Thinking about trying STX out next year
10-10-2008 | 02:25 PM
#76
If all goes to plan, I will beg to differ. All I need to do is get rid of my Titan. And that hasn't been an easy task.
You can't compare. No one can. STU and BS don't run same days/same heats/same course. On top of that, it's a mistake do try and draw a conclusive result on pretty much ONE data point: Sipe the two years he ran STU. (But yet, the car still got moved
.
One person tried "a more than basic effort and knew how to auto-x well" in STU (good or bad is not for me to decide). I will say this: The car got moved, there'll be more people trying STX this year in their 8s.
--kC
You can't compare. No one can. STU and BS don't run same days/same heats/same course. On top of that, it's a mistake do try and draw a conclusive result on pretty much ONE data point: Sipe the two years he ran STU. (But yet, the car still got moved
.One person tried "a more than basic effort and knew how to auto-x well" in STU (good or bad is not for me to decide). I will say this: The car got moved, there'll be more people trying STX this year in their 8s.
--kC
I hope you are right. I love the R comps but I would like to go back to a ST class myself. I too have a gas guzzling tow rig that I would like to get rid of.
10-10-2008 | 02:29 PM
#77
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Why do you tow to events? You can fit everything you need for a weekend of autox in a stock class BS rx8 into the car. What would change about going to ST? If you want to be competitive in ST you need an extra set of wheels/tires that are babied and shaved that you switch to at the event anyway.
10-10-2008 | 02:49 PM
#78
Why do you tow to events? You can fit everything you need for a weekend of autox in a stock class BS rx8 into the car. What would change about going to ST? If you want to be competitive in ST you need an extra set of wheels/tires that are babied and shaved that you switch to at the event anyway.
The truth is that I have a messed up hip (I wish I could say an old war wound). Spending all day on my feet at an event gets painful enough as it is. If I had to swap tires twice at each event on top of it, I would need a wheel chair to get around the next day.
That was another reason to get your shocks. Having rears that could be softened without taking them off of the car would be nice on the days that I decide to street the car.
10-10-2008 | 02:52 PM
#79
Jason,
Do you agree that auto-x is about having fun?
It's clear that, to me, a) speed and b) money spent are the primary factors to your definition of 'fun'. Why do you keep beating people up over ST because of what *they/we* consider fun and what *they/we* do to our cars, and how much $$ *they/we* spend in the quest for "having fun"?
For almost as long as I've known you, you constantly harped on "how slow ST is compared to other classes for the money spent". By your definition, you're right. They are slower. However, thankfully, most of us that make up ST don't abide by your definition of fun.
You can't/don't want to understand? Fine. You like stock. You like R-comps. Great. But I put this out there to you: where's the challenge in R Comps?
R-comps can only be driven 1 or 2 ways, on 1-2 different brands. The challenge isn't the same as those that try ST. Which tires to get? How to set-up for those tires? How to maximize grip out of the sets you've chosen? There are way more factors that go into setting up a car to be faster (compared to other cars in the SAME class) than trying to set up a stock car to be faster than the rest of your class.
Stock: Get the fastest tires that fit on your wheel. Good shocks and you're good to go. Copy a forumla that's been around since the beginning of r-comps.
ST: There's no one 'proven forumla'. With new tires, new cars, come new challenges.
So, if you don't like the challenge ST provides on streets, that's fine. I can understand how you feel. Go get 'em.
--kC
(Oh, and hi and congrats on another win this year. )
Do you agree that auto-x is about having fun?
It's clear that, to me, a) speed and b) money spent are the primary factors to your definition of 'fun'. Why do you keep beating people up over ST because of what *they/we* consider fun and what *they/we* do to our cars, and how much $$ *they/we* spend in the quest for "having fun"?
For almost as long as I've known you, you constantly harped on "how slow ST is compared to other classes for the money spent". By your definition, you're right. They are slower. However, thankfully, most of us that make up ST don't abide by your definition of fun.
