Doing GOOD at Autox this year!

[MSP Pro]

Did a 2 day event last weekend and the Mazdaspeed came through in spades! Won my class both days and PAX'ed out 5th overall (107 drivers) on Saturday and 3rd overall (129 drivers) on Sunday. Check it out here: http://www.oregonregionsolo2.com/Events/04e3.HTM
and here: http://www.oregonregionsolo2.com/Events/04e4.HTM

So I let my friend talk me into signing up for the National Tour in Bremerton Washington the end of July. I have no thought of winning, but I'm hoping I can surprise some of the regulars with a pretty good showing. There are some excellent drivers in the Seattle area, including last year's DS champion Ron Bauer. Luckily, he's competing in BS now!

Gotta hone those mad autox skills. Three day event coming up in Tri-Cities over Memorial Day weekend. Ahhhh, autox overload! It's fun again!

 

[jersey_emt]

Congrats! Good luck with it

 

[dolphin]

Good luck. If it is the same guy, Ron Bauer was one of the instructors at the Evolution school I went to last year. He is an excellent driver and a good instructor.

 

[Vanimaniac]

Good job! It's a shame though that you're courses are so short. Our first summer event this year was a good 70 seconds for most people with 3 runs in 5 heats! That's with almost 300 drivers too!

 

[DistantTea]

Nobody respects this car yet... as Dog is my witness racer will LEARN TO FEAR THIS CAR before I'm done.

Its not slow.

 

[AutoBox]

U Guys Are Inspiring Me

WHATS UR SETUP FOR DS?

 

[Leigh]

Nice result - good luck at the NT

 

[TAGURIT]

Good stuff man. I here ya on it being a blast. Did it for the first time ever on saturday and I think i'm hooked. I don't think we had as many people show up like you had. We had a total of 25 and that's with me including. Took 1st in my class and took 1st overall. WOOT WOOT! She's no MSP but she's still a mazda.

 

[cindy]

DS setup:

225/45/17 V700 Victoracers, a performance alignment. Add driver and go.

Don't forget, put the fear of God into SRT4's, Spec V's, and WRX's. (smash)

 

[AutoBox]

i was thinkin to put a set of 225 azenis? would this work? i on hve enough dinero to run race rubber dont wann really anyway

 

[Vanimaniac]

i was thinkin to put a set of 225 azenis? would this work? i on hve enough dinero to run race rubber dont wann really anyway

Don't know what fits MSP but in case you're looking for Azenis, try

http://www.vulcantire.com/azenis_t.htm

or

www.edgeracing.com

You might want to think about what you plan on doing to the car in the future modwise. And then think about what class those mods will put you in. Staying in DS or going into DSP or SM you can use Victoracers. But going into STX you can't.

Also not many people (including me) are willing to drive to an event on the Victos thus having to change out the tires at the event before and after.
Azenis shouldn't be a problem driving to and fro.

Also I bet the MSP could still be a competetive car in DS w/o R comps. Azenis aren't that far behind in performance.

Just some ideas.

Van

 

[KyRaceFan]

If you dont want race only rubber, get azeni sports....

Good luck at the nationals!!

 

[scapamouche]

Also I bet the MSP could still be a competetive car in DS w/o R comps. Azenis aren't that far behind in performance.

Just some ideas.

Van

Locally, yes, if DS isn't that strong where you are. The Azenis are still over 2 sec slower over a 60 sec course than r-tires.

On stock rims, the 225/45 Azenis do NOT fit well. With a little less offset rims, they MIGHT fit, but I wouldn't count on it. If you want to run street tires in DS, get something that comes in 215/45, or look up the true measurements and pick something close to the RE040s in overall diameter. The MSP can handle a wider tire, but not a taller tire than stock. That's the downfall of the Azenis, over 1.5" taller.

 

[cindy]

In my region, DS is very competitive. Definitely need R compounds. (doh) Thank you USA for my tax return.

