H Stock Daily Driver/H-Street Build II
i gathered that - pretty cool though!
As a separate update, I've decided to split off a separate "series" for my blog called "Project Driver," where I go over just theories and where I'm at as a driver, how to improve, driving techniques, etc - I'm a big fan of compiling data, so this may work out for me. Not sure if I'm keeping it yet, so I would appreciate feedback. Only one entry as far as Project Driver goes for now:
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/03/project-driver/
As a separate update, I've decided to split off a separate "series" for my blog called "Project Driver," where I go over just theories and where I'm at as a driver, how to improve, driving techniques, etc - I'm a big fan of compiling data, so this may work out for me. Not sure if I'm keeping it yet, so I would appreciate feedback. Only one entry as far as Project Driver goes for now:
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/03/project-driver/
Latest thoughts regarding my autox school and in general:
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/07/project-driver-inputs/
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/06/advanced...chool-rantoul/
I'm a little overwhelmed with how much work I need. It's not gonna come with a school or one day of 15-20 runs. I need to practice and work at it every event. Getting smooth, setting up the car right, starting turns early, etc.
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/07/project-driver-inputs/
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/06/advanced...chool-rantoul/
I'm a little overwhelmed with how much work I need. It's not gonna come with a school or one day of 15-20 runs. I need to practice and work at it every event. Getting smooth, setting up the car right, starting turns early, etc.
4th Gear
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 367
Likes: 0
Where is this at?
as in the suspension?
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...3-post139.html
are you considering them?
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...3-post139.html
are you considering them?
had a doubleheader this weekend - posting results here:
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/14/ccscc-ch...double-header/
as always, happy for critique.
http://r56hs.com/2014/04/14/ccscc-ch...double-header/
as always, happy for critique.
Nicely done. How did running the courses look to you? You seem to be reading them well and you handled the slaloms nicely; nicely done. Here you are smooth. I will also point out that in the slaloms you keep both hand on the wheel and you make very smooth transitions from left to right and back again. This is where I would suggest trying to carry that (both hands on the wheel) through the whole course to help smooth out the rest of the course.
A couple of small points - Did you have a little loose tail in the long sweeper in the first video and, maybe, lifted off the throttle a little too much? Or was that a place where you needed to straighten the wheel? It is hard to tell in the video. At any rate, it brings to mind that a turn like that is a good place to practice throttle steering. There was also a small jerk of the steering wheel and a scrub of the tires. Maybe you lost track of the course? I guess this is the smoothness that you talk about.
Keep at it, I enjoy your videos - in particular the good weather they show...we still have snow in the forecast here.
BTW - I think this is more in line of Charlie was thinking about when he asked about the cat pictures:
http://animalzfun.blogspot.com/2012/...otographs.html
A couple of small points - Did you have a little loose tail in the long sweeper in the first video and, maybe, lifted off the throttle a little too much? Or was that a place where you needed to straighten the wheel? It is hard to tell in the video. At any rate, it brings to mind that a turn like that is a good place to practice throttle steering. There was also a small jerk of the steering wheel and a scrub of the tires. Maybe you lost track of the course? I guess this is the smoothness that you talk about.
Keep at it, I enjoy your videos - in particular the good weather they show...we still have snow in the forecast here.
BTW - I think this is more in line of Charlie was thinking about when he asked about the cat pictures:
http://animalzfun.blogspot.com/2012/...otographs.html
2nd Gear
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 133
Likes: 1
From: Glen Mills, PA
You clearly learned some things at the school, you're not quite as brutal on the steering as you were, and your lines are better too.
That said, you're still driving right at a couple apex cones, especially in the second video. Enter as wide as you possibly can. Its a momentum car, not a point and shoot car.
Always keep your momentum in mind! Those hard 180 degree wheel throws burn away all the speed you've built up. Fine corrections should be with the throttle not the wheel. This is where your throttle lift oversteer needs to come in, it will point you far better than a big steering correction. There's numerous points in the first video where you make BIG steering changes midway through corners. If you find yourself doing that, you need to enter wider and/or be more patient. This may be a looking ahead problem too. Look through the corner, the right line will flow out naturally.
Top 20 pax doesn't happen overnight. Keep on working at it.
edit: WALK THE COURSE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN! At a national event I'll do at least 4-5 walks. If you can't drive it in your head and know all your key cones (I sit in the car with my hands on the wheel and eyes closed and sway through it), you haven't walked enough. I'm admittedly lazy about it at locals now, but when its serious time, its really necessary. You don't have time at a Tour to botch a run because you got momentarily lost.
That said, you're still driving right at a couple apex cones, especially in the second video. Enter as wide as you possibly can. Its a momentum car, not a point and shoot car.