You can't/don't want to understand? Fine. You like stock. You like R-comps. Great. But I put this out there to you: where's the challenge in R Comps?R-comps can only be driven 1 or 2 ways, on 1-2 different brands. The challenge isn't the same as those that try ST. Which tires to get? How to set-up for those tires? How to maximize grip out of the sets you've chosen? There are way more factors that go into setting up a car to be faster (compared to other cars in the SAME class) than trying to set up a stock car to be faster than the rest of your class.
Stock: Get the fastest tires that fit on your wheel. Good shocks and you're good to go. Copy a forumla that's been around since the beginning of r-comps.
ST: There's no one 'proven forumla'. With new tires, new cars, come new challenges.
So, if you don't like the challenge ST provides on streets, that's fine. I can understand how you feel. Go get 'em.
--kC
(Oh, and hi and congrats on another win this year.
) To me it is more fun to go faster, Rs let me do that.To me the challenge is being the quickest driver on that day, not building the better car.
10-10-2008 | 02:55 PM
#80
I did it once, Wendover 2005, I got 20mpg VS 21mpg with the tires in the car. But like you said, 20mpg with super VS my 12mpg towing with regular, I would rather spend a few extra $$$ and have all the extra stuff. Also if the wife and kid go I need the rig.
10-10-2008 | 03:04 PM
#81
Row faster, I hear banjos
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I'm with KC. I'm slow -- but I'm working on changing that. Once I feel more confident in my driving abailities, I may undertake a move to an ST, SP or SM class. Many top drivers like Strano, Strelnieks, Cashmore etc have national titles in a stock class as well as one of these other classes that require the ability to set-up & tune a car well.
I don't need to go fast to have fun. Heck, we're just parking lot racers to most people. FWIW, the most fun I've ever had autocrossing was in my co-driver's spin-happy STS2 miata that has over 150K+ miles and probably makes 100hp on a good day!
My RX-8 is much faster, but that car is so entertaining to drive at the limit! My $0.02.
Last edited by chiketkd; 10-10-2008 at 03:08 PM.
10-10-2008 | 03:07 PM
#82
Row faster, I hear banjos
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Driving between 73-78mph, with my co-driver, tires, tools and all of our gear for one week, we averaged 23.5mpg on our round-trip to Nats this year. On a highway trip by myself (no tires or gear), I get about 25-26mpg.
10-10-2008 | 03:18 PM
#83
Jason,
I'm with KC. I'm slow -- but I'm working on changing that. Once I feel more confident in my driving abailities, I may undertake a move to an ST, SP or SM class. Many top drivers like Strano, Strelnieks, Cashmore etc have national titles in a stock class as well as one of these other classes that require the ability to set-up & tune a car well.
I don't need to go fast to have fun. Heck, we're just parking lot racers to most people. FWIW, the most fun I've ever had autocrossing was in my co-driver's spin-happy STS2 miata that has over 150K+ miles and probably makes 100hp on a good day! My RX-8 is much faster, but that car is so entertaining to drive at the limit!
My $0.02.
I'm with KC. I'm slow -- but I'm working on changing that. Once I feel more confident in my driving abailities, I may undertake a move to an ST, SP or SM class. Many top drivers like Strano, Strelnieks, Cashmore etc have national titles in a stock class as well as one of these other classes that require the ability to set-up & tune a car well.
I don't need to go fast to have fun. Heck, we're just parking lot racers to most people. FWIW, the most fun I've ever had autocrossing was in my co-driver's spin-happy STS2 miata that has over 150K+ miles and probably makes 100hp on a good day!
My RX-8 is much faster, but that car is so entertaining to drive at the limit! My $0.02.
10-10-2008 | 03:29 PM
#85
10-10-2008 | 04:04 PM
#86
Row faster, I hear banjos
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10-10-2008 | 04:30 PM
#87
10-10-2008 | 04:38 PM
#88
10-10-2008 | 04:49 PM
#89
Row faster, I hear banjos
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Dang!! I don't know if I would get that without the gear in mine and land don't get much flatter than it is here! Maybe I should plan a road trip in the off season to figure it out. I don't know if I have ever ran the car long enough to empty a tank and check the fuel economy. If the 8 can do that well on gas, I may have to get a tire trailer and a co-driver to do all of the work for me.
