AKADriver

I had a great instructor who knew the course and the 240SX very well. I was one of only two 240SX drivers in the HPDE groups, the other guy is an instructor, he posts as jam149 on freshalloy. There was also an S14 240SX race car there, though. Great looking car... I'll post an action shot of it later (I hope it came out well). Our own Mark (Hipposleek) also showed up briefly, sans car.

I didn't break anything on the car, which is always good. Still in 95% stock trim, plus strut tower bars, subframe spacers, and tension rods. I also pitched the rear seat. My tires weren't behaving well, pressures were good but I was getting a vibration from a flat spot. It sucks, I've only got about 3000 miles on these tires. Also, the pillowball tension rods can make the bumpsteer a little more violent than I remember on the transitions between the asphalt and the concrete patches. It wouldn't be a problem on a glass-smooth track like VIR, though.

I learned a lot this time... Managing front-to-rear weight transfer (pitch) was where I had the most problems and where I think I made some of my biggest improvements. It's amazing how carrying braking just a little later before a sharp corner (like 1 or 5) will make the car turn in that much better... or how dialing in throttle in a fast corner (like 4) will nicely settle a shaky-feeling car. One thing I still need to improve is managing understeer... sensing it and fighting the urge to dial in more steering input. Yeah, we're driving FR cars, but a stock base model 240SX is a very conservatively tuned machine. I'm torn between putting my HICAS car swaybars on now, or waiting until after my next event so I can learn more with that stock understeer.

My only regret is that I just wasn't pushing it as hard as I know I can and have in the past. I guess my comfort level is down a bit... time to bring that back up!

sykikchimp

we all lose a little comfort when you haven't been to the track in a while. Nothing to worry about. Glad to hear you had a good time! Really wish I was there..

Where the pics!!?!

Btw - Joe is a great guy. I was gonna request him as my instructor one of these days

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AKADriver

Not too many pics.. my camera was misbehaving a bit

Here's me in the mud bog... I mean paddock:


Stylin' the new white hatch, despoilered:


240SX race car, won its class both days, finished mid-field overall right behind all the 944 Cup cars which DOMINATED the small bore racing:


350Z Track and WRX STi... the STi didn't get out onto the track, some of us have met the 350Z driver, he was doing well in HPDE Group 2 (Intermediate):

nokeone

more action shots please...

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panda; rockin your socks from the Bay to LA to SD, yay!
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