qoncept's C Stock BRZ log

[supramkivtt2jz]

Originally Posted by qoncept

Nope. Brake lines, pads and fluid are open. Basically anything that's a wear item.

http://scca.cdn.racersites.com/prod/...ated%205-1.pdf Page 77

I always felt "brake linings" referred to the pads since B states hydraulic lines can be changed on cars produced before '92.

[qoncept]

Originally Posted by supramkivtt2jz

I always felt "brake linings" referred to the pads since B states hydraulic lines can be changed on cars produced before '92.

Huh.. I just always read it as "lines" and never even noticed it was "linings." The word really doesn't even fit.

[supramkivtt2jz]

Originally Posted by qoncept

Huh.. I just always read it as "lines" and never even noticed it was "linings." The word really doesn't even fit.

I agree - thats why I have not changed my lines out. I have not asked anyone with more experience in the stock rule set, but I feel it needs some clarification

[qoncept]

Looks like 1992 it is. So I'll save a few bucks on not replacing my lines. http://www.ft86club.com/forums/showp...8&postcount=88

I wonder what the point of allowing it prior to 1992 is.

[qoncept]

Event: Great River Region SCCA 7/7/2013, iWireless Center in Moline, IL
Full results - PAX - Raw

Funny thing happened while I was getting unloaded yesterday morning. I was parked next to a buddy in an FRS and talking about what we had done to our cars when he said "I see you spend money on the things that count." Just as I was pulling my new 12" sub out of the trunk. I also replaced the diff oil with Motul so Saturday wasn't completely unproductive.

The course was another 2 lapper but short (< 50 seconds) on concrete. The surface wasn't quite flat and there was a slalom over a crest which made it a bit tricky. And it was hot as hell - 90+, very humid and sunny, with just a bit of a breeze. I took 2nd by a big margin in CS, 7th of 49 PAX.

After a DNF on my first run my runs were all pretty consistent and I improved slowly. I ended up almost 3 seconds behind that same Miata. After my third run I took a ride with him. Faster everywhere, but less so in the slalom. I think I've been concentrating so much on being smooth that I haven't been driving fast enough, so for my last 3 runs I pushed harder and made more mistakes. Still waiting on results to be posted but here are the videos:

Run 1, 50.587 and a DNF as I missed the very first gate
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgOVS4_LqAc"]Great River Region SCCA Autox - 7/7/2013 - Run 1 - YouTube[/ame]


Run 2, 49.690 - a little better but I made plenty of mistakes
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx3VzBz0BBQ"]Great River Region SCCA Autox - 7/7/2013 - Run 2 - YouTube[/ame]


Runs 3 and 4 (48.299+1, 49.385+1) I didn't get video. I got a bit faster with but coned both and still sat at a 49.690.


Run 5, my best run at 49.122.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lahF_T8vOxs"]Great River Region SCCA Autox - 7/7/2013 - Run 5 - YouTube[/ame]


Run 6, 48.794+1. I knew I could run a 48 and was glad to see it, very disappointed to see the cone. The surface was a bit noisy and sounded like I was hitting cones all the time so I was never sure.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgllaHcwnzI"]Great River Region SCCA Autox - 7/7/2013 - Run 6 - YouTube[/ame]


Kind of a mixed bag yesterday. I ended up 7th both overall and PAX, but I lost CS by almost 3 seconds and I'm almost positive if I had a few more runs I could have run a 47.xxx clean. My 6th run, even without the cone, wasn't nearly as good as I think I could have done. At this point I'm not worrying about car setup, being smooth, driving fast or even finding the best possible line. My biggest issue right now is just performing. I know what I want to do but I'm having trouble doing it. Yesterday's event was definitely the most time I've ever seen on the table that I just couldn't pick up.

The Miata that's kicking my ass is driven by Mike Whitney. He's always at the very top in pax and overall (and FTD yesterday by a second and a half). He's been driving for years and years and certainly has more natural talent than I do.

[qoncept]

Event: Iowa Region SCCA 7/14/2013, Hawkeye CC, Waterloo, IA
Full results (1/3 CS) - PAX (15/75) - Raw (18/75)

Another good event yesterday at Hawkeye Tech in Waterloo. This was an Iowa Challenge event where the 3 Iowa regions face off (Iowa, Great River and Des Moines Valley). The top 19 in PAX earn points for their region. I ended up 15th, 18th raw. It was hot again (about 87), moderately humid, very little breeze and occasional cloud relief. The concrete was hot and the harder compound Z214s liked it.