Always keep your momentum in mind! Those hard 180 degree wheel throws burn away all the speed you've built up. Fine corrections should be with the throttle not the wheel. This is where your throttle lift oversteer needs to come in, it will point you far better than a big steering correction. There's numerous points in the first video where you make BIG steering changes midway through corners. If you find yourself doing that, you need to enter wider and/or be more patient. This may be a looking ahead problem too. Look through the corner, the right line will flow out naturally.
Top 20 pax doesn't happen overnight. Keep on working at it.
edit: WALK THE COURSE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN! At a national event I'll do at least 4-5 walks. If you can't drive it in your head and know all your key cones (I sit in the car with my hands on the wheel and eyes closed and sway through it), you haven't walked enough. I'm admittedly lazy about it at locals now, but when its serious time, its really necessary. You don't have time at a Tour to botch a run because you got momentarily lost.
Nicely done. How did running the courses look to you? You seem to be reading them well and you handled the slaloms nicely; nicely done. Here you are smooth. I will also point out that in the slaloms you keep both hand on the wheel and you make very smooth transitions from left to right and back again. This is where I would suggest trying to carry that (both hands on the wheel) through the whole course to help smooth out the rest of the course.
I was frustrated with Saturday's run (top vid) because I felt like it was difficult to improve from what I was doing for ME, personally - I know there's at least 2s out there on top of what I was doing for a nats driver - at least.
Thanks for noticing about the slalom - not to brag, but I feel like I've been improving in the slalom as well - my entries can be a little rough, but I'm getting into rhythm decently, though I can still go closer.
And a nats level driver did JUST suggest to me that I keep my hands at the same place on the wheels at the same time. I'll probably work on that next - the rack is a liiiittle slow for me (I come from an evo). But yea, I should be able to do most if not all of the course with hands glued to the wheel.
A couple of small points - Did you have a little loose tail in the long sweeper in the first video and, maybe, lifted off the throttle a little too much? Or was that a place where you needed to straighten the wheel? It is hard to tell in the video. At any rate, it brings to mind that a turn like that is a good place to practice throttle steering. There was also a small jerk of the steering wheel and a scrub of the tires. Maybe you lost track of the course? I guess this is the smoothness that you talk about.
The tail did get loose! I'm surprised you noticed. Every time I have a big slide out I'm like man that was a huge drift! and I look at the video and I can't even spot it. I think what was going on in that spot is I'm aware that I need to slow down soon, so I start to lift maybe and results in a little slide. But yea I need to work on holding a line with the steering wheel, not yanking it around or sawing back and forth.
Keep at it, I enjoy your videos - in particular the good weather they show...we still have snow in the forecast here.
Thanks! I appreciate the input - we suddenly got snow today here as well.. after a warm weekend of autoxing...
BTW - I think this is more in line of Charlie was thinking about when he asked about the cat pictures:
http://animalzfun.blogspot.com/2012/...otographs.html
lol! i see.
I was frustrated with Saturday's run (top vid) because I felt like it was difficult to improve from what I was doing for ME, personally - I know there's at least 2s out there on top of what I was doing for a nats driver - at least.
Thanks for noticing about the slalom - not to brag, but I feel like I've been improving in the slalom as well - my entries can be a little rough, but I'm getting into rhythm decently, though I can still go closer.
And a nats level driver did JUST suggest to me that I keep my hands at the same place on the wheels at the same time. I'll probably work on that next - the rack is a liiiittle slow for me (I come from an evo). But yea, I should be able to do most if not all of the course with hands glued to the wheel.
A couple of small points - Did you have a little loose tail in the long sweeper in the first video and, maybe, lifted off the throttle a little too much? Or was that a place where you needed to straighten the wheel? It is hard to tell in the video. At any rate, it brings to mind that a turn like that is a good place to practice throttle steering. There was also a small jerk of the steering wheel and a scrub of the tires. Maybe you lost track of the course? I guess this is the smoothness that you talk about.
The tail did get loose! I'm surprised you noticed. Every time I have a big slide out I'm like man that was a huge drift! and I look at the video and I can't even spot it. I think what was going on in that spot is I'm aware that I need to slow down soon, so I start to lift maybe and results in a little slide. But yea I need to work on holding a line with the steering wheel, not yanking it around or sawing back and forth.
Keep at it, I enjoy your videos - in particular the good weather they show...we still have snow in the forecast here.
Thanks! I appreciate the input - we suddenly got snow today here as well.. after a warm weekend of autoxing...
BTW - I think this is more in line of Charlie was thinking about when he asked about the cat pictures:
http://animalzfun.blogspot.com/2012/...otographs.html
lol! i see.
You clearly learned some things at the school, you're not quite as brutal on the steering as you were, and your lines are better too.
Thanks! It's been hard for me to notice any improvement at all, so I really appreciate comments like that.
