2016 Solo National Championship roll call - who's going?

[86_Freak]

I had a good time competing in such a large class, although my final finishing position is a little underwhelming to my expectations. I was in 16th after day 1 and dropped to 17th on day 2. I had a brain fart on my last run on day 2 and left traction control on, so the car fell on it's face in turn 1 and I'd guess I lost a few tenths of a second due to that. I managed to turn off traction control before the next turn but I really think I could of managed a 10th or 11th position. I'll post up videos later today.

Now I have to decide if I want to stay in the FR-S next year or move back to KM.

Originally Posted by Locust

Today was crazy and really had me wishing I had picked a higher # but it could have just as easily been the opposite way with the rain starting just 10 minutes before we hit course. Although I think the ND Miata has a substantial advantage over everything else in the class right now I do think the conditions today were the best for determining a champion because we had a fast course Tuesday in the dry and then a tight course today in "drying conditions" with some standing water. You had to be able to drive in any weather this year to take the class.

Sorry I didn't get to meet everyone. This event was a bit overwhelming for me since it's my first time out here and I agreed to be a timing captain and have been sort of job shadowing all the afternoon heats. If you're still around and you see me puttering by feel free to stop me and chat. I tried to stop by everyone in grid and say good luck on Tuesday but I only made it about 20 cars in before we started rolling. Just wayyyyyy too many people in C-street this year.

It was good meeting you!

[bslate3]

It was fun meeting and competing with the CS guys! Everyone was super nice and willing to help. This was my first Solo Nats and was a little overwhelmed by the massive site and class.

I would have finished much better on day 2 if I was 2nd driver because the course was drying fast. I still feel good to be 29th out of 86 and just .4 away from the last trophy. Huge thanks to Sean O'Neill for the codrive!

I'll be in STX next year with my BRZ. So I'll be looking for some good used shocks for sale soon lol.

[justinco]

Man what a rough couple of days for my co-driver and I.

The mid-season alignment and setup changes I did to the car DID NOT work at all for Lincoln (but it was good at home). Day 1 we could not put down power and the rear end was all over the place, so ugly

Made a couple desperate changes for day 2 and it was easier to drive, but still off a bit. My co-driver put down the 13th fastest time on day 2 and I was right there, but unfortunately coned every run, sigh.

Definitely a learning experience, the car was good at Spring Nats and I was competitive right at the top, I shouldn't have changed much with the car doh.

Anyways, it was great meeting all of you guys that I did get to see! Time to start getting ready for Solo Nats 2017

[86_Freak]

Here are my fastest runs on both days. How much time do you think I lost accidentally leaving the traction control on on the west course?

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSaKO2R-3qE[/ame]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dyajGGfm6P8[/ame]

[APEXIT53]

other thank Craig handing it to us this year what a close battle in
stx.


2nd to 3rd was .184
3rd to 4th was .072
4th to 5th .001!!!!
5th to 6th .001!!!!

[justinco]

Originally Posted by APEXIT53

other thank Craig handing it to us this year what a close battle in
stx.

2nd to 3rd was .184
3rd to 4th was .072
4th to 5th .001!!!!
5th to 6th .001!!!!

Indeed, congrats to Craig! He was flying!

Congrats to all the others up at the pointy end, such close competition

[xwd]

Originally Posted by APEXIT53

other thank Craig handing it to us this year what a close battle in
stx.


2nd to 3rd was .184
3rd to 4th was .072
4th to 5th .001!!!!
5th to 6th .001!!!!

Hey Mike you should definitely toot your own horn a bit, coming in 4th in that group of guys is awesome, many national champs in there.

I didn't drive great and also left the TC on my first West run. I looked at the data and did different sections well each run but couldn't put it all together. It was a fun experience overall though. Wilcox is a hell of a four square player as well, we played for like three hours on Wed night.

(Phil)

[DaWorstPlaya]

Great time at Nats. My co-driver was 9th in CS at the end of day 1 before dropping down to 35th on day 2 due to the weather. Craziness! Neither of us had driven the car in the rain before Nats.

I messed up on day1 basically ending any shot I had of getting into the trophies. Doh! Oh well there is always next year. Great driving by all that attended. It was truly an honor to be part of the largest class in the SCCA history.

[justint5387]

Originally Posted by justinco

Man what a rough couple of days for my co-driver and I.

The mid-season alignment and setup changes I did to the car DID NOT work at all for Lincoln (but it was good at home). Day 1 we could not put down power and the rear end was all over the place, so ugly

Made a couple desperate changes for day 2 and it was easier to drive, but still off a bit. My co-driver put down the 13th fastest time on day 2 and I was right there, but unfortunately coned every run, sigh.

Definitely a learning experience, the car was good at Spring Nats and I was competitive right at the top, I shouldn't have changed much with the car doh.

Anyways, it was great meeting all of you guys that I did get to see! Time to start getting ready for Solo Nats 2017

Can't put down power because of what?

[justinco]

Originally Posted by justint5387

Can't put down power because of what?

Because of no traction on the rear tires. Every time we got on the gas the rear end just let loose and would come around.

[APEXIT53]

Originally Posted by xwd

Hey Mike you should definitely toot your own horn a bit, coming in 4th in that group of guys is awesome, many national champs in there.

I didn't drive great and also left the TC on my first West run. I looked at the data and did different sections well each run but couldn't put it all together. It was a fun experience overall though. Wilcox is a hell of a four square player as well, we played for like three hours on Wed night.

(Phil)

hah well thank you, Im not that good at tooting my own horn, just happy with my result and thinking about next season. keep the car or go to FS in a new Camaro.... lol

[xwd]

Originally Posted by justinco

Because of no traction on the rear tires. Every time we got on the gas the rear end just let loose and would come around.

I think he's talking about what alignment settings were causing the issue specifically. I had some issues on the West course coming out of a couple sweepers but that was mainly user error. It's the first time I've raced the car on concrete and it didn't have nearly the grip I was expecting vs. the local asphalt courses.

[justinco]

Originally Posted by APEXIT53

hah well thank you, Im not that good at tooting my own horn, just happy with my result and thinking about next season. keep the car or go to FS in a new Camaro.... lol

Yea Mike, great driving! Definitely deserves a big congrats.

Hmm new Camaro, I had thought about that too but I really need to stick with 1 car for more than a year hah. Maybe a 2017 BRZ though

Originally Posted by xwd

I think he's talking about what alignment settings were causing the issue specifically. I had some issues on the West course coming out of a couple sweepers but that was mainly user error. It's the first time I've raced the car on concrete and it didn't have nearly the grip I was expecting vs. the local asphalt courses.

Ahh, right, the actual setup changes.

So I had quite a bit of rear camber and toe in taken out between Spring Nats and Nats (again to help the car at home surfaces, bad idea). Previously, the car had about -3.15* rear camber and a little bit of toe in. I had it changed to -2.6* rear camber and neutral toe. Front was pretty much left the same.

Anyways, I think that is what created the bad lack of grip issues in the rear. For day 2, we lowered the rear on the spring perches 2 turns (to effectively add more rear neg camber), took out rear tire pressure, and loaded up all the gas I had to add weight in the rear. That helped.

I'm going to get the car on the alignment rack to see where the rear camber is after lowering it. Then probably have it set back to somewhere near what it was with the previous setup.

[xwd]

That seems like a lot of rear camber but I remember sitting behind one other twin and it also having a lot of rear camber. I'm at ~-1.9 in the rear.