It's been a while for a racing post. Here's the whole year!
09-22-2011, 05:32 PM
#1
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It's been a while for a racing post. Here's the whole year!
Well, this year I raced my '07 tC in Street Touring class as a mostly stock car - used Star Spec tires and Hotchkis Sport rear sway.
I upgraded the suspension with Koni yellow inserts and Ground Control threaded sleeves.
A couple weeks later, we got 7" of rain overnight, and both my wife's and my Scion were totaled.
That was a Saturday. On Sunday, I had a race that I didn't want to miss. The car smelled terrible, and the ECU was in limp mode. It was slow torture. Over lunch, I somehow reset the ECU, and on my last run, won my class.
My wife and I removed all our suspension pieces from the flooded cars. I was extremely proud that she had an interest in learning, and getting her hands dirty.
I found a replacement tC a weeknor so later
I upgraded the suspension with Koni yellow inserts and Ground Control threaded sleeves.
A couple weeks later, we got 7" of rain overnight, and both my wife's and my Scion were totaled.
That was a Saturday. On Sunday, I had a race that I didn't want to miss. The car smelled terrible, and the ECU was in limp mode. It was slow torture. Over lunch, I somehow reset the ECU, and on my last run, won my class.
My wife and I removed all our suspension pieces from the flooded cars. I was extremely proud that she had an interest in learning, and getting her hands dirty.
I found a replacement tC a weeknor so later
09-22-2011, 05:43 PM
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The replacement was an '06. I knew it was slightly different. Turns out it has 1 less hp, 1 more foot pound of torque, slightly lower compression, and a better ECU! On the '07, at redline, the engine would cut. Bad idea. On the '06, it has a normal "bouncing" rev limiter. Good idea.
The car looked spotless. It had fewer miles even.
As I looked closer, the car had been repainted. Vargas did not list anything...
I was almost glad the car wasn't perfect, so I wouldn't be afraid of racing it. I was irritated that it had Scion driving lights that were not wired...
I will NOT even mention the dealership's name.
HOWEVER, my wife and I had a wonderful experience at Autobarn Mazda of Countryside. These are the guys who built Mazda5 Speed, and Mazdaspeed2 racecars for One Lap of America. The GM is a true gearhead. Our salesman was a gentleman. Hell-we even liked the finance guy! We bought my wife a Mazda3. Afterwards, she likes the car, but she
Missed the room and power of her '10 xB.
The car looked spotless. It had fewer miles even.
As I looked closer, the car had been repainted. Vargas did not list anything...
I was almost glad the car wasn't perfect, so I wouldn't be afraid of racing it. I was irritated that it had Scion driving lights that were not wired...
I will NOT even mention the dealership's name.
HOWEVER, my wife and I had a wonderful experience at Autobarn Mazda of Countryside. These are the guys who built Mazda5 Speed, and Mazdaspeed2 racecars for One Lap of America. The GM is a true gearhead. Our salesman was a gentleman. Hell-we even liked the finance guy! We bought my wife a Mazda3. Afterwards, she likes the car, but she
Missed the room and power of her '10 xB.
09-22-2011, 05:56 PM
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Back to my car.
We picked it up Saturday morning, and by Saturday at noon, we had the car apart, swapping the dampers over. I think I only had one photo of the car stock!
Anyway, it performed just as I expected at the races. It took two events before a course was fast enough that I hit redline, and discovered the limiter was different.
Fast forward.
I maintained my leads in both SCCA and TSSCC, a local club. Two events were on a freshly sealcoated lot = slick! I managed a win the first time around. It was so slick, a hack in an E30 BMW spun while going straight...
The second event, I sucked. I could not drive well to save my life, and took my first loss to my rival this year.