First run, 35.154. It felt pretty decent, really nothing of note.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bOcVzh4rxU"]Iowa Region SCCA Autox - 7/13/2013 - Run 1 - YouTube[/ame]


Second run, 34.325 and it ended up being my best run. I felt like I was always playing catchup in this run, reacting the whole time, going wide and coming in to every feature hot. I was never close to a cone. But somehow I got a pretty good time out of it.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7F8AwSihnM"]Iowa Region SCCA Autox - 7/13/2013 - Run 2 - YouTube[/ame]


Third run, 34.602 and a DNF (first gate!). This one really had me questioning my driving style. I've spent this year trying to concentrate on 2 things, really - driving smooth and minimizing distances. In the WRX I was always trying to make corners as long as possible to keep my speed up. A friend I often co-drove with was completely the opposite, hugging all the inside cones and saying to hell with keeping speed up. And our times were pretty much identical.

This run really felt a lot better than the one before it. When I missed that first gate and then the rest of the run felt so good I thought my time would be a full second faster, only to pull up and see it was .4 slower. I really don't know what it was about that second run that yielded a better time, other than just driving faster.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRhd7MoXXv8"]Iowa Region SCCA Autox - 7/13/2013 - Run 3 - YouTube[/ame]


My fourth run was a 33.955 and another DNF. I missed that same first gate again so the time doesn't really mean anything. I tried something new with the camera position and it didn't really work out, so no video. (Edit: The video worked just fine. It was in car (like run 5 below) but I looked extra goofy and 3 seconds in to the run let out a loud "FUCK!" and deleted it.)


Fifth run, 34.335. It felt good but was a hundredth slower than my second run. When I saw the time I said, "Figures." And I look really weird when I drive.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZlrO0-uz04"]Iowa Region SCCA Autox - 7/13/2013 - Run 5 - YouTube[/ame]


Sixth run, 34.741. Nothing special to note again and it felt about how it looked. I tried the camera just beneath the driver's side mirror though (I had it lower but convinced myself I would defeinitely end up hitting a cone with the camera). I really like the result, more as a tool than just presentation. It really gives me a better idea where I am compared to the cones (answer: meh.. not bad, not great). I'll definitely be trying it on the passenger side next time.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLmSOYWkN2Y"]Iowa Region SCCA Autox - 7/13/2013 - Run 6 - YouTube[/ame]


All in all I was pretty satisfied with how I did. A bit disappointed I couldn't improve over my last 4 runs, but overall my times were right in line with how I've been all year.

[zohaib]

Awesome resource. Subscribed because I share similar goals. Our cars can be sisters!

[qoncept]

Event: Cedar Rapids Corvette Club Practice 8/10/2013, Hawkeye Downs, Cedar Rapids, IA

My second event at Hawkeye Downs, a 1/2+1/4 mile asphalt oval. This was a practice for the club's event in 2 weeks, so no one was shagging cones and times weren't saved. There were only about 18 cars total - myself, an E36 M3 and a bunch of Corvettes. The practice format meant we could basically run whenever we felt like it. I ended up with 12 runs in 2 hours.

This event was my first with Solo Storm which meant time for some testing. Using it isn't entirely painless and I found myself pretty distracted through most of the day, so it's value is more in pretty videos (which I still haven't gotten working quite right).

The first course setup was very fast. A slalom through the 1/4 mile track, then out to the 1/2 mile track with just one more slalom along the back straight. In this configuration I did 6 runs and was hitting about 70mph going in to turn 1. There were 2 hairpins which meant I was back and forth between gears quite a bit.

At that point they changed the course to make it even faster and I got 6 more runs. Now we were entering from the pit area, running through the 1/4 mile track completely open, then to the 1/2 mile where the turns just had cones to keep you on the inside and the slalom on the back straight remained. I was at the very top of 3rd gear going in to turn 1 this time, and I'm sure a better driver would have had to shift to 4th. I've never done a track day or really even raced around a long turn at all. It shows in the video.

