Just got home from my first autocross in the RX-8. In summary: the car was great; I sucked.

I managed to put down a raw time that would have had me 4th in BS or 2nd in Street Tire (behind an SE-R on Azenis), but I coned on every run!

Lots of folks asked me what I thought of the car, especially since most everyone there knew about the HP fiasco, thanks to the guy who had the microphone during the first heat.

The best answer I could give them was that it's like a large Miata - I can toss it around just as I could my 10AE, and it does everything I ask it to do. Sure, it's carrying a little more weight, but it has more rubber to keep that in line. It's eminently chuckable.

Considering this was my first time out, with the standard RE-040's, and without having touched the alignment (or anything else except tire pressures), I was pretty damned happy with the car's performance. Now I just need to work on figuring out where the corners are so I can keep it away from those damned cones!

 

i just got back from an auto-x too, but i had to run a civic because me RX-8 got totaled in that train wreck, have any pics?

 

Eccles,
It was refreshing to hear that people other than myself are out enjoying their RX-8s. The car is a blast to drive and I can't wait to take it out on the track and safely explore its limits. Speaking of which, I'm heading to Pocono International Raceway on Labor Day weekend for my first NASA HPDE. I know that you're into auto-x but have you ever thought of open tracking? It appeals to me because numbers do not come into the picture. There is not a winner or consequently a loser. Rather the only person that you are really competing with is yourself and it is only as serious as you want to make it and that sounds like fun to me. :D

 

Oh, absolutely - the wife and I have taken our Miatas to several track events at Motorsport Ranch and Texas World Speedway. In fact, we're heading back to TWS again in November, which will be my first track event in the 8.