CRX Millennium

iTrader: (1)

Well, Packwood NT is in the book, and no update/word from the participants, strange. Anyway, here is the pertinent NT info for us bench racers:

Prelim result:
http://www.scca.com/_FileLibrary/Fil...wood%20Sun.pdf

Overall PAX/RTP Index result:
http://sccaforums.com/forums/storage...-RTP-Final.pdf
Sat:
http://sccaforums.com/forums/storage...AX-RTP-Sat.pdf
Sun:
http://sccaforums.com/forums/storage...AX-RTP-Sun.pdf

As for our local hero here in SFR, Mike, you will be the champ in ProSolo! You led BS field on Sat over Joe and Matthew, only giving the lead up on Sun. Not sure what happened for the change of fortune, but you have proven multiple times that you can beat current champs at their games. Go Mike!

mp5

From the results, it definitely looks like there were weather issues. Mike should be happy with his Sat performance though.

Congrats to GeorgeH and Brian Coulson getting in the trophies. Also, PedalFaster killed AS yesterday and moved up to 2nd.

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

I hear rain on Sun and only Joe with rain tires. Come on we know Mid-pack Mike always chokes on day two.

mwood

You are correct, on both points.

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

Thanks, mp5.

Yes, Mike was very fast on Sat, and deserves props for that. Sunday morning it was *very* wet, and although the course got progressively less wet each run, it never actually started to dry until heat 3. So we never quite got out of the slick stuff, although each run was faster.

Mike openly stated Sunday morning that he was nervous about the wet conditions, and he unfortunately coned the crucial third run, so he dropped several places. His misfortune was my fortune, bumping me from fourth to third.

I was very stoked to be even in the ballpark of these guys. On Sat I was .3 back from Mike, and only about .2 off Joe & Mathew. On Sun I was trading spots with Mathew for 2nd, .1 sec up on him run 1, and .1 down for runs 2 & 3 (scratch times - he coned run 1 and I coned run 2).

The course was a sweeper course, with only a few short slaloms. Many of the sweepers were very open, with lots of room for interpretation/driver error.

It was good to meet Mike & Mathew, as well as to see a few of the "regulars" again.

See you guys at nats!

CRX Millennium

iTrader: (1)

Good showing in Tokico, George!

Sounded like a fun event with Sun rain performance being the deciding factor. So Joe is on H Wet, the rest of RX-8 on V710. Wonder if Mike felt new 710 with grooves perform better than street given the track condition.

PedalFaster

George, that was an amazing showing -- you should really hold your head high after running with that crowd.

Feels like I'm going to have posted these on every forum on the internet by the time I'm done, but since no one else has, here are some videos to give an idea of course layout and conditions:

Day 1: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PA6cB8sBMpk
Day 2: http://youtube.com/watch?v=qgwdTR_wXv0

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

Thanks Stephen! Congrats to you as well in AS, and thanks for the video.

As for 710s vs streets, I was on new 710s as well. As a point of reference, Glen A. in a 350-Z put on his Kumho SPTs (brand new in the rear) Sunday and he dropped several places, so I think the order is Hoosier Rains > 710s > street tires in anything but an absolute deluge with lots of standing water.

Case in point, Ron & Jim in CSP were on SPTs in the first heat, when it was the wettest, with lots of standing water, and they beat plenty of 710-shod CSP cars, but then they do have lots of talent and a great car.

In the end, I'll stick with 710s unless it's nothing but puddles out there (unless of course some day I have the foresight to show up with Hoosier rains or RA-1s).

mwood

We made the right choice in running the V710's rather than the stock street tires, without a doubt. There was less and less standing water as the run group progressed. As George said, I was nervous about running in the wet. I'd autocrossed a grand total of twice in the rain previously and never in the RX8, so I just had no confidence. I actually was right on the pace on second runs (outside of Joe, who was the only one prepared for the conditions), but on my third foolishly tried to get super aggressive, which resulted in overdriving the car, first missing a turn and pushing wide, then trying to make up for it on the next section and crossing the car up, then having it catch and launch into an apex cone...as ULLLLLLLLLLLLOSE so charitably pointed out, I choked

George drove very smoothly and looked great, picking up third. Brian really had a good third run on Sunday and I was stoked to see him pick up the last trophy.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

disappointing ...

https://www.rx8club.com/showpost.php...&postcount=587

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

shipped the previous set of tires up to Packwood today. Hopefully the only tire shop in Packwood can mount them they were at least willing to try ...

also, after renting a cabin at Packwwod last weekend my opinion has changed on the location. Our place was very relaxing and private. Sitting in the jacuzzi in the evenings on our back porch with tiki torches providing a nice atmosphere and whirlpool jets massaging your feet is teh heaven ...

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

Glad to hear you are coming around. There's a set of folks who just stay up there for the week - take in an evo school or two, hang out, explore Mt Rainier or Mt St Helens, etc. It's a beautiful area, if a little limited on restaurants. Just got back from a phase II myself - got alot out of it, but even if I hadn't it was worth it just to see the instructors have a mock competition driving a PT Cruiser backwards through the Phase I course. After the classes were done, of course.

BryanH

Plenty of RX-8 action in the photos here.

Also in-car video from the ES perspective.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

thanks Bryan, I was hoping someone took a few shots

whatbadgerseat

iTrader: (1)

Thanks, these are some great shots.

I liked the breakdown of my spin...

mwood

After watching Bryan's videos I had two thoughts:
1. Bryan is one smooth driver
2. The course looks much better dry, than wet

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

nice shot Bryan

mwood

this pics very cool...but it does highlight how much the rear suspension rolls and tucks with the stock springs

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

looks more like a swaybar/shock valving issue :

GeorgeH

iTrader: (2)

Cool wing-window mod.

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

How did this car get a tech sticker with these numbers and no class id?

At other events this year pulling to the line with the wrong/no class ID/numbers gave you a DSQ on that run.

whatbadgerseat

iTrader: (1)

It was running in the pax index class just ahead of BS in the 2nd heat. All the index cars just had an "i" next to their number. From my observations it looked like a street tire class too...

mwood

We're at the Pro. Weather looks like it should hold for part of the day...of course it was beautiful yesterday!

Course is, again, not real RX8 friendly, with a lot of stop and go stuff. Downshifting to first is not an option as the second gear synchro is shot...which also means we'll give about .2 or so every stsrt.

Still, looking forward to a fun weekend. running the REAL Pro format!

ULLLOSE

iTrader: (1)

Man you co-driver must be hard on cars.... Only driven the 8 three times and he already broke it.

BryanH

I witnessed a 2-1 shift followed by a 1-2 shift by said codriver last weekend. Both seemed to go smoothly from outside the car.

Unlike the time Mike murdered the 2nd gear synchro at the event I codrove the car.

Wish I could be there at the Pro. Wonder if I will get my BS car up to snuff before I sell it. :|