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So last week, I got the exhaust on. Rick at Racetek was great! His welds are works of art!
Specs are a catback 2.25" thin walled stainless steel to a down turn. I also have a v band at the downturn to put the factory muffler on. Let's just say it's super loud with the down turn but factory quiet with the muffler. With the bigger diameter piping and no resonator it sounds slightly louder when on throttle. Otherwise it's pretty quiet. Here is a picture of right before the muffler. My first event in the car will be next sunday at Metlife Giants Stadium with Motorsports Northeast. I need to get some seat time at this lot again since there will be a Pro Solo coming later on this year.
While it was on the lift I took a couple looks underneath. One thing I noticed what there there was a hairline rip at the lower torque mount. I guess it's a common problem on FWD cars. My Volvo C30 had it and I replaced it with a Vibratechnics mount. I guess I would replace this one with an OEM one from FCP euro. I don't think this is an urgent replacement so I'll order it later in the year.
Hopefully they don't cancel events due to Rain. They cancelled last week's which pissed me off. Now they're thinking of cancelling this week. GODDD!!!! Can't catch a break.
So won my class yesterday! Not bad for a 1st event. Exhaust is super loud! I love it. I don't think it would pass at Devens. Motorsports Northeast in New Jersey was pretty good. Here is my fastest scratch time.
Nicely done.
The thing the exhaust sound does is show when you get on the gas, which appears to be a bit after the apex in a lot of the turns. Interesting
Nicely done.
The thing the exhaust sound does is show when you get on the gas, which appears to be a bit after the apex in a lot of the turns. Interesting
well the thing is, I did get on it early but not fully until a little after the apex. I'll try hammering it even earlier. = p.
well the thing is, I did get on it early but not fully until a little after the apex. I'll try hammering it even earlier. = p.
My comment was actually a compliment. I thought that you seem to have hit a good balance of braking coming in, rolling through the apex and then getting back on the gas. You don't want to get on the gas too early and make the car push. Your exhaust note helps to show the timing of this. This gives me something to think about and work on with my own driving as I probably over brake going into a turn as a result of braking too late and get on the gas too early; I tend to have a problem with push coming out of turns. This may be part of it.
Last edited by Eddie07S; 03-29-2017 at 05:59 PM.
Reason: typo
My comment was actually a compliment. I thought that you seem to have hit a good balance of braking coming in, rolling through the apex and then getting back on the gas. You don't want to get on the gas too early and make the car push. Your exhaust note helps to show the timing of this. This gives me something to think about and work on with my own driving as I probably over brake going into a turn as a result of braking too late and get on the gas too early; I tend to have a problem with push coming out of turns. This may be part of it.
thats a pretty astute observation of both our driving styles. At devens, we don't get that many sweepers. At parking lots like the meadowlands, we get more sweepers and it's good practice. I'm not sure if you can see my mistakes. But me getting on after the apex is a mistake. What you're doing is correct. I call it the calculated push theory. In a way you have to set the car up perfectly for corner exit where you cut the wheel more as you're feeding more throttle to get the car to push to the exit perfectly as it straightens out. This technique works really well in slaloms where you floor it while cutting the wheel harder. The slight under steer makes you "miss" the cone as you're driving around it. I'm not sure if you can visualize it but it's how I see it.
Many next jersey event is April 30th with NNJR if you want to come down Eddie.
thats a pretty astute observation of both our driving styles. At devens, we don't get that many sweepers. At parking lots like the meadowlands, we get more sweepers and it's good practice. I'm not sure if you can see my mistakes. But me getting on after the apex is a mistake. What you're doing is correct. I call it the calculated push theory. In a way you have to set the car up perfectly for corner exit where you cut the wheel more as you're feeding more throttle to get the car to push to the exit perfectly as it straightens out. This technique works really well in slaloms where you floor it while cutting the wheel harder. The slight under steer makes you "miss" the cone as you're driving around it. I'm not sure if you can visualize it but it's how I see it.
Many next jersey event is April 30th with NNJR if you want to come down Eddie.
That is an interesting theory. I think I understand what you are doing. Our autocrosses are in small parking lots and even our "sweepers" are tight. So having any understeer is a killer of time. Having a turbo and all of that low end power means being really careful with the throttle. Also, I have spun the car several times in slaloms being overly aggressive with them. I think the course designer has a mean streak and makes them tighter with each successive cone.
Thanks for the offer but the end of April is already booked with a family event and I will be in the middle of preparing the the car with my latest mods for track season and doing general upkeep on it. Hope it goes well for you.
I think the course designer has a mean streak and makes them tighter with each successive cone.
I always, always pace off slalom cones on my course walk. Or rather silently count steps between them in my head.
If slaloms seem to be getting tighter (but they aren't) chances are you are getting behind. Ends up being an additive thing, if you're behind at the first cone, you're already in the hole for the second and then you end up more behind, etc. It's a horrible feeling, I still screw them up all the time.