The last TSSCC event was back to a grippier lot. I was behind by 0.33 point. I needed one more win to take it. An occasional rival in a scooby 2.5 rs showed up. I have never been able to beat him. I was able to stay within a few tenths in the morning. Unfortunately, he laid down a great run in the afternoon, winning by about a second. I lost the season because my other rival in the Focus was closer in second than I was, and he had another win from an event I missed. Genus a much improved driver and very much deserves the overall. There's always next year!
We picked it up Saturday morning, and by Saturday at noon, we had the car apart, swapping the dampers over. I think I only had one photo of the car stock!
Anyway, it performed just as I expected at the races. It took two events before a course was fast enough that I hit redline, and discovered the limiter was different.
Fast forward.
I maintained my leads in both SCCA and TSSCC, a local club. Two events were on a freshly sealcoated lot = slick! I managed a win the first time around. It was so slick, a hack in an E30 BMW spun while going straight...
The second event, I sucked. I could not drive well to save my life, and took my first loss to my rival this year.
The last TSSCC event was back to a grippier lot. I was behind by 0.33 point. I needed one more win to take it. An occasional rival in a scooby 2.5 rs showed up. I have never been able to beat him. I was able to stay within a few tenths in the morning. Unfortunately, he laid down a great run in the afternoon, winning by about a second. I lost the season because my other rival in the Focus was closer in second than I was, and he had another win from an event I missed. Genus a much improved driver and very much deserves the overall. There's always next year!
09-22-2011, 06:05 PM
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SCCA has three more events left, and it's another case of a certain Subaru driver. I have a bigger lead on the Focus. The Subaru has only done two events, and needs to do all remaining three to be scored for year end points. This Sunday is third from the last. If he doesn't show up, the year is mine. If he does, I will do everything I can to beat him. I have done some suspension adjustments, hopefully to help handling and rotation. One shocker I did last event, was to disconnect the front swaybar. This was under recommendation from an experienced driver. It only
works if the front spring rates are high enough. Mine are 400lbs. It worked pretty well. That was the event I came closer to the Subaru than I had before. I did bottom out on a downhill, dropoff sweeper. This Sunday will not have a downhill. I need to keep calm and not over drive the car, and do my best.
works if the front spring rates are high enough. Mine are 400lbs. It worked pretty well. That was the event I came closer to the Subaru than I had before. I did bottom out on a downhill, dropoff sweeper. This Sunday will not have a downhill. I need to keep calm and not over drive the car, and do my best.
09-28-2011, 05:09 PM
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Last weekend was pretty exciting. I outdrove the Subaru in the rain. That was in the morning runs. We went back and forth in the afternoon, with me screwing up my last two runs, and him coming out on top
10-06-2011, 04:16 AM
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Congrats on doing well in ST! I liked your story, fun to read. I can relate and felt the tension reading about the battle with the 2.5RS haha.
Sorry to hear about your '07. That's cool about the '06, I've had the limiter be a pain many times on the course.
I ran ST for a full season last year, I have Hotchkis springs, Tokico HP Struts, Dan Gardner Spec rear sway, camber bolts (-2F -1R), 225/45/17 Direzza Star Specs on stock wheels, StopTech Street Performance front pads, ATE Super Blue DOT 4 brake fluid, short-shifter and axleback.
I took 4th last year in ST and took 5th overall out of the many many novice drivers. Dang '89 Civics are hard to beat haha.
This year my college budget hit me hard, therefore, I have only done 3 events this year, also scoring much lower points-wise than I did last year. So no ability to compete in the championship. Almost won one of the events this season. The last run I put up a time 0.8 faster than anyone else. I thought I had the win, 12 cars in ST that day. But 2 people squeezed me out by 0.1 seconds on their last run, putting me in 3rd. Also, the competition is much closer this season (2.5RSs, Focus SVTs, Del-Sols and the like, almost no '89 Civics) so it would have been a good season to compete. The car doesn't feel as good this season with the outsides of the Star Specs pretty worn and the Hotchkis springs have sagged to more than a 2" drop. I think being this low has me camber-challenged (so much positive camber, killing the outsides of the tires and temps aren't even across the tire). I plan to flip the tires (replace with Ventus RS3s next season), raise the car back up and get it re-aligned and hopefully it will feel better.
