Track or Autocross as first step?

[LeatherWings]

I've never done a track day or an autocross event before, but recently two opportunities have come up, and I'm thinking of doing one or the other. For a novice, would you do a track day or an autocross day as your first experience?

Personally, I just don't find driving around cones in a parking lot to be as appealing. I love the flow, camber/off-camber turns, and elevation changes of a road course race track, and how you are running the course simultaneously with other drivers/cars with the opportunity to overtake or be overtaken.

Elevation changes!!!

 

[Evolution]

Personally, I just don't find driving around cones in a parking lot to be as appealing. I love the flow, camber/off-camber turns, and elevation changes of a road course race track, and how you are running the course simultaneously with other drivers/cars with the opportunity to overtake or be overtaken.

Elevation changes!!!

Love that track. I was just there.

 

[PDX_Racer]

If you can't handle coming into a corner at 60MPH, you certainly can't handle coming into a corner at 115MPH (or, like Portland raceway-150+).

 

[trackratZ]

If you can't handle coming into a corner at 60MPH, you certainly can't handle coming into a corner at 115MPH (or, like Portland raceway-150+).

Truth! At least with autocross if you screw up, will just spin and hit cones. On track OTOH, ugly things can happen. Progression is key, my friend, learn that Z at its limits under controlled speeds and environment first.

 

[Who.Am.Eye.2716]

I learned dodging cones before going on track. If I was to do it over again, I would do both. I prefer track because its the spirited driving experience in a controlled environment.

FYI, Setup for AutoX will be a different setup for Track. And vise versa. Suspension, tires, etc

Edit: The body roll on the Z is horrible. Keep your TC on at the track. Mine kept wanting to kick out when exiting the Apex. I was running Federal RT660s

 

[trackratZ]

Weekend action at Chuckwalla, great techy track! Still no new Z sighting yet

 

[MCN1SMO]

Weekend action at Chuckwalla, great techy track! Still no new Z sighting yet

Yeah I was up at VIR for charity laps Friday and there were the hundreds of cars there. Anything from mustangs C8s to brand new Maserati's and Astons I had never seen in person crazy variety of cars and I was the only new Z there

 

[Who.Am.Eye.2716]

Z spotting at Pacific Raceways in Seattle. Other than my car, this is the 1st one I seen at a HPDE event on track

Someone brought a Ford GT to the track