MAC Autocross Test & Tune, August 19th - Who else is going?

Just curious who else is going?

Some details:
MAC's site, need to register/join/pay to drive:
http://forum.mnautox.com/forums/
...just costs $30 and saves you some cash at events

MyAutoEvents sign up for the event:
http://www.myautoevents.com/pls/mae...psrnd=.42772385055741423229239923152455085975
...$40 to sign up. I think you can come and just ride along with others for free.

All you really need for the event is a Helmet. It does have to be Snell rated, 2000 or 2005. There are loner helmets, but they're shared among everyone. You may have to wait for it at times if others are using your size. HJC CS-5 is a cheap helmet to get, works well.
http://store.bobscycle.com/browse.cfm?viewfrom=81&catid=7242&step=2
...just pick a size and color.

Both my brother and I went to the last one with our Foresters on July 22nd and had a blast. It would be nice to see a strong Subaru showing.

This is an open testing session, so there really aren't rules. Any MAC member can drive any other MAC member's car and anyone can ride with anyone else. You just need a helmet and permission from the owner. The last one had a good showing of a few of the more exotic cars, a couple Corvettes, Porsches, M3s. There was an S2000, a MR2, as well as a couple dedicated auto-x cars. The current list shows a similar selection, Corvettes, a Viper, M3s, an old 59 Austin Healey Sprite, a couple Porsches, and a bunch of other cars. It's a nice mix and there's still a few more spots to fill.

 

I signed up yesterday.

Still on the RE92's and stock sways so I'm sure my times will still suck, but I was still finding time (on the east course anyway) until the end of the day at the last TnT. So I guess I still have to work on the driver before the car

 

I dunno, i heard autocross was "gay"

Better not do it, or risk mockery from the cool kids table.

 

Not going to make it....again.

 

I got 50 runs at last TnT, so you can get lots and lots of runs at this event!
And yes, I'm going again, but don't plan to get more than 20 runs.

Regarding helmets - there were plenty of unused loaners laying in a bucket when my friends dropped by for a ride, so going with out one isn't likely to create problems.

 

I'm in. Hoping to have my GC coilovers and fresh front Konis installed in time for it so I can get used to the new setup before MOWOG6.

This is a members only event, but you can join on the day if you don't want to join beforehand.

Essentially, any registered driver can drive any teched vehicle present (with the owner's permission of course). Passengers are allowed as long as they have signed the waiver, are wearing the wristband, and are at least 14yrs old. Passengers must obey the club's helmet rules, i.e. M2000/SA2000 or better. Loaner helmets are available, as are instructors.

Only four spots left as of right now.

Stuart.

 

Yeah, wish I could make it as well. Sounds like a blast! You guys have fun.

 

Yeah the last one prompted me for a couple upgrades, primarily new tires and brakes. The Proxes4s were nearly slicks after the novice school and test & tune, but this was also their third summer too so not too bad in all. They get pretty grippy too when you finally get most of the tread off, but they weren't exactly "legal" any more. The stock brakes, yeah, they weren't cutting it on the longer East course. A couple laps and fade was getting pretty noticable. The pedal was getting pretty spongy by the end of the day too...and my rear pads are just about gone now, fronts pretty good still. I assume there's at least a little glazing.

Purchased list since last TnT:
Bridgestone RE01R tires, 245/45/R17 mmm....by the way, nice tire
WRX front brake upgrade, H6 rear brake upgrade(rotors + brackets for both)
Carbotech AX6(current form of Panther Plus) pads all around
ATE Super Blue brake fluid(would like Castrol SRF but mucho $$$)
and...20mm rear swaybar.


I should hopefully be getting a giant box towards this weekend/early next week. I'd like to at least get the brake bedded in well.

She should be good now, lol. Good stick, good brakes, hopefully dead on neutral too.

 

Nice list, I'd love to have all that too, but I wonder what class that puts you in...
Don't know though which one you would have been before that...

 

Special Interest ...still

However, yes, it would be curious what class I'd be in if I actually competed. Right now it's just for fun. We'll see about next year maybe.

By the way, I didn't mention the full array of Group N bushings I already have, did I, lol. Just a note, great, great upgrade if you've got the cash and time. Stock mush just, well, blows.

 

Without a full list of mods, it's hard to tell, but with the 245 wide tyres and brake upgrades, it sounds a lot like STX to me.

Stuart.

 

Gah, last time I had to withdraw because of stupid work. Can't make it this time because I'm moving. Well, take lots of photos and Back Road Runner, you need to post up the vids from the first TnT lol

 

I need to post up vids of the Novice school, lol. I still need to rip that footage of my 8mm tape. My friend has some vids of the TnT we took with our cameras, but I don't have them at the moment. The TnT doesn't quite provide the ease of recording that the Novice school did. You pretty much have to walk out into the middle of the course and record for the TnT. I'll try and wander around a little bit at the next one and see if I can get any decent full run footage, either that or just in-car stuff.

