NSRA Autocross 2025 Going Faster Isn’t All About the Vehicle
By Kevin Webb NSRA Autocross Director autocross@nsra-usa.com
A s the outdoor car show season gets closer, I’m hoping more NSRA members will give NSRA Autocross a try in 2026. Maybe you’ve heard my comment, “NSRA Autocross gives you the opportunity to safely learn your vehicle and trust it on the street.” This month lets go over what it takes to go fast on the track. Next month we will discuss track prep more in-depth. Every racing experience will be differ- ent, just like every track poses its peculiarities and challenges for professional racers. Unlike what you would think, getting around an autocross course isn’t a matter of raw power. You can ask any Miata owner and they will tell you, “It’s more fun to drive a slow car fast, than a fast car slow.” The science of racing has always been the same, learning “the line,” a term you may have heard before that means ana- lyzing the course layout and mentally making it shorter. This driving technique can make the differ- ence between a great day or a frustrating one. Learning the course and knowing which twists and turns are coming up will be one of your best tools followed by testing your fastest way around each of those corners without excessive power where you’ll be correcting your position on the track at every cor- ner and wasting precious time. A few tips were shared by our autocross track coordinator, Ron Schoch of AutoXperts, and his first tip was to always walk the course for a few minutes. First thing in the morning is the perfect time to study the major corners and learn how many higher-speed sweeping curves you’ll encounter, in other words, how the track is laid out. This lets you figure out braking, turning and acceleration areas. He also reminded us that the tire can only do 100-percent of what it’s designed to do and, if you are turning and braking at the same time your tire can’t do both at 100-percent efficiency. It helps to watch more experienced drivers and take notice of when their brake lights come on and off. You can
also practice braking in a straight line at the same time you are going into a turn. Out on the course everything happens so fast it takes 100-percent con- centration so learn to look ahead, not where you are but where you are going. As you are exiting the turn your setup for the next one should be thought out. By trying different apexes, you might find going into a corner differently might give you a better exit, and an easier entry to the next corner. Ron says one thing most first-timers don’t realize is how important your seating position becomes. Your arms should be slightly bent, and the belts tightened enough to hold you solidly in the seat so your body can’t move around. In this solid, but comfortable position both feet should have solid contact with the pedals throughout their full travel. Smooth is fast (I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been told this). The smoother your acceleration and braking are, the better the car’s suspension can work for you. Actions that are abrupt quickly shift weight and upset the vehicle causing traction issues and it looks like you’re manhandling your way around the course. Minimize coasting, you should either be accelerating, braking, or steering with the throttle around a longer turn. Coasting wastes time. Ron’s final tip is that it’s not if, but when you will hit a cone, even the pros do it. The only thing hurt might be your ego but remember, you are trying to improve your time, not beat the other person’s time. Take a break if you find your time getting worse at each run to let yourself and vehicle cool down. It’s surprising how much better your runs will be after a short break watching other drivers and their “line” through the course can help you plan your attack. Lastly, ask for instruction. This can be done sever- al ways, by either riding along with someone that has more experience or have them ride with you. First-time drivers really benefit from this. Questions, comments or suggestions for an arti- cle, e-mail autocross/nsra-usa.com.
18 FEBRUARY 2026
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker