Thread: Who tracks their cars?

My original plan was to get rid of the 200sx and get a BMW E30 or something thats track proven, because I'm planning on getting into some SCCA events.

However, especially after today cruising some back roads at a high rate of fuel consumption, tackling the twisties and feeling confident in the car.

So...that being said, anyone here track their car? Is it a good platform for handling?

Mine already has KYB AGX adjustable struts and a rear strut and sway bar, so, I'm part of the way there. I'd think with a larger front sway bar and a front strut bar, and installing the 2" lowering springs I have, it ought to handle pretty good. I'm not a fan of pushing FWD through the corners due to previous events in my life, but, I'm thinking it would be a good car to start with.

Good power, more than excellent brakes (NX2000 brakes with braided lines and EBC pads, DOT5 fluid).
With a little more in the handling department, it should do pretty well?

Also...a wider wheel/tire would help. Any recommendations on that?

I hope I'm not making a repost...I searched, but, I fail at that.

But you guys seem a helpful group...figured you can help

Cruising back roads is not the same as the freedom you have to push the car on a high speed track. Have you done any DE days yet? I highly suggest doing a few DEs before you further modfy the car. Are you converting it to a track car or will it be a daily driven car that will see track duty? When you say you're looking to do SCCA events what exactly do you mean? PDX or something along the lines of ITA?

Our cars don't have much suspension travel when you drop it on stock length struts (KYB AGX for example). What springs were you thinking of? Over the years I've gone through KYB AGX on Eibach sportlines, Hyperco Gen 2 (pretty much same thing as Road Magnets), AGX/GC coilovers, and Tein SS coilovers. If I was forced to go back to AGXs I would go with the AGX/GC coilovers. If it's a track car, I see CSKs in your future, if it's a daily driven car that will see track duty a few times a year I highly recommend the Tein SS. Read this thread. It's mostly biased to the B13 but it has some good information. http://www.sr20-forum.com/information-library/1801-b13-b14-b15-suspension-information.html

What rear sway bar do you have?

For brakes I have a set of Raybestos ST43a on a shelf that I've used for 4 DE days and they still have plenty of meat on them. They were pretty damn expensive but I swap them out once the track day is over for some Axxis pads. I've never dealt with EBC pads for the track. I've only read that EBC blues will eat your rotors but I can't comment on that since I've never tried them.

Wider wheels and tires? My suggestion is 949ULs or Enkei RPF1s on 225/45/15 Toyo R888s. I will never run another set of tires for track duty. The tires lose grip very progressively and they hold up really well to heat.Spoiler

Speaking of progressively losing grip, you will need to get your rear beam bent to 0 toe. Read this article. Go go. Beam bending article by Mike Kojima.

I was planning on attending an upcoming PDX event, but, really, I just want to get involved and devote a lot of time to it, and hopefully end up with a few sponsors. As I was saying, figured the 200sx was a good car to get me started...haha.

As far as the suspension....it has KYB AGX struts on it right now and the car came with Eibach Sportlines in a box with it, but he didn't install them since he was planning on rallying the car. After reading that article, seems they're not good unless I just want the lowered car look and crappy ride/handling.

The rear strut bar is Stillen and the rear sway bar, I'm not sure. Its very thick and is black in color, not sure if that helps identify it or not.

I know the brakes are excellent, almost too much brakes it seems. At just about any speed if I jab the pedal I can lock all 4 up, but, braking normally, I can go from about 100 to 25 in what seems like an instant.

And, I believe they're EBC pads, for some reason that Raybestos number you gave sounds familiar too. All I know is the previous owner tried to do what was the best modifications to the car. He did a lot of research and gave me a 1.5" thick packet of all the info he printed from forums...haha.

But, idk. After reading all that info, sounds there's still a lot to do to get this car track ready...haha. And, I know windy backroads are a lot different than a track, but, if anything, it'd probably be a lot more stable on the track...a lot less pot holes and such...lol

Don't install the sportlines. They are possibly the worst performance spring for B14. You will hav about 3mm of travel left in the front suspension and it will blow out your AGXs in a matter of months.

Wow. Yeah, I'll leave them in the box. Haha.

Take it down to PIR and see what it does. Sounds like you have the brakes/tires and all that stuff in order. have some fun.

lol...I'm a little ways away from there...haha. I have Summit Point Raceway about 1.5hrs from me in WV. $275 for track instruction and track time for an SCCA PDX event.

Not sure if thats worth going to or not. Doesn't sound that expensive for a full day of racing...most club events are at least $400 that I've seen.

oops PDX is the airport code for Portland OR. my bad.

if you're serious about tracking, take the car to a frame shop and have them bend the rear beam to ~0* toe.

Lol...you've been forgiven. Sorry for the mis-communication there. PDX is Performance Driving Experience in SCCA terms...lol



Any idea how much a shop would charge to do that? Or even if a shop would do that...lol