Hey everyone,

Just a quick intro, my name is Jason and I've been Autocrossing an STS2 CRX for the past nationals season. Before that, I ran an Audi A3 (pig), and before that an 04 350z. The CRX ride went away, so now I'm left to run my 2007 350z this season. I have all the needed parts either on order or on layaway, so once everything comes in, you guys will start seeing me at the national tour events

So I took her out to a local event this last weekend to get a feel for her. Car is completely stock here, on stock tires and stock alignment. 41psi front, 37psi rear. Eventually, she'll be on 285 Kuhmo's, Koni SA's, and a CT FSB.

Here is a video from the event:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gx7WrNhqhto

I would love to hear from PDX_Racer, Carter, ULLOSE, DriveI65, all the Nationals regulars, or any Z autocrosser out there. Please critique me! Any help/pointers are appreciated.

Can't wait to help make a showing for the Z's at nationals next year, look forward to meeting you all in person.

Jay
#97 STS2

 

All I can say, amazing driving. All you need is some better tires than the squealing stockers. :P

What kind of Camera mount do you have?

 

Thanks!

The camera mount is an older version of a ChaseCam.com suction cup mount. It's basically suction cupped to the rear window. The Camera is a Sony DSC-P200 digital camera that seems to take decent video. I will have to find a solution to the wind noise problem though. Either that or get louder exhaust

 

Great run!

You've got mail.

 

What might work, is get some of that foam, that goes around hand held microphones and put it across the microphone on the camera. This helps deflect any wind hitting it but allows the sound to go in.

 

Good idea, I'll give that a shot.... Next set of vids will have that trick so hopefully it'll sound a bit better

 

Finally got it uploaded Jason;

Ok, this is from the same day. Same track. Different Z and driver...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb2effo2qZ8

 

holy heck that's a fast / large course compared to what we run here

 

Very nice Jason, you look relaxed and really smooooooth!

Hopefully competing w/ you locally in a BS Z will help me step up my game.

 

Congrats on stepping up to a *real* car.

Seriously though, you're about 2 seconds behind on where you should be looking. Because of that, you're a bit late on elements, and so you have to work your front tires harder, which makes them hot, which makes them slide, which makes them hotter, which...you get the point. You're probably looking where you would with the CRX, but now you're in a significantly faster car, so your eyes need to move farther ahead. Driving on the street tires will actually help you become smoother, and to develop that "feel" for the limit, since the Z transfers a LOT of information to you.

Stock alignment is actually pretty good, and you'll notice not a lot of body roll (really firm springs are stock on the Z). Shocks will help control the springs. Personally, I'd advise *against* changing out the stock exhaust (others may have different opinions) simply because the rear is light already, removing weight from the rear is the *last* thing you want to do. I can run on less than 1/2 tank (I usually run between 5/16-3/8 tank) while pretty much everyone else who has changed out their exhaust has to run with a full tank to reduce wheelspin.

Once again, congrats on running the Z! I'll be very interested in finding out how another stock '07 does. I personally think that the Z to have is an '05 Track (what I have), but an '06 Enthusiast (basically the same car as the '05 Track, but with TDC-only) and the '07+ Enthusiasts are going to be VERY close in performance (so much so that it would be a drivers' race)!

[Edit]Looking at the second video, you can see -- especially in the right-hand 180 -- how early the driver is looking into the 180, and how early the driver is looking at and out of the exit to the next slalom. I'm not a fan of how late he is on the throttle there, but then again I'm not driving that course, so I can't *really* tell how tight the exit was.[/Edit]

 

awesome driving and course! wish we had stuff like that down here hehe so did you notice any difference between your 07 and 04 z in terms of performance and handling on the road course?

 

Dude, this is the kind of feedback I was looking for I have always been pretty strong in the sweeper stuff, but I can't figure out the timing on how to get this thing to slalom!!! The CRX would have taken just about every slalom in this video flat out, but the Z (in it's current form won't). The second slalom on the way back after the key west box was an accordian....50', 75', 100', 75', 50'. I entered it way too hot, didn't brake when/where I wanted to and as a result, got behind on the entrance to the slalom. Also, the turnaround, I was absolutely not looking in the right place either...car was pushing a little wide and when I dabbed to tuck it back in, the fronts just pushed more, so I think I (mistakenly) went into "don't hit that outside wall" mode

This was my 3rd run in the Z, so I'm still trying to figure out what she likes. The CRX was quite a bit more...ummm....frenetic. You had to really setup the car more and muscle it through everything, while the Z (on the stock 225's up front) doesn't seem to like that too well...the fronts would just dissolve into understeer and then I had to gather it back up under me.

