That is a rough, very rough estimate. At Road ATlanta, I was getting about 2 20 minute sessions, with about 1/4 left after the second. That was at 19psi. Sunday, I went to 21, and was getting less, but I only did 1 session and half of another, and then went home.

BTW I have an SAFC2, to help with fuel management.

 

^ how is gas mileage when not on high boost?

 

Less air, means less fuel. Running at 16psi at CMP I was getting around 8-10mpg on the track, where as at high boost 19+ I get somewhere between 5-8mpg.

 

just curious,
what is the difference in your lap times between 16psi and 19+

beers

 

It is a very different thing to watch autox then it is to participate. When you watch, it doesn't really seem like the driver is going all that fast, but when you are in the car it's a completely different perspective.

Those cones and corners come at you VERY quickly. You are constantly adjusting attitude, gas, brake, and vehicle balance. If you screw up one corner it can get you so 'out of shape' that the next several corners are completely futzed.

It is a major adrenalin rush as you battle your car through the course. It gets easier as you get better as being smooth is more important than being fast.

Chris...

 

I can't really say how much times were different, because I was running 16psi in December, and it was 28 degrees. I was still at 11.8:1 on the wideband, so I figure I was still making decent power. I don't 'typically' run over 18psi, unless it gets hot, which means the air is crap. I have run up to 22psi when it was really hot, but then you get into heat soak issues on track, so it is great for 3 or 4 laps, but then you loose more than you gain.

My buddy had a Talon, and he said on the dyno 3-5psi was good for about 15-20whp, depending on tune and turbo efficiency. However, I have heard bigger numbers from these guys who run turbos off of rigs.

 

Well, after participating in my first ever autocross event, I realized that I'm a crappy driver . I had a fantastic time (aside from being burnt to a crisp by the sun), and my 5 runs @ ~70 seconds were quite a thrill, but I was disappointed in my lack of natural ability. My friend, who had particpated in 1 autocross event prior to this one, managed to run within 1.5 seconds of my best time with a Pontiac Sunfire (auto) in HS class!!! I rode with him and he just seemed to be able to control his car better than me.

On the positive side, I did finish 2nd out of 4 cars in BS. A more experienced driver with an Audi TT running stickier tires beat me by about 1 second to take 1st. However, I beat my friend with his stock RX-8 by about 1 second and another guy with an older Porsche 944 (?) turbo by quite a bit. However, it's not saying much because some of the Miatas in CS class were running ~5 seconds faster than the winner of BS! I didn't hit any cones and managed to find my way around the course, although I almost lost the rear end completely on multiple occasions.

The track, according to the organizers, was much longer than usual for a regional event, and more like something you would find at the pro-level. The best time of the day was around ~55 secs, and I'd say my best time of 70.4 secs was a few seconds more than the average. It made me realize just how much my driving skills suck! I am not anywhere close to being able to get the most out of this car. Unfortunately, attending more autocross events where I get 4-6 runs of 60 seconds is not an efficient way to learn. Maybe I should attend a performance driving school or something.

 

If you can do the Evolution school, it will teach you a ton. Its basically a whole day of autox with an instructor riding with you and driving your car. You'll get ton's of runs and lots of good tips. Its probably the single BEST thing to spend money on to make your car faster.

Also, the word 'stock' in the stock classes is a bit of a misnomer, since DOT-level slicks like Hoosiers and Kuhmo's are requisite for any kind of competitive times. Do a few events on street tires before getting a set of r-compounds. An r-compound tire is worth 2-5 seconds over a street tire.

The biggest things to remember are:
-look far ahead
-be smooth with your inputs
-slow in, fast out

All the typical racing advice. The evo schools are usually at the beginning of the season in most regions, and they fill up quick. They usually run between 200-300 dollars a day, and most places do phase 1 and 2 on consecutive days. Its a bargin considering you will probably have a multiple-time national champion instructing you.