Speed Racer

Driving event
With the recent snow that we have had it is hard to believe that Spring is just around the corner. So it is time to start thinking about putting the summer tires back on and having some fun with the RX-8. If you have ever wanted to see what your car can really do and want to improve your driving skills you should consider doing a track day.

The Sports Car Driving Association is running a track day / school at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, NH on Wednesday April 27th. I realize that this is midweek but trust me when I say that the experience will be well worth taking a day off from work. Oh and no previous racing experience is needed, you just need to have a desire to become a better driver and bring along a helmet that is at least Snell 1995 (SA1995 or M1995) or newer.

What to expect
Once at the track you will be greeted by fellow enthusiasts and track officials. The morning starts with a brief drivers meeting and then you will have a 25 min. class about the driving line, passing areas, flags, and track rules. After that you have 25 min. to get ready and get your car to the starting grid. Then the real fun begins as you'll spend the next 25 minutes out on track. If you are running in the Novice class you will have an experienced race driver sitting in the passenger seat coaching you around the track. In the Intermediate and Advanced classes you will be driving solo. After you have had your fun on the track you will pull back into pit row and head back to class to review the last session. Then the whole cycle starts again. In the end you will get 4 track sessions over the course of the day. This will provide you with a ton of driving experience that would be next to impossible to learn on the street.

More information
For more info check out the SCDA website or read the comments from a couple of past events:

• LimeRock 2004
• Watkins Glen 2004
• Pocono 2003

Directions
MapQuest directions to NHIS.

New Hampshire International Speedway
1122 Route 106 N
Loudon, NH 03307

Registration
If you are interested in going please sign up soon as space is limited, especially in the novice groups. To register, fill in the student application and mail it along with your payment ($235) to SCDA. You will get a confirmation notice by phone or e-mail when they receive the application.

Sports Car Driving Association, LLC
2 Prospect Street
Essex, CT 06426


P.S. I've heard that the guys from Casual Racing, who ran two RX-8s in SCCA Touring-2, will be instructing at this event. So how cool would it be to have an experienced RX-8 race driver coaching you around the track?

RPIRX-8

Yikes, thats soon. Looks like I need to start looking at some summer tires. I'll try to make it.

Speed Racer

Yeah, now is the time to put in for the time off. We should also think about getting together to do a tech day and make sure that everyone is up to par (change the fluids, bleed the brakes, etc...).

RPIRX-8

Sounds like a plan to me. I am gonna order up some Falken 451s next week. Maaaaybe I'll spring for some of the RB suspension too

Mazdax605

Is this similar to a COM event?I ran my RX-7 with them a few times at NHIS back a few years.I never did the timed events,just the driving school's with an instructor.I may be interested,but that event is too close for me.Maybe one of the other events.

Speed Racer

RPIRX-8,

I say do the tires and the track event as tightening the loose nut behind the wheel will give you a bigger boost in "performance" than adding some RB sway bars.


Mazdax605,

Yes, the SCDA events are very similar to the other clubs' driving schools. Are there any tracks that you are more interested in trying (i.e. Watkins Glen, Lime Rock, Mosport, etc...)? Just let me know what you are interested in doing and I'll see if we can line something up later in the season.

Mazdax605

Thanks Speed Racer.What I meant to say in my post was the event was too close to todays date therefore I don't have enough time to plan for it properly.The NH track is probably the best one for me to get to,but I will have to pass for this event.Plus I don't know how it will look using a leased RX-8 on the track.Thanks again.

Speed Racer

It looks like the SCDA will be back at NHIS on June 6th.

Plus we have a bunch of other tracks and clubs to choose from like NASA, COM, etc... It looks like it is going to be a fun summer. :D

Speed Racer

I just got confirmation from Ian Prout that I'm all signed up and good to go.

So has anyone else registered for this event? Spin9k, Tigger, RPIRX-8...

Spin9k

OK, I'm slow, but I sent my registration in today.

BTW, on the site on the home page it says all registrations except LM 3/28 are CLOSED, then on the schedules page it says all registrations are OPEN. Who knows....maybe I'll get to go.....

Speed Racer

Cool! So we now have two people committed to this track day. Hmmm... maybe that was a bad choice of words. :P Anyways, registration is definitely open and you should get a confirmation e-mail from Ian Prout in a day or two.

So when you are going to install all of those goodies on your car? Coil-overs, swaybars, Canzoomer, exhaust... Did I missing anything?

Tigger

iTrader: (3)

I'm seriously looking at this 2! Just need to figure out a few more things... and I'm in.

--Tigger!

Spin9k

Just got word the Autoexe strut bars shipped from CA, so should have those any week now, heard we might get 50s in a while, then the exhaust and swaybars goe on, the canzoomer the guy wiggled out and never bought, so for that I need technical support (hint..hint), and the coilovers, well.... haven't anted up for the 2K price tag yet.... so for that I may waita bit... test out the other goodies first to see the results unadulterated

RPIRX-8

Alright, momentary thread highjack, I promise to give it back .

I'm gonna mail my app this week as well as order up rims and tires. What I NEED to know is this..... 40mm offset rims at 18x8 rim size with 245/40/18 rubber, good or bad? (looking at 18x8 Konig Troubles, silver machine finish, with Falken GBR-451 rubber..)

Spin9k

A good question...thinking of new rims too. From what I researched (someone w/real experience pls chime in here) and have read, even 10mm extra offset changes things noticeably... as in more tramlining, higher steering effort... but no one says what may happen at 8 to 10/10th driving... this is, is handling better, worse, or the same. Also possibility of bearing wear increases, as the suspension geometry is not as designed.

