Mazda RX-8 Vs. 420 HP Audi R8 at VIR Grand East
07-11-2009, 09:07 AM
#51
3.2 Liter Inline Sex
Most don't realize this until they start looking for a suitable replacement...then it quickly becomes obvious just how good they have it.
07-11-2009, 11:19 AM
#53
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Yes, OK, it's a joke. I did thank the guy later for the priceless point-by.
Yes, OK, it's a joke. I did thank the guy later for the priceless point-by.
VIR is such a nice race track! I'd probably wreck while trying to look at the scenery. So jealous!
07-11-2009, 02:12 PM
#54
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I meant to ask you, are you keeping that speed all through the esses? How much through South Bend? I couldn't see your speedometer. Sooo much faster than I'm getting there.
BTW, do you know what happened to the Charger? I was looking at the photographer's pics and saw it got towed.
BTW, do you know what happened to the Charger? I was looking at the photographer's pics and saw it got towed.
07-11-2009, 03:10 PM
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07-11-2009, 03:38 PM
#58
3.2 Liter Inline Sex
lucky me...I have 1 about 15 miles (Harris Hill Road) and another about 60 (Driveway Austin).
Like Driveway Austin better and do all of my tracking there. Really cool course.
Like Driveway Austin better and do all of my tracking there. Really cool course.
07-11-2009, 03:42 PM
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Wanklebolt, try installing a lightweight flywheel and a set of Enkei RPF1s along with those sticky tires, then do some videos! The difference in acceleration for the RX-8 is night and day! Picking up the throttle hard in 2nd when leaving a corner will actually produce power slides!
The Enkei RPF1 in an 18x9.5" size weighs about 18.5 lbs each. 18" x 8.5" weighs even less! The 8.5" width is perfect for a 245 width tire.
Saw later in the vid where your lines start to get a bit sloppy but overall, nice driving, especially nearly flat out through the esses! W00T!
Once the R8 driver figured out that he COULD apply the throttle in the corners, he was GONE though. Fierce car.
The Enkei RPF1 in an 18x9.5" size weighs about 18.5 lbs each. 18" x 8.5" weighs even less! The 8.5" width is perfect for a 245 width tire.
Saw later in the vid where your lines start to get a bit sloppy but overall, nice driving, especially nearly flat out through the esses! W00T!
Once the R8 driver figured out that he COULD apply the throttle in the corners, he was GONE though. Fierce car.
07-11-2009, 03:47 PM
#60
It's a Cavalier
07-11-2009, 04:06 PM
#61
It's a Cavalier
07-11-2009, 06:48 PM
#62
3.2 Liter Inline Sex
07-11-2009, 10:51 PM
#64
1% evil, 99% hot gas.
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I meant to ask you, are you keeping that speed all through the esses? How much through South Bend? I couldn't see your speedometer. Sooo much faster than I'm getting there.
BTW, do you know what happened to the Charger? I was looking at the photographer's pics and saw it got towed.
BTW, do you know what happened to the Charger? I was looking at the photographer's pics and saw it got towed.
I was carrying about 90MPH through South Bend. Tried to push it harder but started running out of track on the exit. Went two-off once when I carried 95 MPH through it. Bumpy as HELL off the track! Swear I was two wheels in the air.
I might have video of that. Friend of mine had his Miata there and tried to carry 85 through South Bend on street tires. It didn't work. Went sideways and airborne off the outside of the turn and just clipped the tires halfway up the hill. Actually shook his driveline so hard when it landed it shredded his clutch line on a sharp part of the firewall. Almost had to tow him home.As for the Charger: Ran out of gas. I was instructing him and he mentioned "We might have to come in for gas", to which I said "Uh, OK". Lap and a half later it bucked and died. Thing was a gutless automatic rental car pee-eye-gee PIG anyway. Guy had ***** to bring it out, and we had fun making the mud and snow tires howl.
VIR ain't that local for me. Six hour drive minimum. I've driven 9 hours to Watkins Glenn. Hell, Summit Point, where I go once/twice a month, is two hours from my house. Two hours in the other direction to NJMP. Even the autocross events are usually 90 minutes or more from my house, and that's for maybe 6 minutes of fun. Once you get the track bug, the long drives come with the territory.
07-11-2009, 11:08 PM
#65
1% evil, 99% hot gas.
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There's even a shop that exports to the US the Holden Monaro bumpers, fenders, and emblems that bolt right onto the GTO. Here's an article about one in New York that was converted.
Still a kick-*** and sorely-missed car. There's a couple of red ones around where I live and they rumble like and earthquake. GM former CEOs and board of directors should be in JAIL for what they did to GM.
Last edited by wankelbolt; 07-11-2009 at 11:12 PM.
07-12-2009, 10:00 AM
#66
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Nice work WB! This is the fastest RX8 street prep vid I have ever seen. Excellent use of going to full power. Excellent throttle modulation. 95 mph through T10---nice. 102 in our Koni car Motec data. Try driving through the dirt a bit on the inside of T10 if it's dry, this gives you more track out too---a ton.
