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 Posted September 28th, 2009 at 2:27PM
I snagged another 2nd in class at MoHud’s second to last event of the year, at McCarty Ave on September 20th. FTD was a 27.2, my best clean run was a 28.555 although I improved to an honest 28.1 by the end of the day, with 1 clipped cone in the process. If that bugger had stayed in the box, I’d have tied for 4th in raw time, out of a field of 57.
I’ve noticed some wear on one of the V710s. It looks like little patches of the top rubber compound have been chewed out, exposing the next layer down with a suspicious cord-pattern to it. Guess I’ll run that guy on the rear next time around, and wait till I’ve got nothing for the front. If I burn them up good at the last autocross, maybe I’ll mount the new Kumho XS on those wheels afterall.
Did a bunch of driving yesterday, up scenic Route 9N. Traffic is still not bad, but the leaves are really popping. It was pretty wet all day and the bald Azenis weren’t the best option.
Stainless steel brake lines are on the car and the fluid has been fully bled to Motul RBF600. Unfortunate that I’ve only got one event for such good fluid, before the winter months when the car will be stored.
Posted September 3rd, 2009 at 11:55AM
This past Sunday was MoHud’s 6th autocross of the season, nearby in the Wilton Mall parking lot. The location is not stellar – quite a bit of traffic and paddock is shared with mall-goers – but it was smooth pavement and the course made the most of what we had. I placed 2nd in SM, 1.4 seconds behind first and .034 seconds ahead of third. If I want to keep up, I’m going to have to make some changes to the car. But most of the stuff I’m really itching to have (like safety equipment and data acquisition) won’t make the car faster. So I’ll just concentrate on the driving and drop a few positions. Especially if I do end up running street tires after the V710s cord.
We also just got done pouring the concrete floor in the garage. It came out pretty damn nice and will be so much more convenient to wrench on than packed dirt. Might post some pics soon.
Posted June 24th, 2009 at 10:54AM
So my MINI survived its first National Tour and second event at Watkins Glen International. Hurray!
On June 13-14, Finger Lakes Region hosted a National Tour at Seneca Army Depot. I was the sole entrant in SMF, the supplemental front wheel drive street mod class. So I won. I wasn’t very fast though. On Saturday there was a light drizzle for all of our runs. I think my Kumhos are starting to feel their age, as I couldn’t get any heat into the tires and the car was super loose all day. I spun during my last run, and the problem with National Tours is that you only get three runs per day, with your best run from each day added up to give you your cumulative time. So I was sloppy all day Saturday and way behind the pace.
Sunday was drier and warmer, so I was on pace with G-Stock (where my car would play if it was stock). I know I’m not a nationally competitive driver, so I’m not heartbroken that my modified car wasn’t any faster. It’s great to get the yardstick out and compare yourself to the national guys, though. Number one in GS, Savini, was still a second and a half faster than me on Sunday. Pretty quick guy. I nearly spun on my last run, recovered it, but the damage to my time was already done. It was feeling fast. I’m fairly confident that I could have driven faster than GS on Sunday, Savini included, given my 50+ HP advantage and suspension set-up. With more runs. *shrug*
June 15-16 was when the real fun began: two days at Watkins Glen International with Patroon BMWCCA. After getting on the track, I could care less about how fast I can drive around pylons in parking lots. I picked up a lot of speed my second time at Watkins Glen, and word is I’ll be running in the intermediate group my next time with Patroon (not sure if this counts if I go somewhere like Calabogie, or with another track group, but still). There were half a dozen other MINIs running, and I parked and hung out with them. Having my parents with the truck made lunch easy both days.
There was a MINI off-track excursion, right in front of me requiring some emergency braking in the toe of the boot (turn 7), but it wasn’t bad and I’m glad it happened early Monday since I wasn’t pushing the car hard. Emergency maneuvering in the toe closer to the limit could have been interesting!
I am now seeing 120MPH on the back straight, and 100 on the front. I shift into 5th gear in the flat transition area between turns 3 and 4 heading towards the back straight. And I short-shift into 5th on the front; otherwise, I’m right at the rev limiter by the end of the straight, and I feel sorry for my car. The only place I downshift into third is before the toe, turn 7, otherwise I leave it in 4th the rest of the time and the car never feels dogged.
Traffic was not a big issue with the Patroon school, especially on Tuesday after I discovered the secret of running in the beginner run group – to get out first.  During my last two sessions on Tuesday, I might have given two or three point-bys, and received a few more than that in return. At one point I had the chance to run down a Viper — always satisfying in a MINI! The driver was parked next to us, and a very friendly guy.
While the driving is very different, I credit my autocross experience to my quick learning on-track. The basic fundamentals of car control are the same, and I’m familiar with my car’s handling and how to make small, incremental adjustments. The physics are the same. I’m also quick to listen to my instructor, and aware of mistakes as I make them. By the end of the day on Tuesday, our classroom sessions were missing more than half of the students. Their loss. I assume these are the people less interested in gaining speed, and more interested in just being able to say they’ve been there.