That said, you're still driving right at a couple apex cones, especially in the second video. Enter as wide as you possibly can. Its a momentum car, not a point and shoot car.
Thanks for the input - I'm still trying to find a balance between more momentum and tighter lines - I know that's not quite what you're meaning here, just saying. The second event/video was tough - I mention in my blog, but basically I arrived late due to not knowing where the site was and all I got was an extremely brief running walkthrough. No excuses though, just know that my early runs before that vid were just plain ugly
Always keep your momentum in mind! Those hard 180 degree wheel throws burn away all the speed you've built up. Fine corrections should be with the throttle not the wheel. This is where your throttle lift oversteer needs to come in, it will point you far better than a big steering correction. There's numerous points in the first video where you make BIG steering changes midway through corners. If you find yourself doing that, you need to enter wider and/or be more patient. This may be a looking ahead problem too. Look through the corner, the right line will flow out naturally.
Definitely. What I was alluding to above was that a local guy (local to the first video) always tells me when riding along that there are very few places, at least for the above video/event, where speed can be made up for distance. That said, he doesn't drive a momentum car. You're absolutely right about the big steering changes. I think for me it's more of a line adjustment - i LOOK ahead, but I don't THINK ahead - and it's causing problems. I started to work on that between the above and below event a little bit better.
Top 20 pax doesn't happen overnight. Keep on working at it.
Thanks. I'm actually half glad I didn't make it just yet - I have so much to improve as it is, it'll be nice to chart any movement in pax as the year goes.
edit: WALK THE COURSE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN! At a national event I'll do at least 4-5 walks. If you can't drive it in your head and know all your key cones (I sit in the car with my hands on the wheel and eyes closed and sway through it), you haven't walked enough. I'm admittedly lazy about it at locals now, but when its serious time, its really necessary. You don't have time at a Tour to botch a run because you got momentarily lost.
I definitely always try to, I was just running late as I had gotten lost going to the event - I had to call the solo secretary and essentially check in over the phone as I got directions to the correct address lol. I usually do two walks for the local events, and my first nats event is coming up - I'm sure I'd do more there, but I'll start practicing taking more walks at local events.
Thanks! It's been hard for me to notice any improvement at all, so I really appreciate comments like that.
That said, you're still driving right at a couple apex cones, especially in the second video. Enter as wide as you possibly can. Its a momentum car, not a point and shoot car.
Thanks for the input - I'm still trying to find a balance between more momentum and tighter lines - I know that's not quite what you're meaning here, just saying. The second event/video was tough - I mention in my blog, but basically I arrived late due to not knowing where the site was and all I got was an extremely brief running walkthrough. No excuses though, just know that my early runs before that vid were just plain ugly
Always keep your momentum in mind! Those hard 180 degree wheel throws burn away all the speed you've built up. Fine corrections should be with the throttle not the wheel. This is where your throttle lift oversteer needs to come in, it will point you far better than a big steering correction. There's numerous points in the first video where you make BIG steering changes midway through corners. If you find yourself doing that, you need to enter wider and/or be more patient. This may be a looking ahead problem too. Look through the corner, the right line will flow out naturally.
Definitely. What I was alluding to above was that a local guy (local to the first video) always tells me when riding along that there are very few places, at least for the above video/event, where speed can be made up for distance. That said, he doesn't drive a momentum car. You're absolutely right about the big steering changes. I think for me it's more of a line adjustment - i LOOK ahead, but I don't THINK ahead - and it's causing problems. I started to work on that between the above and below event a little bit better.
Top 20 pax doesn't happen overnight. Keep on working at it.
Thanks. I'm actually half glad I didn't make it just yet - I have so much to improve as it is, it'll be nice to chart any movement in pax as the year goes.
edit: WALK THE COURSE AS MANY TIMES AS YOU CAN! At a national event I'll do at least 4-5 walks. If you can't drive it in your head and know all your key cones (I sit in the car with my hands on the wheel and eyes closed and sway through it), you haven't walked enough. I'm admittedly lazy about it at locals now, but when its serious time, its really necessary. You don't have time at a Tour to botch a run because you got momentarily lost.
I definitely always try to, I was just running late as I had gotten lost going to the event - I had to call the solo secretary and essentially check in over the phone as I got directions to the correct address lol. I usually do two walks for the local events, and my first nats event is coming up - I'm sure I'd do more there, but I'll start practicing taking more walks at local events.
Thanks a ton to both for the input. As I've mentioned numerous times, I'm really trying to improve this year. I've had events the last 3 weekends in a row, 2 of the 3 weekends being double headers - this upcoming weekend is the first weekend in a while that I won't have an event. I'm already going through withdrawal. So much to improve and work at, it's frustrating, but it's really driving me.
