6'3" and cloth seats here.

Totally not an option for me. Lol

Also, get a kirkey ProDrag. Fitment is way easier than most others. Shoulder support stops the door from closing unless you're scooched up far enough

 

You also have to be careful how you mount the seat. My Corbeau FX1 actually sits higher than the OEM cloth seats when using sliders and a bracket modeled after the Corbeau bracket.

I went through three revisions of fabricobbled mounting hardware before I found one that worked.

For those of you that want to voice your opinion on this, here's the link:
https://www.crbscca.com/

 

Thankfully that proposal has been withdrawn already!

Is anyone still running an STX RX8? I didn't see any at Lincoln in May and feel like I haven't seen one anywhere in awhile. I'm considering my options for 2019 if the new ND2 miata gets put into CS, making my RX8 obsolete. DSP is too much cash+effort, the RX8 is my only vehicle and buying a truck+trailer isn't happening.

 

Sweet!

Link to July Fastrack (page 7-8)
https://www.scca.com/downloads/41390...-solo/download

I am but not even bothering to do regional events. I find that the Chicago region has more than enough competition to humble me without having to drive very far.

 

I run in STX. Did the NJ Pro and the FLR champ tour (hosting region, woo).

 

The only super serious person I know running an RX8 and doing very well with it nationally is O'Blenes out in California.

DSP (or SM, but no one has built one, yet) is the real home for the RX8 under current classing. Throw the hoosiers in the back and drive to events, no different than STX. The A7's last so many runs now it's practically the same as running street tires (we get nearly 200 before they cord, and they are capable of taking top pax or close to it all the way til the end).

 

In CS/STX you throw the Bridgestones on in March and leave them on the car until November, with perhaps a flip in the middle... and the car doesn't break, and it has air conditioning and a stereo and real seats and a real clutch and intact fenders, etc.! SP cars are awesome on course but terrible during the entire rest of the year. Need a co-driver?

 

My local co-driver, Jason Stroud, won Dixie in his STX RX-8. I've been running with him locally and we're both consistency top 5 (or so) against fairly stout drivers. I don't think they can be completely counted out, yet, especially after seeing how well Steve and Co. has been doing out West.

As a note, Jason's car is a VERY mild (2005) build (Ohlins DFV, wheels, tires, exhaust, ECU, battery). Stock differential. Stock seats. 245s all around.

 

The ECU is still stock as well. I'm debating if that's worth pursuing.

Overall I'm really happy with the car in STX trim. It's more fun to drive than it was in CS and thanks to the ND's bumping up the CS PAX these past years its probably more competitive in STX than it is in CS. You only have to go ~.6 quicker over a 60sec course in STX vs CS. Good coilovers and wider wheels alone can cover that difference.

As long as the engine is healthy I say give it a shot. Worst case if it doesn't work out you can pull the ST parts and sell it as a stock car pretty easily.

 

That's about what I was thinking. I have a low mileage healthy 2011 that's under the original engine warranty through November 2019, so I would not be touching the drivetrain in any way if I ran STX next year. My big questions are whether it's worth all the extra money to run 265/35/18 (S2 gearing makes me think 18s could be better) and whether to start out with some sleeves+springs on my CS Konis, jump to an intermediate Feal or similar coilover, or go full retard on Penskes or the like... adding up the cost of 18s and great suspension gets to about the entire value of the car though, maybe it's better to just sell it.

 

You have to be real early with a 265 71r on a 9" wheel. Sidewall is fine, but slow response from a pinched tire.

255 feels fine, but I'd like to try 245. In a brz they feel super responsive, but not very compliant.

 

Dunno, I've been running 245/40 on an 8 in CS and it feels OK. 265/35 on a 9 should be slightly sharper, no? 20mm more tire on 25mm more wheel, with shorter sidewall. I assumed that the S1 guys are running 245/40/17 for gearing - my gearing is significantly shorter on the S2, even with the 265s I'd be shorter than an S1 on 245s. I guess there's also the option of going 245/45/17?

 

Street class is notorious for trying to stuff as much tire on a wheel as possible. GS does it too. 255 on an 8" for the FoST.

An 8" runs 235 in general. Also, don't get sucked into thinking a smaller side wall number means it's actually shorter. That second number is sidewall height as a percentage of the width. And tires aren't necessarily the size they say. A 255 on one tire may be smaller or wider than on another. (damn hoooooosiers!)

I run 255/40/17 in STX on 17x9's. Use an underdrive pulley and tune to 9800. 74mph on stock tire, 71mph actual on the 255/40/17.

The gearing advantage is great. Doesn't feel like I drive a 106k mile 13b RENE.

 

I remember when RX-8 guys were putting 285's Hoosiers on the OE 18x8 wheels.

 

Good ol' A6. So plump and round, yet firm...

I'd pinch that any day.

 

Wait. What? No tune!? Wow... we are killing it. Makes me feel much better about our driving!

Shocks play a HUGE role in this too. I run 265/35-18 RE-71Rs on my STX 328is and they feel sharper than 255s did. YMMV.

 

If your tire has a taller sidewall, it's going to take longer for the tire to respond. That's more material to flex and it'll take longer until it's done doing so.

Shocks can help with a lot, but tire response to input ultimately comes down to the tire.

 

About all you will gain power-wise is a few hp from leaning it out between 7K-9K, nothing you will really notice. Bumping the rev limiter can help in the rare instance where you need to stretch 2nd gear though.

 

In the last two national events I participated in (and locals), I have made significant use of a 2nd gear 9800 red line on 255/40/17's in an S1.

It's not rare - it's common. Lol

 

We have a big site we use in Atlanta. I think we've hit the limited in every event I've run in this year.

*wink wink* *hint hint*

 

Heeeyyy ooooh.

Bumping up the rev limiter is definitely worth it. It's very common to hit the stock limiter on national sized courses (our local venue is now a national venue for tours), just don't go over ~9500 without an underdrive pulley. Unless, of course, you want to cavitate your water pump.

 

Stock sways? What spring rates are you guys running with the Ohlins?

 

If the driver had showed up on Sunday, an RX8 had a really good shot at winning STX in the Peru Champ Tour earlier this year.

Very mild prep on that one. Its a stock GT with Mazdaspeed coilovers, Hotchkis MX5 front sway bar, and 17x9's. At the time it also had a lightweight catback. Everything else was factory.

 

Dang, i need to get some more seat time!!

I liked that there was an "STX 2010 edition" thread where everyone ran through their setups. Would it be worthwhile to create one for 2019? Tires have changed quite a bit since 2010, so i expect there may need to be some spring rate and/or alignment changes now that the cheater 200TW tires are getting closer to DOT slicks (good GRM article on how the Rival S is much closer to BFG R1S than Michelin PSS...)

 

Yea, but I don't think you'd get more than 5 or 6 participants in that thread...lol. As far as differences from that thread to now, I've gone up to 600lb/in front springs and 400 lb/in rear springs. Other than that, pretty much everything else is the "norm" from 2010. The days of me being able to get away and do some long TNT sessions actually dialing in a car on site are long gone, so...my setup advice should probably be taken with a grain of salt.