Just have a couple of videos to post for now. Here's my 6th run (ignore the run 9 business, Solo Storm newbie issues), which I believe would have been a 56.550. The M3 ran a 56.530 and the best any Vette did was a 59.xxx. The GoPro turned off its wifi at some point so I don't have any external video. Instead, watch my mom get her first autox ride.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m9qjeazvtE"]CRCC Autox Practice 8/10/2013 Run 9 - YouTube[/ame]


The second video is with the second course config. All of my runs here were 45.xxx except this one. I got out of shape in the rear slalom, wasn't comfortable with the wall coming up fast and shut it down. My best run ended up being a 45.228, vs the M3 at 43.xxx. None of the Corvettes were in the 40s. I haven't figured out how to import GoPro video in Solo Storm yet, so this video was processed post-production in RaceRender. You'll notice the video is a bit out of sync (especially on shifts) but I called it good enough since I don't plan on using this software again.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tEzhRlQPMM"]CRCC Autox Practice 8/10/2013 Run 13 - YouTube[/ame]

[qoncept]

Event: Iowa Region SCCA #1, 4/13/2014, Hawkeye Tech, Waterloo, IA
Results

First event of the season yesterday. It was 45 degrees and pouring out, with running water the whole time. I left the race tires at home and drove on the stock all seasons. It was 63 degrees when I left the house I was in shorts and a hoodie and froze my ass off.

The format we uses is 2 run groups each do 3 runs and then switch and do it again, for a total of 6. My first 3 runs were pretty uneventful. All 39s and I stood at 6/42 in PAX.

After coming back after the break, I forgot to turn traction control off for my 4th run. I realized it right when I shifted in to 2nd and the back end started to step out but came back in on its own. TCS made it easier to keep myself pointed where I wanted to go but it was also pretty unpredictable. I ended up improving to 38.529.

Before my 5th run turned off TCS and went back out. I didn't drive like it, though, almost spun a couple times, but somehow managed to stay on course and get a time of 40-something.

Run 5:
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcXHMfZ_NRE"]Iowa Region SCCA Autox - 4/13/2014 - Run 5 - YouTube[/ame]


For my final run, I toyed with the idea of leaving TCS turned on again but in the end just couldn't bring myself to do it. So out I went, with all the nannies turned off, and ran what must have been the best run I've ever had. I drove smooth, hit all my marks, kept the rear planted and cleaned up my mistakes. I knew I was leaving a lot of time out there on my earlier runs and finally put together a 37.348 which was good enough for 2nd raw and PAX. On all seasons. Very happy with the results.

Run 6 (with some video sync issues):
[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEVP-Iu98ys"]Solostorm test - YouTube[/ame]


Edit: I should mention, I'll be running in C Street-R this year, but since I was on stock tires today I ran in C Street. You know, to bump me up a few spots in PAX.

[TRev]

I was in the Focus ST this weekend but also own a BRZ and saw your post in the C Street thread. Nice job dropping time on your final run!


Wish the weather would have been better as I would have introduced myself. I left early as it is a three hour drive for me. Not the type of weather I was hoping for my first trip/race with the new car. It definitely made for a wild ride with the 255/40-17 Z1's on the course and even more so on the ride home.

[qoncept]

Thanks! I was really surprised with my last run, kind of came out of nowhere. Hopefully I can keep it up. The weather was pretty awful. I was the dope in shorts. 62 degrees when I left the house.

You were fast! What tires were you on?

[TRev]

Originally Posted by qoncept

Thanks! I was really surprised with my last run, kind of came out of nowhere. Hopefully I can keep it up. The weather was pretty awful. I was the dope in shorts. 62 degrees when I left the house.

You were fast! What tires were you on?

Yeah, the weather was crazy on the way down too. It was around 50 degrees the whole way down with varying degrees of rain and then around New Hampton, hail just let loose out of nowhere. 600 miles on the car and $800 in hail damage already...thank God I have a $100 deductible. When it stopped I started driving and could see the line between the cold and warm front in the sky. I drove about a mile south and the temp went from 50 to 82!! Wish I would have known you didn't have gear as I always bring an extra rain suit with.


Thanks, I was pleased with the times. The car felt like I was driving a jet boat. I owned an EVO a few years ago and had bought some 255/40R17 Dunlop Z1's to put on a set of forged Gram Lights. I kept the rims/tires when I sold the car(s). The 255 is one of the sizes I wanted to try out as it is the same diameter as stock but 255 vs 235. The tires had a few events on them and a few thousand street miles. I am guessing they are around 5/32nd's. I have a set of new Z2's 245/45R17 but promised myself I would reserve those for National events and burn up the Z1's locally. They are .7" taller than the 255 and a bit narrower. If I would have known it was going to be that wet, I think I would have left the stock rims/tires on. The 235 at full tread depth would have likely helped with the hydroplaning.

