First shakedown of the season

[Slow old poop]

I have ran the Stoptech setup on my 2G AWD DSM for almost 3 years now and have absolutely no trouble with mine. It was one of the best upgrades I ever put on the car. I run them with the Hawk Blue pads. They wear the rotors a little bit, but I have never had a hint of fade with them even at the end of 20 minute sessions. Alot of the use has been at Blackhawk Farms, which is one of the toughest tracks on brakes.

Perhaps, as someone suggested above, the StopTech kit is different for 1Gs and 2Gs. I cracked three StopTech rotors last year because they were too narrow. At $220 each, that's painful. For anyone contemplating putting StopTechs on a 1G AWD, I would do further research into rotor width. Perhaps whoever build my car in 2003 didn't have an option.

I know that the Banana ran Stoptechs, but that was a 2100-lb FWD, not a 3200-lb AWD.

OTOH, I tend to use my brakes harder than most people. I've been cracking and breaking rotors for years. I broke three rotors on my 3000GT (broke them at the hat into two pieces) and cracked three Stoptechs on the DSM. Maybe it's just me.

Rich

 

[gsx roadracer]

GSXroadracer: Any chance of you being at the Road America/NASA event Aug. 4-5?

Yes, I do plan on being at that event.

I am going to try and get my TT sign off at Autobahn, which is just a couple weeks before that. Unfortunately I have not taken the car to the dyno, so I am in the same boat Rich has been as far as class palcement.

Anyone else planning on being at the Autobahn event July 21-22?

 

[Slow old poop]

Anyone else planning on being at the Autobahn event July 21-22?

If the good lord is willing and the creeks don't rise, we plan to be there. (Translation: If we don't blow up the car at MAM this weekend). With luck, we'll get the car dynoed at AMS between MAM and Autobahn, probably putting us in TTS. As we understand the rules, if we dyno at 382 at a car+driver weight of 3230, plus the points I have, it puts us in TTS. That puts me against a 410 hp Mazda RX7 and some other interesting cars.

Rich

 

[Ludachris]

Now that my thread has been completely hijacked....

I wish we had more DSMers in my area interested in road racing. Of all the NASA days out here I've only had one other N/T 1G (Fred) show up to an event. It's pretty frustrating that all the DSMers out here are drag race-only guys. I'm hoping to try and get a couple more out to the track next month but am not holding my breath. I'm even trying to plan a DSM meet around it but I don't know that it will make any difference... It's like I have more in common with the Z06 guys that I run with than DSMers.

 

[Slow old poop]

Now that my thread has been completely hijacked....

I wish we had more DSMers in my area interested in road racing. Of all the NASA days out here I've only had one other N/T 1G (Fred) show up to an event. It's pretty frustrating that all the DSMers out here are drag race-only guys. I'm hoping to try and get a couple more out to the track next month but am not holding my breath. I'm even trying to plan a DSM meet around it but I don't know that it will make any difference... It's like I have more in common with the Z06 guys that I run with than DSMers.

If we could ever get all the DSM road racers in the Midwest (Underradar, Elvenhome, etc.) out at the same time, we'd have at least a half-dozen cars on the track. I have great hopes for NASA at Road America in August. It seems like everybody is planning to make that event.

 

[ninjai_ruken]

Now that my thread has been completely hijacked....

I wish we had more DSMers in my area interested in road racing. Of all the NASA days out here I've only had one other N/T 1G (Fred) show up to an event. It's pretty frustrating that all the DSMers out here are drag race-only guys. I'm hoping to try and get a couple more out to the track next month but am not holding my breath. I'm even trying to plan a DSM meet around it but I don't know that it will make any difference... It's like I have more in common with the Z06 guys that I run with than DSMers.

If you plan a meet, I will do everything in my power to be there!

 

[Ludachris]

If you plan a meet, I will do everything in my power to be there!

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262964

There you go. Can you make that one?

 

[ninjai_ruken]

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=262964

There you go. Can you make that one?

My ASA Team has a race at Houston Motor Sports Park that weekend but I am going to tell them they are going to have to race without me. Ill make plans to be there!

 

[Elvenhome21]

I am going to the 2 events at RA in the fall Nasa and Fbody, as far as Autobahn if there is going to be more than one other person going I will go.

If anyone needs any springs or coil over packages let me know before hand and I can bring them down with me, For some reason my site is down due to internal error that I can't fix yet. So PM if your intrested.

 

[Slow old poop]

I am going to the 2 events at RA in the fall Nasa and Fbody, as far as Autobahn if there is going to be more than one other person going I will go .

