Those Crazy Autocrossing Mazda 6's (VIDEO)

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Thought you fella's might enjoy a small video us local autox'ers made up of the past event
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Video from MAX-21 this past weekend. Just over eleven minutes. A former Mazda6 owner returns in a 350Z. A rotary-powered MG makes noise. And Miatas chase themselves in circles. A good time!

The high quality version (20MB):
http://gcubed.sytes.net/stretch/MAX21/MAX21_low.wmv
(Please use this link, as bandwidth is limited.)

The super high-quality version (60MB):
http://gcubed.sytes.net/stretch/MAX21/MAX21_high.wmv
(The server this is on is not fast enough to stream this video, so right-click and save-as.)

My car's (The silver one, I'm greg) mostly stock sans wheels/tires/brake pads...and of course all the fluids
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. (Coilovers, A/F tuning, Intake on the way)

The red 6 is heavily modified with an intake, coilovers, sways, tires/wheels, fluids, filter conversion, A/F tuning.

[ October 24, 2004, 02:44 PM: Message edited by: crossbow ]
 
Brings back memories of 1964 or so. Back then we could run them in shopping center parking lots cause none of the stores were open on Sunday! I ran a 64 MG Midget 1100cc. Non-syncro first gear, we used to lock up the brakes to downshift into first, fster than double clutching. Handbrake turns were fun but usually lost time. Our courses were pretty tight, big fast cars didn't do so well. Even some of the fast small ones didn't do as well as you'd expect. I remember a dentist driving a MG 1100 sedan, FWD, beating a good driver in a Lotus Elan! That thing would have its inside rear wheel lift and over the cones it looked like a dog taking a p*ss on a fire hydrant.
 
HAHA great! There is video somewhere of the Solo2 National Championships in Kansas from this September of me driving on the South Course on day 1, I'll have to find it.

But it'll never beat the 10-second clip of my '86 Honda Civic Si up on 2 wheels at Buttonwillow in CA...forever lost in a server change :p

-James W.
94 Suzuki Swift GT 1.3L DOHC
 
Whats wrong with 60 KB/sec? Just start the download and sit back and surf the forum
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. (Please don't stream, right click and save as).

I just ordered my set of coilovers! Hasta luego body roll! (Adjustable height and damper, w00)

This was an MSCW event (local mazda club) and thus rather "laid back" compared to most SCCA ones. Everyone got a minimum of 7 runs, I ended up with 10 with re-runs
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. We also had some chase cam runs...which NEVER happen @ an SCCA event.

Two wheels eh? Nice!!

I just lifted one
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That little splotch of leaf in the lower right is the "timing leaf"...which would magically blow through the timing beam, giving me a rerun.
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Awesome Thomas! That a 240/260Z? Can't really tell from the photo. (Please forgive me if I offended you by calling out the wrong model/make)

Are you still running GS? We were trying to run GS for awhile...but the **** mini cooper S guys keep throwing on hoosiers...and a Mazda 6 just can't compete against a mini on a tight course like the ones on the east coast...at least not at our driving levels
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I run in STS/STX where I actually do half decently...not enough to get trophy's, but usually in the top 5/10.

Btw if you use the IMG] and [/IMG (put in the [ and ]) it'll display the image in the thread.
 
yup, I forgot that this board was UBB.


It's a first gen 300zx. I'd actually be more insulted that you mistook my car for a real sports car, that is the first gen zcar. Despite the fact that I've put a lot of time and luck into tuning the chassis, the car is still a joke.

Depending on what tires I want to run on, I run that or street tire class. I race in both the Chicago and Milwaukee area so there are a number of high quality drivers (this year was a bad year. combined we only had 2 national champs and 15 or so trophy winners. Last year we had 7 winners and 23 or so trophies). I always was given second hand hoosiers (with 30 runs of high slip angle driving) so they were only "good" for 5 or 6 more events. Recently I've been running street tire (on year old Azenis). When I'm focused an my machine is working I'm within a second of the combined street tire class (which has some poeple in the top 20 overall of our region, despite not having race tires). Assuming I had a proper car, I'd win. However, I enjoy the training that an uncompetative car gives.


Recently I've switched to Kumho Ecsta MX's and was having difficulty in both adapting to them and realizing that my front sway bar was loose so that no amount of driving would fix the push I had.
 
The red 6 in the video is running the Azenis Sports. I'm still on my Toyo T1-S's...which although good, don't compare AT ALL to the Sports dry grip. (Those **** things are like R compounds!).

I've been looking into the Kuhmo Mx's for next tire swap...but Toyo recently annouced the T1-R's, so I might hang around and just try the new ones out
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I can't wait till I get my coilovers!
 
The Ecsta MX's are not the Azenis. Likewise, the Azenis are not the Ecsta MX's.


MX's
Advantages: Can handle heat, can handle rain wonderful compound.

Disadvantages: Soft side wall. doesn't handle abuse as well as it could. Requires softer tuning than the Azenis.

