Randy Pobst: How autocross can make you a better road racer | Articles

Hey, road racers, if you look down on autocross, then you are just ignorant! Now, that doesn’t mean stupid, it means you just don’t know.

Everything in autocross translates to road racing in a most beneficial way. And proof of concept: Autocrossers always make better road racers, and road racers always make lousy autocrossers. (And never say “always.”)

Truth. So who knows the most about driving? And who wins purely on speed and never by “rubbin’ is racin’”? Autocrossers! (Although I know some of you road race hoodlums actually enjoy the elbows-out argy-bargy.)

Yeah, I started in autocross and am totally biased. And I’m right, according to the gospel of me. 

I discovered the sport in a shopping news ad with the Indian River Sports Car Club on the Space Coast of Florida in 1977. It’s amazing how a stopwatch transformed the driving experience for me. From my very first fun run behind the Melbourne Shopping Center in my Datsun 510, I knew I’d found my place in this world.

[No longer a five and dime special: Datsun 510 buyer’s guide]

I cracked the dash pad beating on it wanting more speed on the “straights.” Yeah, my driving was kinda intense in those early days.

My greatest realization finally came when I tried to slow down and sandbag it at a ProSolo six years later. Yep, six years. A few experienced friends tried to help the wild child. I wouldn’t listen. Couldn’t. Yet. But that’s another column.

I’m talking about how driving flat out at 37 mph makes us better drivers at 120–without the very real risk of destroying the car.

The turns are tight, so it takes a relatively long time for the car to get pointed. This requires a lot of patience on the throttle and a slow brake release to keep weight on the steering tires. These are two of the three factors of the foundation of driving properly, with looking where you want to go as number three, yet many road racers never figure out those first two.

One reason for this is practice and seat time. This is good, right? Well, yes and no. 

Watkins Glen International first opened in 1956. Road America, Sebring and WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca have been around about as long. Road racers come back to the same tracks every year. They learn by trial and error as to what works. 

Autocrossers see a new course virtually every time. There is rarely any chance to practice. They must figure it out on the fly and by walking the course (and…