Well, not really....
Anyhow, Jason (soonerfan) and I rolled out to the Capitol Driving Club event in Woodbridge VA last saturday...Jason's first time autocrossing (not mine), and he was trying to wear out the last of his Potenzas (I was running my autocross tires), so I had a bit of an advantage.

Anyhow, this particular event saw alot of S2000's (including one turboed one), quite a few Evo 7's and an Evo 8, tons of WRX/STIs, and the usual assortment of classic sportscars and BMWs. The only car there larger than the maximas was a new Legacy.

It was a fairly simple course (good for Jason, it being his first time), and suited the Maximas much better than some of the courses I've run with CDC, which are usually very technical...this one was more sweeping turns, although it was still fairly small.

The fastest cars (a couple Subarus, a couple S2000's, and a couple classics) were all running times in the mid-26's and low 27's. The highest times were in the mid-35's. As a side note, almost all of the Evos were running between 29 and 30 (and those cars were made for this kind of stuff).

They haven't posted the results yet, but a general overview of how we did:

Jason pretty consistently ran 33's (alone) in the morning and more low 33's and 32's in the afternoon (with his woman riding along).

My 3 morning runs went from the high 30's to the low 30's (solo) and my fastest afternoon runs were 29.4 (with Joel in the car) and 29.08 (with Jason in the car). Pissed that I didn't break into the 28's...but I really feel I was pushing the car close to the limit of traction, and still made a few minor errors on the fast runs that cost me a couple tenths.....

Anyhow, took a bunch of vids of me, Jason and other cars running - from outside, and had a camera mounted inside my car and jason's for a few runs. The vids will be online in a few days once I format them etc etc.

Joel came in the afternoon to lend support, and to take some nice still shots. They're posted on his cardomain page HERE

Here's a couple of the maximas, courtesy Joel (puppetmaster)

Jason:

 

me:

 

definetly a VERY fun time but i realize that I have a lot to learn. just got back from josh's house and watching the videos and im completely taking the wrong lines. you have to completely throw away all normal driving rules and habits. my worst habit is steering with one hand which i was doing the whole time.
im going to do some studying and see if i can make this a little more compe***ive next time. josh, im coming for you

 

haha you can't write competitive. anyway, nice job guys.

 

I still think you did Great Irish for a family sedan

 

i get no love?

 

how often does the auto-cross event meet on that particular track/parking lot? And where exactly in VA does it take place?

 

Jason did indeed beat out a handfull of cars too, including a new Legacy, the lone SVT Focus, a 3-series BMW, and a couple Protege 5's....

 

that is the first time they've used that lot....capitol driving club uses several lots, including Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick, MD, a high school in Manassas, VA, and a lot in Prince William County...smaller courses than most SCCA events, but they are much more "friendly" than some of the uber-competitive guys you find at SCCA events....

website (it's pretty basic): http://members.***.net/capitaldrivingclub/index.html

 

one question: how in the heck did you do it with your potenzas, jason? i couldn't take a turn at more than 40 with those things on my car! i'm sure you would have done a lot better with some better tires....great pics though puppet, and can't wait to see the vids!

 

cool..... I wish they held stuff like that my way..

 

Well, for one, they never got over 35 mph... and even then his tires were squealing like a herd of stuck pigs at some points...

 

lol, i'm sure they were, but i definitely wouldn't be able to take any turns like that even at 35 mph with my deathtenzas...maybe mine were a bit more worn than his, but i couldn't take this turn on my road at anything over 40 mph (that was pushing it) and i tried it at 50 one day, and ended up in the other lane...now i can take it at 50 with no sweat...(btw, the speed limit is 50)

 

We just watched the videos with sound at full volume. Jason's potenzas are squealing like crazy...hard on the ears. My Hankook RS-2's got some squealing too, but I was pushing the car alot harder than Jason was...not to mention the 20 feet of rubber I laid down on one of my starts (a little over-aggressive with the rpms...)

Jason's potenzas were most apparent when he had to brake hard into a couple turnarounds, where they just didn't bite at all on the turning braking....while my RS-2's bit very nicely....

 

btw Joel, my interior vids show me up to over 45 at a couple spots on the course. Jason made it up to the high 30's...

 

well, considering you have arguably the best handling 5th gen here, i'm sure the tires weren't the only factor for your times (although a pretty big one), but like i said before, if jason were to have some better tires on his max, i think he would have done a lot better, because you're right about the braking...i almost thought my ABS was malfunctioning on my car or something, because any time i had to brake hard, i could feel my tires locking up since they had no traction (literally in the rain..)

 

Didn't look like it when I rode with ya... I was trying to keep an eye on the speedo as well....

 

must have been all the extra weight

just looked at the video again. Jason gets up to roughly 37 mph off the launch and to 31 right before the end..otherwise never faster than 30.

I get up to about 41-42 on the launch, 32 on the "back straight", and about 35 right before the end (on the run before you got in) and up to 38 on the launch with you. I'd say most of the course was run about 30mph....

 

Cool... thanks for the info.... since I rode with ya, I'm feeling the urge to run the next time...

Btw, if you're still up, get online... I need to ask you something....

 

This comment is pretty common for people that experience their first autox or track event. There are lots of things to "unlearn". Many things seem very counter intuitive at first but soon enough you get the hang of it

 

i didnt even realize i was only steering with one hand till i watched the videos.
i also noticed that i was turning gently like you would on the steet instead of just jerking the wheel.

