Sonoma Raceway 21 Nov 2015
 

Sonoma Raceway 1:58.25

2006 RX-8 base model, Öhlins road&track coilovers, Nitto NT-01 245/45-17 on 17 x 8.5 RPF1s. I don't know about power but it pulls consistently and escapedan says flames shoot out of the exhaust sometimes :) I have a stock motor with bolt-ons (RB REVi intake, RB V3 PCM flash, header, midpipe, catback). Brake mods are SS lines, fluid, Hawk HT-10 pads, and DIY front cooling ducts using the sneed4speed caliper brackets.


https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...390bbb4c25.png

Silver = escapedan
Phantom Blue = NorCalEight
Sonoma Raceway 21Nov2015

Sonoma (long) 1:55.25 taken w/ iphone6 and Harry's Laptimer

2006 base, stock motor w/ intake & exhaust, Ohlins road&track coilovers, Nitto NT01 245/45-17

was hoping to have more times from Laguna, but turn 3 was wet all day, and I was hitting the DB limit, so ended up having to lift out of turn 5. Managed to put down a 1:50.xx on V710s though, so not bad!

blu3dragon - did any of the R3 twin pics turn out?

Nice driving! Wish I could have been there the same day. Let me know when you next get out somewhere. My next date is likely to be TH west in Feb, but I could be talked into a day somewhere before then...

Did you mean 1:58.25? It's the same video as your earlier post. I need evidence of this 1:55.25 :-P

That's a good time considering the conditions. Nice driving. Good work on Sunday too, I think you were ~5s quicker than me in the wet!

New personal worst :-)

2:19.088 Laguna Seca in Very Wet conditions. S2 Sport, coilovers, Dunlop Direzza DZ102 225/45/18 (commuter tires :)).

I just could not find the grip, or confidence in the wet. In retrospect I should have played with the setup in the afternoon to try and get the car more stable, but to be honest I was pretty happy to just focus on consistency at that point and drive home in one piece at the end of the day.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...85755fa8df.jpg

Here's my best lap in the wet (the GPS timer has it as 2:18.88, compared to the track timing of 2:19.088):


A view of the conditions after retreating to the garage at the end of that lap:


And what happened when I tried to push a little with slightly slow reactions in the afternoon (shows up as the 6:04.477 lap on the timing):

Rain conditions are great practice! I wish we had more rain in SoCal! Seems like every time we get rain down here it stops by the start of the race and I'm kicking myself for putting on rains. I think my rain tires are seven years old... probably rocks by now!

I completely agree, and clearly I need more practice :) It was like driving a different car at a different track.

Am I right in saying it seemed like you were understeering through the turn in point on a lot of corners? Tough to tell from just the video.

I was driving past it. No issues with understeer. My problem was that I had no grip on the normal line where the rubber was, and also struggled with oversteer on exit, often as I was crossing the rubber laid down on the normal line. So, I braked and turned off the normal line, then apexed late, trying to get the car as straight as possible early on so I could get on the gas. Basically a wet Karting line. I can't tell you it worked though...

that was great practice in the wet! The spin I did in turn 6 was almost the same spin, except i ended up off track just on the inside (before the wall) :).

All this reinforces is that I need to get out more!

Makes sense. I've never had to deal with that much, it rains pretty frequently around here so there's not a lot of time to let the rubber and oils build up on the surface. Normally I would try to stick to the most used line, since other cars will sweep most of the standing water away. Doesn't work too well in heavy rain like you had though.

1:26.8 at Roebling Road Raceway...Only Vid I got all day was this one at 1:27.1 as I ran out of memory on my GoPro and Phone :(

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EkfBKSlNXMY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Chuckwalla Valley Raceway - 2:10.59 - R3, stock suspension, Kumho V710, DTC-60s, AEM CAI, RB midpipe & cat back.

Oddly enough, it was my first time there, posted this time mid 1st day, couldn't get back close to it on day 2... trying to drive fast instead of trying to drive smooth, I think.

Chuckwalla is kind of deceiving, it seems like it would be a horsepower track but really it's a gigantic momentum track. Is that time CW or CCW? They run it both ways.