 

[Leigh]

Some of it depends on the surface you run also - the group I go to mainly runs on cut up asphalt - Rcomps don't seem to get as much of an advantage there as when I go to places that run on concrete or even smooth asphalt.

Looking at the clearences I'm getting with the 225 MXs I've got now there is absolutely no way the 225 Azenis will fit on the stock wheels without rubbing - even the MXs touch when the wheel is fully cranked and they're not much taller than stock. I seriously doubt they would fit on a better offset either, but its possible its a close enough margin there might be a few cars out there that could get away with it.

For anyone that cares - there is a rumor circulating the Azenis will be out in 215 towards the end of this year. Of course - if they're still too tall it won't matter much....

In my region, DS is very competitive.

You are so lucky - I have 0 competition here. Its kind of boring. I have to keep gauging my progress by PAX.

Really odd too - there was an average of 7-9 cars running DS here last year - I start running it in December and since January we've not had more than 4 and only one other guy to regularly compete with. They all ran away from me!

 

[scapamouche]

The 3s at Revitup this year are on 215/45-17 Azenis. Not street legal on US roads. The NEW Azenis coming out later is supposed to be in good sizes.

I can definitely speak wifth experience with the 225 Azenis. I had a set that lasted all of 3 months on my MSP... lots of autox, rubbing and toe-out wear...

There is no one in DS with me to compete with, but STX has a PAX within .001, so it is essentially straight up with me. There are several very fast STX drivers locally, led my Mike King, a favorite for the STX National Championship this year. He beat me by .4 the only event I've run with him so far... MUCH closer than I was at the MRIU finals last year where he finished 2nd...

 

[cindy]

DStock in my region is running 8-10 cars. Some of them migrated to other classes after the fury of being beat by 2 Mazdaspeeds. (smash) There is always a good run between me, the other MSP driver, and a Neon SRT4. We also always see a new Spec V, a Volvo S60R and a couple of WRX's. Having competition definitely makes it more fun, especially when the people competing are nice and have fun while doing it. I'm lucky here.

I'm running 225/45 Victoracers and they rub a little under complete turn, but if I'm turning the wheel to complete lock, then I'm probably driving wrong.

 

[MSP-4-ME]

I use 225/45/17 Azenis on my MSP for Autocrossing with stock rims and I had to trim the splash shields to reduce the rubbing. They do still rub under hard cornering but what a huge difference over stock tires.

Last year was my first season and I didn't run all the races but did pretty well overall. "6th" in street tire class with a DS index.
http://www.wwscc.org/event_results/2003/SCCA03-6.html#T

http://www.wwscc.org/event_results/2003/SCCA03Total.html#T

 

[MSP Pro]

Way to go, Steve! You won 3 of 4 events and was 2nd in the other. That's pretty good against Dan Barnes and Tim Irwin. I beat them last year on street tires at the Yakima Sun Dome event right after I got my MSP. I calculated your raw time at 49.+, which beats Kimball Ayer's 1st place time in DS in his Subie WRX for that event. Keep going!

Come on out to Tri-Cities over Memorial Day weekend and run with Sand & Sage: www.ssscc.org for details. I'm Worker Chief out there and it's a fun venue: half mile banked oval with a paved infield section for the slower stuff. Higher than average speeds to get you ready for Nationals style courses. Not too many people turn out so you usually get 6 runs.

Someone asked about setup: Alignment is zero toe front and rear, and as much negative camber as the shop can get while keeping it balanced left to right. Then, I painted a thin white line across the tie rod ends and put in one turn of toe out when I change my wheels. This is about 1/8 inch or 0.3 degrees. On my Kumho V700 Victoracers, I'm running F 38 / R 35 and it seems to work pretty well.

This car is earning it's respect on the autox circuit. I love my Mazdaspeed!

 

[MSP-4-ME]

Thanks for the Kudos, I am running an NWR-SCCA http://www.wwscc.org/calendar.html event on May 30 so I can't make it to the Sand & Sage event. Too bad both events are on the same weekend. Are you going to the National event in Bremerton in July???