How to SoloII - 101

Anyone who wants to get started in Solo or AutoX (by other names), is just a click away!

SCCA.org

Go to SCCA.org website and click on Region Locator. Click your way through until you reach the SCCA of your town. Visit their website and check for the Solo schedule. Now you know where the race is.

Things to bring - a must...
AirTank $7 to $12 bucks @ WalMart (filled w/ 100+lbs of air)
Tire Guage $10 bucks @ WalMart
Fluids - For you and the car (oil).
Rain Gear
Sun Lotion
Shoe Polish

Bring your Driver's Liscence, entry fee, what class you will be running in, and the number you want to run. They have shoe-polish to mark your numbers and class on the side-windows of your car.

Locate the Register, pay and sign the waiver. Entry fees range from $15 to $30. You will get that information from the schedule. If you are under 18 years of age, you need a guardian to sign a realease for you. After your 1st race you can bring a signed form with you from your gaurdian. Now you are registered to race.

Find a place to park your car and remove all loose items, floor mats, spare tire, jack, and anything else that is not bolted down. Also the lug nuts must be able to be seen. If your wheel covers the lugs, you must remove the center-caps. Get your car completly ready to race.

Now take your car and helmet (if you have one) to Tech. Your vehicle will not be tech'd if it is not ready to race. I have turned many cars away for not being registered, no numbers, loose items, centercaps, etc. Have your car ready. The Tech Stewards will do a safety inspection of your vehicle. MAKE SURE YOUR BATTERY IS SECURE. You can not race if the battery is not attacthed. There are a lot of people driving around with batteries just flopping around under the hood. A loose battery could short, and cause a fire.

If you bring your own helmet it must be a Snell or M rating. No DOT helmets. They will inspect your helmet. If you do not have a helmet, loaners are available or you can pick one up for $99 at Racers Wholesale. Now you are tech'd.

Now walk the course. You will need to walk the course a few times to memorize the turns. Most Regions have a Rookie Walk also. Make sure you do the Rookie Walk. They have a vetran walk you around the course and give tips of where and how you should be.

Goto the Driver's meeting. They will explain how the rules run and what the cones mean when you hit them. They break every class up into HEATS, just like the big races. You work then race, or race then work. You must always work if you race. It is a rule. If do not work, you are disqualified! The safety steward will assign your work assignment for you and explain it.

NOW IT IS TIME TO RACE!

What is the most important thing in Solo, car-wise? TIRE PRESSURE
(tire pressure is important for cornering, not launching. You will just have to play with it. Every race and every surface is different)

Yes, that is correct, tire pressure. What you want to do is mark the side tread up and onto the tread itself with shoe-polish or chalk. See Image:

I use yellow glass markers on my tires. Beware they stain the tire. The image above is where you want to shoot for after the run. About a 1/4 inch over on the side-tread.

A good starting point:
38-40lbs on Asphalt
40-42lbs on Concrete
(different tires will vary from the above numbers)

After Run:

Chalk is gone - Not enough tire pressure. The tire is rolling on you. Add more tire pressure and/or try not to turn the wheel so hard in the corners. You may be turning but the car is going staright. That is called PUSHING

Chalk is all there - To much Air pressure let a little out or you just aint running hard enough buddy!

That is basically it! Solo and Autocross is 98% Driver skill. My first Solo, I thought my sh!t didnt stink and I got beat by a Station Wagon. Shhh, dont tell anybody! Once you get those skills polished and get those tire pressures dialed in...

YOU WILL BE A WINNER!

Randy's Tip -
If you buy anything, I mean anything to mod your car, buy a race-harness first. You would not believe how much more control you will have once strapped into that seat!)

Just remember to race yourself! - Randy