Time again to go head to head with some of the best in autocross. 400 drivers on July 2/3 in Indiana. 2 Imprezza's, a Celica, a Neon, and a gang of Civics all trying to leave me in their wake. Numerous trophy winning national drivers.

http://www.scca.org/Event/Event.asp?...BC8E80&Id=3036

In '01 and '02 I ran but placed very badly due to lack of experience and car setup. This year there's little excuse left. Except for some strange sounds from the front susp that's got me worried...

 

good luck!

 

Make us proud

 

Bejay,
at one point did you run in GS class? I still run street tires, but I just had my worst outing this past weekend with philly scca, 10th out of 15. My best finish was 5th, always near the top, but with Mini Coopers running Hoosiers, it's not easy. IF you ever did, what was your ideal tire pressures? Last time I ran higher pressures in front and lower in back, this time I kept everything even.
The only real reason I did so badly though is 4 different Mini's had two drivers, so car-wise I was really 6th (sort of). Anyway, aside from toyos or hoosiers giving me a better chance, what else would you do?
What class do you run? STS? Don't you HAVE to run street tires in that class?
Thanks for any free info

 

Good luck and don't let Andy run by you too bad That car is fast and andy isn't a bad driver either. Maybe that is why he has a National Champion jacket. If you get a chance meet Ann and Andy. They are great people.

Mike

 

Best of luck!
Make that roomy sedan finish ahead of some of those pesky compacts!!!!

 

Andy proved to be very fast. Ok, freakishly fast taking the overall win in STS. He seemed cordial enough but extremely focused on the job at hand.

I was pleased with my overall performance.

Day 1 - finished 21 of 28 men & ladies combined. First run was stupid as I hit my wipers 1 sec into course. Took the time to turn em off and nailed the first of 3 cones. Runs 2 & 3 both improved well but the course had some tight gotcha's that didn't favor larger cars. Billy Brooks' Imprezza was the only similar size car ahead of me at the end of the day. Realized Hankook tire pressures may be wrong with higher fronts than rear.

Day 2 - finished 17 of 28 combined. Course was a real yee-ha flowing speed type. First run was tenative and I broke too much. Runs 2 & 3 felt very good and the car performed nearly the best I've felt in a while. Extremely grippy concrete allowed for very fast maneuvers including not braking before or during a slalom (a first for me).

Overall finish results put me about 20 of 28 as my Sat defecit was too much to overcome on Sunday. I had a great time, car stayed in one piece including the nearly 500 miles of commuting, and I finished better than my showing in '01 or '02. This was the SCCA's largest Natl Tour event ever with 398 drivers competing. We saw 4 cars at a time on a 50sec course. Index results are sku'd as this course favored race rubber and we ran 1st heat both days - tons of race rubber laid down after us. Couple pics coming shortly.
Peru Tour final results - (me pg 13)

 

He has that car flying this year. Now that he has cleared up all of the tranny/engine problems from last year, (broke both at the last pro solo before nationals last year) and has the most development time on the new tires, he wants another jacket badly and it shows. Early money has him winning nationals this year. The only time anyone was close was when he was sick as a dog at the WR tour and he lost to heyward. I get the chance to see him run that car all of the time down here and it is a pleasure every time.

It's scary the talent we have locally here. In Austin, we have the Strelnieks who won the houston tour only having second gear in his Z06 and is just winning everything is sight, Tom Holt whose car has 3 national titles and he is constantly in the trophies, Ann and Andy, The Wootens (Kyung and Michael), Adrian Illey who is constant upfront in his MR2 in CS, Dan Pedroza in his crazy twin screwed miata, Richard Windburg who is constantly in the trophies in FSP, Steve Hudson who has that DP miata of his screaming this year, and Tommy Regan who trophies often when he can get into a competitive car. All out of a non-SCCA club....

 

That is some talent. Chicago region had the 3rd most Natl trophies last year so it's wake up call for me at every event.

Our local talent included Jim Crawford and Jason Frank taking #2 and #3 in front of Wagner in STS. A Stock though was the class to put on pay-per-view. Multiple lead changes during day 2. Colin Fiedler (former STS Civic) took the win in his nearly bone-stock S2000 over Mike Bullis/Dan Wurzer (former STS Prelude) ZR-1, Steve Wynveen S2000, and Jason Saini's S2000.