[qoncept]

Originally Posted by TRev

Yeah, the weather was crazy on the way down too. It was around 50 degrees the whole way down with varying degrees of rain and then around New Hampton, hail just let loose out of nowhere. 600 miles on the car and $800 in hail damage already...thank God I have a $100 deductible. When it stopped I started driving and could see the line between the cold and warm front in the sky. I drove about a mile south and the temp went from 50 to 82!! Wish I would have known you didn't have gear as I always bring an extra rain suit with.


Thanks, I was pleased with the times. The car felt like I was driving a jet boat. I owned an EVO a few years ago and had bought some 255/40R17 Dunlop Z1's to put on a set of forged Gram Lights. I kept the rims/tires when I sold the car(s). The 255 is one of the sizes I wanted to try out as it is the same diameter as stock but 255 vs 235. The tires had a few events on them and a few thousand street miles. I am guessing they are around 5/32nd's. I have a set of new Z2's 245/45R17 but promised myself I would reserve those for National events and burn up the Z1's locally. They are .7" taller than the 255 and a bit narrower. If I would have known it was going to be that wet, I think I would have left the stock rims/tires on. The 235 at full tread depth would have likely helped with the hydroplaning.

Oh, no worries. I was in the truck doing timing most of the day and just happened to throw a windbreaker in the car at the last minute so I stayed pretty dry. As for the cold.. I got what I had coming.

Hans was in the FR-S on 255 RS3s that were probably about 5/32 and I think he was having problems too. My stock tires have seen 8000 miles of driving like I don't want to burn any gas so they are practically new. Only place I hydroplaned at all was across the finish, and I think that actually saved me from spinning. It was pretty fun to actually have to be careful with throttle for once. With the race tires I really don't. I probably need to get those crash bolts in and align it.

[qoncept]

Event: Iowa Region SCCA #2, 5/19/2014, Hawkeye Downs, Cedar Rapids, IA

Pretty sloppy event for me this time. Lots that didn't go quite right, and it probably all started with the Negra Modelos Saturday night. I was on race tires (driven to the event!) this time and it was a beautiful 75ish, sunny day. Perfect weather if not warm enough for the tires.

I had a new phone so Solo Storm wasn't set up, and getting it set up on the spot ended up being more of a chore than I expected. The GoPro wasn't working well, which I tracked down to 1) Tasker turning off wifi when my phone connects to the BT stereo and 2) wifi interference from the other 100 GoPros there. More importantly though, I just pushed to hard when I was driving. I did get video of my last 2 runs which I haven't messed with yet. Hawkeye Downs is a 1/4 and 1/2 mile banked asphalt oval. The course was fast and fun, but for whatever reason I couldn't get my foot off the gas.

Run 1:
The first run went about how I expected. When I walked the course the first time I ended up getting handed chalk and didn't look at the course at all. I walked again but I was out of time and had to quickly get through and by the time I drove I didn't have a feel for it at all. I missed a gate about 15 seconds in and then went in to the slalom along the back straight too hot and never slowed down enough to do any part of it very well. The time was 60.259 with a DNF.

Run 2:
On my second run I completely lost it. For the first 3/4 of the course I felt pretty good, and I headed in to the back slalom in pretty good shape but pushed too hard through it. The back came out more and more through each turn until I finally spun. Looped twice, I hear. Both feet to the floor, butthole puckered and the wall swinging around in my peripheral vision. At some point my foot apparently slipped off the clutch and I must have spun the engine backwards. The CEL was on (MAP out of range) and it didn't want to start for - looking at my time of 87.371 (clean!) - about 20 seconds. Seemed much longer.

3rd run:
This ended up being my best run, 57.458 plus a mystery cone somewhere. It was a pretty clean run where I didn't make any mistakes that stood out as blatant to me. Improving from that run would be just making everything a little bit cleaner. It didn't happen. The 59.458 with penalty was good enough for 12th of 88 PAX. Clean would have put me in 5th. Bummer.

The 4th and 5th runs weren't much to talk about. Hit cones like crazy - I think 8 between the them. I think one cone hit my Gopro which was mounted in the grill about 6 inches from the centerline.

Yesterday is really kind of a mystery to me. My autox history is 4 years worth from 2004-2008 in the WRX, then a break before I started in the BRZ last year. From my very first event in the WRX I was a cone killer. I hit at least a dozen and spun twice in my first event. In that 4 years I replaced the fender liners 3 times and mastered buffing out scuff marks. But in the 10-12 events I've done in the BRZ, before yesterday, I've hit maybe 10 cones total. I don't know if the BRZ is better, better suited to me, if I've gotten better or just changed in my old age, but I'm smoother, better on tires and don't hit cones anymore. It's worked very well and for some reason I got away from that yesterday.