Thứ Sáu, 20 tháng 1, 2017

First autocross with the STI part 1

SWortham 07-26-2006 09:14 AM

First autocross with the STI
This was in Mineral Wells, TX. It's the largest & fastest autox course I've ever raced on. I topped out 3rd gear at 80 mph on the back stretch.

I didn't do as well as I would've liked. This car is a completely different animal than what I'm used to. I need a lot more seat time to get the hang of it. Fortunately there are a couple of racing schools coming up where hopefully I can improve and break some bad habits.

But here's a video of one of my better runs:
[url]http://www.gldomain.com/sti/autocross/2006-07-23/STI_Autocross(2006-07-23)_run3.wmv[/url]
Vampyr 07-26-2006 09:31 AM

It looked like a great run with some great weather!!

I just don't see how you know where you're going. Do you get lost or confused as to which side of the cone you are supposed to be on?!
tuskenraider 07-26-2006 09:35 AM

[QUOTE] I topped out 3rd gear at 80 mph on the back stretch.[/QUOTE] Really? Was that an SCCA event? They usually try to keep speeds under 65mph.
SWortham 07-26-2006 09:37 AM

It's tough at times, although not as tough as the video makes it look. Once you walk the course a couple times in the morning, you'll hopefully remember it well enough when you make your runs. Although it's always different at speed.

A lot of people did get lost on this course though (including myself) because the gates were spread out a little more than usual and perhaps there weren't enough pointer cones.
SWortham 07-26-2006 09:40 AM

[QUOTE=tuskenraider]Really? Was that an SCCA event? They usually try to keep speeds under 65mph.[/QUOTE]
Yep, SCCA. This was different than all the other SCCA events I've been to. The course took me 94 seconds to complete where most of their other courses are typically 40 - 50 seconds.

In fact, if I had taken a better line in the corner leading up to that straight I would've been into 4th gear.
ratt_finkel 07-26-2006 11:59 AM

Is this Tom? This is Jeremy, I'm the guy that was working grid. Nice meeting you! Hope to see you this sunday at the ER event!

Let me know if there's anything I can help you with.
rt4me 07-26-2006 01:10 PM

[QUOTE=SWortham]Yep, SCCA. This was different than all the other SCCA events I've been to. The course took me 94 seconds to complete where most of their other courses are typically 40 - 50 seconds.

In fact, if I had taken a better line in the corner leading up to that straight I would've been into 4th gear.[/QUOTE]

Mineral Wells usually is a little different than Pennington or the Bus Lot. The speeds are generally quite a bit higher, with longer courses. If you liked it, I'd recommend coming out to Equipe Rapide events too. They usually have 4-5 events a year out there and sometimes the speeds are event higher. I can remember getting up to around 80 in my old neon. I really like running out there, much more than Pennington.

Tim B
191 STU
AUTOwrXER 07-26-2006 02:03 PM

Isn't the car doing 70 mph @ 7k rpm in third gear with OEM tires?
SWortham 07-26-2006 02:25 PM

[QUOTE=ratt_finkel]Is this Tom? This is Jeremy, I'm the guy that was working grid. Nice meeting you! Hope to see you this sunday at the ER event!

Let me know if there's anything I can help you with.[/QUOTE]
Hey Jeremy, this is Steve. Yeah, I met you in grid. You did a great job out there in the Miata. I've never been to an ER event yet, but I'm planning on making it out there this Sunday. I have a friend with an Evo MR who should make it as well. Each of our cars are completely stock so it should make for some interesting competition. ;)
afpdl 07-26-2006 02:33 PM

[QUOTE=AUTOwrXER]Isn't the car doing 70 mph @ 7k rpm in third gear with OEM tires?[/QUOTE]
Its 75.7mph in 3rd at 7000rpm afaik.
SWortham 07-26-2006 02:33 PM

[QUOTE=rt4me]Mineral Wells usually is a little different than Pennington or the Bus Lot. The speeds are generally quite a bit higher, with longer courses. If you liked it, I'd recommend coming out to Equipe Rapide events too. They usually have 4-5 events a year out there and sometimes the speeds are event higher. I can remember getting up to around 80 in my old neon. I really like running out there, much more than Pennington.

