SCCA Time Trials National Program

[justint5387]

I don't see much incentive in doing this instead of a regular track day with a GPS.

When I used to do some track days, I used worn Hankook R-S3 since they took too long to heat up at autox w/low tread and take heat well. If you want to compete in this time trial, you would want to run bridgestones or rivals, I am not sure if these tires are best for these type of events.

[strat61caster]

@justint5387 reading some stuff and talking to people it's probably a mistake to think about this like an hpde with 20 minute hot lapping sessions with a transponder, everyone will be managing the tires so it seems like the format will be more like go out do two or three hot laps, cool down and come in, not sure if they stagger the cars every session or how it will be broken up but I'm sure that will come out in due time.

Maybe it's just how I'm feeling today but I think it'd draw more people if they excluded the stones and bfgs and Nexens so you could use a set that will take a beating for a track day of beforehand prep, the event, and maybe even another event or two or three after. idk, it'd cut the cost in half by my accounting (assuming your prep work burns up a set of sticky tires), I'd probably DD on the second wheelset set just for looks as I try to keep the miles off the stones.

As to why pick this over a regular track day? lol, you guys do SCCA and national events for a reason, the competition, running some random HPDE and comparing to maybe one or two buddies ain't gonna be the same as this thing drawing people from out of state. 86cup might be close but around here their reach is smaller than SCCA.

[justint5387]

The likelihood of balling up your car at autocross is a lot lower than at a time trial. Personally, competition at a higher speed is not what I am looking for.

[strat61caster]

I've sustained infinitely more damage at autocross than on track... Any tips on replacing the front on one of these?

Legit asking for any suggestions from anyone btw, no sarcasm or digs, I think I'll be disassembling the front end over the winter, bumper is flapping in the breeze and I've got an oil seep from the timing cover and at 75k it's not too early to swap some coolant in.

[steverife]

Originally Posted by justint5387

I don't see much incentive in doing this instead of a regular track day with a GPS.

When I used to do some track days, I used worn Hankook R-S3 since they took too long to heat up at autox w/low tread and take heat well. If you want to compete in this time trial, you would want to run bridgestones or rivals, I am not sure if these tires are best for these type of events.

You guys get cheap track days out west.

The other appeal to this for me is that I'm more likely to have people I know at one of these over a random track day.

[justint5387]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I've sustained infinitely more damage at autocross than on track... Any tips on replacing the front on one of these?

Legit asking for any suggestions from anyone btw, no sarcasm or digs, I think I'll be disassembling the front end over the winter, bumper is flapping in the breeze and I've got an oil seep from the timing cover and at 75k it's not too early to swap some coolant in.

You shouldn't hit cones with the front of the car. It's pretty easy to remove the bumper, are the liners gone?

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by justint5387

You shouldn't hit cones with the front of the car. It's pretty easy to remove the bumper, are the liners gone?

Liners still in place, good to know it's not too painful, just gotta sit down and do it at some point and fix the plastic that's been fucked.

You're right, I've hit more cones on the side, but aside from some minor dings on the sheet metal and scuffs there's nothing to do there but clean off the paint and PDR.

Last time I ran practice course I had the LF side marker dangling out by the cord, I'd like to stop that from happening...

In any case, back to SCCA Tire Trials

[tony_r]

There is inherent risk involved at any motorsport event. Definitely a little more with TT as the speeds are higher and the cars are running together, but I've personally seen more serious damage take place at local Autocross than any other track day or time trial I've been to. I can think of two events that were very serious in the past two years, along with a lot of minor offs with splitters/front ends getting ruined. Oh, and a person(!!) getting hit. My cars have also sustained more damage hitting cones than on any HPDE/TT I've pretty much ever run. All of this is anecdotal, sure, but SCCA insurance claims across the country back it up.

The cool thing is Hagerty offers insurance for TT and TNiA. For a friend at TTN, it was $155 for the three day event covering up to $20k car damage.

As for format, TT Nationals set pretty much the standard for what these events will look like. 20min Practice sessions for seeding group orders by skill level and lap times, 20min timed session runs and Track-cross (sector timing basically). Day two will be more Timed sessions and Track-cross. All these will be combined for a total time. These events will be far more customer-focused like TNiA is - SCCA's new offerings are not the same old stuff you're use to with out of touch dinosaurs calling the shots. The idea is that they take the "party" experience of SCCA Nationals (food, beer, general tomfoolery), combine it with fun and safe track time, then sprinkle in competition.

I would encourage anyone to run a TNiA for a taste of what the experience might look like. The first and only one I've run was excellent.

[Abenaway]

Direzza Z3's are the tires to have for this type of event.
I participated at the TT nats, what I feel like came of the S6 SSC cars vs other twins (without camber, with good tires) is that on the shorter track x when the tires (non ssc) werent being repeatedly punished due to lack of camber, those cars did relatively better than the lapping sessions. I've been hearing about the 86 cup stuff and its intriguing maybe those guys would adopt the SSC rule set and that would help gain traction for both parties

[tony_r]

Why Z3, and not something like the RS4 which tolerates heat a bit better with similar speed? The RE and Rival 1.5 are still faster than both of those, but definitely need to get the fast lap in early.

I would still take a S6 twin vs the SSC car, camber limitations and all. Building to the limit of the rules, you can choose a better spring package, better bars and hardware, modified bumpstops, and you get an intake + tune. And you get the 17+ cars in there as well, which might get the advantage due to gearing and slight HP bump. I don't think there is any way an SSC car would match, drivers being equal. The tires hold the car back quite a bit.

When using the Koni's on the twins in S6, do you have to use the strut bolt inserts? If not that's a little more camber the S6 car gets (-2 vs -3.X on the SSC car).

[strat61caster]

Originally Posted by tony_r

When using the Koni's on the twins in S6, do you have to use the strut bolt inserts? If not that's a little more camber the S6 car gets (-2 vs -3.X on the SSC car).

1.1.5.A.5.b
Suspension geometry and alignment capability, not
including ride height, may not be altered by the
substitution of alternate shock absorbers.



lol that rule number is ridiculous

[tony_r]

More news out today - SCCA partners with GRIDLIFE and Global Time Attack to form NATA. Looks like we might see more continuity between time attack programs in the future with common rulesets a possibility.

[Evan55]

Lost me at "Trackcross"

The only cones I want to see on track are apex cones (if at all)

Its a shame SCCA didnt market Solo1 properly. That was a great time trial program.

[Shark_Bait88]

Originally Posted by Evan55

Lost me at "Trackcross"

The only cones I want to see on track are apex cones (if at all)

Its a shame SCCA didnt market Solo1 properly. That was a great time trial program.

Where did you see anything about trackcross?