Azenis
Advantages: Can handle a lot of abuse and still be good. I got 30 good autocrosses out of mine. Stiff sidewall. Pretty much the spec street tire. Tuning is very similar to tuning for a DOT race tire

Disadvantages: only ok in the rain at full tread depth. If there are puddles, forget about turning. Very easy to over heat. Can require soaking down with water between runs. Can be hard to aquire, especially in 205/50/15.


However, I don't think I have spent enough time with the Kumho's to make a total conclusion (only 5-6 events or so). However, they are different tires. If you already drive smooth and don't beat up tires I'd recommend the Kumho's. You will learn more about delicate weight transfer and balance with them. If you are more aggressive I would reccomend the Azenis as they will handle your abuse a lot longer.
 
WooHoo-- STS!

Check out the current issue of SportsCar Magazine, you'll see me in the National Championships roundup-- 8th (Trophy) in STS. Flip the page, and you'll see my car won STXL as well.

New project for next year-- Suzuki Swift GT, 115hp (5 more than our Honda) and 1800lbs (200lbs less than our Honda), about 3/4-way finished right now. I wish I had a place to post pics...

-JamesW
 
I disagree regarding the Falkens in the rain....ran mine at 1/2 depth in Phoenix at the Tour in January, finished 4th. POURING and heavy standing water, just drove it flat out with steering corrections and the car just stuck. Have to adjust air pressures and rear sway bar a little bit, but the tire is excellent in the wet, *especially* if it's cool/cold outside.

-JamesW
Kumho's on the Suzuki-- contingency for ProSolo
 
You are also experienced enough to know how to drive smoothly. The Azenis are like the old AVS Intermediates in that aspect. You must anticipate what is going to happen and be smooth.

A majority of the poeple say what I said, simply because they haven't learned to drive as smoothly yet (from what I've found).


A guy I race with talked to one of the falken engineers. From what I remember he said that they were supposed to be able to handle standing water at 55 mph in a straight line only. Beyond that, "you're on your own". I don't remember how deep his standing water number was, though.

We haven't gotten much rain since I've been running Azenis and whenever we have been wet I've been on hoosiers.


P.S. I bought my Kumho's used from your competion, Jason Frank and Colin Fiedler. They tested with them and felt more comfortable on the Azenis for nats.
 
yes. I usually work grid with her when I'm not cooking food. The Padberg children are more fun to be around (then again, I'm only 20).
 
Eh, I'm 22, but that shouldn't mean anything. I don't know a lot of other people from Chicago/Milwaulkee other that Julie/Colin/Jason, who I met at Nationals. That black Honda is for sale right now, if the motor wasn't in the shape that it is I would go for it to be competitive at Nationals or Tours/ProSolo.

On a more important note, Julie is a hottie but both a handful and a headache from what I hear :) she was sweet to me when I met her though, but storming off after Nationals in a huff "for no reason" and taking Colin with her ("She's my girlfriend...she just doesn't know it yet").

Hehehe ah, crazy stuff with us car nuts. Glad to see that there are more autocross people concerned with oil quality and such around the board. "Max Wheeler" in his BMW M-Coupe is floating around here as well, runs in ASP and has done very well locally and at the Tour events.

-JamesW
Another 1,300 mile week...thank God for long OCI's!

-JamesW
 
You should have seen that civic when it was half red half primer (and the primer was sparatic too!).

Then they had to steal my idea of Chalboard paint (yes) to paint their car. You should see all the crap that poeple wrote on it. When I get back on a server with a fast connection I'll find a picture that one of my friends took of it. It's absolutely priceless.
 
Ya I tend to cook my toyo's. I am usually pretty held back the first couple of runs (my 2nd run is almost always my best)...and usually on the 3rd or 4th I push it WAY too hard. I must like the smell of rubber or something...

Stupid FWD opendifferential of worthlessness.

That video is the first time I autox'ed a MTX car (my first), I didn't think I did too bad...but **** you can see how much play the stock engine/tranny bushings have when I shift at the center cross gate. Whole suspension comes unsettled.

I've driven on the falkens and can agree with the overheating comments. Two the M6's running them locally usually bring a water sprayer and douse the fronts inbetween runs. Cause when those falkens overheat...its like you just won an unlimited supply of free understeer.

I'm planning on installing these coilovers (first suspension mod w00t!), and taking the Evo stage 2 class come next season. (Took evo stage 1 previous year). One of the 6's in our area is sitting in 3rd place in STS
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I don't know whats going to happen with those **** mini's get their LSD's in 05 though. UNFAIR!!!
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Correction--
My Monday-to-Monday mileage hit at *2,145 miles*....ranging from traffic to freeway, 28 degrees to 75 degrees....it snowed in the local mountains on the way from work to a jobsite, so I got to play around in that.
Just think....I could do Auto-RX treatements and flushes in DAYS, not months! Or, I'd be doing 3K OCI nearly every Saturday...wow that would be terrible, not to mention wasteful.

RedLine 5w-30 was a gift, glad I changed my oil when I did!

Okay, back to your regularly-scheduled Racing posts.

-JamesW
 
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