Overall I feel like I'm slowly starting to gain confidence in the car, and thus improve. The offset gates just before the turn around in the second video were WOT the whole way - even on the damp run (cringed as i did it though) - never would have been able to do that last year. Starting to learn, just a little bit, where to push the car. Now I need to learn how to control my inputs to create max traction (and lose traction) through various elements of the course.
I noticed the tail coming out by not looking for it. It was something that I caught in the first watch of the video, but I was following your line. It was the twitch that shook the camera and then your response on the steering wheel that made me think that the tail was loose.
Here you should have gotten on the gas instead of off the gas. That has been one of the hardest things for me to get through my head because it is very counter intuitive especially for someone who learned to drive on big, rear wheel cars in the snow. But, in a front wheel drive car, it is very worth while to practice how to steer your car with the gas. In a fast, big turn lift a little and then get back on the gas. Try it on a damp or wet day when it is easier to make the car slide. You will be going slower and if you loose it, it won't be bad.
Glad to see you feeling confident in the car and being able to take big turns at WOT. This is one part that you will need to have in your pocket to drive at 10-10ths.
Here you should have gotten on the gas instead of off the gas. That has been one of the hardest things for me to get through my head because it is very counter intuitive especially for someone who learned to drive on big, rear wheel cars in the snow. But, in a front wheel drive car, it is very worth while to practice how to steer your car with the gas. In a fast, big turn lift a little and then get back on the gas. Try it on a damp or wet day when it is easier to make the car slide. You will be going slower and if you loose it, it won't be bad.
Glad to see you feeling confident in the car and being able to take big turns at WOT. This is one part that you will need to have in your pocket to drive at 10-10ths.
I noticed the tail coming out by not looking for it. It was something that I caught in the first watch of the video, but I was following your line. It was the twitch that shook the camera and then your response on the steering wheel that made me think that the tail was loose.
Here you should have gotten on the gas instead of off the gas. That has been one of the hardest things for me to get through my head because it is very counter intuitive especially for someone who learned to drive on big, rear wheel cars in the snow. But, in a front wheel drive car, it is very worth while to practice how to steer your car with the gas. In a fast, big turn lift a little and then get back on the gas. Try it on a damp or wet day when it is easier to make the car slide. You will be going slower and if you loose it, it won't be bad.
Glad to see you feeling confident in the car and being able to take big turns at WOT. This is one part that you will need to have in your pocket to drive at 10-10ths.
Here you should have gotten on the gas instead of off the gas. That has been one of the hardest things for me to get through my head because it is very counter intuitive especially for someone who learned to drive on big, rear wheel cars in the snow. But, in a front wheel drive car, it is very worth while to practice how to steer your car with the gas. In a fast, big turn lift a little and then get back on the gas. Try it on a damp or wet day when it is easier to make the car slide. You will be going slower and if you loose it, it won't be bad.
Glad to see you feeling confident in the car and being able to take big turns at WOT. This is one part that you will need to have in your pocket to drive at 10-10ths.
and yeah - recently picked up the ***** to stay on WOT through section I wouldn't have last year for example. puckered in the damp fast run for chi but car handled beautifully
2nd Gear
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: San Diego
Hey guys...help me with this if you wouldn't mind. I'm just reconnecting to the SCCA autox world after a few year layoff. This is my first year I'll be running a stock class (D Street with my new to me 07 MCS) and I'm just trying to get clarity around the rules:
On your HS build, you're using JCW springs, a rear sway bar, and a JCW strut tower brace. Wouldn't these mods automatically put you in STX, or am I missing something?
On your HS build, you're using JCW springs, a rear sway bar, and a JCW strut tower brace. Wouldn't these mods automatically put you in STX, or am I missing something?
Hey guys...help me with this if you wouldn't mind. I'm just reconnecting to the SCCA autox world after a few year layoff. This is my first year I'll be running a stock class (D Street with my new to me 07 MCS) and I'm just trying to get clarity around the rules:
On your HS build, you're using JCW springs, a rear sway bar, and a JCW strut tower brace. Wouldn't these mods automatically put you in STX, or am I missing something?
On your HS build, you're using JCW springs, a rear sway bar, and a JCW strut tower brace. Wouldn't these mods automatically put you in STX, or am I missing something?
- anything from the factory, which is installed at the factory OR the port, which includes stuff like the JCW spings, strut tower brace, etc.
- front OR rear sway bar, we go with rear sway bars being an understeery fwd car
- any dampers as long as they mount up to stock position
yep - all the jcw bits are! i only got this one to act as at least some kind of guard against mushrooming (not a problem with r56, but just in case), but i'm happy to keep it and be stock legal. i had strut tower defenders on my old car and wasn't technically stock legal, but whatever lol. i don't think the jcw strut tower brace does much though.