New Solo racer need advice

[Boyd]

I want to start racing solo here in atlanta this year. I was going to do it last year but couldn't find the time. I will be competing in a tough class (I think SM2 because of the turbo and suspension) My question is should I go and compete in the first few solo's or wait until april for the beginner day? I don't want to hold other people up on those first two days. Thanks guys.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Sign up for the first event you can and enter yourself in the Novice class. It's a brilliant part of the program where you'll be grouped with other first timers and looked after by a few veterans. You'll have the opportunity to get ride alongs, have the course explained to you, have an instructor help you out and get plenty of runs. You won't need to worry about holding anyone up as there are normally only 2 cars out at max, one beginning when the other is finishing.

It's a good time. Speaking of which, I haven't signed up myself yet!

[Otto]

start now, the novice school will help you even more if you get some of the basics out of the way

[Doppelgänger]

Yeah, like Jack said, you'll be able to run in Novice for either 1 season or until you get a 1sr place finish in Novice. After that you'll be in SM2... with me :D It is a tough class with some big 'ole g-pullin' Vettes.

Are you coming out this weekend? If my slicks make it here, i'll be there....

[simontibbett]

Sign up for the first event in Novice. You can't hold people up considering the gap they let cars go at, unless you are VERRRYYYY slow.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

And very slow = 10mph around track. Mike I don't think they record the scores for novice any more, it's more of a get the feel of autox and then hop into your real group thing now. Well that's how I did it, I also entered the wrong class afterwords :lol:

[Doppelgänger]

Ah. Back at my first auto-x, I was put into Novice....and got best time of the day in Novice...where I was told I had to go to STS2. Unfortunatly I never made it back to another auto-x until last year...in which I am now in SM2.

[simontibbett]

Yeah I was timed in Novice way back in the day though of 2004, but I remember Tommy running Novice and they timed him.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Yeah that was the same event I started in too. Took a while off and plopped myself into C-stock thinking that's where all stock miata went. It never occurred to me why I might have been the only NA in the crowd.

[Acesanugal]

The Solo Atlanta Novice Program is amazing. Try and get Amaff off this forum to be your instructor. He's a cool dude, fellow Miata owner, and very helpful with quickly improving your skills.

[Doppelgänger]

Andrew is an *******..... :ninja:













































lol


















































































jk

[Otto]

you can only run novice twice, and while your times show up on the timer we dont keep track of any of it

[Doppelgänger]

Ahhh...so it has changed quite a bit since I did it about 6 yrs ago :lol:

[Acesanugal]

My first Novice run, they timed them and gave you the timing slip...but the second time I went out and did Novice they just timed you. It's alright, you just keep track of it on a lil sheet of paper or in your head, no big deal.

[adjake]

It's all about seat time. Run as much as you can and hitch a ride with some experienced peeps, when you can.