Sorry to hear about your frustrations at that lot Max. Sounds like you were trying to tune the shocks to the lower grip (i.e. gravel) surface, but that can be be hard to do...

Just chalk the event up to experience. Who took top PAX?

DANIEL MCCELVEY in a STS Miata took top pax. He had the same raw time as me, but his softer pax put him in front of me by .2xx.

Gotcha. Well at least it wasn't an awd car that took top PAX on that gravel lot.

I'd definitely encourage you to keep looking for out-of-region events to do. However, I'd do some digging and only make the drive to events held at decent lots. Sometimes if you ask around on a region's forum/message board, people would be willing to let you know which sites have the best lots.

Work kind of decides when I can race. I'm off every third weekend. So the closest event that falls on that weekend is usually where I will end up.

When it gets over 90 everyone complains extra about how slick it feels. Blame it on the gravel coming up but I think it just gets extra slick at those temps. I was 1.7 back and really felt I should of been a second faster. I could of used the shorter tires, I was bogging in several places. You looked like the rear end was coming around on you from where I was starting.

I guess you are talking about Sunday in Houston? What were you driving?
I think the back end coming around was just me overdriving for the level grip that was available.

Blue rx8 actually ran in the second heat in stb because they were short a starter for heat 3.

Cool, seen the car out there but don't think I saw you run. Left for the second heat to get something to eat.
The site is freaking huge though. You all are lucky to have it.

Those are the same rates you told me at Blytheville. Hyperco doesn't offer coilover springs in those increments so you may want to recheck your numbers. :dunno:

^Got them from Bill at Small Fortune Racing. He told me 560/390, but the springs themselves say 550/400...

I wonder if Bill had their spring rates tested? :dunno: Either way, I'd probably work with the listed rates stamped onto the springs by the manufacturer.


Did an event with my smaller Blue Ridge Region this past weekend and captured my first ever FTP!

Link: http://www.brr-scca.org/Results/20100613.htm

A few pics from the event:

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4030...34d07d2717.jpg

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023...5b1a4cfc10.jpg

If you bought shocks from Bill, I bet I can guess what brand they are. :suspect: Nice choice. I am more than a little jealous.

Hyperco guarantees +/- 2% max rate deviation so I suppose they're close enough

a good alternative for this pss9 are the b12 set which im using for couple of nurburgring trips and dd car, they are sold on europe . B12 is eibach/bilstein springs pair with b8 bilstein springs. im loving this set up ,body roll is gone with a firm ride plus they sell for good price

Any idea what your spring rates are? Nice to hear the non-adjustable Bilstein coilover shocks are working well for you!

I just ordered a set of the PSS9s off of Tirerack. The information in this thread is really helpful. Can't wait to get these on the track.

Congrats and welcome to the PSS9 club. Who would have thought this thread started by Peppy a couple years ago would have helped several RX-8 owners make the decision to go with the Bilsteins?! :yesnod:

I found this post by fastmike (Mike Lillejord) interesting over on miata.net as it speaks to the durability of the Bilstein shocks:
Link: http://forum.miata.net/vb/showpost.p...&postcount=273

To the best of my knowledge, fastmike has no affiliation with Bilstein but has been running their products for many years. YMMV...

It's been a little while since I've updated this thread -- not much has really changed in my set-up & settings since the North East Divisional. My RX-8 just works well on these coilovers on my current settings and tire pressures.

Max, how have things been in your neck of the woods?

Not much. Last event was the one in Houston. Been working and on vacation(FU BP) since then. Next up is a solo1 type event at the local track next weekend.

Well last weekend I finished 2nd in STX to Willemin at a DC region event. He got me by ~2/10ths (46.3 vs 46.5). The car is still handling the way I want it to at the limit, I just need to stay clean. Coned away a faster 46.1(+2) time and had dial back my aggression in order to run clean.

https://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139...7f5dcfcb46.jpg

All in all though, I'm very pleased with where the "development" of the car is mid-season.

I'm doing the 2-day CommonWealth Games of Virginia this coming weekend and Gary will be co-driving with me in STX. I'm also most likely doing the 2-day Virginia Autocross Championship in August being held at the 16 acre concrete pad at the Little Creek Amphibious base in Norfolk, VA. Shawn (my B-stock co-driver in '08 & '09) will be co-driving with me and it'll be great to get his feedback on how my car's handling. I'll also see if any set-up changes are needed to make the car work on grippy concrete...

Well....I just bought kart! So it's off to F125 for me. The 8 will now be my tow vehicle;)
Kid #2 is on it's way and I'll probably have to get my wife a SUV next year and I'll take over her G8GT. We owe too much on the G8 so I'll give up the RX8. Plus I've been doing a lot more track days and using my dd for that scares me. So for a dedicated race toy it's kind of hard to beat a kart for the money. So I'll hey rid of the loud exhaust stiff suspension and race seats to have a little more family friendy vehicle.
That means the Bilsteins will be up for sale if you know anyone that's looking for a good deal. Also some barely used wheels and tires.

Nice! Max is going to be an F125 pilot!!!

Well, this is a good place as any to let people know about stuff for sale.

What's your race seat set-up again? How much does the entire set-up weigh including rails/sliders? Can you take some pics of everything and pm/e-mail me? I could be very interested.

My seats are NRG Carbon fiber. Thay weigh a little over 25lbs a piece with brackets as confirmed with my micro-calibrated bathroom scale. No sliders though. I opted out of the sliders to get the seat as low as possible. You could add sliders and still meet weight as i added extra bracing to my brackets to add some lbs. I am going to try to sell locally first. Shipping seats sucks.

Makes sense to try and sell locally. I was actually hoping to pick up a Sparco Fighter seat with sliders and rails...

http://www.my350z.com/forum/brakes-a...ss-family.html

I though this was an intresting topic on the pss9 on the 350 forums. I've been looking into these indepth on all forums I came across a dyno chart for the 350 and how FCM said the pss has only mid range adjustment no low like you would need. I'm not sure if I'm saying any of this right. I'm just learning still maybe someone can read and elaborate? Can the pss9 be revalved for low speed adjustment? Or is like FCM said the adj no good as a half turn?
Thanks.