After 18 months of delay, I'll be attending my first Chinmotorsports lapping day. www.chinmotorsports.com

Unfortunately, I have no LSX vehicle to attend in, so, I'll be lapping in the stock Saab 9-2x (WRX wagon). I may rent a Spec Miata for the day instead, but we'll see how my budget dictates things.

I was supposed to attend my first event driving the camaro at VIR in Fall of 2004. The rear end broke a week before going and I was sidetracked after that by the sale of the car, birth of my son, and an ill fated attempt at getting a '88 Fox that I got my hands on trackworthy.

Anyhow, just posting up to see if any of you are going. I'm sure Apexman will chime in.

 

Good luck with that, and hope all goes well. Im looking forward to attending my first event in early feb at the new road course here in houston (MSR Houston) but things are looking fuzzy and might have to make event #2 at MSR Cresson. Either way ill be at one of thoes.

 

Hey Carlos, both Zoe and I should be there but I think it is the same weekend as Sebring. If it is then we will be there on Sunday only unless we decide just to watch the SpeedWC GT and touring races on friday and come back that evening. It will be a busy weekend especially if I instruct on Sat.

That Saab will be more fun than you think! Just getting out there is gonna be good for ya.

Derek

 

I think I am going to track the SAAB. Just gonna put some fresh brake fluid and some Hawk HP+ pads to get my feet wet.

Hope to see you there! And if you're not there, have fun @ Sebring.

 

I decided to go to the event in the SAAB 9-2x (WRX Wagon), totally stock, with only brake pad (HAWK HP Plus) and brake fluid (MOTUL) upgrades so that I could get a good baseline feel for the factory setup (including stock tire RE011).

Oh yes, I did have some more negative camber dialed in up front, so the setup was not totally factory. The neg camber helped immensely for turn-in response.

All I can say is wow, this car is set up very nicely from the factory. I had a great time carving the line, braking harder and harder into the brake zones and trail braking.
In the high speed turns (100+mph), the car held its compusure extremely well, as I would shed a little speed before the high speed turns, then go WOT through the turns.

The car was good for about 10-15 minutes of hot lapping before I could feel the tires dying. The brakes held up very well. When we would come in, my instructor shot the rotors with the heat gun and they would always be 740+ degrees F. Pretty damn hot. I did 4 sessions in all.

The event was full of hardcore race cars, with a Ferrari team using the HPDE day for testing. It was awesome to get track time with the cars zooming by you.

My instructor was also a Skip Barber grad, so we were on the same page the whole time, and the little feedback (little was needed according to him) he gave me was right to the point. Mainly, I needed him initially to give me input for the high speed turns relating to when to breathe throttle, and when to get back on WOT. Otherwise, I had the line and brake zones down pact.

He also reminded me (due to my practicing rev matching on the street all the time at much lower engine speeds) to blip way up around 6K, something I needed a reminder of, and sure enough, fluid rev matching.

I was told that I was very smooth and fluid overall, and that the car was holding me back.

I was passed by many a car, yet I passed a couple far superior cars with inferior drivers (Brand new Viper, Panoz Esperante, 993), along with many other cars like RSX's, turbo Miatas and so forth (yet, in turn, I was also passed by Miatas with superior drivers).

Oh, yes, I also rode in my instructor's track prepped 2nd gen RX7 and he and the car are on a completely higher strata than I in terms of ability. He's been doing wheel to wheel since '98. His brake zones are so much shorter than mine.

BTW, the black Vette in the paddock is Apexman's sweet FRC.

 

Good write up. Glad you had a good time now you are surely itching to get the 944 out huh.

Tearing down the FRC as we speak. Thinking of going with a new pulley but
don't think I am gonna buy an aftermarket one. Maybe. Engine bay is a real mess under there

Derek

 

Man...i'm gonna have to start going to these track days when my car gets back. Really want to get involved in roadraceing. BADLY!

 

(Derek broke so hard on turn 9, his car's front gasket burst and the crank pulley backed out.)
At least the pulley and the front gasket aren't going to set you back too much. I'd go with another aftermarket pulley with an ARP bolt- I remember how revs felt quicker in building when I did that mod on my car.
Sucks that you've got to tear down the steering rack on the Vette to get to it, but at least you didn't suffer any internal damage.
Anyhow, you're the person who introduced me to chinmotorsports.com years ago, so I've really got to thank you for that.
And, honestly, keep that 346 in there as long as you can before going 402 (I can't believe I'm saying this), becuase you can seriously use that money for safety equipment. Your car is seriously fast and should have a cage, seat and harness.

 

Do it! It's 1000x funner and than streetracing, and exponentially more challenging.

 

I know bro. I've done just two autocrossess,....and been the passenger for a few laps in Sebring. I've been hooked on cornering since my first go-kart . Drag raceing, just doesn't do it for me(short lived thrill)...and street raceing,..well, jail gets old even quicker then the quarter mile.

So,..as soon as my car is mobile again,..i'm ALL about it.

J

 

Pics!!!

 

Cool shots.

 

More event pics here. Pan the bottom bar for all kinds of vehicles.

http://www.chinmotorsports.com/galle...arch_Homestead