10-11-2008 | 10:34 AM
#90
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Hey Eric -
For another datapoint, I normally get 17-18 MPG running 70-75 mph with the trailer fully loaded. My car get's 19-21 mpg on the daily drive and I have gotten 24-25 Mpg on long trips without the trailer.
Chris
For another datapoint, I normally get 17-18 MPG running 70-75 mph with the trailer fully loaded. My car get's 19-21 mpg on the daily drive and I have gotten 24-25 Mpg on long trips without the trailer.
Chris
10-12-2008 | 07:28 PM
#91
4000 miles/14MPG=285 gallons
vs.
4000 miles/17MPG= 235 gallons
50 gallons x $3.50 a gallon = $175.00 difference
If I sold the truck now, I would lose about $5,000 since its value has plummeted with the gas situation.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm, I think that I will keep the truck and the few extra benefits, and maybe some tire money. Thanks for the input guys. I have been struggling with what to do all year. Once I do the breakdown, it seems silly to consider selling the truck. I do daily drive the truck mostly but I still think that I would stay ahead of the situation by keeping it. If gas hits $10 a gallon, I may have to do more math.
11-19-2008 | 12:04 AM
#92
Born to accelerate.
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From: Chattanooga, TN
Well, I think this settles the entire debate for me. I currently campaign a 2002 Miata in CSP with my racing partner and co-driver, and I generally only use my RX-8 as a "Sunday driver". I have grown bored (read: broke) trying to keep the edge with the Miata, and I thought maybe I would try the RX-8 for 2009 after the STX rules changed. I haven't raced in a street tire class in about three years and it seemed like this was my chance to go play in a more serious way again.
But if we collectively think the RX-8 won't have much of a chance, I'll likely just play around in the beater in RallyCross for fun next year. Maybe I'll run the occasional local autocross until I get time, money, and the inclination to build something else one day.
At least I had a good time throwing the RX-8 around and making some smoke in the fun runs recently. (See sig pic).
But if we collectively think the RX-8 won't have much of a chance, I'll likely just play around in the beater in RallyCross for fun next year. Maybe I'll run the occasional local autocross until I get time, money, and the inclination to build something else one day.
At least I had a good time throwing the RX-8 around and making some smoke in the fun runs recently. (See sig pic).
11-19-2008 | 12:44 PM
#95
But if we collectively think the RX-8 won't have much of a chance, I'll likely just play around in the beater in RallyCross for fun next year. Maybe I'll run the occasional local autocross until I get time, money, and the inclination to build something else one day. .
.Get a good set of 265s on a lightweight set of 18x9 wheels, add a decent set of coilovers, and you will be having a ton of fun out there competing.
Last edited by RK; 11-19-2008 at 12:48 PM.
11-19-2008 | 02:40 PM
#96
Born to accelerate.
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From: Chattanooga, TN
Back to the drawing boards, then. I'll see what kind of intial development info I can glean from the STU guys, then try to tailor it for STX. This could be interesting.
11-20-2008 | 10:38 AM
#97
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From: Champaign, IL
I don't think that's the collective mindset at all. The RX-8 should be very competitive however be aware that people haven't been building this car for ST so there's going to be experimentation on setup before anyone can determine how competitive (national/regional/local) it can really be. Most of the 'debate' in this thread was whether or not going slower in STX than BS was worth it but that's a debate that is true in almost any car.
Get a good set of 265s on a lightweight set of 18x9 wheels, add a decent set of coilovers, and you will be having a ton of fun out there competing.
Get a good set of 265s on a lightweight set of 18x9 wheels, add a decent set of coilovers, and you will be having a ton of fun out there competing.
STX is a learning experience for me (as was STU this year), so I can't see spending almost twice as much for tires that are 10mm wider.
11-20-2008 | 11:43 AM
#99
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11-20-2008 | 08:27 PM
#100
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That's exactly why I chose 17's, while I think 9" is adequate, I just don't think on that width wheel you'll get the full benefit of the extra 10mm.