.com and if you like what you see by all means drop us an e-mail and we'll sign you up!

And of course DEFINITELY visit www.soloontario.com. There's tons of info there explaining what Solo 1 and Solo 2 is, how to get involved, etc.

Cheers,
Dave

[NOSfly]

This past summer I went as a spectator with some friends to a Covette club meet in Oakville.I had never seen an autox before,but thought it looked like alot of fun so I sgned up.I learned alot that day,got lost and went off course a few times(common for rookies I'm told),made some friends,saw some of the coolest cars I've ever seen in one place,and eventually finished third in my division.I returned for 2 more events and now I'm hooked.I can't believe how friendly everybody is and how much fun this can be.These events were $35 and helmets were available.My advice,try to go slow on your first couple of runs to learn the course.It's real hard to go slow but it should make you faster in the end.I know it worked for the guys that beat me.

[AndyC]

I highly recommend HADA as the club to join. I drive a Type R and the club members have helped me a lot in my first year in Solo1 and 2---We also have a Go Kart series during the long winter months---Keeps the driving skills up and feeds the speed cravings we all seem to have.

[eddie 82]

I was in your position just a few months ago, Stock R. Once I purchased my "fun car" and got to know some members of a local club, I was out an autocrossing within days. Let me tell you that the experiences are worth more than you can ever imagine. I've spun, drifted, locked up all 4 wheels, but at the end of each event I've been getting faster, and learning a heck of a lot about my car.

Safety is always a high priority at the events, and newbies are encouraged to go out with an experienced driver in the passenger seat (as well as being a passanger with other drivers) to learn some of the do's and don'ts. There's always plenty of support, and advice is generally free.

One thing I plan on doing next season is participating in a Solo2 school, so I can really find out where I can improve.

Just go out and have fun!