The second video is a buddy of mine who's been racing his Z for a few years now....his is very fast, but on street tires. 255/275 Azenis, sways, etc....

As for the model year, I really like the 07 for a couple of reasons. For one, the 7500rpm redline is nice....all the other Z's were going to 3rd and back down. Also, the power delivery is very linear...my 04 had instant torque, but in turn it would be difficult to keep the rear planted. The 07 seems to be a little more subtle in it's power delivery, or maybe I'm just not as hamfisted on the throttle as I was

Anyway, thanks for the feedback. I'll keep posting vids as long as you keep picking them apart! And I look forward to meeting you (and others) at the first national tour.

JR

 

great thread. I was gonna comment on the "behind" thing but it's so hard to tell in videos... and I'm no autox god, the only reason(s) I place locally is nobody's in whatever god-awful modified class they stick me in and that the car IS nicely setup

I will however second that driving a while on street tires will really help you find mistakes that better grip will mask. I did that with my first year and a half of DEs too, made it a lot easier to find the limits (and probably safer too).

 

Agree whole heartedly....I drove my 04 Z on street tires for a year before jumping to race tires. Helped tremendously. Granted, running in a street-tired CRX last season helped too

Keep 'em coming!

 

Glad to be of help.

On mine, I've got it set up on the loose side of neutral, but it still takes a bit of "throttle jump" to rotate the car on the throttle, but that's a last-resort kind of thing anyway. When you're at the limit, it only takes subtle inputs to make a big difference anyway.

Time spent with a lower-HP car on street tires has probably made you a smoother driver (I noticed that you're very smooth). Think of "carving the corners" with the Z -- with the slightly wider stance and stiffer suspension, it will carry a higher cornering load than most other cars.

I think that the 287 engine was a bit more challenging to drive, since the torque curve had a steeper slope than the RevUp. I haven't seen the torque curve on the HR engine yet, but I imagine that it is pretty flat.

 

Yeah, the CRX taught me a LOT of lessons....that car was very difficult to drive. Short wheelbase, stiff suspension, and street tires....you had to be well ahead of the course. One huge difference I've found so far is that the with the CRX, when you went bombing into a turn, if you went in too fast, you would get understeer, and there really was no way to save it at that point...you had to get the car rotating BEFORE the turn rather than through it. With the Z, I can use the throttle to "fix" a botched corner entry so it gives me more overall confidence!

Here's a video from the Finger Lakes Pro Solo for comparison:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HZK1LLFqc8

(I LOVE the way that car slalomed! Turn early and stand on it!)

Do you have any incar footage from your runs? I would love to see take some pointers. (Too bad you are West Coast)

Thanks again,

JR

 

It's a good idea to get feedback. I know I need help. After Nationals I got a Samsung video camera with an external lens that I velcroed to the helmet. It shows me where I'm looking and I like the view better than a static location. In bright sunlight the picture occasionally washes out but overall I pretty pleased with the setup.

Here is my 3rd run from the 2 day of the Southeast Divisionals at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The rattling is change in the console, it makes such a nice counter-point.

video

After Nationals winning the Division was ok but I wish Carter had shown up.

 

That course looks pretty open and fun, are those indicative of Atlanta events? If so, I may have to start making the trek.

I like the camera on the helmet idea...gives a new perspective, although the sound was washing out a lot. Looks like a very drama-free run, meaning no slides, very little over or understeer...car just went where you wanted. I'm hoping that is the outcome with my race rubber

Do you mind me asking what you have your Koni's set at? I know the rears are a pain to adjust, so I wanna get those set close when I install them.

Otherwise, see you at the Dixie Tour!

JR

 

Yes, the sound has been a disappointment.

I set the Konis to half in the rear and full stiff in the front.

I hope to make Dixie again next year. It's a nice place to run.

 

So here's the story behind the two Ft Myers videos.

Jason's best time was 74.593 seconds.

My best time was 74.804 seconds.

These would normaly be considered close times on such a long course but the rest of the story show's that Jason kicked my @$$.

My Z: 05' Base
Quaife LSD
SSR wheels
RS-R springs
Hotchkis sways
Falken Azeni's 615's 255/275 tires. (I mounted these the night before the event.)

Jason's: Z 07' Enthusiast.
Showroom stock!

I knew he wouldn't come out and say it, so I thought I should. He just flat out-drove me.

I can't wait to see him run once he gets his Z prepped.