With the Miata (120WHP, 225/45R15 NT01, 2375lbs with driver) I was able to do 2:07 CW and 2:06 CCW, but with the way the car is set up now (125WHP, 205/50R15 Hoosier R7, 2375lbs with driver) I think I could get into the 2:04's in either direction.

That's clockwise. The turn over the hill gave me fits all day, haha. Any recommendations there for when I go back?

You mean the off camber turn? That turn is a total throw away, you just have to hit your proper apex and set up the next corner to get a good run up the hill to the cork screw. If you can't hit the proper line through there or you start sliding or "falling off" of the corner then it just means you're going too fast.


Here's a video of a 2:01 lap in a '95 Miata. I believe it's like 150WHP and 2350lbs. Not sure what tire but I think it's a 225mm NT01. This is pretty much the same line I try to drive.

that's not TOO far off from what I'm doing... I'll have to save that video for the next time i'm out there! Thanks!

i want to see some lap times from road atlanta daytona vir full course and amp nobody?

Running Road Atlanta Next Month with Skip Barber and then Daytona in April. I'll have video and telemetry for both...

:wallbash:Well, about 5 years ago I was turning 2:22's like clockwork on VIR full with a passenger in the car. :Freak_ani Last two laps on this video:


Gotdammit I can't believe it's been five years. :wallbash: :icon_no2:

Hey guys, I updated the first post with times from the recent posts. Work has imposed a ban on editing/posting on forums, so I can only edit from home -- which I've forgotten to do :)

UP UP! Soon it won't be snowing any more, which means new laptimes north of VIR :o

Thanks, I was wondering where you went. I wasn't really intending you to post my wet time either, but fair enough!

I'm looking forward to the season in norcal, it seems like there is a lot of potential to spend time with fellow RX8s on track this year :)

Here is a little RX-8 Laguna Seca lap battle from a coupe years ago from my in car footage archives:

Thunderhill West

1:29.56 w/passenger -- blu3dragon RX-8 S2 sport, estimated at 200rwhp and 3065lbs w/driver. Stock interior & body, fatcat coilovers, Nitto NT01 255/40/17 tires.

First time doing the west course, limited driving time and a passenger next to me, so there is more time to be had...

But what a fun track. Feels like this car is made for it too, we were flying past all kinds of machinery out there :)

we ran a 148.459 at road atlanta with 108 cars on track so traffic was crazy

#38 rotary racing 269 laps 01:48.459 45 84.308 mi/h 9th EC class

No new lap records last weekend, but a couple of data points for the books. I also figured out that my car works much better in the wet with the rear sway bar disconnected. (Did not do that for the wet lap below). First time running RA1s as well. Full tread they were good in the wet. They could drive through some standing water, but did start to aqua plane at about 80mph when there was a lot of standing water. No problems on the drive to/from the track. In the dry they felt very similar to NT01s with a little less grip (I'd guess due to the tread).

Thunderhill East
2:44.17 Very Wet -- blu3dragon RX-8 S2 sport, estimated at 200rwhp and 3065lbs w/driver. Stock interior & body, fatcat coilovers, Full tread Toyo RA1 255/40/17 tires.
2:10.08 Dry with damp paint -- blu3dragon RX-8 S2 sport, estimated at 200rwhp and 3065lbs w/driver. Stock interior & body, fatcat coilovers, Full tread Toyo RA1 255/40/17 tires.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...59d084058e.jpg

Thunderhill East. Very wet.

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.rx8...be09743f35.jpg

Thunderhill East. Dry with damp paint.

Road Atlanta, dry, 225/40-18 BFG Rivals on OEM wheels, Bilstein B12, hotchkis sways, NO power mods, 6MT base model, 1'49".

Guess I should have put it here:

Road Atlanta: 1:39.527. 245/40-17 Hoosier R7, 2600lbs, 183whp.

That is hauling ass. :icon_tup: That matches the best I've done on the Shen with street tires and Konis. Though I did have a passenger. ;)
Years ago I was doing clockwork 1:44's but I think that was on Hoosier R-comps.

Who's already had an event on the Shen? I'm clearly not hooked-up with the right groups!

Trackdaze is doing Shenandoah in May that I'm going to. Perhaps SCCA PDX had one already? My 1:45 was from last season, the weekend I gave you a ride.