 

Sounds like a fun tour overall. It's a shame I never knew about autocrossing till I got down here. I just happened to fall upon it one day returning from the grocery store of all places. I saw all of these cars out there running so I stopped by real quick and then hurried home unloaded the groceries and came back. I had a nice DA9 integra GSR that would have been great for autocross when I lived in Chicago. I traded that for my current maxima.

 

Just got pics. Think somebody may have gotten a video of me too and I'll find out tonight at dinner.




Sunday's course (shorter) from incar - B&W no sound
Saturday's course had speed too as I watched a Sube STI hammer 3rd right in the powerband then try to brake.

 

I couldn't get this video file to open, does it work from another avenue?
Well I guess I judge how good I do on what cars I can beat, smaller cars like Celica GTS and Mini-S's I disregard, because as cars on a road course things would be different. The fact that you beat a couple cars like that I think is impressive, regardless of the other drivers skill. STI's are a different story, but then again, an N/A maxima will never have the maintenance issues an STI will develop.

 

Damn Damn Damn... I need to start paying closer attention to these big SCCA event dates. Sorry I would have gone. This would have been a fun event to go to. Sorry I missed out on all the fun. It would have been a great chance to test out my new R-S2. I guess I need to make up my mind if I want to compete this year. I'd also get to see a lot of people I haven't seen in years. Of couse best of all I'd get to add new stickers to the car. I miss not having a tirerack stick across my front windshield.


I just need a test and tune event so I can setup this car. These R-S2 are nice tires but the side walls are really weak compared to my old S02 but they don't roll over as much. Go figure.

Are you heading to anymore big events this year?

 

Sorry everyone - it's DIVX encoded.
http://www.divx.com/divx/play/

 

How bout the Aug 6/7 Toledo Pro Solo? As for the Kooks, they actually like lower pressures than most other max perf tires. I ended up at 40/47 on concrete but will play with more in 2 weeks on asphalt.

 

Damn I envy you guys and your big-course autocrosses. Besides the jam-packed FedEx Field events, most of the local auto-x's are small-course and not particularly condusive to a big car like the maxima. I mean, they're still fun and we still manage to hold our own, but would LOVE to get on a course like that one (watched the video) and open it up!!!

Bejay, are you running the R-S2's? I run 41 psi up front and 37 rear for the short-courses, sounds like you like more pressure in the back for more oversteer?

 

Irish,
if you can hoof it up to Ripken stadium in Maryland philly scca has some bigger 45sec FTD courses. The closest really fast courses for you though are probably NASA or M-club at Giants stadium.
I have never got up there to actually run at Giants stadium, but I was coming back from Boston and stopped to see what it was like. I am not sure a max would get into 3rd gear there, but it would be close.

 

yeah NASA has some big events at VMP in richmond

 

Yeah CDC runs up at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick...most of those courses are about 45 sec also, but not too high speed. I'll probably join up with NASA in the near future and try to run at Summit or elsewhere...we'll see!

 

Yes I've run the Kooks twice instead of my KD's and SO2's. I first ran them at about 44-47/38 on pavement with some success. On concrete the car refused to rotate so I tried upping the rears and that seemed to help. Previously I had S02's in back and pressures from 35-60 all resulted in too much stick. I'll run again in 2 weeks on pavement and will learn more. Also, I'm running 205mm HRII405's in back, not the 225mm R-S2's.

 

Indexed results are now out for this event.
http://www.scca-chicago.com/solo/ind..._tour_Peru.pdf

Top street tire position was 90th for a guy who took 2nd at Nationals last year. Obviously the grip far-favored race rubber over street tires. So knowing that I'm gonna play around in DSP on some 245's after I get em mounted next week...

