Woohoo! Autocrossers and HPDE enthusiasts sound off

[GRM Tom]

Sorry I've been absent in the neighborhood lately. I've been caught up with work stuff (Our big Factory Five design contest closes in just a couple hours.)

Anyhow, here's the video I promised.

<iframe width="560" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/oEMWWh_x-l8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

There's some dialogue in the first run, but the 4th is a good measure faster. I stacked the first and fourth runs at the end just for comparisons sake. Note that this is with the car in "dealer's lot" trim, right down to the air in the tires...but at least I took the hubcaps off.

I got slaughtered in H-stock against the guys on R-compound tires, but would have been just out of the trophies in Street Touring. The gearing is a little bit of a problem, but the car certainly has potential. I think it will mix well with the ST class after next year's rule changes.

I was dead in the middle of the field on PAX time (using the HS index) but down a ways on raw times. I'm not disappointed, but I'm definitely eager to start changing parts or run with sticky tires.

@ Derrick- Great showing against the Civics. I guess you know exactly why there's all the rules change hubbaloo coming around next year. What's next for your car? I'm guessing you've got the intake and exhaust installed, do you have other suspension plans beyond the springs?

 

[GRM Tom]

SSM PAX sucks.

Man, that's the truth. An SSM Miata is fun, but in the words of a wiser man than I am, "It's more fun to drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow."

 

[Slow Paul]

Just watched your video's Tom. Besides the body roll, the 2 seems pretty quick. As for the course, that is a slightly different example compared to a large parking lot! Does your region run a lot of events on that course?

 

[GRM Tom]

That was the first I've done there. The region typically runs on more standard parking lot/runway type locations.

It was a nice change of pace, but I think I prefer a wide-open sea of asphalt with cones—it's more challenging and allows for more variety as to what line to take through a sequence of corners.

 

[corytomo]

very nice tom! i totally agree, 2nd is way too long and hurts tremendously in those slow corners. I do believe it can be a contender against the civic's with enough mods and tuning in sts.

 

[CorkSport]

@ Derrick- Great showing against the Civics. I guess you know exactly why there's all the rules change hubbaloo coming around next year. What's next for your car? I'm guessing you've got the intake and exhaust installed, do you have other suspension plans beyond the springs?

I have 3 suspension items which I am looking at to be able to beat the Civics in the class. I will see how well they work out.

Currently the 2 has our intake, exhaust and aluminum crankshaft pulley for extra power. There is a double header this weekend so we shall see how well I do against the civics again.

-Derrick

 

[rchrist364]

I’m excited for you.

 

[vdsracing]

This a test incar video with telemetry data from racechrono and chrono2avi.I must sync the video and the data better and also I must buy a video editing programe but you get the idea..!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCSE_hh7Z2o

 

[Slow Paul]

Damn! That was pretty sweet! Driving the hell outta that 2. Good stuff.

 

[fam]

Very nice...that video excites me...Im trading in my old 08 mazda3 touring hatch for a 2 when I get back from vacation in a week.

 

[vdsracing]

Chek out those videos too:

Lapping the track with same speed with a Ford Puma 1.7(camshafts,150hp,lsd,big brakes,same tyres,fgr and more..)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1w-Ua3b4BPU

Battle with a peugeot s16 1.6 125hp, 900kgr with toyo r888
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeHsaoLb0FY&feature=related

Battle with a Suzuki Swift Sport 1.6 125hp with upgraded brakes,swaybars and 16' toyo r888
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmbsYo-mnNY

Also in my chanell there are many other videos with track driving.

 

[Richard_rsp]

Hitting up my first auto-x with the 2 this weekend (Moultrie, GA - Dixie Region SCCA) and am super excited! Running ST due to the Racing Beat Sways and Springs, but its all groovy! Also attending a design clinic on Saturday morning to learn how to properly design a course... This, combined with watching the Rolex Road America race on Saturday afternoon is gonna make for a great car-related weekend!

 

[elfhearse]

Running my first time this weekend in ST too (previous was H Stock), looks like the competition this time will be five different types/years of Civics (including Si's)(

 

[fam]

Going from my 3 to a 2 tomorrow but the next autox is the pro solo at the airport with 350 cars booked solid..I think ill wait till the one after that before i try out the ole 2.

 

[Joker2]

First outing with the Mazda2 at autocross event. 36/74 place on stock Avids. Pressures at 40 front and 34 rear. This event was Pro Solo Style with similar left and right courses and Drag start. You alternate courses by switching sides with your pair.
The car is lots of fun. Neutral and well balanced. I managed a half spin (recovered).
Lots of fans. Many folks came over thinking it was a Yaris or Versa. Two of them are considering buying one. Great advertising for Mazda.
People came over to ask about the car after my first few runs. I guess I have to do this again. It is as fast as a Miata on a short course (momentum machine) but it takes some tossing around in slaloms where the Miata sort of slithers through them.