I was thinking about doing the Ground Controls (no Konis though, can't afford them)on the Tokico struts, do you think it would work/fit? I know they work on the stock struts.
How much more money and how hard was the process to get custom spring rates on the GCs?
Sorry to hear about your '07. That's cool about the '06, I've had the limiter be a pain many times on the course.
I ran ST for a full season last year, I have Hotchkis springs, Tokico HP Struts, Dan Gardner Spec rear sway, camber bolts (-2F -1R), 225/45/17 Direzza Star Specs on stock wheels, StopTech Street Performance front pads, ATE Super Blue DOT 4 brake fluid, short-shifter and axleback.
I took 4th last year in ST and took 5th overall out of the many many novice drivers. Dang '89 Civics are hard to beat haha.
This year my college budget hit me hard, therefore, I have only done 3 events this year, also scoring much lower points-wise than I did last year. So no ability to compete in the championship. Almost won one of the events this season. The last run I put up a time 0.8 faster than anyone else. I thought I had the win, 12 cars in ST that day. But 2 people squeezed me out by 0.1 seconds on their last run, putting me in 3rd. Also, the competition is much closer this season (2.5RSs, Focus SVTs, Del-Sols and the like, almost no '89 Civics) so it would have been a good season to compete. The car doesn't feel as good this season with the outsides of the Star Specs pretty worn and the Hotchkis springs have sagged to more than a 2" drop. I think being this low has me camber-challenged (so much positive camber, killing the outsides of the tires and temps aren't even across the tire). I plan to flip the tires (replace with Ventus RS3s next season), raise the car back up and get it re-aligned and hopefully it will feel better.
I was thinking about doing the Ground Controls (no Konis though, can't afford them)on the Tokico struts, do you think it would work/fit? I know they work on the stock struts.
How much more money and how hard was the process to get custom spring rates on the GCs?
10-06-2011, 12:34 PM
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I recommend Ground Gontrols. To arrive at my sprIng rates, I did a lot of research, and a little guessing. Neither Koni nor Ground Control could give me straight answer.
I looked up the stock rates, made sure I stuck with the same front/rear ratio. I ended up with 400lb/front, 700lb/rear. DG Spec coilovers use 350/650, and save the work of cutting apart the strut body for the Koni insert.
At one point, I contacted an ST Celica driver, and although he had custom-valved dampers, he was running 1000lbs in the rear!
The Konis seem to be holding up so far.
My setup is surprisingly tolerable, as my car is daily-driven. I don't know if Tokicos can handle rates like that. Maybe call them and see if they give you an answer...
Also, the lower you go, the more NEGATIVE camber, mostly in the rear. The front won't increase much because of the design, but multilInk rear will. If you haven't, get an alignment by a shop that knows racecars. Get as much negative camber in the front with crash bolts, probably -2 at the most. Set front toe to zero or maybe 1/8" toe out. Have them back off the rear camber to less than the front.
What region do you run in?
I looked up the stock rates, made sure I stuck with the same front/rear ratio. I ended up with 400lb/front, 700lb/rear. DG Spec coilovers use 350/650, and save the work of cutting apart the strut body for the Koni insert.
At one point, I contacted an ST Celica driver, and although he had custom-valved dampers, he was running 1000lbs in the rear!
The Konis seem to be holding up so far.
My setup is surprisingly tolerable, as my car is daily-driven. I don't know if Tokicos can handle rates like that. Maybe call them and see if they give you an answer...
Also, the lower you go, the more NEGATIVE camber, mostly in the rear. The front won't increase much because of the design, but multilInk rear will. If you haven't, get an alignment by a shop that knows racecars. Get as much negative camber in the front with crash bolts, probably -2 at the most. Set front toe to zero or maybe 1/8" toe out. Have them back off the rear camber to less than the front.