 

Got the brakes done on my bro's car H6 rear, EBC Reds, and 20mm rear bar. Mine will get done Monday whenever UPS decides to show up. We need to get the fuilds changed too. So far so good though, easy mods, and the car feels pretty darn neutral with the bar. It should be pretty fun out on the track, hope mine ends up just as well.

 

Just got my new brakes and sway on without much trouble. The Carbotech AX6 brakes have good stick. Cold they're above stock and offer no trouble. When they get a little heat, grip ramps up a bit and makes for pretty effortless stops. I'll have to get used to the ramp up a little bit, but for auto-x they should stay pretty much in the hot region. I haven't got to push the car yet with the new sway.

Now we just need to do a brake flush on both cars and we should be good.

 

Dang, the wife is on call this weekend so it is kid duty for me. You guys/gals have fun and take some pics.

 

Bring 'em!

 

Sorry guys, I'm out Didn't get my new suspension mods done in time, so since there's nothing new to test after the last T&T, I'm going to save my tyres for the rest of the year's competitive events.

Stuart.

 

LOL... I don't think so. They are two and four. They would get very bored.

 

Not if they were in the car with ya! :laugh:

 

I have signed up for the event.

Also, this is my first time at an Autocross event and I have no idea which class my car would fall under.

I have the following mods on my car (07 WRX Wagon):

17x7.5 04 STi wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 225/45ZR17 tires
Rear 20mm SPT sway-bar
Front SPT strut tower bar
Rear SPT strut tower bar

Anyone have any idea on which class my car would be classified under ? Thanks !

 

Sounds like STU or ESP/ESPt to me, depending on what the tread wear rating is for those tyres. As long as they're better than a 140 rating, you could run STU or ESPt. Less than 140 would, I think, put you in straight ESP. Zak will probably know for sure.

Although, since class is pretty much irrelevant at a T&T, it won't matter for this weekend.

Stuart.

 

Thanks. Actually, the Tire is classified as Ultra High Performance A/S, and has a treadwear rating of 400.

So what happens during a Tune and Test ? Do they have timed runs during it ? As an FYI, I am a complete novice when it comes to auto-crossing.

 

You can just keep it SI (special interest)

The MAC site does have a forum, and you could inquire into exactly what class your hardware will throw you in if you want to actually compete. Otherwise, like akoshy said, it's just a test & tune and it doesn't really matter.

 

A tread wear rating of 400 is not going to be a good AutoX tyre. Expect them to see some fairly serious wear on Sunday, especially if you don't have a lot of camber dialed in. At least one person managed to squeeze in over 50 runs at the July event.

At the July T&T, it was pretty casual. You had to work for two 1hr shifts. Any time you weren't working, you could drive. We had two courses set up at that one, but I'm not sure what the plan is for this one. As we only have one timing display, one course had the display and you had to stop by the timing trailer after any runs on the other course. Yes, all runs are timed, as that's the best way to quantify any changes made to car or driver.

Instructors will be available all day long. That will be their work assignment. Take advantage of this. It's not about pride, or shame. They will impart good and useful knowledge to you, and help you from getting lost out on course. If you want an ego boost, choose heftier instructors; your times will drop by a larger margin when you finally run solo

As a newbie, you *will* benefit from the club's Novice Schools. Both of this year's have already been run, but plan to attend the April one next year.

Take along plenty of water, energy drinks and food. The nearest restaurants are far enough away that you won't want to waste time going off site to feed.

Stuart.

 

Yeah, to get an idea of how many runs were done, there were over 800 runs recorded on the longer 50 second course at the end of the day. The shorter 40 second course probably had over 1k runs, shared among 60 cars. That's an average of 30 per car. Some cars ran only a few, other cars ran 50, lol. It's an open session and both tracks are in continuous operation, just hop in line, wait a minute or two, zip around the track, and hop in line again. Expect to go through half the life of a tire if you plan to be out driving most of the time. That and brakes are high wear items for this type of sport.

Speaking of brakes, if they are stock, which I assume they are, go easy on them. Run 2 or 3 laps and park the car for a while and let them cool. In stock form, I really didn't notice any heavy brake fade on the slower speed, shorter course. However, the longer, higher speed one did show a decent amount of fade after the second run. It sort of prompted my own planned brake upgrade before this event.

It's just nice to let the car cool once in a while. It would also give you some free time to take a ride in other people's cars which is always fun. That's something I didn't take much advantage of the last time but want to do a good bit more in this upcoming event.

 

Some important work related tasks came up and I could not make it to the T&T event. I was all pepped up for it too. Lost my registration amount, which was the least of my frustration.

Oh well, I guess I will plan to be at the next event for sure.

 

Hi Sheen, just registered for the Sunday the 26th event. I am not too sure if I will be in town on the 9th or the 16th. There is a good chance that I will around on the 16th and I should know over the next few days.