First time in clear conditions with NT01 at LS. Finally beat my 2013 time set on Direzza Z2. Removed my rear seats for this one. Car was slightly loose all day :) Didn't get the video for my fastest session, but added a lap recorded later in the day here: https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-...3/#post4755420

Laguna Seca
1:45.749 -- blu3dragon RX-8 S2 sport, estimated at 200rwhp and 3030lbs w/driver. Removed rear seats, fatcat coilovers, NT01 255/40/17 tires.

That's a really good time for Laguna Seca on NT01 tires for a mostly stock car!!! Congrats.

Thanks!

Damn!!

I want ridealongs and tips next time we're out there!!! :icon_tup::icon_tup::icon_tup:

I'd be happy to share any knowledge I can... I think all that practice in the wet last time helped a lot. After catching the rear so many times on that day I was much more comfortable driving on the edge in the dry ;-)

Spring Mountain - Mansell/3.4mi config (with bus stop) - 2:53.20 - R3, stock suspension, intake, midpipe & catback, HP+ & heat cycled RE71R

Buttonwillow #13CW - 2:07.30 R3, stock suspension, intake, midpipe & catback, DTC-60 + Kumho V710

Buttonwillow #13CW - 2:10.03 R3, stock suspension, intake, midpipe & catback, HP+ & Dunlop ZII (not star specs)

Virginia International Raceway (VIR) full course - 2:19:5 (2:19:0 theoretical without traffic)


2005 Base 6MT, Hotchkis Sways, Bilstein B12, Hypertech, HKS Hi-Power, Rota RT5 17x10, 255 Hankook RS3V2 (not very grippy...). 3070 pounds with 185 pound driver. low compression. video in youtube link in sig.

dude, traffic is at least 2 seconds =P hahaha or at least that's what I tell myself, lol

I was back at Laguna Seca last weekend, but unable to improve on my previous time. Actually set my best time (1:46.86) in the first session and just got slower from there as the temps rose, my tires wore out and my brain was less focused. Still had a blast though and got some good experience.

I should be back at TH next month with a fresh set of tires. I'm expecting it will be hot, so I'll take it as an improvement if I can match my best time set there last year.

Pittsburgh International Racing Complex (Pitt Race) HPDE trackday. driving on the track for the first time, car is stock with -1.3 camber front, -1 rear and .35 toe rear. Hawk HPS pads, 245/40 18 PSS tires. 1:15:41

^Nice, looks really good for your first time out. Great to see another RX-8 on track :-)

thanks for sharing, i'll be there this weekend.

Mid-Ohio Club Course (longer 2.4 mile configuration)
Best time (traffic) - 1:47:15
Device: Android, Racechrono, internal GPS


My phone's internal GPS was looking iffy, so I would say these times are a bit garbage. i'll use an external GPS at the next event. I hear the normal course (pro course) at mid ohio is 1-2 seconds faster without the chicane this configuration adds.

Thunderhill 3 mile: 2:17.0 in a 2004 GT on stock suspension and tires (RE970as).

https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-racing-...3/#post4780452

I think I have somewhat competitive times now to post!

rocketboi336: R3, Ohlins DFV, RB dual resonated midpipe and catback, Hotchkis front and rear sway bars, ACT streetlite flywheel and street clutch, BHR ignition kit, 245/40/18 Hankook RS3's

March 27th, 2016: Buttonwillow 13CW: 2:08.6 with Ongrid.

rocketboi336: R3 Ohlins DFV, RB dual resonated midpipe and catback, Hotchkis front and rear sway bars, ACT streetlite flywheel and street clutch, BHR ignition kit, Mazdaspeed CAI, 245/40/18 Hankook RS3's, Cobalt Friction XR2 F/ XR3 R.

September 10th, 2016: Thunderhill East (Bypass): 2:11.3 with NCRC.

What's interesting was that my lap at buttonwillow I was fighting understeer but when I was at Thill I was mostly fighting oversteer. Maybe a change in driving style or inconsistent tire pressures. Will have to take note next time.

Dominion Raceway (late 2016 updates). This is now the closest track to Washington, DC.
Best time - 1:36:78
Device: Android, Racechrono, external Garmin GLO GPS

Car mods in video description. I was only a few tenths off the TTD track record, set on slicks.