Tim B
191 STU[/QUOTE]
Hey Tim, I saw the end of your best run while I was in grid. Nice work. It looks like you have good control over that car.

And yeah, it was fun. I think I'll enjoy it even more when I become more comfortable with the car though. I do want to start racing with ER, so I'll probably make it out to Mineral Wells more often.

- Steve
SWortham 07-26-2006 02:35 PM

[QUOTE=afpdl]Its 75.7mph in 3rd at 7000rpm afaik.[/QUOTE]
Sounds about right. I glanced down at the speedometer just as I hit the rev limiter in 3rd and it looked like 80. Right after that I had to hit the brakes for a corner.

I wasn't really familiar with all the shift points prior to this event. I had literally just finished breaking the car in on the way to the event, lol.
XT6Wagon 07-26-2006 07:14 PM

I've gone into 4th on a fairly short autoX course in mine... wasn't very stock at the time though.

main thing to make it work is getting something other than the factory alignment. Lol fine for the legacy 2.5i... not fine for a STi.
the_poser 07-26-2006 08:10 PM

I hope to make it to an event out at mineral wells one day this year.
my wife and I are planning on moving to the fort worth area next year

have you met nate?
WRB wrx 'o4 front end w/sti hood scoop
he's a good friend of mine
SWortham 07-27-2006 08:49 AM

^ Nope, I don't think I've met him. Was he at this Mineral Wells event July 23rd? I think I may remember his car.
the_poser 07-27-2006 01:44 PM

[QUOTE=SWortham]^ Nope, I don't think I've met him. Was he at this Mineral Wells event July 23rd? I think I may remember his car.[/QUOTE]3

no I don't think he was at that one
he was there in april or march I think
he decribed the course as being really fast too
SWortham 07-27-2006 01:50 PM

Oh, well this was my first autox at Mineral Wells.
AndrewSS 07-27-2006 03:35 PM

What camera setup are you using, its pretty nice :)
SWortham 07-27-2006 04:10 PM

Well, believe it or not, it's a $35 solid-state video camera my Dad bought from ubid.com. He then fashioned a magnetic mount for it so I can just stick it on the car and go. The only problem is that it compresses in DIVX on the fly and will skip frames if there's too much on the screen changing at once. But if half of the screen is occupied by the car it works well.
Mavrik 07-27-2006 04:21 PM

Looks like a lot of fun. I'm an SCCA member here in alaska and our courses here certainly have no room for anything much faster then 45mph so wow... topped out in 3rd? sweet.
AndrewSS 07-28-2006 12:07 AM

[QUOTE=SWortham]Well, believe it or not, it's a $35 solid-state video camera my Dad bought from ubid.com. He then fashioned a magnetic mount for it so I can just stick it on the car and go. The only problem is that it compresses in DIVX on the fly and will skip frames if there's too much on the screen changing at once. But if half of the screen is occupied by the car it works well.[/QUOTE]

anymore info on the camera would be really appreciated !
SWortham 07-28-2006 12:14 PM

I asked my Dad about it. Here's what he said:

[I]I did get mine through UBid but they don't have them anymore. The description is ION or POLAROID Studio 4 video camera if they want to search for one. I believe they're out of production now.

There are other MPEG4 SD Flash cameras though for under $100. Might try Frys or even Circuit City.[/I]
AndrewSS 07-28-2006 02:52 PM

^ thanks for the additional info, I hope I can find something...
leecea 07-28-2006 03:04 PM

[QUOTE=tuskenraider]Really? Was that an SCCA event? They usually try to keep speeds under 65mph.[/QUOTE]

Aren't they trying out a new high-speed autox format as well, with the limit set at around 90 mph? I thought it was part of the restructured Solo program but can't find the link now.
SWortham 07-28-2006 03:17 PM

I don't know anything about that. But they do have Solo 1 in some regions -- not around here but it sounds like they're typically much bigger & faster than Solo 2.
tuskenraider 07-28-2006 04:03 PM

[QUOTE]Aren't they trying out a new high-speed autox format as well, with the limit set at around 90 mph?[/QUOTE] Yep, something like this: [url]http://autocross.mcscc.org/[/url]
Funky 07-28-2006 04:15 PM