Looks like GSX Racer and I are going. That makes more than one. Underadar might even get BlackCar going in time. There are one or two DSMers in the Chicago area who could show up. There could be a goodly DSM turnout.

 

[Elvenhome21]

Looks like GSX Racer and I are going. That makes more than one. Underadar might even get BlackCar going in time. There are one or two DSMers in the Chicago area who could show up. There could be a goodly DSM turnout.

Going to autobahn? Or RA? I guess Steve the wiseman was wanting to go to RA in the spring but I didn't hear anything from him on what his plans for racing this summer are.

 

[Evan K.]

The TCE 1g kit also uses a 1.1 thick rotor. Todd hooked me up with a 1.25 rotor upgrade and I couldn't be happier.

I learned from Rich's experience.

I am going to try Panthers Plus's too, since I can now adjust bias.

Seems Evan already has Stoptech's. I think the 2g setup may use a thicker rotor. How is the 1g coming along Evan?

Just to hijack Chris' thread a little more...

Progress on the 1g is at zero as I am selling it to a friend. I just don't need a fourth car.

1) '98 dodge 4x4
2) '06 Evo SE
3) '97 GST track slut
4) '91 GSX former daily driver

Totally wasn't planning on the Evo at the time but...

Chris content. Chris if you haven't already for the love of all that is holy please put a hood vent on your car. kthxbye

 

[Slow old poop]

Going to autobahn? Or RA? .

Both. Point is, there will be at least two of us at Autobahn. More, if the Chicago-area DSMs show up.

 

[Elvenhome21]

Instead of going the high spring rate route, try a bigger sway bar first at least a 1 in for an AWD car. anything over 500LB and the chassis wouldn't have any suspension travel.

I'll definetly go to autobahn then, where are you guys planing on staying, (h/motel wise) I might bring the bus down depending how many in my family are coming.

SlowPoop does NASA allow AMB-it transponders if they do I got 2 of them if someone wants to rent one from me.

 

[Slow old poop]

I'll definetly go to autobahn then, where are you guys planing on staying, (h/motel wise) I might bring the bus down depending how many in my family are coming.

SlowPoop does NASA allow AMB-it transponders if they do I got 2 of them if someone wants to rent one from me.

I don't know the answer to either question.

Rich

 

[stealthTT]

SlowPoop does NASA allow AMB-it transponders if they do I got 2 of them if someone wants to rent one from me.

I can field this one. NASA uses the AMB timing system, but not for HPDE 1&2. They will not record or provide your times during those HPDE sessions.

Reference:
http://nasamidwest.com/season/event_info.asp?eventid=1498

 

[Slow old poop]

I can field this one. NASA uses the AMB timing system, but not for HPDE 1&2. They will not record or provide your times during those HPDE sessions.

Reference:
http://nasamidwest.com/season/event_info.asp?eventid=1498

In that case, I'd like to rent/borrow one of them for the rest of the season. I rent one every time at NASA events. Because I am quitting after this season I see no reason to buy one. I already have one booked at MAM, but there are four events left after that.

 

[Elvenhome21]

For autobahn, what group are you guys goibng to be in. I can fit into basically any group from street to street modified.

https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_event/show/?event_id=532

 

[Slow old poop]

For autobahn, what group are you guys goibng to be in. I can fit into basically any group from street to street modified.

https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_event/show/?event_id=532

I am still not dynoed, so I'll be in TTR at MAM this weekend. Our idea is to check out the competition in TTA, TTS and TTU, and then take the car to AMS to have it tuned for the correct horsepower in the class we want to be in. DSMLink says I am making about 380 hp, which should translate to TTS, but we can go up or down from there. So, the answer to your question is: TTA, TTS, TTU or TTR.

 

[stealthTT]

For autobahn, what group are you guys goibng to be in. I can fit into basically any group from street to street modified.

https://www.nasaproracing.com/nasa_event/show/?event_id=532

NASA doesn't have street / street-modified classes for Time Trials (TT) or the full race classes. They do it in a much better way in my opinion. For TT they give the car a base class and then you accrue points for every mod. If you have a different turbo than stock, then you have to get it dyno'ed and the Time Trial director gives you a new class. If you don't they bump you to the top class TTR. For the race classes they set weight to horsepower limits and then apply correction factors to that ratio based on other criteria like aerodynamics. It's all outlined on their websites:

Time Trial:
http://www.nasa-tt.com/

Race classes:
http://www.nasaproracing.com/proracing/index.html

But of course to compete in Time Trials or one of the racing classes, you have to have a license from NASA and the car prepped for safety. There are details for those procedures on the website too.

http://www.nasaproracing.com/proracing/license.html

PM me with any questions. I've been through the NASA ruleset about 20 times and participate on thier forum.

