FTD Vid from NASA-X 8/12/06

[Rosko]

I'm not sure I agree that the RX8 and the 350Z don't belong in the same class, though. Nothing against any of you guys, but I've not seen an RX8 or a 350Z driven at an autocross to anywhere near it's potential.

I guess I think they belong in the same class because that's how it is in SCCA (B Stock). Most agree that the RX8 has the edge especially after looking at last year's National results, where one would hope, you could witness both cars driven to their potential.

http://www.scca.com/_Filelibrary/Fil...NALresults.pdf (go down to page 9)

NASA's classing might be geared more toward road racing, where I've read the Z is a bit quicker when driven by a competent driver.

[jblaine]

Great runs from the very beginning Muddy. I don't think you ever had a run outside the 51's, did you? Amazing. You just killed everybody.

jblaine, did you run street tires or race tires?

The results are posted.
http://nasaxflorida.com/srfiles/12Au...ultsByTime.pdf

225/45/17 Bridgestone RE-070 (stock tires from an STI).

[jblaine]

Although, I'm still not exactly ecstatic about 2nd fastest on street tires. I've never seen jblaine at an event before. How long have you been autocrossing, jblaine?

You and I unknowingly battled it out once before and you won. I am positive you'll win again.

I'm not competitive with other people. I was running 55.xx runs. Ran a 54.6 and was so stoked. I had no idea what other people were running or where I was ranked until the results were posted (I just don't really care). "Whoa. I got FTD for street tires!?? Neat."

I have done 9 autocrosses in the last 4 years.

[Loren]

I guess I think they belong in the same class because that's how it is in SCCA (B Stock). Most agree that the RX8 has the edge especially after looking at last year's National results, where one would hope, you could witness both cars driven to their potential.

http://www.scca.com/_Filelibrary/Fil...NALresults.pdf (go down to page 9)

NASA's classing might be geared more toward road racing, where I've read the Z is a bit quicker when driven by a competent driver.

Well, the Solo National results look like they might back you up, but you can't always base such a decision on one year. Could be that the RX8 was just more popular with the fastest drivers that year. If one of those hotshoes had shown up in a 350z... who knows? And if the course had been different in some way... maybe it would have thrown the 350's an advantage?

(if you look closely at those results, you'll see that the #6 car had the fastest time on the first day, only to blow it on the second day... wasn't a 350, but just an example of the weird stuff that happens that can change the final results in a big way)

Another big consideration is that just because one car isn't competitive enough to easily win the class that it's in... is "fixing" that problem justified? If you move the faster car up to a higher class, are you making an extremely popular car completely uncompetitve? (an important consideration) If you bump the slower car down a class, will it be an overdog in that class?

I don't have the answers to those questions, they are just questions that are part of the classing process. It's simply not possible to equalize all cars into a group of 8 classes. You can't be fair to everyone.

[Alizarin]

Re: classing- There are several cars that seem to be classed wrong. Probably that 287 HP that puts you up in C. I'm sure Kenny is happy about it, but I can't figure out why the standard Subaru WRX starts in class E. Many NASA members have been discussing the classing this year so some things may change.

One thing you have to realize about the standard WRX, pre-2.5L engine, is it has a pretty good amount of turbo lag (max boost of ~14psi around 3000rpm), the suspension is quite soft, and the stock tires (RE-92) kinda suck. If you look at the mod list of stuff I've done to my car to reach the 44 NASA mod points I have, it tries to fix those problems. Race rubber, better suspension (but not coilovers), sways, free-flow exhaust, reflash, etc. It all adds up to about what an STi would be, except I have 10 less hp and a 5-speed. I can at least, currently, run with STis depending on the driver, so I think ending up in class C is a good placement.

[jblaine]

Bone stock, the 2.0L WRX does not hit 14psi until 3500RPM. In a good 20% of autocross turns, it is exactly like driving a NA 2.0L car.

The suspension is set up completely horrible for autocrossing, and the RE-92 tires FAR MORE than "kinda suck". They're awful.

It also understeers, stock, like you cannot imagine.

I'm in the same boat as Alizarin. My HP did little to my classing in comparison to everything not power-related. I am, like him, just barely hanging onto the ledge of class C and about to end up in insane B land.

[AScoda]

The suspension is set up completely horrible for autocrossing

check, got that here too, stock anyway.

RE-92 tires FAR MORE than "kinda suck". They're awful.

80's vintage goodyear gatorbacks here. At least that's what Ford put on them 20 years ago. Does that count?

It also understeers, stock, like you cannot imagine

check, got that too. Probably worse on all counts except the low end grunt. I can really only use that in a straight line though.

Insane B land?
Solely inhabited by me.
Plenty of room, come on over! Don't mind that guy in the corner, he has a bad tiresmoke sniffing habit.

[mofugga]

re92's aren't that bad you just gotta pretend you're in a family sedan & not try to overdrive 'em

[Alizarin]

re92's aren't that bad you just gotta pretend you're in a family sedan & not try to overdrive 'em

That and crank up the air pressures... I'd still pass on the RE-92s though.