[QUOTE=leecea]Aren't they trying out a new high-speed autox format as well, with the limit set at around 90 mph? I thought it was part of the restructured Solo program but can't find the link now.[/QUOTE]

I think what you are referring to was Solo I, which has been renamed "Time Trials" since that is much more applicable to the format. It's timed laps of a racetrack, not cones in a parkinglot. As such, "Solo II" is now "Solo".
tuskenraider 07-28-2006 05:05 PM

I'm trying to find a link, but there was an SCCA article describing the new format and it was differentiated from Time Trials. It mentioned the course would still be a cone setup in a parking lot.
leecea 07-28-2006 08:48 PM

Yes, it is not time trials. It seems hard to find much on the Web about it, but here is a link with some info...

[url]http://sccaforums.com/forums/thread/196641.aspx[/url]
ratt_finkel 07-30-2006 09:20 PM

[QUOTE=the_poser]I hope to make it to an event out at mineral wells one day this year.
my wife and I are planning on moving to the fort worth area next year

have you met nate?
WRB wrx 'o4 front end w/sti hood scoop
he's a good friend of mine[/QUOTE]
I know nate, he was at the State meet in houston. And I officially met him at his first event in mineral wells. Haven't seen him out lately. I rode with him at Mineral Wells, he has a lot of potential though.

Crap, nice meeting you again today steve. Sorry for calling you Tom several times. :o

Like I said though, get an alignment done, get the front bar and drive the crap out of the car until you figure out what class you want to run in. Both A-stock and STU have nationaly competitve drivers in our region, so either would be good for you.
SWortham 07-31-2006 01:41 PM

Thanks Jeremy. Ultimately I think STU is the class for me. I want the car to be a little lower, have more aggressive front camber, and be better balanced than it'd ever be in A-Stock. Plus, I don't want to have to buy a 2nd set of wheels w/ R-compounds (there's no space left in the garage for them).

But I'm on a mission to return my old car to stock and sell it. As soon as it's gone I'll start with the suspension & alignment on the STI. :)

By the way, I think you met my roommate Michael Wright. He's driving the Acura RSX Type-S in GS. It's impressive how much faster he is than me in a slower class. Good driving and R-compound tires own.
ratt_finkel 07-31-2006 06:49 PM

[QUOTE=SWortham]Thanks Jeremy. Ultimately I think STU is the class for me. I want the car to be a little lower, have more aggressive front camber, and be better balanced than it'd ever be in A-Stock. Plus, I don't want to have to buy a 2nd set of wheels w/ R-compounds (there's no space left in the garage for them).

But I'm on a mission to return my old car to stock and sell it. As soon as it's gone I'll start with the suspension & alignment on the STI. :)

By the way, I think you met my roommate Michael Wright. He's driving the Acura RSX Type-S in GS. It's impressive how much faster he is than me in a slower class. Good driving and R-compound tires own.[/QUOTE]
Yup, Mike and I have spoke a few times now. He's doing VERY well considering he's done less than half a dozen events. You should convince him to go to nationals. I think he would do well there.

Let me know if you have any setup questions, and don't forget that we have some of the best STU drivers in the country. There is a wealth of knowledge so feel free to tap it.
the_poser 07-31-2006 07:54 PM

[QUOTE=ratt_finkel]I know nate, he was at the State meet in houston. And I officially met him at his first event in mineral wells. Haven't seen him out lately. I rode with him at Mineral Wells, he has a lot of potential though.

[/QUOTE]

yeah he's a good guy and a pretty good driver.
I met him when he started dating my sister [and I still think highly of him]
I give hiw a hard time because the state met here in Houston was both of ours first auto-x and I beat him [though I'm sure he'd beat me now] and so far thats the only one we've both run in
truth0r 08-02-2006 02:17 PM

[QUOTE=AndrewSS]anymore info on the camera would be really appreciated ![/QUOTE]


I'm using this Aiptek MPVR and it works very well, especially for the price!

Go to Aiptek's website. I bought this model: R-PKDV58

It's around $120.

You can find it at Circuity City or CompUSA. I also built a mount using hardware from AceHardware.

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