fun weekend of racing

[bhuff30]

I started by making a pass on the Gtech. With a passanger in the car, I ran a 15.56 @ 93.7mph. I am very happy with the run, and you will be surprised when you see my setup:
A4ld w/stock 3.73 gears
9psi from a .63/.60 T3
3" downpipe to 2.5" exhaust
Lb3 w/ brown tops and big vam
NA head milled for 9.9:1 compression
6* of base timing w/39psi fuel pressure
mild cam ([email protected] w/.454 lift)
I need to get a turbo head built up. Thats the head I was running while naturally aspirated.
Then, I went to an autox event. It was great fun, and I feel I ran well. I am waiting for all the results to be posted, but I beat a 96-98 mustang GT with at least lowering springs and exhaust. I also ran about the same times as a WRX that was there.
Suspension: tokito illumian struts, GT mustang sway bars, 99+ springs cut for a 1" drop on my car, poly bushing in the front. The rear suspension is stock minus 99+ springs and shocks. It handles farily well, but oversteers badly on long corners. I beleive some more camber via CC plates would really help since I can only dial in -3/4* right now. Then, there is a random oversteer problem. While making quick transitions between left and right, the rear end will sometimes kick out badly without any throttle input. It really becomes a handful when that happens. I am guessing that a pan hard bar would really help that problem, but I don't exactly have the funds for that until I am out of school.

 

[StangerJon]

the mph will be a little high. but nice time.

 

[140cilx]

pretty darn good!

get a vid of your autox?

 

[mr_woodster]

Phh, its kinda hard to hold the camera and drive..duh!

 

[bhuff30]

I didn't have access to a video camera, otherwise, I would have video.

 

[Brantley]

Hey man.. I've noticed the snap oversteer on quick cornering transition in autox on my car as well. The solution that I've found to solve it on a budget is to change my driving style. If I slow down a bit more before the turn, then doesn't snap out from under me, and then I can also accelerate much harder on the other side. My suspension is fairly decent, and for the first race or two with the turbo engine (finally had enough speed for problems to show up haha), it was a whole new animal. I really wiped out good one race.. left about 25 ft of black marks.. from all 4 tires! After that I slowed down a lot, started using the brakes a whole lot more (again, didn't really need them with the N/A engine), and my times quickly went up by a lot.

I'd rather have oversteer than understeer!!

 

[Stinger]

Brantley...I had a hell of a spin on my last run last weekend as well...I was rolling about 55mph when the rear came around and I couldn't save it (nothing like trying to go through the slolom while trying to keep the ass end from coming all the way around). Too bad we didn't get it on tape...

 

[140cilx]

Stinger I woulda liked to have seen that, how many cones did you take out? Last time I did as you described I took out 11 total (and from both sides). Embarrassing, but woke everyone up and got cheers.

Which car were you using?

Interesting note, this Cougar I bought has a K-member G brace from the factory that will fit the SVO - so I'm taking that.

The really fast guys at the SVO autox that win top 4 every year do as Brantley described, Hammer down to the corner, brake very heavy, casual/tight around the corner, hammer out. Look slow, go fast.

Brantley, you are home?

 

[bhuff30]

I wasn't having too much trouble with the back end coming around, but I'm sure entering the corner a little slower will help out. Somehow, I have managed to not spin completly around yet. I took an off course excursion at the previous even, and got all kinds of sideways near the end of this event. I think it was where stinger spun out too. Seemed like almost everyone was getting some wicked oversteer there.
I wish I could have caught a video of the camaro going through the slalom drifting style. It got loose on him as he entered, and he somehow made it through the entire slalom sideways without hitting a cone as the rear end kept swinging around. LOL

 

[Cougar]

Brantley...I had a hell of a spin on my last run last weekend as well...I was rolling about 55mph when the rear came around and I couldn't save it (nothing like trying to go through the slolom while trying to keep the ass end from coming all the way around). Too bad we didn't get it on tape...

it was pretty damn big, a lot of fast cars spun out there because they took the hard way into the slalom though.

I'm bringing the SVO down here next semester, so i'm definately going to be doing the AutoX stuff at Salina.

 

[Brantley]

Sweet.. I really wish the autox season wasn't over! I missed about all the races from being gone workin on the bike tours. I think there might be 1 coming up in a week or two, but thats about it until next March or April.

When I had my real bad spin, I was out of control for over 60 feet. I have no idea how fast I was going, but it had to be in the neighborhood of 50. Putting the hammer down in the middle of a curve on the top end of 2nd gear when your tires are already at the limit is not a great idea!!

Now that my car has some balls, my brakes are much more important. They are not up to what I would like for autox. If there's any kind of straight section before the finish line, I have to let up a bit before I cross the lights so I can get stopped in the stop box (I learned that one the hard way, too). However, I think something's up with my brake system. If I put everything I can into the brake pedal, it still won't lock up any wheels.

 

[Stinger]

140...I took out 11 cones as well...

I was using the 91 LX. There are two things wrong with using that car for Auto-x...one is that it has NO back brakes so I have to brake early (we all know more time is made up in breaking than accel) and the second problem is I had an IC hose (actually it's bhuff's tubing...I just haven't given it to him yet )that was leaking that I didn't find until after the event which was KILLING power.

 

[bhuff30]

The results were finnally posted online! I am very happy with my performance. I beat a cobra in STX, a new mini cooper in stock, an EVO in street touring, a corvette in street modified ( ), and several miatas, camaros and mustangs. To bad I can't afford some nice DOT legal stickies, then I could really kick some ass.