Advice from Camry AutoXers

[brink]

Hey, I'm going to an autocross novice school on the 5th and an actual autocross on the 6th (http://www.sbrscca.org/solo/2003_points/index.html)
and I was looking for some driving advice from drivers who've run their Camrys in such races. I've found lots of great info already posted, but I was wondering if anyone would be able to give me driving pointers based on their experiences running a car like mine through auto-x. I drive a Gen 4 4cyl manual Camry.

And if anyone's in the South Bend, Indiana area on the 6th, the event is $25, I believe. I'll be driving the grey 2000 Camry with the Millennium Falcon hanging from the windshield (though i should probably take that off so it doesn't fly off and smack me in the eye )

Anyway, any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

[EKam]

Post (if any) mods...?

Know your tires, know your brakes, and know your car.

And flush your brake fluids, etc...

[Ratko]

invest in some speed bleeders and properly tune your tire pressure.

having a 5-spd helps... good tires decent suspension are the most important.. and for the camry, a nice thick swaybar is always a good thing.

[brink]

Cool, thanks for the replies. I'm going to inflate my tires to race spec and give it a whirl this weekend, so I don't have any suprises like super bouncy car or anything

Elegant: no mods at this point. I want to take it to the track before I do anything so I can get a feeling of before and after when I DO eventually mod it. Additionally, I'm doing the autocross primarily so I can learn how to drive my car better, not out of any competetive spirit. So, I'll race it unmodified and learn how to drive well, then when I actually do upgrade suspension etc. I'll be that much better. Know what I'm saying?

[EKam]

Originally posted by brink
Elegant: no mods at this point. I want to take it to the track before I do anything so I can get a feeling of before and after when I DO eventually mod it. Additionally, I'm doing the autocross primarily so I can learn how to drive my car better, not out of any competetive spirit. So, I'll race it unmodified and learn how to drive well, then when I actually do upgrade suspension etc. I'll be that much better. Know what I'm saying?

Yea that's exactly my point of view.

I could still recall how shitty it was when I went on auto-x with subaru and miatas. Yea I had the gut to went on with 15" all season tires. It wasn't a good sight.

My quote of the day: It's better for you to get ahead of the car, than let the car get ahead of you.

[brink]

Originally posted by ElegantKamuri

Yea I had the gut to went on with 15" all season tires. It wasn't a good sight.

Oh yeah? Well I'm going to run with all season 14s! This is truly going to be an adventure. Already my car is crying.

[Eye8Pussies]

yur gonna die...but it'll be fun tho, I bet!