I was allowed to run my HHR in an autocross in Dallas yesterday. I held my own but was 4th in class of six competitors. I was classed in H Stock but the SCCA manual does not list any HHR but the SS. There was some question about the car being allowed. It handled well but I felt it pushed pretty bad and I had a hard time getting the rear to rotate. I have autocrossed for several years but this is my first time with front drive. I checked the club site today but no pics of my car.

 

I'm assuming you did this with a manual transmission ? Why were they being questionable on allowing you to run the HHR?

 

I figured this was the reason from another thread....

 

It is a question of height vs width on the car. I think in stock form the car would be top heavy. Mine was fine. Also since the car is not listed in the rule book it doesn't have a class and will be an exception until it is added.

 

Have you added an anti-sway bar to the rear suspension? It helps a lot with turn-ins. Everyone who has one has loved it.

 

I have the rear bar and Cobalt SS Springs. I think I was mostly overcooking the corners.

 

When you registered and worked to figure out the class to run in, did you tell them you had the rear bar and Cobalt springs? Did that affect which class they put you in? I have not autocrossed in years and would like to participate in a few now and have the same upgrades in bar and springs. I was not aware there was not a class for a stock HHR.

 

I did tell some of the safety people about the Cobalt springs. I didn't mention the bar. These upgrades should push the car into the Street Prepared category. As this was a local event and I know my skill will preclude me from winning. I didn't feel I was infringing on anyone rights but omitting this.

 

I think the fact that the HHR (including the SS) will lift the inside rear wheel a bit in tight autocross fast cornering (especially when trail braking) makes some folks nervous. However if you look at SCCA small sedan racing over the years, a lot of those cars would regularly lift inside front or rear tires, (and sometimes both!).

 

true, that was a regular occurrence with the early VW front wheel drives.