For those of you wanting to know one of THE MAIN reasons why Mr. W performs so well, try the video again and turn up the volume. Listen closely to how often he is in full throttle and/or going to full throttle. This is the secret gang----operating at full throttle and/or on the way to full throttle. When off throttle he is very smooth. You will have to listen closely to hear this.
Also, look at the driver's line choice---very good. Listen closely and watch the video and you'll see and hear some vibration indicating use of the rumble strips. Nice.
One thing you can't hear is roll speed. This is nicely displayed in T11 full course right hander just before oak tree. You need to carry alllllll that speed generated up and through the uphill esses and pull it out of your pocket and use it in, through and out of T11. If you listen closely you can hear some tire squeel through here which indicated he is hoofin' it.
Constructive criticism from a guy with several fast laps at VIR:
-See if you can reduce your coasting/off throttle into the heavier braking zones by 50%. This is the time when your neither on the brakes or the gas and usually one of the last places to find a few tenths. By the way forum readers, our driver has picked up the majority of seconds to be had at VIR and his next opportunities are small tenths of a second here and there. Small increase in exit speeds (1-3 mph) due to even later apexing but going to WOT earlier will have nice gains leading to longer straights. This is where you have to give up a corner to maximize the longer straights. As I like to tell my driving students "which is more preferred---3% time improvement over 1% of the track or 3% improvement over the long straight which is 8% of the entire track distance?". I think you have this opportunity coming on to the front straight. No doubt you have shown us a sample video and have fought to keep the car on track at track out. Try sacrificing the last left hander a bit to roll more speed through there. Since I know your tires squeel a bit, this is how I am assessing this corner. One of the reasons I offer this to our driver everyone is that this corner is very key. It leads to a long straight (which allows you drafting opportunities) following by a heavy braking zone (where the RX8 in race trim shines). Often I find myself catching slower cars through here, drafting them and then popping out to make a pass on the inside.
I would change my line into T4 by insuring you are all the way to the left immediately after T4. This allows you to go to full power just a tad bit sooner and carry it all the way into/through the esses. You will easily notice this improvement and watch out as you carry more speed into the right hander at the top of the esses as you well know.
Here is a vid of yours truly and honestly we are very similar in application to full power in several parts of the track. The only difference is a few feet and the improved grip that our cars allow us which means faster roll speed through the corners. We breathe in about the same spots and are WOT in the same spots. Congrats again to excellent driving skills.
A few things to look for:
-Full throttle at APEX of T1 to T3 where I just ride the brakes and keep the throttle at 100%
-Very late turn into T4
-Busted shock hop (can you see it)
-Throttle through the uphill esses with a very slight brush of the brakes through T10.
-High roll speed through 11
-The use of a little more track here and there. Sometimes the same, sometimes a few inches more. A few times a foot or so which I would NOT recommend to beginners.
-My favorite: Braking at the 0 marker down the backstraight. I tried to lift at the 0 but you cook the right hander. When you run some big front springs on this car it will stop on a dime and give you .11 cents change.
Enjoy and again---excellent job Mr. W!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCj2I0niQKI
Note: I think my best lap was a 2:10.8 no draft in February with last year's Koni Challenge fast lap of 2:09 something driven by Tom Long in an MX5 for Freedom Autosports. I think this 2:10 had us near pole time for that event (even though we didn't attend).
Happy rotoring as always.
For those of you wanting to know one of THE MAIN reasons why Mr. W performs so well, try the video again and turn up the volume. Listen closely to how often he is in full throttle and/or going to full throttle. This is the secret gang----operating at full throttle and/or on the way to full throttle. When off throttle he is very smooth. You will have to listen closely to hear this.
Also, look at the driver's line choice---very good. Listen closely and watch the video and you'll see and hear some vibration indicating use of the rumble strips. Nice.
One thing you can't hear is roll speed. This is nicely displayed in T11 full course right hander just before oak tree. You need to carry alllllll that speed generated up and through the uphill esses and pull it out of your pocket and use it in, through and out of T11. If you listen closely you can hear some tire squeel through here which indicated he is hoofin' it.
Constructive criticism from a guy with several fast laps at VIR:
-See if you can reduce your coasting/off throttle into the heavier braking zones by 50%. This is the time when your neither on the brakes or the gas and usually one of the last places to find a few tenths. By the way forum readers, our driver has picked up the majority of seconds to be had at VIR and his next opportunities are small tenths of a second here and there. Small increase in exit speeds (1-3 mph) due to even later apexing but going to WOT earlier will have nice gains leading to longer straights. This is where you have to give up a corner to maximize the longer straights. As I like to tell my driving students "which is more preferred---3% time improvement over 1% of the track or 3% improvement over the long straight which is 8% of the entire track distance?". I think you have this opportunity coming on to the front straight. No doubt you have shown us a sample video and have fought to keep the car on track at track out. Try sacrificing the last left hander a bit to roll more speed through there. Since I know your tires squeel a bit, this is how I am assessing this corner. One of the reasons I offer this to our driver everyone is that this corner is very key. It leads to a long straight (which allows you drafting opportunities) following by a heavy braking zone (where the RX8 in race trim shines). Often I find myself catching slower cars through here, drafting them and then popping out to make a pass on the inside.