 

Good Job guys. i wish they had these events in my area!!

 

Alex, ton's of events 90min north of you including a school on the 25th
http://www.nescc.org/

Josh, word has it that the full tread kooks are similar to many women. They like to be pushed hard and squeal loud at the edge. As they get older and worn they don't squeal as much.

Also, my preference is for them to be shaved.
RS-2 Z212 shaved

 

Best thing you guys can do to your 5th gens- 4 or 5 point racing harness like the Sparco Clubman. I take the rear seat out of the car, and bolt up the rear straps to the rear seat belt buckles and seat belts- 2 14mm bolts hold the rear straps down. Then I have the side straps bolt up to where the seatbelt bolts down to the B billar right on the bottom and to the seat frame. I feel much more secure even with the stock seat, I don't move around or anything inside the car. I am trying to get me some Corbeau TRS seats for the front now so that I am planted down even better in the seat. I am upgrading my JIC Magic FLTA2s soon to stiffer rear springs and dampeners, and having my Warpspeed Subframe Connectors- Stage 3 put on at the local welding shop.

 

yeah after a couple events I'm very happy with the RS2's...I was thinking about getting them shaved, but never got around to it....either way, they grip outstanding and wear after 2 events (total 14 runs) is negligible. I run 39psi up front and 35 in the rears...


I thought about the harness, though I've had no problems with moving around with the lock-n-twist seatbelt method. ....might get around to it if I ever start running road courses.

besides, the rear seatbelt 14mm bolts will soon be used as mounts for a new camcorder bracket I'm designing (which will have multiple camera-mount points to use)....

I'd love to put some stiffer springs on, but this is my daily driver and the daily commute roads SUCK, so I'm going to stay with the maxspeeds for the sake of comfort. For this low-speed auto-x I really am not concerned with body roll anyhow, especially as it is advantageous for turn-in in many cases. As to the SFCs, I've decided that probably this summer I'm going to foam the subframe rails, as that will have a similar effect with much less added weight..

 

You have to be really carefull while doing the foam job, I seen this done on a Civic and the foam expanded so much it broke the frame rails- ruptured the metal ! I don't mind the few extra pounds on my car from something that is really going to stiffen up the chassis.

Highly recomend the harness thou, it helped me quite alot with being more planted to the seat. Our stock seats are as supportive as friggn park benches.

 

If I have it done, I'll go to a specialty race or body shop that has experience doing it - definitely not a "tuner" or "performance" shop

 

Oh man, I should have come. Could I still go even if I'm not a member? I should totally tool you guys I must go next time...

 

from what I hear, they're accepting new members again. Get in touch with Ed Chan, his email is on the website. Remember, no NOS!

(oh, and the cops can't give you a ticket or search for autocrossing )

 

as to you tooling me....well, we'll have to see about that

haven't lost to a maxima/maxima derivative yet!

 

In case anyone is interested, the results have been posted (finally):

Out of a total field of 74 cars (getting 7 runs each):

Me: Finished 36th overall, and 8th once the index (handicap) is calculated.
Best time: 29.08 seconds.

Jason: Finished 72nd overall, with no indexed time since he's never run before.
Best time: 33.42 seconds.

List of notable cars that I beat (in actual time):
2002 S2000 (3 of them)
2005 S2000
2004 WRX (2 of them)
2002 WRX (3 of them)
2003 350Z
1993 RX-7
1992 MR2
1999 Camaro Z28
1996 Porsche 993
2004 Mitsu Evo
2003 Mitsu Evo
2005 STi
2004 R32
2004 SRT-4
2005 Mustang GT
and several other Miatas, a couple BMWs, etc...
oh, and of course a 2002 Nissan Maxima

List of cars Jason beat:
2001 Turbo Beetle
1959 AC Aceca

 

well at least i beat someone!!!

 

How about a list of cars that beat you?

*cough*civic*cough*















Just kidding... that Civic probably beat everyone...

 

The lone civic (did you see under his hood joel?) - also running 14x9 r-compounds sticking 6" out from the wheel wells....

...he finished in FIRST place with a time of 25.77...almost a full second ahead of second place. Might as well have been driving a go-kart.

 

i jus glad to see the max was out there. funny no z cars or integ's though. ow well did the miata's do?

 

someone needs coilovers

 

impressive! wish i could come out and play.

 

contrary to popular thought, some amount of body roll is actually preferable in tight-track autocross. In fact, I had my front illuminas turned down to 3 (rear at 5) on my 2 fastest runs, to help turn-in. I would run coilovers for road courses, but I prefer a small amount of lean for auto-x.

Also....it's a myth that stiffer suspesion = better handling/better turning grip in all cases. Suspension setup is more about keeping traction and having a balanced setup.

 

There was a 98 Type R Integra there, he ran a best time of 28.23....also a new TSX which ran 29.47. Most of the integras I've seen run on these small tracks don't do all that well though, because it's a little too fast for 1st gear for them, but they are at too low RPS in 2nd and have no low torque.....(btw, I used to have an integra, but never raced it).

Best times for each of the Miatas there:
28.46 (fastest one)
28.64
28.99
30.08
30.83
31.46

...so I beat half of them...

 

i had an integra as well. also had a prelude when i lived in japan. was not into cars at the time though. would have bought a silvia then. I thought miatas were auto cross demons. built to destroy all who challenged its girly demenor. wanted to buy one and build a monster.

i have to come to one of those auto cross'. as soon as i get off of guilt duty with the wife.