 

I guess at the end of the day, if you can beat a new S2000 with your mods, and on street tires, I say it was a good day. It must be very annoying to some people in cars like that to get beat by a maxima.
I know Miatas are great at auto-x, but when I was at Pocono last year (on regular street tires) it was a much more telling story. They would eat me up in the infield, be on my a$$ for the last half or quarter of it, but then I would kill them on turn 1, the straight and the turn into the infield. I stupidly waived by on of the quicker Miatas on the straight, I had to slow down to 60 to let him pass me. Then it was backwards, I would be on his a$$ until the second turn of the infield. I know I could have passed him on good street rubber or R-compounds, but the stock suspension started getting a little squirely past 95pmh on turn 1.
Sorry if I've told this story before,

me getting killed by 8 people driving 4 Mini's on R-compound tires=no pressure

 

Nothing better than beating S2000's, the most perfectly balanced car out there. So far, my record in autocross against S2000s is something like 20 better (best) times and 10 worse times. In the hands of a good driver the S2k is deadly, but a well-driven max can definitely hang with a mediocre S2k driver. On any given event, I always make it my goal to beat as many s2ks as possible, even if slower cars may beat me

We'll see how I fare tomorrow though...supposedly the entire local S2k club will be out there

 

Dude I hate to say it but in the autocross world if a STS maxima can beat a stock s2000 with r compond rubber then the s2000 driver can't drive worth Shi$.. The S2k is lighter and has more power, a better supension, brakes, and you name it is better on the S2K. Like you said that car is perfectly balanced. The only car better off the show room floor is the 02 - 04 Z06 Vette. Then right after the s2000 is the evo VIII.


Personally I don't get any satification out of beating cars like that anymore. It just means the driver can't drive. There's no way a max should be able to beat any SS, AS, BS, and CS in autocross. If you do hold your head in shame that you waste your time compeating in such a sorry local autocross region.

 

Ouch Aaron. Take it easy on the guy. He's on the east coast, in a small local club where obviously nobody else knows how to drive well. Yet.

Maybe I'll ask Jason Saini, Ian Stewart, Colin Fiedler, Pete Berta, etc. to do some S2K instruction out there. In fact I watched Colin with stock struts, take out both the Bullis ZR1 and the Over6racing S2K at this event. Colin is being described as the genY alien following Dadio, Cashmore, etc...

 

Wow, your condecension is outdone only by your ignorance.

1. My maxima is STX (as if it matters), and I said nothing about r-comps on the S2ks. I also said a "mediocre driver" in the s2k. I am not claiming in any way shape or form that a maxima is faster than an S2000. But I am claiming that I will push my maxima to the limit on the track, while alot of these guys with S2000's (and other "new" cars) will not. I have driven S2000's on the track before, so I am well aware of how badly a well-driven S2K can beat a well-driven maxima.

2. "Hold my head in shame?" Give me a f0ckin break. I autocross for fun. If I was really, truly "hardcore" I sure as hell wouldn't be driving a 5th gen maxima (or any maxima, for that matter). I owned a Lancia Delta (the original EVO), and ran off-road ralleyes while in Italy. I raced my two Triumph GT6's for years (those are REAL road racing cars), and will again once I get them back on the road. The maxima is my daily driver, and I simply enjoy myself throwing the boat around the track, since it's the only (running) car I have at the moment. If you claim to be such a hardcore racer, why the hell are you driving a maxima?

As to what you get your "satisfaction" from, each to his own. I get satisfaction from having a good time in general. And yes, I do get satisfaction from beating some trash-talking 18-year-old in his brand-new Evo or S2000. Sorry my idea of what construes as "satisfying day at the track" is not up to your lofty standards.....

 

While I don't really consider 300-400 to be a "small club".....

There are plenty of good drivers. And there are just as many 18-year-olds whose rich daddies bought them Evos, STIs, and S2000's...who are bad or inexperienced drivers. I run CDC because they are close to home, you get 6-8 runs per day, and it's only about $20 to run. I wish I could drop a couple hundred bucks every weekend to go up to Summit or Cumberland or VIR, but if you looked at the housing prices in the DC area, you'd understand why that kind of cash isn't available. If it was, I'd have a dedicated track car anyhow.