So recap. I got myself a co driver who is slower than me. He is Bill Cioni. Our 1st local SCCA event he did pretty well. In video, he looks faster than me. However he's overdriving and all over the place. He normally drives a GS auto Subaru Impreza. After the event, the outside fronts are definitely gone. I flipped them today for tomorrow's event. Unfortunately he won't be driving tomorrow. But here is his fastest run and you can compare that to my fastest run.
Nicely done!
I especially liked how you really straightened out the slalom parts. The two videos really show where one can make improvements in their driving.
Nicely done!
I especially liked how you really straightened out the slalom parts. The two videos really show where one can make improvements in their driving.
Yes it does. I can use some improving myself. The car is there. I need another .5 or more to be fastest in HS!
Here was last sunday. Not my fastest but it's my cleanest. 3/8 in HS.
I always, always pace off slalom cones on my course walk. Or rather silently count steps between them in my head.
If slaloms seem to be getting tighter (but they aren't) chances are you are getting behind. Ends up being an additive thing, if you're behind at the first cone, you're already in the hole for the second and then you end up more behind, etc. It's a horrible feeling, I still screw them up all the time.
I know what you mean about the "feeling" and I could do with a little help here. I had thought that when I screw them up it was because my speed was too high when I entered them. But you bring up another thought, being "behind". However I am not sure what that means. Could someone explain what that means and how to correct it?
In watching these videos and it seems that the OP has running slaloms down pretty well.
I know what you mean about the "feeling" and I could do with a little help here. I had thought that when I screw them up it was because my speed was too high when I entered them. But you bring up another thought, being "behind". However I am not sure what that means. Could someone explain what that means and how to correct it?
In watching these videos and it seems that the OP has running slaloms down pretty well.
behind means you're not basing the cones and late apexing them. Slaloms are all about early apexing them. To understand this concept, turn in early like you were going to run over the slalom cones with the front tire. going too fast would make you fall behind the slalom rhythm/pace.
This brings back to my theory of calculated under steer. You turn in more than you should for each slalom cone like you were going to run it over but you add throttle to push it out and base the cone. For you to be able to turn in that much more, you would begin turning earlier than you think and get on throttle earlier.
Devens are all about offsets and slaloms. We get really good at them. I've since stopped pacing slalom cones and just do it by feeling/visual and one course walk only. It will teach you to look ahead more.
So I made a trip to Metlife Giant's stadium in North Jersey today. I got some seat time on their amazing surface! The pro is in about 3 weeks. Won the HS class. I should have gone to the pro class and run with the faster guys. They had faster times due to running the heat after me and some of those guys in that heat had hoosiers. The course was definitely more rubbered in with them driving while i cleaned up for them with my tires. LOL
Ran with BMWCCA last sunday to do a shake down in time for NJ Pro Solo. So I did a couple changes. I changed out the rear sway bar endlinks to Whitelines. Bad idea to put it on full stiff. It rubs with the rear springs. Ordered a set of Way Motorsports earlier today. It probably won't get here in time for the pro. I also added a schroth quick fit. Feels good to be in a harness again.
It was raining pretty bad in the morning runs. However it dried up for the afternoon and I got 2nd in raw time. Due to BMW rules, they take the fastest morning and the fastest afternoon and that is your time. I was down to 4th in class due to crappy morning runs. So this run I hit a cone somewhere which I can't find.
It's pretty helpful that you have an evo school instructor that you had to be running in the same class with basically the same car and then beat him too! =P
So last week i gave my stock wheels to my friend and had another friend mounted the tires from the stock wheels to my green Sparco wheels. Now I travel to events on the green wheels! Come to this weekend I did a bit of TLC. I put on some Hawk HPS pads on the rear and it feels the same as the factory brakes. I also clipped the brake sensor since I don't care for it. The light didn't go off but I still did it anyways. While I was doing that, I put on the Way Motorworks rear endlinks. Works great. Sold the whiteline ones which were rubbing on the spring. They're not as thick as the whiteline but thicker than the factory endlinks. Just strong enough and not clunking! It was also fairly easy to set and adjust too.
I also replaced the rear torque mount. It is so torn after 59k miles. I ordered the new one from FCP euro for free lifetime replacements since I know it's probably gonna get torn again.
Car feels great! I had another BMW event today and was 2nd in class. I moved up to a tougher class since the stock class had no one. I was behind an E90 335i! I'm surprised this MINI could keep up! I had the fastest scratch in class too. I couldn't keep it clean but here it is anyways!
03-19-2017, 09:49 AM
So having any understeer is a killer of time. Having a turbo and all of that low end power means being really careful with the throttle. Also, I have spun the car several times in slaloms being overly aggressive with them. I think the course designer has a mean streak and makes them tighter with each successive cone. 