So to you future autocrossers, do it! It is a fun car. I plan some wheels/tires for better grip, but not much else for this daily driver.

Pos. Class Car Model Pax D1 Pax D2 Total Factor Pax Time
1m PESP 2005 Subaru Legacy gt 19.28 20.2 46.67 *0.846 39.48
2m PESP 2008 Subaru FSXT 19.52 20.34 47.11 *0.846 39.86

36m SHS 2011 Mazda Mazda2 21.44 22.17 55.14 *0.791 43.62
37m SDS 2000 Audi TT-Q 21.59 22.15 53.54 *0.817 43.74
38 NSTS Miata 21.35 22.71 53.53 *0.823 44.06
39m NDS 2010 Mini Cooper S 21.6 22.65 54.16 *0.817 44.25
40 NHS 2008 Mazda Mazda 3 21.74 22.61 56.07 *0.791 44.35
41 NFS Mercedes C55 21.91 22.48 53.67 *0.827 44.38
42 NDSP VW GTI 21.99 22.63 52.87 *0.844 44.62
43 NSS Viper 22.03 22.62 52.1 *0.857 44.65
44m NDSP 2008 Mazda MazdaSpeed3 22.07 22.7 53.05 *0.844 44.77
45 NSTX 1992 Nissan 240sx 21.9 23.12 54.64 *0.824 45.02

74 ZSSM 2000 Honda s2000 26.74 27.32 61.79 *0.875 54.06

 

[fam]

Glad to hear cant wait to do this with the 2 (from a 3) I do worry that 2nd gear is so short it may require me to hit 3rd (is that a true statement?). Crazy thing is locally the competition in Hstock is nuts ...we have a solo national champion (jack burns), plus his championship mazda3 was bought by another guy in HS who also goes to nationals and does pretty well ;-) Its a mazda3 fest.

 

[Joker2]

Depends on the course. This one was pretty short but it did favor HP a bit. The 2nd gear is OK but 1st is a bit short so in tight corners she bogs some. I am not claiming that this is Mini slayer by any means, but I do not think that any other car in its class and price can provide so much fun. Mazda got the vehicle dynamics to work much better than on the 3 IMO. The Speed3 can compensate with power, but in the hands of a good driver, the 2 can clear the table of many cars. Note the cars I beat, and even though some were "novices", they surely had some decent firepower (Viper, AMG, RX8, S2000) and I am not a fast driver yet. All I am saying that bringing the 2 to a gunfight is not a knife but a 22 with a silencer. In the right hands, deadly.

 

[fam]

nice...the vipers usually always finish near the bottom from my experiences, and they get more DNF's than anyone because they cant keep the ass end inside the cones. Truthfully I havent speed shifted my 2 at all yet...i think on the course will be my 1st time with her.

 

[Richard_rsp]

I hit up my first AutoX today... i think I did decent for my first event - My best time was a 53.247 and the top of the Novice class was a GTI running 50.600 i believe. The official times arent posted online yet, so I will have a little better idea of how I rank after that. I know that a totally stock 2011 Fit ran a 50.990 so thats a little embarrassing; but the guy was a well seasoned driver.

About the car: I LOVED it! I havent had an opportunity to push the car very much since I installed the RB Springs and Sway bars. It is a weird (but highly addictive) feeling to to be able to throttle steer through a decreasing radius corner! The car remained pretty flat through most of the corners and "doglegging" was kept to a minimum. I definitely will be going back, but i NEED TIRES! The stock All-Seasons did the job, but there is no way I can catch a Mini Cooper without something more "purpose-built", and maybe not even with them! Hmmm....

Oh and the course was (supposedly) pretty technical. (I thought it was just fun!) I was able to shift into 2nd and leave it through the entire course, however I did experience a little low-RPM-bog coming out of a box turn.

 

[fam]

Yes in autox your biggest performance increase is driver, tires, then mods. Honestly before buying stickies you should run an entire season so you get a grasp for driving. Buying stickies early will stick well enough to hide your mistakes and you want be as good as if you run a year on the crap tires and learn the right way. What I said is quoted from people much smarter than I.

I will post vids when I get to take the 2 to my next event (next few weeks are too busy for me), but in the meantime here's a vid from my now traded in mazda3 (bone stock crap tires).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJGkwq1jbI4