Most of the cars in my club run SCCA, COMSSC, or NASA events as well. Many of them just use CDC events as a time for "test and tune" - and others are there to learn. Unfortunately, the road courses in this area are few and far between, so we have to make do with smaller autocrosses. I don't even finish top-30 most of the time (usually 60-80 cars run), so it's not like I'm whooping up on Evos and whatnot. Hell, I usually make 3-4 runs a day with my wife or other friends riding along...it's all about having fun. Occasionally I can take out a poor driver in his daddy-bought Evo or S2K, and that puts a smile on my face for some reason. Sorry, if that's too shallow for everyone here. I guess every person in chicago and cincy is a professional road racer. Who knew?

I've been to plenty of larger SCCA events and there are plenty of bad drivers at those as well. ...

Anyways, I hope you guys continue to enjoy patting yourselves and each other on the back about what amazing drivers you are. Why don't you send your buddies over our way to teach us to drive, since us "east coast" guys obviously need the help

As for me, I guess I'm just not good enough to come in here and hang out with your little Midwest Fraternity Of The World's Greatest Drivers, so I'll head on back out with the riff-raff in the main forums, since I know nothing about driving, nothing about cars, and I just like to go around saying "dude, those rims are SWEEEEETTT!".....
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.
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By the way, my first SCCA autocross was in 1993.....when I was still in high school. So keep being condescending like I'm some kind of newbie to this. I'd bet I've been racing almost as long as you have. Being overseas and then being broke college student are the two main reasons I never really pursued autocross/road racing more seriously. If you have the time, dedication and resources to compete in the national series, more power to you...but that doesn't give you carte blanche to disparage those of us who do it more infrequently or "just for fun."

 

Josh, sorry if I came off sounding like a di@k. I've always tried to support and help everyone in the .org community crazy enough to try and pilot these boats through the autox waters. That's great about Italy too - I've never even been to Europe let alone race out there. Again, no offense meant to you or Capital.

 

Right so if Formula 1, when Kimi was coming around that last turn and his A-arm flew off and got beat by everyone, it means he couldn't drive. Or when Rusty Wallace is running the fastest car all day, but his pit crew is sucking, so he doesn't win, he can't drive either. Or when Michael Schumacher runs the fastest car the last half of the day because his tires don't get up to temperature, and comes in 7th or 8th, it means he can't drive.
So if a good S2000 driver changes tire brands and overheats the tires, so Irish beats him, THAT DOESN'T MEAN he messed up his tire management, he means he can't drive.
Your argument fails the test of reason.
Plus, Brian beat a C4S Porsche (AS): 350Z (BS): Most of SS(ladies): 04 Crossfire, 04 Volvo S60R: 03 Ford Mach 1 (ES): GS (ladies): FS(ladies): ST Sport (9th and 10th) Miata: 04 R32 (STX) and Formula Jr 1-3.
So should he then hang his head in shame because he competes at the SCCA nationals because following your reasoning he is wasting his time "compeating in such a sorry local autocross region?" (btw, learn how to spell compete)
What I dislike the most about your response is that you’re criticizing someone for "doing something". At philly scca last year we had a kid running a Geo Metro, he was slow as hell, but was only criticized for not trying. He rarely did walk-throughs, and didn't seem to try to memorize the course. He was essentially criticized for NOT DOING SOMETHING.

With your sorry-a$$ attitude your goal seems to be to try to disenfranchise people to try auto-x, so you can be driving around a course all by yourself and win your class.

Plus, I bet Irish could beat you anyway.

 

I know you have...nothing personal taken, just had to write a smartass response for once because there's rarely a reason to do so here in this particular forum (as opposed to the other forums on here). Frankly, if I had a particular question about racing maximas, you'd be one of the first I asked....Anyhow, those in the 5th gen forums know I'll never back down from a good argument...and the other guy just rubbed me the wrong way I guess. Good luck again at the nationals....I'll see you there in a few years once the GT6 is on the road

 

Somebody actually got video on me doing the 2nd half of one of the Saturday runs. Thanks to soundmike for hosting! It's 62MB and requires the latest Quicktime 7 or later (good luck to dialup users)

Click here, then right mouse click save as...

 

Whatever encoding you need I don't have it to play the video.

 

Yeah it's kinda a prob. Only Quicktime 7.x running on Win 2K or XP seems to work. MedPlayer, DIVX, WinAmp, and Quicktime 6.x all failed on me.