Imp

OK.. what's the story? Day one shows the Zs ahead by like... 6-7 seconds, but on day two, the 8s were quicker.

NoCones

It rained Saturday. There was a downpour during the 3rd heat (we ran 4th)...it stopped and looked like we might get clearing for the 4th, but then there was lightning, so there was a 20 min delay between heats. When the decided to start up again, it also started raining again. Carter and Jim had Hoosier wets. Us RX-8 pilots figured we had no shot at the 350Z even with streets on, so we decided to stay on the regular R compounds and suffer together (and stay eligible for 3rd place Hankook/Kumho contingency). There was standing water throughout the heat, so we never had any grip at all...loads of fun.

Today was obviously a different story. We had completely dry runs and very hot/humid conditions. I snagged the top 2 times on the Hankooks, but Carter/Clyde/John were not far behind. It's a shame it wasn't dry Saturday, because I think we'd have had a great 4-way battle.

The courses were fun (or, in the case of Saturday's, would have been fun), but not long enough and not technically challenging enough for a National Tour.

I think the Hankooks are a decent option. I don't think they turn in as crisply as a Hoosier (I've never been on V710's to compare), but they seem to have excellent ultimate grip. And the heat really didn't bother them too much...they seemed pretty good through a wide range of temps. Today, Carter/Jim were on A3S05's (275/35) and Clyde/John were on V710's (245/35) that were at the end of their life. The Kooks are 245/40. I still don't have shocks or exhaust or anything, so today was a nice salvage after Saturday's big downer. The Hankooks also seemed to be turning pretty good times on the Friday practice course...but no other BS cars were running for a direct comparison.

Bryan

clyde

To add to Bryan's comments...

When you're driving on end-of-their-lives r comps in a half inch to a over an inch of standing water, DSC just kinda throws up its hands and says, "You got me. I don't know what to do. You have fun with that!" (as if you all couldn't have guessed).

Saturday was like an emotional roller coaster ride as the clouds first started rolling in and then the torrential downpour that left up to 2" of standing water in about 10 minutes in the third heat. By the end of the heat, the course was almost "dry enough"...but there were ominous clouds moving in...and the wind picked up and changed direction...and it got a lot cooler...but the clouds looked like they might just barely miss us. But they didn't. It was really wet. Third runs for the second drivers had a lot of dry and nearly dry sections.

Anyway...

My congrats to Bryan for today's best in class times. If we had had two dry days it would have been a great battle. Glad to have met you and hope to see you again somewhere soon (hint: Peru ).

I have on car video of johnv's and my runs both days that I hope to have available tomorrow night.

dknv

I've wondered how much value the Hoosier wets were. 6-7 seconds over staying on R compounds, wow.

NoCones

Also...I had the pleasure of being stopped by a VA state trooper on my way home. Not for speeding though...for having the stinking TireRack windshield banner on my car...if you have to drive through VA after a national event, take that thing off.

$86 ticket...bastard didn't even give my the opportunity to just take the thing off...although sounds like I may be able to get it dropped by sending before/after pics to the judge now that I've removed it.

Imp

If it's legal in the state the car is registered and inspected in, then VA has no rights to pull you over. Your view is not obstructed by it. It's a MV inspection issue.

--kC

NoCones

too bad I live in VA

I tried to reason with the officer...I asked why it was illegal...his stellar explanation was something like "I don't know...it's just one of those things." I also showed him that putting my sun visor down obstructed my view more than the decal..."yeah, I don't know" was the reaction.

It's comforting to know guys like that are out there keeping us all safe.

Imp

Well that sucks. I through you lived in NC.

http://home.pcisys.net/~bpc/auto_law/tint/tint_va.html

Some states have a 6" allowance at the top of the windshield (like MA)

NoCones

I'll live in NC soon...moving there at the end of July...finishing my PhD at Virginia Tech and moving to join the faculty at High Point University.

Yeah, I read the law in detail yesterday. I was certainly illegal by the letter of the law, but I don't think I was violating the spirit...that banner certainly does nothing to affect visibility (unless you're on the lookout for 747's). Interesting that you can completely block your rear window as long as you have side mirrors, but *anything* on the front is off limits. My conversation with someone at the courthouse this morning has me fairly confident I can get it dropped by sending in photos showing that I've removed it, along with an explanation of why it was there to begin with.

clyde

Virginia officers also have a habit of ticketing PT Cruiser drivers for the factory tint on the rear windows.

link

NoCones

geez...now that I go back and read the law, it's bizarre: it seems to specifically allow *any* stickers on rear rear side windows as long as you have acceptable side view mirrors, but it makes dark tinting illegal? So I can put a solid black sticker over the entire rear or rear side window, but I can't tint it? Am I reading that right?

Imp

Yep.

Well... as long as it's 0% tint.

The way I read is is anything greater than 0 and under 20% for the rear and 35% for the rear sides is illegal.

--KC
PS: Krylon works best. :D

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

gee your Honor, it didn't seem to be in the way while I was RACING

Imp

LOL! It's funny because it's true.