 

[Slow old poop]

Mike the Mechanic (StealthTT) is a veritable font of knowledge on NASA rules. Although he doesn't have a DSM (yet), he is a master tuner and DSM car builder.

Now that Greg Collier has retired, Mike would make a perfect liason between us and NASA, if there ever was such a thing.

Rich

 

[Elvenhome21]

I registered in hpde 2, unfortunately my DD burned up the tranny. So now I dont have time to put on anything bigger than a 16g on my red car. I will have the slicks along but I am doing a mad scramble to get the car running and tuned.

 

[stealthTT]

I registered in hpde 2, unfortunately my DD burned up the tranny. So now I dont have time to put on anything bigger than a 16g on my red car. I will have the slicks along but I am doing a mad scramble to get the car running and tuned.

Don't worry about power in HPDE2. You'll be working on the line and other basic fundamentals. Just bring a solid car that lets you focus on the driving part. Turn down the boost as low as it can go and learn preservation of momentum. Then when you get into HPDE3 and 4 then you can turn the boost up and learn car control with power. You'll be a much better driver if you learn preservation of momentum as opposed to point and shoot. It's much easier to learn if the track isn't going by in a blur. Give your mind time to think and put series of corners together instead of just surviving one corner at a time.

Use performance street tires like Azenis or RA1s. Racing slicks will mask bad habits and they break away easier. You really have to learn the nuances of car control before you can safely run slicks. When they lose traction the car lurches instead of slides. Even worse, they'll then get traction and shoot you whichever direction they're pointed. I saw it last fall at Road America. A friend with a ton of HPDE experience oversteered at the apex of a corner with Hoosier slicks. The car turned, then caught traction, and then headed straight at a wall resulting in total destruction of the car and some injuries to the instructor.

So HPDE1-2:
-low boost, low power
-solid car that'll let you focus on driving
-no slicks
-learn preservation of momentum
-get lots of seat time

"You gotta learn to walk before you can run."

Do this and you'll be a solid driver with a great foundation. Take shortcuts like running high power will only be a detriment to you. **When you have the basics down solid** turn up the power in HPDE3-4 and Time Trials. You'll learn to control a powerful car with the good habits you learned in HPDE1-2. But keep in mind, you'll be learning how to drive and pass in traffic as well. Low power will teach you better skills at this stage as well. One of the keys to roadracing success is changing one thing at a time.


From the NASA website:

HPDE
Group one (1)
This is where you begin. This is one on one guidance from experienced racers, as you learn to control your car and yourself. Your mentor will provide you with guidance as you learn to drive at the limit. You will address how to approach a turn, the fast way around it, what gear should you be in, how to brake, and how to exit. The session generally includes a lead-follow session. Passing is very limited in the Group 1 Sessions.

Group two (2)
Your instructor has determined you can drive on your own and with less supervision. You apply what you learned in the Group 1 sessions to get more practice. Group 2 is often mixed with Group 1 and is for those drivers that want some more Group 1 seat-time, but do not need an instructor.

Group three (3)
You have progressed to the world of high performance driving. The passing rules in group 3 are not as strict. You must learn to share the track at high speeds with others.

Group four (4)
Congratulations! You have made it, no passing restriction except those of good judgment and rules of the road etiquette. You and your peers are now experiencing the joys of doing it right in a safe environment! You can now enjoy high performance driving at its finest. Those that wish to can petition to apply for a competition license.

Time Trial
Time Trial Program- Compete for fastest time agaist other cars in your class. More information can be found here.

Requirements:


Membership in NASA or a NASA sanctioned club

Any car in safe operating condition (from Ferrari to Hyundai)

Mufflers. Different tracks have different sound policies

Roll bars in convertible autos

Seat belts in good working order

State driver's license

Long sleeve shirt and pants (cotton is great)

A helmet

Knowledge of the Club Codes and Regulations

At least 18 years of age (16 w/parental consent)

 

[Slow old poop]

Besides, they don't time you in HPDE2, so it doesn't matter how fast you are. Like Mike says, reliability is more important than power. Use this opportunity to sort the car and don't worry about setting lap records. With all the "moving obstacles" and limited passing locations in HPDE2, you wouldn't be able to set a fast time even if you had a 600 hp EVO.

Rich

 

[Elvenhome21]

my biggest issue with being short on power is all the vettes zoom by me on the straightaways and they get in the way and wont let you pass them thru the technical part of the track. Plus nothing beats true door to door racing.