Ok, won novice and I have to move to ST unless someone else has a better idea. Also, what would you recommend I do to stay stock class and be more competitive. I understand I can add adjustable shocks and stay stock. Also, change wheel alignment supposed to have advantage. Common guys throw this poor boy a bone here. What should I do to gain those extra seconds for the least amount of bucks.

Thanks

 

You didn't need any mods to win Novice -- why do you think you need them to win Stock? As a new regional-level driver, you'll gain a lot more time by continuing to work on your driving rather than you will by throwing money at your car.

 

In order of performance per dollar:

Edit: 0. Evo or similar autox school. Most bang for buck is still in seat-time and improving your skill. This is more important than even tires.

1. r-compounds, kuhmo v710's in 245
2. alignment by a serious shop, driver's seat ballasted to your weight, max front camber, max caster after camber, rear camber same as front, zero toe front and back.
3. koni sa shocks

Stay in b-stock, and get r-compounds. The ST classes are not good for the 8 right now, even if you spend a lot of money.

 

no mod will ever benefit you as much as investing in yourself:

http://www.autocross.com/evolution/

 

Get a new front swaybar--it's worth 1-2 seconds on a typical course.

 

By all accounts, a bigger front bar helps on the RX-8, but one to two seconds?!? No way in hell.

 

well an inexperienced driver might benefit that much because an understeering car tends to be more stable for them than an oversteering one, but the National level drivers all found that particular bar to be slower overall ...

 

Seat time and schools will do you the most benefit right now.

Sticky tires will make you faster but they will not make you better.

 

This is what we call "Advice that should be researched before saying it's true [Because I read it on the internet]."

There's a couple things working for and against you here.
A larger bar on bone-stock shocks... is actually a good thing. It keeps the car more planted in the transititons with just a little push in the sweepers... better than stock bar.
The same larger bar on aftermarket shocks induces more plow than when the car was stock.

--kC

 

including the statements that follow it :p not all bars are created equal

 

Depends on what bar your talking about too. I am thinking of going back to the stock bar over the RB front bar since I am on stock shocks. Too much push with the RB bar, and while it helps some in transitions, I don't think its worth the balance upset it causes.

 

Exactly my point. :D

 

nor all shocks and where they are adjusted to .... so many generalities, so little time

 

...and so many adjustments and so little time to figure out what they do...especially when you barely know how to drive to begin with.

 

I recommend sticking with street tire class for the rest of this year and next year. The stock street tire class in our local club in Tri-Cities is pretty competitive so its a lot of fun and with some good tires you could do really well. You will notice a big difference going from the stock tires to a max performance tire. Try the Azenis RT615 245/40/18. Also get the alignment done as recommended above and you will see your times improve compared to your competition. Working on getting seat time and experience will give you the most improvement though. Going with shocks and a swaybar will be a minor difference without lots of experience and not worth the money in my opinion unless those items are worn out. Of course you can always go to non stock and compete against me in Street Tire non stock with a BSP index, or get race tires and run against Mitch and Lynn in S2 locally.

 

Well, I agree, nothing like seat time, and training, and more seat time. I will not be going to tires until next year, but wanted input and you guys came through. Thanks

I have a questions on alignment . First what are the max numbers for adjustment. Second, what is the impact to daily driving with the change in wheel alignment?

r-compounds, kuhmo v710's in 245. Will they fit on the Stock Rims and not have a clearance problem.??

Azenis RT615 245/40/18. only have a 200 tread rating. My stock tires have a 140. However, I see they are much less expensive than the Bridgestone RE 40
Now for the IceMastr - You better worry about the fast little lady that just missed whipping your you know what. So when are you going to get new tires? Also, with that girlie- man Pax you get, it will be hard to beat you. However, I expect to do that at the next event. :D But before a let my mouth overload my A$$, I will have to check to see what our PAX times were this session.

See you in Sept if not before at Packwood.

Bring that little green machine on. :p Oh, I would have had one of those as well if I could have put two sets of golf clubs in it along with a passenger.

 

Its varies, but the max I've seen on neg. front camber is about -1.5. Most people can only get a little less. These settings have no affect on drivability, esp. if you keep your toe's zero. You may notice the steering to feel more sensitive at certain speeds, but its far from tweaky or darty. Now if you run toe-out in the rear, the car will be much more 'lively' on the highway.

 

What index makes CSP a girlie man pax? ASP? SM2? Ultimate tire performance should not be based off treadwear ratings. Kumho V710's in 245/35/18 will fit just fine and have no fitment issues. People have even run wider tires on the stock rims. However as a first timer on race tires I would recommend buying a used set of tires with some runs left on them to try them out and if you make a mistake it wont be nearly so costly or get something like the Kumho V700 in 245/35/18 or Toyo RA-1's in 225/40/18 or 245/40/18. These competition tires will last you a lot more runs.

I already have 2 sets of race tires and a set of Azenis RT215's for street tires to finish my street tire class races for the rest of this year, just wanted one more race out of my Toyos. I enjoyed my Toyo T1-S which is also a great tire for autocrossing but not quite as fast as the RT215 and RT615 but I have worn them out already after 6,000 miles and 30 events so with tires that aren't down to almost no tread left I should be able to run a second or two faster than last weekend since grip was our biggest problem.

I'm not worried about my girlfriend beating me. She might have more seat time and co-drive with national level drivers, but I can always screw up the car settings before her runs. :D

 

The only enhancements you need only have to do with your driving. A stock RX-8 is pretty competative in B-Stock. Unless you have years of autocross or roadracing experience, that car is still faster than you are.

I've done several track schools and am an avid autocrosser. However, I still haven't mastered this car. It has a hell of a lot of potential. I usually have one of the top 5 best times in my region in a stock RX-8 with racing tires. The car is amazing.

Please, I don't mean to sound bad, but if you learn to drive the car, it'll go very fast.

 

some of us aren't likely to publicly share information at this time due to the first real showdown at the National Championships coming up .... :o


.

 

Oh yea, you bet on the car has more potential then I. Have had some experience racers get in it and do another 3-5 sec better than my best the first time behind the wheel

Thanks you all. Running in ST1 remainder of year. Schools comes next year unless another shows up this year in my area.

 

So that's what you mean by "prepping" the car before my runs.

 

DOH!!

 

You honestly didn't think he could beat you on the legit did you? What are supportive boyfriends/codrivers to be expected of them. Especially when he is driving a girliemans car :D
Let get back on topic. That would be smart spending of money on car instead of inept driver.

 

when one says: max caster out... it means: positive or negative caster??
to the front or to the back of the pivot???