Which do you think takes more skill Road Racing, Autocrossing, Drag racing

[Early93Viper]

Which do you think takes the most skill Road racing, Autocrossing, or Drag racing?



I have done them all and would have to say Road racing with autocrossing in a close second. What do you think?

[LETHAL GTS]

They all have their challenges, but I think roadracing.

[AviP]

Absolutely correct. Drag racing requires a good start and upshifting, but only for about 12 seconds. Add steering input, downshifting and you have autocross. Add traffic and you have road racing. It's obvious.

[vipeuup]

Which do you think takes the most skill Road racing, Autocrossing, or Drag racing?



I have done them all and would have to say Road racing with autocrossing in a close second. What do you think?

Road racing then auto x.

[Topawam]

Driving on the highway at rush time...

['97 Viperidae GTS]

Road course racing without question.

[Catwood]

Depends on the level you're playing.

Ever driven a top fuel car?

[Andrew/USPWR]

Amount of focus time: Drag racing 8 to 15 seconds, Autocross 15 to 45 seconds, Road Racing 1:45 - 3:00 Per Lap. then count the laps, 5- 500 with traffic.

I'm thinking Road Racing. Though I've never Autocrossed.

[Casey]

Road racing would have to require more skill.

But that doesn't mean driving a Viper 150mph, or closer to 180 like others, doesn't take a whole lot of skill.

AutoX takes some skill too. But I would put it 3rd.

In order of what takes more BALLS:

1 Drag racing
2 Road racing
3 AutoX

But you didn't ask that!

[BadVenm]

Road racing would have to require more skill.

But that doesn't mean driving a Viper 150mph, or closer to 180 like others, doesn't take a whole lot of skill.

AutoX takes some skill too. But I would put it 3rd.

In order of what takes more BALLS:

1 Drag racing
2 Road racing
3 AutoX

But you didn't ask that!

Casey,

Great observation, but I would think the road racing takes more balls. Drag racing there is only one other car with you, you're both going straight, or you hope so....

Road racing you have speed, all the work inside the car going on, plus there are 10 to 20 cars all heading in the corner at the same time, looking for the same line, etc.... So my take is that takes more balls to road race your viper due to the possibility of smashing it up with others cars.

On the skill level, being I've raced all of the above, plus circle track, and a few others.... It is a hands down, slam dunk that road racing requires much more skill than Auto-x or drag racing.

Dan, I hope you get yours out on a road course!!! But double check that work Jerry did for you! He's known for cutting corners! LOL!

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Alcohol and Pro Stock require more skill than Top Fuel. Top Fuel is literally hold your foot to the floor and go. Alcohol and Pro Stock require some modulation and shifting.

Similarly I think the slower road race classes require more skill than the paddle-shifting F1 guys. However the Gs in F1 could really beat a guy down.

Regardless, to get to the level of Top Fuel or F1 you gotta prove it first.

See how I got around answering the original question?

[Early93Viper]

[quote]

Dan, I hope you get yours out on a road course!!! But double check that work Jerry did for you! He's known for cutting corners! LOL!

I have had it out a couple times at HPT. I am probably going to MAM in a couple of weeks.

Jerry took apart my engine with a blow torch.............he said that that's how everyone does it??????????? Oh well the welds are holding.

[Fred(DrivingSchool)Kinder]

Look at the driver task:

Drag Racing
1.Burn-out
2.Staging
3.XmasTree reaction
4.Launch
5.Shift
6.Shift
7.Shift
8.Duration 11-12 seconds

Autocross
1.Staging
2.Launch
3.Shift(depends on layout)
4.Brake(depends on layout)
5.Turn(20 to 70 MPH, depends on layout)
6.Duration 50-70 seconds

Road Racing
1.0 Launch may or may not be a factor depending on event
2.0 Shifting
2.1 Up to 4th or 5th depending on track
2.2 down 5th to 1st depending on track
2.3 repeat 2.1 and 2,2 as required
3.0 Braking for turns 10 to 15 typical, speeds 40-150 mph
4.0 Turns speeds 40-150 mph
5.0 Duration 15 to 30 minutes typical
6.0 Cabin Heat Factor
7.0 Traffic
7.1 Passing doing or being
7.2 Car on your bumper at 40 to 140 mph

Seems pretty easy to evaluate when looking at the task.

Drag Racing reaction to XmasTree, Launch and shifting a three times and you are done. Max speed 118-123 mph

Autocross require launch and typically one shift, relatively low speed car control max. speed 70-80 depending on layout. One lap of 50-70 sec. typical

Road Racing Highest Maximum speeds, More braking skills, higher speed turns, shifting up approx 12 times per lap down shifting same. Repeat for 15 to 30 minutes. Now add 15-30 cars to the track.

In my opinion Road Racing is 30 to 100 times more demanding than an Autocross and 1000 times as demanding as Drag racing. Depends on your view of shifting, braking speed, Turn speeds, maximum speed and activity duration and traffic.

[Casey]

Seems we all agree for the most part.

I personally feel much less risk on a Road Course, than on the Dragstrip. Maybe because I am NOT going wheel-to-wheel.

And at the strip, if you lose it, then those walls are right there to ruin your day.
The road course can send you in the dirt, sand, most of the time.

I'd rather have a dirty car than a cement wall.

[Early93Viper]

I personally feel much less risk on a Road Course, than on the Dragstrip. Maybe because I am NOT going wheel-to-wheel.

And at the strip, if you lose it, then those walls are right there to ruin your day.
The road course can send you in the dirt, sand, most of the time.

I'd rather have a dirty car than a cement wall.

I think if you looked at insurance for both Road racing would be in a higher percentage of risk than drag racing. Especially if your not drag racing 1000+ hp cars it's pretty hard to lose control in a straight line. While if you’re pushing it on a road track other cars and walls take more skill to keep from hitting.