slope? what slope?!?

[nostatic]

[TimT]

So how did the WRX feel?

I have an '08 WRX sedan..been thinking about doing a DE with it... my 911, and 914/6 are tied up now...

[porsche4life]

So are the new R-comps on the way?

[trekkor]

There you go!!


KT

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by TimT

So how did the WRX feel?

I have an '08 WRX sedan..been thinking about doing a DE with it... my 911, and 914/6 are tied up now...

It was interesting. I ended up running in the red group as there were only 5 cars total in the group. It took a few sessions to figure out the handling, and sadly I misread the owners manual and didn't think I could turn the VDC (TC) off.

It didn't understeer nearly as bad as I thought it would (and as I've seen Evos do). I think the extra weight in the rear from the hatch helps rotate the car. It is very quick coming out of turns and on straights. I drove in about the same gears as the 911 on that track so as I got used to the feel of the car soon I was bouncing off the rev limiter and the VDC was kicking in at a number of places on the course. I wish I'd figured out where the "off" switch was, as it was pretty intrusive in some rough off-camber sections.

This layout had one new (shorter) turn and is a little quicker than the old route. The current track record for my old class in this config is 1:28 and change. I still have the track record for the old config at 1:31. By my third session I was down to 1:35 and that is bone stock. I bailed after that as it was wicked hot, but figure that if I had VDC off and was a bit more aggressive in a couple sections a 1:33 could be had.

Downside are the stock brakes. The factory pads and fluid is not really up to the task of a track with 100F ambient temps. A couple times at the end of the front straight I went for the pedal and it really wasn't there. As a result I was very careful to brake early and control my speed at the end of both straights.

But as you can see in the photo, it doesn't wallow too badly. Some better pads, a little stiffer sway bar, and it's perfectly competent.

Very fun car. And I drove home with comfy AC.

[kaisen]

How much tire wear occured in the few laps in that heat?

[TimT]

The VDC switch is a pretty large button well hidden under the steering column, on the left

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by kaisen

How much tire wear occured in the few laps in that heat?

Very little. The stock Dunlop whatever they are seem pretty much like vulcanized hockey pucks. With 100F and me driving hard the tires showed no shredding. I remember both Kumho Extasa and Yoko AVS100 showing pretty serious wear after just one session.

Easily another couple seconds just in the tires I think...not that I'm looking

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by TimT

The VDC switch is a pretty large button well hidden under the steering column, on the left

Yeah, I found it now. I pulled the manual out at the track and didn't read far enough. At least I know both it and the rev limiter work.

[trekkor]

not that I'm looking

Yeah right!

Get some Kuhmo 710's and get huge...


KT

[surflvr911sc]

Holy Crap Todd! I didn't even realize that was you or I would have said hi. I just thought, "who is that dork runnin' the WRX sedan in Red? He does look familiar"

Good to see you out there but sorry I didn't say hi. Hope to see you at Fontana next month.

Here's the second session w/ a 1:29:558 the first lap and a nice little spin the second. The sound got a little screwed up on the first lap; ignore the tire squeal.

[vash]

jeezuz! you should have just kept the 911! historically, you are not so good around slippery slopes.

looks like a great time!

[nostatic]

Ryan, I thought that was you - my bad. "The Familiar Dork in Red" - sounds like a B-movie.

I"m not sure about Fontana. I don't really like that track very much and seeing a couple of guys smack the wall in turn 2 week before last didn't help my opinion

[Don Plumley]

You are just a cinder block away from some nice upgrades...