Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Autocross and Open Track Pleasure of autoxing a Focus

Well this past weekend I had the pleasure of autoxing my friends '01 Focus in HS. It was bone stock and we had 225/50/16 Kumho Vicotoracers all the way around on it. The Focus was incredibly fun to drive. Point it where you want it to go and it follows. The car transitions incredibly well and would absolutely embarass the Contour in a slolom. The transmission felt great, I love the MTX-75 for autoxing anyway because it drops into 1st gear so incredibly easily.

My biggest complaint about the car was you couldn't hear the engine at all. But an exhaust would help this. You really had no idea where you were in the rev range unless you took your eyes off and looked at the tach, which by the way has no marking for redline. Also if you have never hit the rev limiter in a stock Focus before you're missing a treat. The car does not slam you into the seatbelt as in the Contour. In fact it does the exact opposite. It just rests on the limiter and doesn't make any noise. I disliked this attribute too though because you could be hitting the limiter and not know it. The car did lack in power, but what do you expect out of an HS car?

Overall I had so much fun racing this car that I called my friend up that races one nationally and we are trying to work out an agreement for me to co-drive for him at the SCCA Solo II Nationals in Kansas this September. He competed last year and placed 13th. Last year he tried a new setup for nationals on the first day and couldn't figure out what settings he needed and blew the first day but had the 4th fastest time in HS on the 2nd day. The car has potential to be a national competitor. He also has added some more HP since nationals last year, so he should be even more competitive. I can't wait to run for a national championship with him!