SouthFL

Lapped at Sebring this past weekend and I thought this segment captured the essence of the two cars pretty well. He was able to pull on me on the straights, I was able to outbrake him and reel him in through the turns (I was also turning in earlier on most of the turns).

I'm running Hawk HP Plus pads, Bridgestone S-03 tires, Konis and H-Techs.
He's running race compound on Stoptech calipers and 2 piece rotors, Azeni RT-615's and stock suspension.

He ended up reaching the greasy point of the RT-615s at the 20 minute mark of the session and I passed him as a result.

350Z comes into view at the 14th second of the clip.......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YbhTyGYklY8

THmotorsports.com

iTrader: (35)

nice driving.....very smooth. How were the HP+ pads after a couple of laps....were they able to keep up?

SouthFL

A lot of people don't like the HP Plus, yet they haven't let me down on this car yet. They hold up very nicely for what they offer in streetability.

THmotorsports.com

iTrader: (35)

Yeah I felt that they don't keep up after a couple of laps....but not bad before that. I like them but they are not perfect.

I guess it all depends on the way you drive....I am pretty gentle on the brakes. I lie being smooth.

SouthFL

Define gentle. Too gentle and you're dragging brakes (heating them up in the process).

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

the turn at 1:07 mark is the essence of your comparison

you had him completely outpositioned and ready for overtake, and then he stepped on his go pedal and walked away, lol

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

and very nice driving there

delhi

was the circuit that bumpy or you ran off onto gravel? I was hoping to see you overtake him. It was clear that you can reel him in at the corners. Were you able to accelerate earlier, you may set-up an overtaking opportunity at the next corner. I'm just armchair racing. Good video! Next time zoom in more for better front composition.

ThecdnRX8

Nice Action.

How is your setup feeling? Do you have any comparison data before and after the suspension changes. In all the forums I have been on (not that many) I never read about someone starting stock, lapping, collecting data and going back to the same track to measure the difference. I hope you did

SouthFL

Actually, he was shown the blue flag at that corner (at the 1:07 mark) and decided to play blind .
This was a point-bye session, so I was not allowed to overtake (without a point-bye) even though I had established position. He didn't point me bye. Lol.

SouthFL

Sebring is notorious for its bumps (especially Turn 17).

I was getting on brakes later, turning in sooner and gaining ground with momentum, while getting on throttle sooner, therefore avoiding the hp disadvantage. Yet, the one time I missed a shift (at about 2:50), you can see how much he can pull away.

SouthFL

Seat of the pants feel of the stock suspension was essentially equally as balanced (with a little more tendency for oversteer), yet alot more rebound (and more body roll).
The Koni/Tein H-tech combo is essentially a tidy version of the stock setup. No more excessive rebound, crisper turn-in, also, at 50% firm up front, 25% firm rear, the oversteer is gone.
The S-03 is a grippier version of the stock Dunlops, with about the same feedback and feel at turn-in.

ZoomZoomH

iTrader: (1)

well darn those point-by driving sessions lol

SouthFL

And temporarily colorblind drivers!

costello

Well, we ain't going to be passing many folks in the straights in the 8 without a good run-up. Don't follow slower drivers too close in the corners. Lose too much speed and not enough HP to be able to catch up on corner exit. Drivers won't point you by if you're not gaining in the straight. Set them up earlier so you don't get slowed down in the corner and get on the gas earlier so that you can get a good run up on corner exit. I usually got the point by when I was gaining on corner exit. I don't think you were close enough on corner exit for him to feel the need to point you by.

From the video looks like he missed his apexes at 15 and 16, but you were too close mid-corner and had to slow down and didn't gain ground down the straight. Yes, the 350Z is faster, but he missed those corners big time.

Here's some footage of a buddy of mine at Sebring during a club race in an SSC Civic. Now this is pretty much a stock civic aside from the safety gear and tires, but look how early he turns in, even for a FWD car. Pretty good corner speed for a Civic. I try to run this line except I stay off the rumble strips. They can knock some fillings loose. Late apex is safer, but earlier can be faster in this situation.

SSC Civic @ Sebring

SouthFL

Very nice Civic vid- very fluid, lots of speed carrying through. His lap was similar in time as the one in my vid (but done so with much less power on tap).

As for the Z driver, we spoke afterwards and he thought he was nailing 15 and 16 after I mentioned he should have taken it sooner.

And, thanks on the pointers (pun intended) on setting up passes better.

costello

Well, we all think we're driving fast until we see someone else do it faster He's only using 3/4 of the track.

I went in Oct with Chin and I had to set up if I wanted to pass anybody. I remember slowly overtaking a Spec Miata down the back straight. I waved at him and I bet he didn't even lift

It sucked to get caught in slow a conga line or something. Especially early in the day when there's a lot of folks out on track. Feels like I'm on a parade lap. Once I got around them, I would usually point by higher HP cars so I wouldn't hold them up down the straight. However, once I had room and built up my momentum I could catch back up and pass higher HP cars due to better corner speed.

I think that's the most enjoyable thing about driving the RX-8. It handles really well and forces you drive well if you want to keep up (and be faster) than faster cars.

Z1NONLY

I have never been to Sebring, but the Z looked like his late apex at 1:02 put him out of position for the next turn. Your line was much better, and you ran up on him quick. Nice driving.

BTW: Where did the Z come from at the begining? I didn't see you wave him by. Pits?

SouthFL

Thanks.

The clip begins at T7 (the hairpin).
The Z and I were bunched up at T3 by traffic, and I saw it gain on me between T5 and T7, so I pointed it by coming out of T7 (you can't see my left hand sticking out the window in the vid).
Track map:
http://www.sebringraceway.com/pdfs/06-Raceway-Map.pdf

Razz1

You can alway down shift for more power, the sling shot past them.

That's what I do.

It looks like you can down shift on the S curves. The one before the over pass.

I don't know the track or speeds your at but that looks like one area.

SouthFL

Part of holding the momentum entails holding 3rd gear through there. I've tried 2nd and my exit speed coming out of T16 on to the back straight it is slower as a result.

SouthFL

Kinda hard to do without a harness, but I'll try harder next time out. Also, I need to duck my head a bit to see out the side windows towards the apexes at turn in.

costello

You know we're driving an RX-8 right? We're not slinging past a Z in 2nd

I'd keep in 3rd in all the corners except for the hairpin. If you can use 2nd, then your corner speed is too slow.

THmotorsports.com

iTrader: (35)

right....not that gentle though....have to keep those brakes nice and warm.

but going back the driving was not perfect but who is.....not me at least...lol.

But most of the turns were done very well. And its true we need to set up very nice to keep up with those faster cars.

Low Fly'n 8

Nice vid. I have one small comment / suggestion. You should raise your rearview mirror up to get it out of the middle of the windshield and give you better track vision. It has a dual pivot arm.