The cars weren’t quite as exotic as at the Trackmasters event. I knew plenty of the guys though as they’re all the same MoHudders I’ve been autocrossing with. I wish I could get to the Calabogie event next month, but with no money it’s just not in the cards.
I’m feeling more inclined to fully track-out the MINI with roll cage, seats, and harnesses — instead of buying a cheaper car (think e30 BMW) that I wouldn’t feel gutted tossing into a tire wall at 100+. After all, the car I already own is cheaper than the one I’d have to buy, and I’ve invested enough so that I know the car and all of its handling / mechanical issues and idiosyncrasies. For now, it’s all the speed I need.
Posted May 5th, 2009 at 12:57PM
(Photo courtesy of ‘Dannyboy’, full 500 image photoset available here)
April 25th was my first chance to autocross this season, at our old site at Adirondack Community College. We were unable to run there last season because of construction. But most of the lot was repaved, so conditions were better than ever except for a few rough spots.
Saturday the 25th was a test & tune, where I got the chance to see if my Kumho V710s still had life left. Turns out they do…
Sunday the 26th was MoHud’s first points event. Final results for Street Mod following (best times in bold, yours truly italicized):
- 50.561+1 — 49.626+1 — 49.819+1 — 49.576 — 52.753+1
- 51.776+DNF — 53.557 — 52.304 — 51.544 — 51.856
- 53.557+1 — 54.052+DNF — 54.558 — 53.228 — 53.123
- 56.806+1 — 55.736+2 — 55.157+1 — 54.574 — 54.613+1
- 61.098 — 60.068 — 59.121+DNF — 56.165+DNF — 57.106+1
- 65.341+DNF — 59.838 — 59.256 — 60.432 — 60.654
- 83.224+DNF — 63.529 — 62.749+DNF
So I took a class win, off to a good start for the season. But the bigger accomplishment for me was taking FTD (fastest time of the day), by 6/10ths of a second. That’s a decent margin of victory, but of course I can’t take all the credit. Among my usual competition for top time of the day…
- The Evo was having teething issues with it’s new set-up, forcing him back onto street tires
- The STi did not make an appearance
- The green mod mk1 GTI wasn’t there; the driver had his (also prepped) ‘94 Integra (EP class, ended up with the 2nd fastest time of 50.187)
And numerous others (like the CSP CRX Si) were simply off of their top game. And I was on mine. So it was a fun two days with good courses, and I ran well. What more can you ask for? (Stay tuned for the answer to that rhetorical question.)
Posted August 27th, 2008 at 9:58AM
(image courtesy of Jane Quinn, full photoset available here)
So I went to the NE Divisionals earlier this month (Aug. 9th-10th). This was a two-day autocross at Seneca Army Depot in Romulus, NY. I camped with my parents, and it almost felt like a homecoming being back in the finger lakes region (Romulus is in between Seneca and Cayuga Lakes). The event was hosted by Mohawk-Hudson and also a points event for our regional championships.
The location (an abandoned airstrip) is the best pavement available and allows for long and fast courses, quite a deviation from what I’m used to at smaller local events. The combination of an interesting course, fast competition, and clear weather made for a great event. (It rained both nights, but somehow cleared up during the days for our runs!)
I placed 4th in SM, behind the three nationally competitive drivers, and ahead of “everyone else.” I was curious if my Evo competition would be quicker on the faster wide open course, but I kept ahead of him (barely), mostly because of his worn shoddy tires which have since been replaced.
The best runs of each day were added up to form a total:
1st in SM — 113.254 seconds
2nd — 113.705
3rd — 120.138
4th — 120.782 (moi)
5th — 121.258
6th — 121.719
7th — 123.521
8th — 129.925
I was pretty damn close to third (which would have been a trophy), but not because I was a comparable driver. Third was the wife(?) co-driver of the guy who placed 2nd. Their car began running on limp mode during the second day. She was able to borrow the other SM Honda Civic (who’s driver placed 1st). So her times were slower in the (slightly) unfamiliar car.
It was a fun event and a good introduction to larger, national level events. There are a ton of pics here, even a few of my dirty car. I should mention also in attendance were about half a dozen other MINIs, running in stock and street tire classes. Everyone was friendly, fast, and.. uhm. Furious?
Few events in September, I might be able to catch something in October, and then it’s the cold, dreary winter off-season. I need to find an ice racer!
Posted July 24th, 2008 at 9:17AM
I know everyone has been on the edges of their seats, sitting with bated breath, waiting to hear of my latest autocross escapades. The reason for the long delay is because we still do not have results from the June 15th autocross at Columbia-Green Community College. I believe I placed 1st in SM, but wanted to verify that, as well as see how my times compared to the rest of the field. I believe I was up there, placing 3rd-5th in raw times out of a field of about 70-80. But now it’s anyone’s guess as to whether we’ll ever get results from the event. Sucks for me.
