D'oh

Well, I did my 5th and 6th AutoX's last weekend and had a great time.

The one on Saturday was my first SCCA even, and it went very well. However, I did learn a few things:

First, race tires will be critical if I ever want to see how I compare to top drivers. Since very few people run street tires it is difficult to know how well you are doing. Once nice things was that I consistently improved my times over the first three (our of a total of four) runs.

Second, if someonce hits a cone near the finish line and drags it across the timing lights, it is best not to run through the lights to grab the cone. That type of behavior is frowned upon. Oh yeah, it's even worse to run through the lights a second time after picking up the cone. Try to avoid that if at all possible (now you know how I got my handle).

Third, it is best to drive leisurely on the way home, as to avoid such nuisances as, say, a SPEEDING TICKET! Yes, I got a ticket on the way home from the race. 75+ in a 65 zone. Now it's a nice hefty fine and traffic school. Oh the Joy! My girlfriend was actually pleased, since now I will have to nurse the Z home from work in the slow lane. No more tearing around the mountain roads for another 18 months.

On sunday I went to my fifth AutoX at a nearby company. Lots of fun and I would have been second in my class (I'm a guest though, so I don't get points). I've found that my 245/40-18 Yokohama AVS ES100 front tires seem to have balanced the car pretty well (although I did leave them excessively pressurized on my later runs). As it turned out, my first one was the best, since I hit a cone on my second and really botched a turn on my third and had some tire pressure problems on the final run (45 psi. is too much. 40 seems to be much better). My second run went really well except for just barely rolling the back tire over a cone. Ah well, at least I didn't F-up the timing or get a ticket.

I'll post some results later, but I'm too lazy right now.

Later,
D'oh!

drivesolo

iTrader: (6)

D'oh

Glad to see you're having a good time auto-x-ing. In your post you mentioned that you were running 245/40-18 up front. is that the OEM wheel that you're using? I'm running in the WWSCC Series - Stock A class (ie: SCCS - Stock B) and like eveyone else, I'm having a tough time trying to find a racing tires that fit the front and rear OEM 18" wheels. What sizes are you running in the rear?

D'oh

Well, I'm still running street tires with the stock rims (18x8 all around). My rears are the stock RE040's that came with the car, but it is almost time to replace them.

I'm not sure what I will do for race wheels and tires since there certainly isn't much of a selection for 18" wheels. I haven't decided if I will stay stock or if I will do some modding that will put me out of the stock class anyway. I would like to get the S-Tune suspension, so I will probably get some 17" wheels and tires for racing, but I haven't made up my mind yet.

The Tirerack has no Victoracers in the 18" size (at least not on their website). The do have the Ecsta V700 in 265/35-18, which is probably right at the edge for an 8" wide wheel. Also, they recommend that you shave the tires for use in the dry. Hoosier has the A3S03 and R3S03 in 245/35-18 and 245/40-18, so those might be a decent choice as well.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/types/comp.htm

Sorry I couldn't help more, but I'm just learning this myself.

-D'oh!

C Ray Z

iTrader: (2)

There is a SCCA SF racer using 265 Kuhmo 700's. He is doing quite well but still slower then the National Champion in the S2000.

I am running Bstock Novice this year also. I plan to go the same way next year.

Good luck with your choices.

drivesolo

iTrader: (6)

Just to confirm with you guys....

The 18" wheels for the Performance and ffor the Touring upgrade are 18X8 on all four corners. I see a lot of stuff written where they say that the fronts are 7.5, but that's incorrect right?

rktjhn

I have run about 20 events this year with the Kumho V700 and they are ok running 225 front and 265 rear, and DID NOT shave them and have had NO problems on a track model.
Seems that 33/34 rear and 36/37 front works well for me, even went to 39 back and 44 front on concrete on a 110 degree day at a pro solo.
John

drivesolo

iTrader: (6)

20 events so far this year?!?! Holy Cow! I've heard guys doing 12 events in a year that's attending all the WWSCC and SCCA-NWR events in my part of the country. That's also a pretty serious tiem commitment there. I must say, I am impresed.

You tires lasted that long? I was under the impression that the Kumho V700's would take you through a season w/ some practice along the way. I guess they seem to be a lot more durable than the guys that I've spoken to have said.

rktjhn, what class are you running?

D'oh

Yeah, the 18" wheels for the performance and touring are 18X8 all around. I remember that there was confusion about this so I measured them myself. I couldn't measure the actual rim width since my tires were on, but I measured from the same spots on both front and back wheels and the distances were the same.

-D'oh!

drivesolo

iTrader: (6)

Yep,

I did the same thing. But I was unsure since all the documentation from Nissan out on teh web said that the fronts were 7.5".

D'oh, what SCCA class are you running in? B-Stock? Just curious since I'm looking to converse with someone with the same limitations in their class as I a have: WWSCC Stock A (SCCA B-Stock for the most part).

So far eveyone that I've heard from about wheels and tires at this forum that autocrosses seems to be in an improved or modified class.

rktjhn

I have been running in BS, added the KN replacement filter and the Borla True Dual sysytem. Had the Injen Airintake, but took it off when I started trying the Divisional Level stuff.
At the ProSolo with a drag race start, I was pretty consistant off the line, got a 503 one time and 6 other less than 600 starts, could beat the S2000 to the other end of the course, then he would eat my lunch in a long slalom coming back, the Z does real well in a "staggered slalom", but doesn't do as well in a long straight slaom. We are pretty handicapped without adjustable shocks, and we could use a good front sway bar. Hoosier could also help if we had a 245 for the front and a 265 or 275 rear in the A formula, Kumho should make a 245 as that would help alot too.
Denver Divisional is next weekend, hoping for the right kind of course, no long slaloms, and hope the course designer drives a Vette, not a Miata.
John

D'oh

I'm currently running in SCCA B-stock, since I have friends in that same class. I'm not sure how long I will stay in that class though, since I put lots of miles on my car and may want to mod it a bit just for fun. From what I've been able to understand from the SCCA rules, we can change the front sway bar (but not the rear) as well as use a cat-back exhaust, and any size tire as long as it fits on the original size wheels that came with that model of car. I think there may be some tricky things that can be done with shocks, if you are real careful about understanding exactly how the rules are written.

My problem is that I'd like to get the S-Tune suspension and a stoptech front brake kit, which would put me out of the stock class. At that point, I could drop down to 17" wheels of any width, and have basically free reign for any other mods.

Eh, I'll probably just get 18x8" race wheels to stay in stock class and then if I ever actually get my desired mods I'll just see how I feel about the wheels and whether or not I want to drop down a size.

-D'oh!

drivesolo

iTrader: (6)

Tires! Tires!! My kingdom for good DOT racing tires that will fit well on the stock 18" wheels!!!

They just don't exist.

I'm going to have to run the rest of the year on these God-awful RE040's and continue to be beaten by those S2000's.