I would change my line into T4 by insuring you are all the way to the left immediately after T4. This allows you to go to full power just a tad bit sooner and carry it all the way into/through the esses. You will easily notice this improvement and watch out as you carry more speed into the right hander at the top of the esses as you well know.
Here is a vid of yours truly and honestly we are very similar in application to full power in several parts of the track. The only difference is a few feet and the improved grip that our cars allow us which means faster roll speed through the corners. We breathe in about the same spots and are WOT in the same spots. Congrats again to excellent driving skills.
A few things to look for:
-Full throttle at APEX of T1 to T3 where I just ride the brakes and keep the throttle at 100%
-Very late turn into T4
-Busted shock hop (can you see it)
-Throttle through the uphill esses with a very slight brush of the brakes through T10.
-High roll speed through 11
-The use of a little more track here and there. Sometimes the same, sometimes a few inches more. A few times a foot or so which I would NOT recommend to beginners.
-My favorite: Braking at the 0 marker down the backstraight. I tried to lift at the 0 but you cook the right hander. When you run some big front springs on this car it will stop on a dime and give you .11 cents change.
Enjoy and again---excellent job Mr. W!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCj2I0niQKI
Note: I think my best lap was a 2:10.8 no draft in February with last year's Koni Challenge fast lap of 2:09 something driven by Tom Long in an MX5 for Freedom Autosports. I think this 2:10 had us near pole time for that event (even though we didn't attend).
Happy rotoring as always.
Last edited by EricMeyer; 07-12-2009 at 10:05 AM.
07-12-2009, 05:37 PM
#67
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fixt for you......sweet stuff
fixt for you......sweet stuff
07-12-2009, 06:46 PM
#68
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You post some great stuff, Eric. We need to give you your own advice column: Dear Eric.....
Wankelbolt has been kind enough to give me a couple rides during MazdaDrivers events, and it's wild to see the potential of the car with a skilled driver - especially in braking.
Wankelbolt has been kind enough to give me a couple rides during MazdaDrivers events, and it's wild to see the potential of the car with a skilled driver - especially in braking.
07-13-2009, 01:45 PM
#73
It's a Cavalier
More like the GTO is an American version of the Holden Monaro. The car was designed and built in Australia, shipped to the US as the GTO, to Europe as the Vauxhall Monaro, and to the Middle East and Africa as the Chevy Lumina (!!!).
There's even a shop that exports to the US the Holden Monaro bumpers, fenders, and emblems that bolt right onto the GTO. Here's an article about one in New York that was converted.
Still a kick-*** and sorely-missed car. There's a couple of red ones around where I live and they rumble like and earthquake. GM former CEOs and board of directors should be in JAIL for what they did to GM.
There's even a shop that exports to the US the Holden Monaro bumpers, fenders, and emblems that bolt right onto the GTO. Here's an article about one in New York that was converted.
Still a kick-*** and sorely-missed car. There's a couple of red ones around where I live and they rumble like and earthquake. GM former CEOs and board of directors should be in JAIL for what they did to GM.
https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...82#post2324082
As much as I would love to do a Monaro conversion, I have to do some SORELY needed suspension upgrades on the GTO first so I can take it to the track. Radius Rod Bushings should have been changed the first day I owned.
I'll talk to Kevo and the guys, and there will be an RX8 vs GTO video from Driveway Austin. I just hope the quality will be as good as yours... might have to give me a tip on camera positioning and mounting.
07-17-2009, 09:26 AM
#74
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Note: I think my best lap was a 2:10.8 no draft in February with last year's Koni Challenge fast lap of 2:09 something driven by Tom Long in an MX5 for Freedom Autosports. I think this 2:10 had us near pole time for that event (even though we didn't attend).
Happy rotoring as always.
Happy rotoring as always.
07-20-2009, 07:48 AM
#75
Registered
The Freedom Autosport MX5's are fast. Very fast. They have some of THE fastest (if not fastest) drivers in Koni ST. Andrew Carbonell (who drove with the Roar RX8 guys a few years ago) would finish in about the top 1/3 of the field. This weekend he earned 2nd. He has earned a few pole positions and podium finishes.
To answer your question: It's the driver and not the car. That being said, the MX-5 Freedom prepared cars are very, very fast right now. The RX8's (if you ask me) don't have enough more to gain in the h.p. category nor in weight reduction to make them more competitive. Currently the APR VW, Honda Civic, MX5 and the Subi are the kings of power and speed on the track.
To answer your question: It's the driver and not the car. That being said, the MX-5 Freedom prepared cars are very, very fast right now. The RX8's (if you ask me) don't have enough more to gain in the h.p. category nor in weight reduction to make them more competitive. Currently the APR VW, Honda Civic, MX5 and the Subi are the kings of power and speed on the track.
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