Suspension are fairly sensistive to these changes, but I can't find other than anecdotal remarks, no tests or evaluations to hang a hat on. For street use these changes may only be a annoyance, I think 43-45mm is the most change I'd do on an 8" wheel, as I don't want ahem, 'problems' showing up at 120mph on some straight or in mid 90mph turn

Anyone?

Speed Racer

RPIRX-8,

Check out this thread for some honest feedback about changing the offset.

RPIRX-8

ouch, looks like the Konig Troubles are out. Its hard to find a low price 18x8 50mm offset rim out there. I've been looking for days!

Speed Racer

RPIRX-8,

So how is the search for wheels and tires coming?

RPIRX-8

Well, its definitely been keeping me up late at night researching. I think I know the weight and offset of just about every 18x8 rim out there :-). First some facts.

1. MNAO quotes the stock 18x8 wheels as 20lbs. Many people on the forum have quote weights from 18-23 lbs for these wheels. "Brillo" on this forum has pictures in his vbGarage of the wheels on a scale both with and without tires. Wheels alone weighed in at 22.5 lbs and wheels with the stock Potenzas weigh in at 48.2 lbs.

2. It is extremely hard to find an 18x8 rim with a 50mm offset, let alone one that weighs under 23 lbs and doesn't cost more than $250 a rim.

3. SSR went bankrupt, so be careful about spending a fortune on those rims.

4. I did a looooot of research on sprung vs. unsprung weight and the effects. After researching this I came to the conclusion we are in a very unique situation with our cars. We have a 2900lb car with 18 inch rims that weigh 22.5 lbs. This in and of itself is an excellent thing. If you look at other cars out there that run 18s from the factory, they have much more torque and weigh a lot more. Look at this with cars that most people consider when they purchase the 8, G35, 350Z, STI. All of these cars have over 250 ft/lbs of torque and 250 hp. A 25lb rim has much less of an affect on these cars. Our cars having 238hp and 170 ft/lbs of torque causes us to worry about unsprung weight much more.

5. Unsprung weight, Tires - When most people look at unsprung weight they forget about checking the weight of their tires. Believe me, when you check, you will be surprised. Some food for thought.

Falken GRB-451 in 245/40/18 size - 26.6 lbs
Kumho Ecsta MX in 245/40/18 size - 25lbs
Kumho Ecsta Supra 712 in 245/40/18 size - 27lbs
Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position in 225/45/18 size - 27lbs ** in 245/40/18 size - 28 lbs
Bridgeseone Potenza RE040 in 225/45/18 size - 26 lbs (our original equipment)

Now, armed with this information, and knowing weight at a further distance from the center of rotation has more rotational inertia (imagine swinging a string with a 2 lb rock at the end of it vs. swinging a string with a 10lb rock at the end of it). Tire weight now becomes a huge issue. I would rather have a heavier rim and lighter tire.

Whew, now that its taken me about 25 minutes to write up this post. What exactly am I doing? Strongly thinking about just purchasing the Kumho Ecsta MX tires and putting them on the stock rims. Thats my performance side of the thinking. The other side is buying the Konig Trouble rims in gunmetal finish (what i've wanted since they came out) and putting the Kumho's on them.

Edit: So I just ordered the MB Motorsports VR5S in 18x8 with a 45mm offset rims from Discount Tire. This is their house brand and they gave me a great price at $135 a rim. These rims come in at just shy of 24lbs a wheel. I'm looking at tires at the moment, I'll advise what I come up with.

Edit Part Deux: Went with the Falken GRB 451s in 245/40/18 and weigh in at 26.6 lbs. This puts my total wheel weight at 50.6 lbs which is 2.1 lbs over stock. I went with the heavier tire because its wider and I wanted better cornering and quick maneuver stability than better acceleration off the line. Total wheel/tire package came in at $1232 with the tire road hazard protection.

Speed Racer

RPIRX-8,

What are you doing this Sunday? my10ae and Chris Grant were going to stop by my place for a pseudo tech day. If you are free you should come up. Then we can slap my summer wheels on your car and you can see if you really like the Kumho MX tires before you spend any money.

RPIRX-8

Thanks for the offer Speed Racer but I am heading to a friend's family for Easter dinner on Sunday.

Spin9k

Well I'm official, got my confirmation and I got my next 50 degree day project delivered. One pic below, more at www.spin9k.com. And joyous day! I've graduated (a little) my email says, "You will be driving in the INTERMEDIATE 1 Run Group, with instructor." Yea...:D

Speed Racer

Nice! So according to weather report you should be installing it today. :p

That's funny because I got dropped into the novice group. That's OK because it lets me run with the rest of you guys.

Speaking of new additions, I just got an e-mail from Richard Paul saying that my short shift kit has been shipped. I hope it is as good as all of the reviews I have read.

RPIRX-8

I will be interested in that short shift kit. I saw the video and jumping johosefats that throw is shoooooort.

Speed Racer

First impressions of the Axial Flow Eng. short shifter:

Install was straight forward and well documented in another thread. Though I did run into one snag. The reverse lock out tab wouldn't fit underneath the plate. It was only off by a couple of thousandths of an inch but it is was still enough to make it impossible to get it into reverse. This was easily fixed by using a file to add a small chamfer to the tab. Now it drops into every gear perfectly.

It is hard to describe how it feels in use. Words like "rugged" and "robust" come to mind as the gear lever snaps into place. The throws into each gear are about half an inch shorter than OEM and the shifter requires a little more force to move it through its range of motion. The tactile experience leads you to believe that there is a racing gear box at the other end of the stick.

I honestly can't see this mod making the car any faster but it definitely changes the persona of the car. It is hard to imagine but the change feels just as dramatic as when I installed coil-overs on the car.