djmano

i went to an open lapping session for my first time w/ btune.net @ willow springs main track yesterday and it was a FRICKING BLAST!!!!

ive been meaning to go to the track for quite some time, i've just been kinda lazy about it. it was everything i dreamed of and more. the 8 felt truly @ home on the track and even tho i had never been to a HPDE before the car helped me look good out there lol.

i understand now why doug hayashi called tracking the 'go fast crack pipe.' i have smoked the go fast crack, and i am hooked.

notes: i have stock brakes w/ hawk HP pads, SS lines and dot 4 brake fluid. they performed RIDICULOUSLY well @ the track. i always knew that the stock rx8 brakes were good but i have a new found respect for them. through 3 light sessions i did not have a hint of brake fade. as a novice driver they gave me so much confidence it really helped me have an awesome first experience.

i was running tein basic susp. w/ decently street tires. the basics are perfect for the street but i felt that they were lacking when it came to the track. they are just too soft and do not match w/ the level of grip of my street tires. now where can i steal some $$$ for JIC's?

Bindon

that an...interesting way to put it

djmano

bindon, i hope to get my forced induction cherry popped as well when the petit S/C comes out.

tomfree

I'm glad you had a great time - it's definitely not a bad thing to have another HPDE addict on this board. I will make one suggestion though - leave the car alone for a while and work on the driver.
(1) You end up with more $ for school entry fees
(2) A car with lower limits is generally easier to learn with. It's less likely to bite you in the behind when you make mistakes. It's easier to get to the limits of the car, and that's where you really learn the most as a driver.

I've been doing schools for 4 years, and I've done 2 this year with my nearly 100% bone stock RX-8. My only mods are 18x9 wheels, 245 Azenis, and Carbotech XP-8 front brakes. The car is outstanding in stock form, body roll and all. Yeah, I know, it's no fun if you can't mod the car, but think about it.

My current mantra: Having a fast car is nice. Being a fast driver is better.

Bindon

Soon boys, soon!!!

XDEEDUBBX

good job mano, glad to hear you had fun, maybe one day i could get off my lazy *** and do the same thing.

L8APEX

yep, the go fast track pipe is a wonderful thing. Our crew here does four, maybe 5 events a year with NASA Southeast. It is a blast, and as mentioned, the best mod for the car, is the driver. The space between your ears is the most important thing when out on the track. Our crew has drivers of all levels, cars in many different stages of modification, and it still comes down to who is driving.

It is a lot of fun, glad you liked it, it is nice to see something other than autocross threads for a change.

Rotor on

-L8

Paul_in_DC

Poor DJ, now he has the monkey on his back. Glad you enjoyed it. The bug bit me last year and this year I'm making 3 events.

I fully agree with tomfree and L8APEX - work on the driver first. My first two events I ran bone stock on different types or courses. One was brake-heavy, the other was higher speed. Plus I've done a fair number of autocrosses. Now that my driving is a little more consistent I have a better idea what I want to change, and why.

Welcome to the crack house.

KAtC10

I was also at the Streets of Willow this weekend. 3 other 8s were there also. Fun times. My tires are SO tore up now. Haha.

Razz1

That track is known for tearing up tires.

I lost two last year.

This year the Kumhos worked great.

KAtC10

Oh, you mean tearing up tires like this?

L8APEX

wow, that pic could be sized down a bit.

but that looks like the wonderful KDW's. And it looks like they had a good bit of tread on them at the start of your event. Looks to me like they got stressed too fast, before being brought up to temperature, and then began to break apart. That is waht happens to street tires, that get too much heat in the treads, the treads squirm under load, and chunk off. But for a 300 TW tire, you can't expect the worlds best performance out of them. They are a good performing street tire, but for track use, they really are not all that great, and loud as hell on the road too. I had some too, I did Road Atlanta on them, and they litterally melted into rubber snakes, and those snakes filled the tread grooves. And RA is easy on tires. I saw some on an 8 after doing the little Talladega Gran Prix course, that looked like melted wax, but not chunked like those.

Advice, let the tires come up to temperature before hammering on them, and get some track tires, street tires are not meant for that kind of abuse. Even if it is the Falken's, they hold up better, and wear better, and provide lots of grip. You will be happier in the long run.

rotor on...
-L8

KAtC10

There, fixed the pic.

I know they're not meant for track, but since budget prevents me from getting a set of track wheels/tires at the moment, they will suffice. They grip very well, but yeah, they're noisy as hell. Far better than the stock tires though, although the ones my BF is running on his Z held up better, but mine's a much softer tire anyway, so that's to be expected. I did my first few laps at each session as warm-ups to let the tires get up to temp, but you only get so many laps so you kinda gotta just go at some point. I also was doing a bit more sliding than I would have liked, just taking the turns too aggressively, so that's the reason for a lot of the tearing on the edge. Thanks for the advice though.

BlueRenesis82

my KDW's have NEVER looked that bad. you might want to check and make sure you are running enough pressure and your suspension is a-ok

KAtC10

It is, everything is okie-dokey. I just push it hard thru the corners.

DCNSX

Congrats on losing your virginity. Once you go "track", you'll never go back!

Also- my $.02- I agree with the other posters- save the mods 'til later. I had a friend that took his SC NSX (400 hp??) to the track for his FIRST-ever track event. and totalled it into a wall. Learn to drive first ...and then get the go-fast goodies.


PS- (unrelated) SunTrust GrandAm racer (see my avatar) finished 3rd at the Glen this weekend. That's an awesome track ..and also where my friend hit the wall.

redcivic

I also got hooked this weekend. All it took was an excellent driver and a ride along in a Z06.

BlueRenesis82

z06's are stupid fast with a halfway decent driver

redcivic

Yeah, the Z06 was running 37 seconds and the fastest RX-8 was running a 39 seconds. There were several EVO's and STI's running in the 40-43 second range. There was one fast Miata too, supposedly the guy is the champ of his class or something like that.

DCNSX

re: Miatas- a well-set-up (and well-driven) Miata can be VERY fast, particularly on a tight course. They can also have an advantage in the rain over high-hp cars like a Vette, which just can't take advantage of all that torque. then again, AWD is the best in the wet.

redcivic

yeah, he was in a stock class miata beating up on a few higher HP Mazdaspeed Miatas. After watching I think the AWD cars have a disadvantage in the dry but I guess it's all driver because the EVO is such a great track car.