RX8SpdDmn

I got the videos up from BeaveRun. I had the whole track to myself at the time of my fastest lap. The track was ok. I wouldn't go there over a new track, or Watkins Glen or Putnam Park (the only other two I've been to), but it wasn't bad overall. It eats the left front tire pretty bad. Let me know what you think. Enjoy!

http://www.scottbarton.net/anthony/BeaveRun

RenesisRacer

After racing karts there for the last 4 years, I had my first chance to drive the road course in early September, with my best time of a 54.0. I was in a Mazda, though it wasnt exactly an RX-8...


I liked the track, though it's certainly not a Watkins Glen or Laguna Seca,and is still under construction, it should be really good when they finish building the south track. The uphill-downhill complex could become a classic though.

They had ICC shifter karts on the road course once this summer and I think they did 1:08's. Pretty impressive huh?

Spin9k

Nice driving, looked like fun! Interesting to see you doing what I have experienced several times at various tracks...that a Lotus Elise hasn't a ghost of chance with a fairly stock RX-8. Seems to fly in the face of reason, but it's true! Gosh we are blessed, driving an 8 fast on the track is so easy and fun .

PedalFaster

Um... I can't agree with this one. To me, that video looked a good RX-8 driver being crushed by an Elise on the straights, but making it up under braking, something an Elise piloted by an equally good driver should do as well or better than an RX-8.

All things being equal, an Elise should run away and hide from an RX-8 on a track.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

agreed, against an Elise and all else being equal the RX-8 hasn't got a chance

John V

iTrader: (1)

If you ever get the chance to drive an Elise you'll know how wrong this statement is.

RX8SpdDmn

Agreed. I had slightly better tires than him, but it really came down to me pushing it a bit harder than him. I am very impressed with the RX-8 at the track, but I know what Elise's are capable of. I have a video of me autocrossing one on a go-kart track in Batavia, NY.

http://www.scottbarton.net/anthony/Autox

Find the one called "AnthonysFunLotusRun.mpg". It was my friend's 1st gen Elise (1400lbs, 190hp) that Lotus was importing only for racing. Sooooo much fun!

Spin9k

Driver + car = result on track. Can't help if Elise drivers can't muster the courage to drive their nice toys well....maybe our cars are easy, their cars are hard to master... which, BTW, I think is true, I've seen more than one spin out. One day I'll put together a montage of videos of me passing Elises on different track like Watkins Glen, NHIS, Mont Tremblant in my stock power 8.

If my memory serves me, I would catch and pass, not just catch in the corners, which all by itself sounds ridiculous I'll be the 1st to admit. Still, how great Elises are = Emperors cloths syndrome IMHO - they are certainly generally impressive - but not all that people seem to imagine they are in the real world. Go find one (an Elise and a track and your 8) and try it yourself is all I can say...all things being equal...usually are not...you might be surprised

If someone else can post their own video to prove otherwise on track w/the 8.....I always like to watch.

Bottom line RX8SpdDmn you did pass him, so that's one more for the 8!

John V

iTrader: (1)

I've driven (read: autocrossed) four different Elises, three sport packs and one standard one. I've also spent a season autocrossing an RX-8. Without a doubt, at any venue, the Elise will absolutely destroy the RX-8.

That doesn't mean I don't like the RX-8. I do. I'm just realistic about its potential.

Obviously driver enters into the equation. It always does. And yes, Elises can be tricky to drive fast for someone used to the watered-down, benign cars most of us drive . But in the right hands it is a brutally fast track weapon. Hell, you'd be a bit more careful with a $45,000 car than you would a $25,000 car too, wouldn't you?

John

RX8SpdDmn

No.

BlueRenesis82

So much of it is driver, I passed and had no problems with both a race prepped Elise on Hoosiers and multiple Espirots. But a well driven S2000 and M3 are damn good cars as well!

Spin9k

That likely is the difference, I'm speaking of race track encounters with Elise's, not autocross. The small lightweight Elise even I would argue would beat an 8 on the tight autocross circuit.

But on the open high speed race track, at near racing speeds, the 8 seems to rule from my experience.

toca

all things aside i think it funny how much the corvette and 911 drivers r wimps u ran on them and they pull over like babys. good run u r a way better driver then him he had trouble enter the turns u did way better on that then him.

BlueEyes

Your experience is with the drivers, not the car. An elise will embarass an 8 in equal hands on a circuit track.

RX8SpdDmn

Well, the faster the car, the better the driver needs to be in order to extract all of it's potential. An Elise is a harrier car to drive than ours. The mid-engine helps the car to do some amazing things, but can also bite you harder if you screw up. A 911 is a better example of this. They are notorious for biting inexperienced drivers and pros, alike.

Someone mentioned an Esprit. I encountered one at the Glen earlier this year. http://www.scottbarton.net/anthony/TheGlen/Videos/

Click on "TheLotusIncident". An Esprit gave me the point-by and tracked out too far, getting in the dirt. Fortunately, we both recovered...

PedalFaster

Big tracks tend to favor cars with more power -- thus a fat car like a Subaru WRX STi does great on a track, but not so well on an autocross course.

But, guess what: the Elise also has a much better power-to-weight ratio than the RX-8. So, as you saw in the video, it has more of a chance to open up gaps on the straights, to supplement the gaps it will open up in corners.

Why are you arguing this? Unlike you, many of the people you're arguing with have actually driven Elises. Even the guy whose video you're citing as proof says the Elise is faster. Admitting so doesn't make the RX-8 any less of a car.

TeamRX8

iTrader: (25)

agreed again, the Elise may be 30 less whp than an RX-8, but it's also 1000 lb lighter, no contest

so only 4/5 the rhp, but also only 2/3 the weight = 0 - 60 mph in under 5 sec, those stats don't always paint the whole picture, but you have to remember that Lotus built a race car first and then made it road worthy, not the other way around; it's practically a go kart with a suspension

The Elise would more than beat an RX-8 on an autocross, it will crush it. That's why the Elise is in the top-tier SS class with the Z06 Vette (which it is capable of beating) and the RX-8 is two classes lower in BS. I'm not talking about some local-yokel autox either, I'm specifically referring to the best national drivers with the best prep'd cars in the country

John V

iTrader: (1)

Keep dreaming.

Spin9k

Hey guys, I'm not arguing. Wouldn't even argue you should be 100% correct, at least theoretically.

All I'm telling you is what I have experienced with my car at various tracks when I'm at HPDEs....alot of which I have on video. When I eventually see one of these cuties zip by me, instead of the other way around I'll gladly say "There goes someone who can actually drive the car to perform the way the car should perform". To date, I just haven't met one yet.

Even just w/8 owners, I've come to realize lot of folks are shy, if not downright paranoid, about actually even taking their fancy car to the track in the 1st place, no less actually hanging it out trying to go AFAP (as fast as possible), or even fast enough to pass an 8 LOL. Many others have no probem at all (passing me), they just don't drive Elises.

Me, I'm not so shy, but still far from a crazy driver either. Nevertheless, I have some fun and am a bit aggressive and fast once warmed up. Therefore, my experience, and I'm just stating facts. As I said earlier, "Driver + car = result on track".

And HPDE drivers are far, far from using racing abilities or tactics...they are for fun...so peps do what they can manage to get the courage up for...