What region do you run in?
10-06-2011, 12:37 PM
#12
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The outsides wear because you don't have enough camber. Watch your tire pressures. Use at least 38 in the front and about 42 in the rear. The difference will help rotation. Are you running out of tread?
10-06-2011, 03:08 PM
#13
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I recommend Ground Gontrols. To arrive at my sprIng rates, I did a lot of research, and a little guessing. Neither Koni nor Ground Control could give me straight answer.
I looked up the stock rates, made sure I stuck with the same front/rear ratio. I ended up with 400lb/front, 700lb/rear. DG Spec coilovers use 350/650, and save the work of cutting apart the strut body for the Koni insert.
At one point, I contacted an ST Celica driver, and although he had custom-valved dampers, he was running 1000lbs in the rear!
The Konis seem to be holding up so far.
My setup is surprisingly tolerable, as my car is daily-driven. I don't know if Tokicos can handle rates like that. Maybe call them and see if they give you an answer...
Also, the lower you go, the more NEGATIVE camber, mostly in the rear. The front won't increase much because of the design, but multilInk rear will. If you haven't, get an alignment by a shop that knows racecars. Get as much negative camber in the front with crash bolts, probably -2 at the most. Set front toe to zero or maybe 1/8" toe out. Have them back off the rear camber to less than the front.
What region do you run in?
I looked up the stock rates, made sure I stuck with the same front/rear ratio. I ended up with 400lb/front, 700lb/rear. DG Spec coilovers use 350/650, and save the work of cutting apart the strut body for the Koni insert.
At one point, I contacted an ST Celica driver, and although he had custom-valved dampers, he was running 1000lbs in the rear!
The Konis seem to be holding up so far.
My setup is surprisingly tolerable, as my car is daily-driven. I don't know if Tokicos can handle rates like that. Maybe call them and see if they give you an answer...
Also, the lower you go, the more NEGATIVE camber, mostly in the rear. The front won't increase much because of the design, but multilInk rear will. If you haven't, get an alignment by a shop that knows racecars. Get as much negative camber in the front with crash bolts, probably -2 at the most. Set front toe to zero or maybe 1/8" toe out. Have them back off the rear camber to less than the front.
What region do you run in?
So did you request those rates when you ordered? Did it cost you more? I'll have to ask Tokico if that'll work.
I'm currently running -2 degrees front with camber bolts and -1 in the rear, and the toe is set to zero. Using the chalk method, I figured 36-38psi are good in the rear for me. Any more, and the car is a bit too tail happy with this setup. In the fronts I usually have to run 42-43psi, so the tires will not start wearing too low on the shoulder.
My hypothesis is the fronts are too low for McPherson strut design, but the rears are fine that low for multi-link. That's what I'm so confused about, my pressures are high and I'm running a decent bit of camber, but the tires wear on the shoulder a lot.
Also, I measured the temps on the tires at one event and the rears were almost even across. The fronts were ridiculous, there was a big spread in temperature between the outside and inside. Around 10 degrees if I remember correctly.
Can't figure it out!
The tires are slightly low on tread. All four are around 3/32 tread, and the shoulders on the inside of the tires are pretty clean, so I'm having the tread flipped.
10-07-2011, 12:54 AM
#14
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You can order whatever rates you want. The price is the same.
A successful autocross car is pretty tail happy.
Don't go lower than when your lower control arms are horizontal.
Any lower than that, and your suspension fights compression AND cornering.
Something is odd that you are running pressures that high in front and still wearing the outer edge of the tire.
It sounds like your fronts are doing too much work.
A successful autocross car is pretty tail happy.
Don't go lower than when your lower control arms are horizontal.
Any lower than that, and your suspension fights compression AND cornering.
Something is odd that you are running pressures that high in front and still wearing the outer edge of the tire.
It sounds like your fronts are doing too much work.
10-07-2011, 01:48 AM
#15
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You can order whatever rates you want. The price is the same.
