I've found a way to deal with my S2000 competition in the NWR SCCA Solo II... just pray for a bunch of rain. I've included the URL for the WWSCC below... just scroll down to the bottom to find the results of "Regional Event #1"... you'll notice that the region lumps CS, BS & ES into the same class and factors the times... I'm not sure how much I like that, but I understand why they're doing it... I'll hold my final judgement. I placed third, lodging myself between the CS cars. The S2000s came in 6th and 7th... a second+ behind me. The factor must favor the CS cars

Oh, my car preparation? My wife gave me a K&N filter for x-mas... other than that... it's as delivered from the factory. The other two BS cars? S2000s with all the allowed BS equipment.

Will I get spanked when there isn't a pair of rivers running down the course?... you bet. But right now, and for 3 weeks... until the 2nd event... I have the B-Stock points lead. I'll be doing a serious rain dance for twenty-one straight days.


http://wwscc.org/

Brian

 

I haven't had much luck at catching the S2000's but the one WWSCC event that I actually got a trophy out of the 3 so far this year in was in the rain. Last year I ranked higher in the overall times in the beginning of the year than I did in the middle of the year. The only significant factor was the weather, which was wet up until May of last year. I don't know if it's the Z or the tires but there's something that makes the Z particularly good in the wet.

 

Are you running with the VDC on? That might be an advantage. I do not have enough experience yet to decide whther it's better to leave on or not.

 

D'oh! I'm busted!

Alright, you got me. I did run w/ the VDC on in my 1st run, did okay, turned it off on my second run and I was all over the place. I learned my leasson and for my 3rd and 4th runs the VDC was tuned on and the car was so much more controlable but felt a little disconnected.

I don't know if the S2000's have any type of VDC equivalent, but if it doesn't then yeah, the VDC could be the difference in the performance in the wet.

 

I ran all three runs with the VDC on... I've never found the VDC to be an advantage prior to this event. But there was a lot of water on the course. The feedback I was getting through the car told me the VDC was saving my bacon all over the place... so I left it on. I ran progressively quicker on each run, my last run was ruined by a cone that just jumped out and committed suicide under my right rear tire.

Brian

 

When I ran in the rain, I would first run with VDC on, then run with it off, then back on, then off.

I found that I could do much better with it off as long as I was careful with the throttle.

The problem with VDC is that the traction control would cut power coming out of corners if you got on the throttle too much. That was bugging me quite a bit so I turned it off.

-D'oh!

 

Check out the posted time difference between the S2000s and my Z...

http://www.wwscc.org/

Click on the clipboard icon with the red check on it... then scroll down to the Northwest Region SCCA Fordahl Motorsports Regional Series... "Regional Event #1"... under "S2"... they've combined class and added a PAX index to level the field...

I was over a second quicker than the S2000s on my 2nd run (clean)... my 3rd run was almost a full second quicker than my 2nd run (but I had a cone).

I could have turned the VDC off... but there was a lot of running water on the course and I was satisfied with my position relative to my BS competition. Believe me, this was the first time I left the VDC on... I've logged many runs in the rain... and the rain usually works to my advantage... which it did that day. I'm sure that when we get dry pavement during an event, the S2000s will have their way with me.

Brian

 

Good job! I actually just did an auto cross event in the rain, and I had my fastest time of the day when it was all wet (was dry for first 2 runs). And having the base model I have no VDC / Traction control. It was a blast, the car just felt perfectly balanced hustling around in the wet. Good wet driving car.