This past weekend (July 20th) was the 3rd points event with MoHud, back at McCarty lot in Albany. The usual suspects were there, and SM was filled with 9 competitive entrants. My 7 runs were as follows…
- 25.746
- 25.330
- 24.471+1
- 24.502+4
- 24.587+1
- 24.449
- 24.364+5
Two things are readily apparent. I was pretty cone crazy, but also consistent, improving throughout the day. I took out cones at the finish box on my 4th and 7th runs. For comparison, the fastest raw time was a 23.837, and best time in SM was a 24.174. Second was a 24.290, and I captured third place. Although I was solidly beat by the end of the day, I was winning SM at the end of the morning session (first four runs, excluding conage). My main competition at this point is the same pesky blue Evo as ever, and now (once again) an 05-06 STi. Last season, I was consistently running a few tenths behind the STi’s main driver, and a few tenths ahead of the co-driver. At that time we were both on street tires, and the Scoob was a good benchmark. I expected to be ahead of him this season as he’s still on streets (another set of Falken Azenis). But apparently he’s fitted gobs more rubber underneath the car and is a lot quicker. I need to talk to him and see what else is different, because the car hauls now. Both Evo and STi are more seasoned drivers. Well, and they both probably have close to double the horsies.
So? The MINI fawking rocks, at least on a regional level. I’m getting closer and closer to getting it completely dialed in, if there is such a thing. Chances are I’ll add a few more “powuh” mods and continue to fine tune the suspension over the coming months.
August 9th and 10th is the North East Divisionals at Seneca Army Depot, which I’ll be attending. Should be a good event.
Posted May 28th, 2008 at 3:20PM
I had my brakes replaced under warranty at about this time last year, after getting the car inspected and told the brakes were barely legal. Apparently Keeler only replaced the front pads, as about two months ago my idiot brake light came on. Determined to do the job myself and avoid expensive OE mark-up, I looked into various options you might call a “stage one” brake upgrade. Pads, rotors, and fluid. Originally I wanted to include stainless steel brake lines and metal caliper bushings, but with a tight budget and both of these upgrades being more about feel and less about actual performance, I skipped them for the time being.
After a bit of searching, I finally went with Carbotech Bobcat 1521 pads and the Texas Speedwerks rotors (along with Motul RBF600). This combination promised better initial and overall bite than stock with less fade, and was available from a prominent MINI vendor, AutoXCooper.com.
(Unlike many,) I had always been fairly content with the stock brakes. I thought they were adequate for autocross, although I had experienced fade on the streets during more “spirited” runs. But after running this new brake combo for several weeks, I have to say that it’s a significant improvement. The difference is especially appreciable during autocross, where I’m able to brake harder and later, shaving off valuable tenths / hundredths of a second.
May 11th was Mother’s Day and the first home points event with MoHud. The event was held at the McCarty Parking Lot in Albany, an odd little lot sandwiched between highways. There were 48 entries and the recent upgrades to the MINI (aforementioned brake upgrade, coilovers, tune, Schroth Quickfit harness) have made my little car extremely more competitive. I had the 5th fastest raw time and placed 3rd out of 11 entries in SM. I was beaten by the same car with two drivers (with the co-driver beating the owner). I was .119 seconds off of second place and .182 off of first. This was a car that I was consistently a second and a half (or more) slower last season. Granted he’s running old tires, but I feel as if this season will be much more interesting than last year where I placed 4th-5th on a good day. I was running sloppy and could have made up the difference given a few more runs.
The next event is June 15th, Father’s Day, which will be at Columbia-Green Community College. We’ll be running the event in conjunction with the Poughkeepsie Sports Car Club. I’m looking forward to this one because it sounds like the lot is in good shape and I might have convinced a few more MINIs to show, including another in SM who provides a good benchmark (this will be the first time we’re both running dedicated autox r-comps, Kumho V710 vs Hoosier A6).
And then I need to decide whether to make the trek to Divisionals at Seneca Army Depot, a two day event in August. Because of our shortened season it’s being considered a points event for MoHud (we’re hosting). I assume the year end awards will be decided by who will and won’t be able to make it. It’s a four hour drive and you’re there all weekend. I’m not sure whether I should bother chasing points this year (never have before), but the June event will help me figure that out. If things are still looking rosy, I’ll be at Divisionals.
This has been a really dense post so I’ll leave it at that, but I still haven’t said more than two words about my new Schroth Quickfit harness, a really significant upgrade for the loose nut behind the steering wheel (literally).
And I’m not sure if I’ll be sinking more money into the car any time soon, but if I did, it’d be for a Revolution Mini Works header and cam, plus tune should Jan be in the area. The cam is being shown to be good for 10 more horsepower and pounds-torque on a stock head car, with the header probably producing the same (or more, if I replaced my leaky, rattle-prone cat-back) and the tune making the sky the limit. I’m not sure if I’ve seen a MINI with “everything but the head” as new RMW products are introduced daily and it’s possible you could be seeing 220-230+whp cars with the stock head running around spanking cars with 2x, 3x the displacement. Which is amazing since fully built MINIs were barely breaking 200whp a few years ago, unless you went twincharged or turbo-only.
On the other hand, whenever I sneak a peak at the R56 forums (2007 model year and newer MINIs), I see huge, fat torque curves and whimper. Turbo is still the way to go for producing way too much power than your front wheels will ever be able to handle. I don’t see it happening however, with loans and $4/gal gas over my head.
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