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I was just wondering how many others drive their autocross car on a daily basis. Although you may be on different tires, does anyone else think that driving your race car day after day benefit you at the events?

-Matt

We daily drive the Celica. FOr a totally new car I think it would help getting comfortable with it, but after the first few events, I think that it would make less difference.

Scott

The STi is, of course, daily driven. In fact, all of the STU cars in the club are... and one of us doesnt EVER change tires.

- brian

I drive my car daily but use Azenis for the daily tire as they offer a more comfortable ride than the stockers. I switch back to my oem rubber for events.

I definately think there is a benefit due to feel and familiarity from every day driving.

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I daily drive a stock version of my autocross car. Does that count?

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In need of car.

The S2000 is a daily driver. I agree with Scott's comment that for a new car it would make a pretty big difference, but once you get used to the car, the advantage of using it daily diminishes.

I daily drive the prelude. I don't think it makes much difference though, as Steve and I can hop in each others cars and the co-driver would still have a 50% chance of beating the owner.

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2012 Boss 302
2003 BMW 330i

Wow... you are one of the few people I know that think Azenis ST-215s ride more comfortably than the Potenza RE-070s. I will take the RE-070s any day over the ST-215s

- brian

I do not daily drive the car, but it does get driven regularly on the street. And driven to work a couple days a week when the weather is nice. I've put 9000 miles on the car in the year I've owned it, so I guess that represents how much street driving it sees. As to the advantage, I concur that maybe when first getting used to the car only. Since I change tires to R comps at the event, the car drives significantly differently. Besides, I think it would be downright irresponsible to drive the car like I do at an autocross on the street.

LOL... I'm surprised it took this long for someone to point this out.

My Civic is daily driven in exactly the same condition I autocross it with. Same tires, same tire pressures, same shock settings, same alignment, same everything. Only difference is that when I autocross, I take the child seats, spare tire and trash out of the car.

I drove the Falken Azenis RT-215 daily for two years and am now driving the Falken FK-451. I would be currently driving the new Azenis daily, but they didn't come in a size I wanted (that is why I am doing the FKs)

The only time I switch tires is when they get worn or we are expecting winter weather and I then switch over to some type of cheap all weather (has tread) that came with the car.

I think it does help to drive the car daily, but I can see that once you are familiar with the car (and you autocross it enought to remain familiar) that there would be significant diminishing returns.

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Richard Casto
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I agree with all that's been said so far. One thing that might matter is if you plan on learning any new techniques, like heel and toe or left foot braking. You can practice those in your autox car on the street for awhile before trying it at an event. That's about the only time I can see that it helps much. Other than the above circumstances, and what's already been mentioned, I don't really think it makes much difference. Although, I certainly don't think it hurts.

The main reason it doesn't help has already been alluded to. At an autocross, you want the car at the absolute limit of traction, which street driving does not help you with- or at least it shouldn't.

Now it is just possible, though very rare it should be, that autocrossing might help you in your street car. Once your reflexes and all those involuntary car control responses are hard wired in your brain from a season or ten of autocrossing the same car, if you ever have a car pull out in front of you or have to make some type of emergency maneuver, you are probably going to react in a manner that is more appropriate to the car you are used to driving that way....... i.e. your autox car.

Make the lane change maneuver in your SUV with the same inputs your used to making in your Miata and you'll be looking at the clouds against the bottom side of the dashboard.

The above is a little bit of a far fetched example. I've had to swerve to miss other cars, objects in the road, etc. in a big four door sedan after being used to driving a sports car, and I haven't exactly rolled the car yet. The less sensitive controls on a big sedan or SUV probably damped those rapid inputs you'd make with your little Miata steering wheel anyway.

Perhaps Chris means Azenis ST115's, as opposed to Azenis RT-215 (or -615). Chris - care to clarify?

The ST115 is a true street tire, supposedly very quiet and certainly more comfortable than either of it's Azeni brethren.

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Keith Q.
2008 Top Gun
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uhmmmm...

no.

i did however drive it yesterday. it usually gets on the road about once a week

I use the RT-215's for daily driving. 38f/33r.

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Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.