Auto-X N Charleston Coliseum 9/27/09
 

It's that time once again. Click Here for registration. Even if you are not running, come on out. I look forward to seeing you all out there.

can't wait.......

I will 100% be there.

Shit. I may as well stay home then.

Shit...you saw my pass down the 1/8th mile, right? I haven't driven this car much in '09. It's is like learning how to walk again.

Besides..I thought you were in another class.

Not sure. What class do you run? I am in Street Modified (Street Tire PAX)

SM...full out. The cams put me into the class. I ran street tires for the first 3 seasons, but there were no street tire classes besides STU (not eligible for) back then.

Even if I wasn't competitive in SM or went back to stock cams (which would actually give me better power for AX), I would still stay in that class due to having more competition compared to STU. SM normally has anywhere from 6-10 cars (had 18 @ CHS in '08) competing while STU usually sports 2-4 cars.

You can't get faster running in a class by yourself. I credit my close competitors through the years (Church, Rentz, Mount, BJ, LC, Lokken) for making me faster. Those guys come to win every time.

Just wondering, because you handicap yourself running in SM on street tires. If you run in the tire class as a SM car, you have the PAX index (while flawed) to even out the results. I could probably run in STX, but my gears put me into SM. I really don't feel like competing against WRXs, anyway. Being classed with a car that has more power, less weight, better grip and handling is hardly my idea of a fair fight. Either way, this is just my first year of autocross, and I am still honing my skills. After this season, I hope to be able to make some further improvements to the car; and, hopefully, some improvements to my skill level. I am having fun regardless, and I guess that is what is important.

That is why I do it.

I also switched to R-comps last season. I got tired of beating up my street tires and replacing them every year. I was doing rather well with street tires, but I wanted something "dedicated". The Escta 710s were slightly used for like 325$ on Ebay (they had been used for a couple of qualifying laps for NASA).

Cheaper than my street tires and work great when semi-hot. They net me maybe .75 to 1 second per lap over my RE-01Rs (based on a ~45 second course), but it's more so due to the braking it offers rather than the lateral grip. It stops so damn fast that if there was a passenger without a seat belt in the car, they would go through the windshield without a doubt. Scaring stopping grip. Feels like both back wheels come off the ground sometimes.

Cons are:
-They "flop" more during transitions than a top of the line street tire (DZ-1, RE-01R). They're just not as "crisp" on turn-in due to the sidewalls.
- They absolutely suck in the cold. Good street tires can usually rock out on the first lap -rain, cold or shine. This killed me last December at Michelin in 25 degree weather.
- You have to load them in the car, get there early, mount them and do the reverse before you drive home.

I was actually thinking about putting a light hitch on the car and getting a small trailer. That way, I can keep tires and spare brake parts on hand when I start running PDX and TT events.

I thought about doing that, too. It would make things so much easier.

It's hell getting 4 tires, jack, electric impact and gear in/out of a car. Inevitably, some of it has to go in the back seat, so you always have to vacuum out the car after every event from all the sand and rubber.

ill see if i can make it out but if we are on 12s i doubt it.

did everyone see the registration list, trucks are allowed?

Oh, yeah. They frown on SUVs, though. And watch out for that guy in the X-Runner. If it is who I think it is, he is fast.

I'm fuggin pumped. Everyone square away their shit and come on out. If it's got 4 wheels, roll that dookie on out. Should be a good one.

Yessir. Looking forward to seeing everyone out there.

results are in :Group Hug: I need badly

It looked like a good turnout. We came and watched for a bit.

Results: http://www.scsportscar.com/content/a...927&Report=fin

There was more people there this time than the last one. I came out and watched for a few hours. Congrats on the win in the Street Modified Class Kiley.

Thanks, dude. Damn...it was way too hot. I look like a lobster right now.