The month of February will be busy with Solo II events in Ft. Myers, FL at Buckingham airfield. The Gulfcoast Autocrossers club is hosting the 3rd annual start of the Pro Solo II season. The Gulfcoast Autocrossers club will also be holding their 2nd series event on February 9 and 10. The 9th will be a test and tune day and the 10th will be the race day for points. Also, February 15-17 will be the Pro Solo II event at the same location in Ft. Myers. February 22-24 the Gulfcoast Autocrossers club will also host the first National Solo II event of the year.

I think this would be a great opportunity for all of us to get together and even compete together at such a high level event. I believe most of you will enjoy the Pro Solo II event as there is a "drag race" start with mirror image courses as you are trying to beat the driver next to you. This is a two day event with the second day ending with an elimination race of the top finalist. It has been awhile since I've done autocrossing, mostly road events, so I'm going to go to the Feb. 10 event for practice and we should all get together for the Pro Solo II.

I will try to include the link to their website.

[URL]http://www.gulfcoastautocrossers.com/

 

I'll be attending some of those

 

Are you going to do the Pro Solo event?

 

I race regularly over there and the events are very well organized (with free lunch). It's 140 mile treck, but well worth it.

I'll be there for the Feb 10 event, possibly the 9th with new V700's, and the Pro-Solo the next weekend. I gotta visit my Grandmother the next weekend, so the National Tour is out.

 

That sounds like fun. I will try to make the event.

-kenji

 

So what class does everyone run in? I'll most likely try Street Touring with R- compound tires.

 

Going to run STX? That might be an interesting class. I run E-Prepared now. No interior

Kenji will finally be able to use some r compounds soon (assuming they arent stuck to my cage. lol)

 

I will probably start attending some of those races.

 

hey 207, Just because you have R compounds doesn't mean you have to be in street touring. If you have remained stock everywhere else, you can still run D-stock (unless you changed your wheel width/ diameter.

Maybe we can get a little ITR caravan over from Lauderdale for the next event. I'm still not sure about going on the 9th, but I'll definitely be there on the 10th and the weekend after for the ProSolo. (I would like to wear in my new V700's on Sat. though)

There's an Evolution Autocross School on the Thurs & Fri before the ProSolo also.
Experience is knowledge.
Knowledge is knowledge.
I ought to be a smart **** after that long weekend.

 

if i have my car by then i`ll go!

 

I'll be attending at least 1 of those events...:D with some good tires I hope...

Charles

 

Well, what would keep me out of Stock is the Mugen suspension and rear sway bar. Otherwise the car is stock. From what I've hear I can't run in STX either with the Kuhmo V700's. My everyday wheel/tire combo are H/R 17x7.5 with Dunlop W10's 215/40/17. I don't know how great these tires would be and they are farely new. So, it looks as if I might have to go into CSP or SM. There is NO way for the ITR to win in CSP against the CRX's so I might venture into SM. I'm not worried about HP but it is the handeling of the competition. I think I'll have better luck in SM. Any suggestions?

I plan on going to the Feb. 10 event for some practice, it has been awhile since auto-x. The next weekend I'm taking Fri. off work so will head to Ft. Myers then. On Fri. they usually have practice starts with the x-mas tree lights. So, if we all can group together and head on over let's do it.

 

Going to keep this at the top to get more people involved.

 

[QUOTE]Well, what would keep me out of Stock is the Mugen suspension and rear sway bar....I can't run in STX either with the Kuhmo V700's. [QUOTE]
I don't think suspension mods will knock you out of stock, but those big-*** wheels will. you gotta be stock size wheels, but you can run bigger rubber, I think. You might want to ask someone with a SCCA book, I'm still waiting on my 2002 edition.

[QUOTE]There is NO way for the ITR to win in CSP against the CRX's[QUOTE]
I beg to differ. I ran in CSP last year on stock wheels/ tires and was about 1.5 seconds away from the miatas in that class (I can only imagine what I'll do with my new Khumo's - that are coming in the mail tomorrow, by the way)

[QUOTE]I'm not worried about HP but it is the handeling of the competition.[QUOTE]
I have only seen one or two CRX's out there and I raced with these guys for about 4 or 5 events last year. The miatas are mostly in CSP & BS depending on the year of the car (the newer ones have a little bigger engines)

 

Hmm, well running in csp or sm is going to vary from region to region if you want to be competitive there. Here in my area, there is no way in hell I could keep up with the eagle talons in sm as they are simply smoking the competition. One guy gets FTD almost everytime in it. As for csp here, the crx's are quick but definitely catcheable. It all depends on your region. As far as divisional goes, if youre a good driver you can win in any class!

 

I have no suspension mods, but plenty of motor mods - does that mean I'm in STS? or SM?

 

The larger wheels I have are for street only. I race with my stock wheels w/ V700's. I've raced in CSP for about four years, with a GSR, with a ton of ITR mods. I was very competive at he local events and have even won the CSP class overall year end points, have numerous FTD's and in 1999 in Ft. Myers took second place in CSP at the Pro Solo II (first place went to a CRX) BUT when I went to Pro Solo, Divisional and National event it is a different story. Everyone from the surrounding states come to these events and these are the best. Anything is possible, but from my 5+ years auto-x the CSP class is won mostly by CRX, Civics. I do not know your experience but I have traveled out of state to even attend the Regional, National events.

In stock class you can't change the springs or rear sway bar which I have done both. Yes, you can use larger tires as long as they do not go past the fender. The wheel dia. must be the same but the offset can change by 1/2" and the width of the rim must be the stock size (6.0 for the ITR).

1.5 sec. is a lot of time to pick-up. It can be picked up with R tires though. With the tires you should be able to cut 1-2 sec. I would have to guess the Miata is not that preped. Man, I have seen some cars that have taken the rule book to the limit. If you get SportsCar mag. from SCCA take a look at it, some of the times between the CSP classes and look which cars win.

 

Sounds like you'll be in SM.

 

[QUOTE]have numerous FTD's and in 1999 in Ft. Myers took second place in CSP at the Pro Solo II [QUOTE]

Sounds like you'll be kicking my ***! I'll be in DS, though.
I've only been racing for about 9 events and have only stayed in state (MIA, Tallahassee, FM). I'm getting better, but still testing the limits of the car (I'm always loosing it in the slaloms).

What a blast!!

 

So, have you spun the car? Sounds like you have. I'm sure you have hear this but in auto-x "slower is faster".

Sounded stupid to me at first but it is true. When you walk the course in the morning find the slowest part of the course and that is where you can GAIN the most time. Mostly it will be the hairpin turn or offseting gates.

Problems with the slaloms, first find which direction to enter. This is determined how you are going to exit the slaloms and heading for the next gate. If your loosing it in the slaloms then try going a bit slower and focus on what is ahead.

 

how would somone who has never done any races get involved? I am curious of the cost of not only racing but car preparation.

thanks
scott

 

Oh, yeah!! Actually the first lesson I had to learn was to get all of the spinning out of my system. I didn't realize at first how easy it was to spin a front drive.

I got the slalom enter/ exit alright, it's just after the car's weight transfers back and forth a few times, it tends to get a little squirrely. I usually start out just learning the course the first time, turn it up a little the second time, and keep that going for the last one or two runs.

B][/SCOOTER [B]
The best way to start is to show up for an event. Your first time, there's not much preperation. Go to autocross.com or SCCA home page for tips/ novice/ first time racers. They've got some great tips for race day as well as how to read the course and a few tips on how to drive the course. Good luck.