April 11/12 Motorsports Report
Resurrecting a tradition from the non-dash since I'm going to autocross the SE-R for most of the year ...
I autocrossed the SE-R in FSP for the first time a couple weeks ago at a test and tune. It was raining for most of the heat and didn't have a whole lot of grip. I suspect it was the Kumho Victoracers in the rear -- pretty sure they are the same tires I bought with the wheels from TireRack .... in 2005! No tread, hard as a rock, hadn't been run on the car since earlier last year. I spun twice on my first run. I can't remember the last time I spun a FWD car anywhere. Maybe 8-9 years ago at a track day or something. The front tires were new 225/50/15 Kumho V710s.
One time the back end started coming around, and I did what you're supposed to do with FWD -- mashed the gas! And the back end kept coming around.
So with another autocross on Saturday at FedEx Field with Autocrossers, Inc., rain was again in the forecast. So this time I didn’t bother to change tires and went with the money 185/60/14 Fuzion HRi tires that I got a couple years ago from Discount Tire when they had a deal for free shipping on any set of tires. Cost less than $200 for the entire set!
The car was a whole lot more predictable with these tires, but I couldn’t put the power down much at all with the steering wheel turned. As I’ve found driving them on the street, they’re really good in a straight line in the wet. Trying to turn, not so good. But the back end doesn’t suddenly start coming around.
I ended up 8th in the Pro class, and, I think for the first time, beat Sam Strano, who was driving his F Stock non-Shelby Mustang on the OEM tires. Raw time AND PAX! It was Eric Kriemelmeyer in his A Stock Solstice on OEM tires in 7th, me and then Sam. Everybody in front of us was on Hoosier wets or some kind of cheater ST tire, so I guess it's not too shabby.
See final results.
Hopefully the next autocross is in the dry so I can see how much need$ to be done. I've had the car for 3+ years and have slowly been doing stuff to it, but getting it re-classed in FSP kind of fell into the plans for this year. Have Koni inserts (Foltz Maxima housings in front, standard B13 rears), ST rear sway bar, GC camber plates, SS Autochrome header, some ghetto/eBay intake, Miata battery and no AC.
Looking to get a Quaife soon as well as 15X10s with 275 Hoosiers.
I have an OEM style cat-back exhaust (local muffler place installed) and might go with some side pipe off the cat to save weight. I'd rather keep the cat so it's not as raspy, and I have to pass emissions in Maryland. Three more years!
Pat
I autocrossed the SE-R in FSP for the first time a couple weeks ago at a test and tune. It was raining for most of the heat and didn't have a whole lot of grip. I suspect it was the Kumho Victoracers in the rear -- pretty sure they are the same tires I bought with the wheels from TireRack .... in 2005! No tread, hard as a rock, hadn't been run on the car since earlier last year. I spun twice on my first run. I can't remember the last time I spun a FWD car anywhere. Maybe 8-9 years ago at a track day or something. The front tires were new 225/50/15 Kumho V710s.
One time the back end started coming around, and I did what you're supposed to do with FWD -- mashed the gas! And the back end kept coming around.
So with another autocross on Saturday at FedEx Field with Autocrossers, Inc., rain was again in the forecast. So this time I didn’t bother to change tires and went with the money 185/60/14 Fuzion HRi tires that I got a couple years ago from Discount Tire when they had a deal for free shipping on any set of tires. Cost less than $200 for the entire set!
The car was a whole lot more predictable with these tires, but I couldn’t put the power down much at all with the steering wheel turned. As I’ve found driving them on the street, they’re really good in a straight line in the wet. Trying to turn, not so good. But the back end doesn’t suddenly start coming around.
I ended up 8th in the Pro class, and, I think for the first time, beat Sam Strano, who was driving his F Stock non-Shelby Mustang on the OEM tires. Raw time AND PAX! It was Eric Kriemelmeyer in his A Stock Solstice on OEM tires in 7th, me and then Sam. Everybody in front of us was on Hoosier wets or some kind of cheater ST tire, so I guess it's not too shabby.
See final results.
Hopefully the next autocross is in the dry so I can see how much need$ to be done. I've had the car for 3+ years and have slowly been doing stuff to it, but getting it re-classed in FSP kind of fell into the plans for this year. Have Koni inserts (Foltz Maxima housings in front, standard B13 rears), ST rear sway bar, GC camber plates, SS Autochrome header, some ghetto/eBay intake, Miata battery and no AC.
Looking to get a Quaife soon as well as 15X10s with 275 Hoosiers.
I have an OEM style cat-back exhaust (local muffler place installed) and might go with some side pipe off the cat to save weight. I'd rather keep the cat so it's not as raspy, and I have to pass emissions in Maryland. Three more years!
Pat
Last edited by patred
on 2011-03-06
at 21-34-52.
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