A successful autocross car is pretty tail happy.
Don't go lower than when your lower control arms are horizontal.
Any lower than that, and your suspension fights compression AND cornering.
Something is odd that you are running pressures that high in front and still wearing the outer edge of the tire.
It sounds like your fronts are doing too much work.
A successful autocross car is pretty tail happy.
Don't go lower than when your lower control arms are horizontal.
Any lower than that, and your suspension fights compression AND cornering.
Something is odd that you are running pressures that high in front and still wearing the outer edge of the tire.
It sounds like your fronts are doing too much work.
What region are you in?
10-07-2011, 05:40 PM
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I forgot to mention I had a guest co-driver last Sunday- Rob Stout, former World Challenge champion in a DG Spec tC, and recent GrandAm driver in a Camaro and a Corvette.
My long-winded story is on my Facebook page at World's Fastest Scion* Racing. I'm at work and don't have the time...
My long-winded story is on my Facebook page at World's Fastest Scion* Racing. I'm at work and don't have the time...
10-18-2011, 02:25 PM
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Well, my season ended last weekend. Chicago Region SCCA's Twin at Rt 66 raceway. I needed to beat the dreaded Impreza 2.5 RS. Twice. To take the season. In four years of autocross, I've never been able to beat him. I've had better morning runs the last couple events, but he always improved more than I did.
The long story is on Facebook at Worlds Fastest Scion* Racing.
Short story: Saturday. Rain. Morning runs. Four seconds ahead of Impreza. He was shaken. Afternoon. Dried. He improved. Not enough. I won my a tenth.
Sunday. Dry. A friend said "the only one beating you is you.". Huge motivation. Needed to win by more than a second to take the year. He came close to beating me. My car starved in long cornering twice. Somehow, I beat him well. I forgot what my time was. After the heat, I found out. I did the math. I won the year by 0.2 point !
This was my most important win since I started four years ago!
The long story is on Facebook at Worlds Fastest Scion* Racing.
Short story: Saturday. Rain. Morning runs. Four seconds ahead of Impreza. He was shaken. Afternoon. Dried. He improved. Not enough. I won my a tenth.
Sunday. Dry. A friend said "the only one beating you is you.". Huge motivation. Needed to win by more than a second to take the year. He came close to beating me. My car starved in long cornering twice. Somehow, I beat him well. I forgot what my time was. After the heat, I found out. I did the math. I won the year by 0.2 point !
This was my most important win since I started four years ago!
10-19-2011, 02:23 AM
#19
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Well, my season ended last weekend. Chicago Region SCCA's Twin at Rt 66 raceway. I needed to beat the dreaded Impreza 2.5 RS. Twice. To take the season. In four years of autocross, I've never been able to beat him. I've had better morning runs the last couple events, but he always improved more than I did.
The long story is on Facebook at Worlds Fastest Scion* Racing.
Short story: Saturday. Rain. Morning runs. Four seconds ahead of Impreza. He was shaken. Afternoon. Dried. He improved. Not enough. I won my a tenth.
Sunday. Dry. A friend said "the only one beating you is you.". Huge motivation. Needed to win by more than a second to take the year. He came close to beating me. My car starved in long cornering twice. Somehow, I beat him well. I forgot what my time was. After the heat, I found out. I did the math. I won the year by 0.2 point !
This was my most important win since I started four years ago!
The long story is on Facebook at Worlds Fastest Scion* Racing.
Short story: Saturday. Rain. Morning runs. Four seconds ahead of Impreza. He was shaken. Afternoon. Dried. He improved. Not enough. I won my a tenth.
Sunday. Dry. A friend said "the only one beating you is you.". Huge motivation. Needed to win by more than a second to take the year. He came close to beating me. My car starved in long cornering twice. Somehow, I beat him well. I forgot what my time was. After the heat, I found out. I did the math. I won the year by 0.2 point !
This was my most important win since I started four years ago!