B-Street (BS) Corvette Build
05-19-2014, 10:40 PM
#41
Advanced
Lane,
Just found this thread. Really good of you to do this. I'm running a 2000 FRC in BS this year also. (I was at the Atlanta Match Tour this weekend.)
Admittedly, I'm not the driver you are. After much experimentation, I find my setup is close to yours, though I'm running 275/295 Rivals on stock 18" C6 front and 18" Magnesium rear. Big front bar, full stiff, low tire pressures, Koni singles on 5 or 6 sweeps in front, 2 in rear. A little more toe-out in front, same toe-in rear. Low as it will go in front, rear also very low, then adjusted rear only to corner balance. (The front air dam scrapes under full braking.)
Absolutely love the way it handles now, but it's been a difficult process getting here. Probably too pushy for you, given your description of what you like. The car is 3100 lbs on half a tank of fuel.
Ed Fisher- Huntsville
Just found this thread. Really good of you to do this. I'm running a 2000 FRC in BS this year also. (I was at the Atlanta Match Tour this weekend.)
Admittedly, I'm not the driver you are. After much experimentation, I find my setup is close to yours, though I'm running 275/295 Rivals on stock 18" C6 front and 18" Magnesium rear. Big front bar, full stiff, low tire pressures, Koni singles on 5 or 6 sweeps in front, 2 in rear. A little more toe-out in front, same toe-in rear. Low as it will go in front, rear also very low, then adjusted rear only to corner balance. (The front air dam scrapes under full braking.)
Absolutely love the way it handles now, but it's been a difficult process getting here. Probably too pushy for you, given your description of what you like. The car is 3100 lbs on half a tank of fuel.
Ed Fisher- Huntsville
05-20-2014, 10:05 AM
#43
Heel & Toe
Member Since: Aug 2002
Location: Kissimmee/Orlando FL
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Lane,
Just found this thread. Really good of you to do this. I'm running a 2000 FRC in BS this year also. (I was at the Atlanta Match Tour this weekend.)
Admittedly, I'm not the driver you are. After much experimentation, I find my setup is close to yours, though I'm running 275/295 Rivals on stock 18" C6 front and 18" Magnesium rear. Big front bar, full stiff, low tire pressures, Koni singles on 5 or 6 sweeps in front, 2 in rear. A little more toe-out in front, same toe-in rear. Low as it will go in front, rear also very low, then adjusted rear only to corner balance. (The front air dam scrapes under full braking.)
Absolutely love the way it handles now, but it's been a difficult process getting here. Probably too pushy for you, given your description of what you like. The car is 3100 lbs on half a tank of fuel.
Ed Fisher- Huntsville
Just found this thread. Really good of you to do this. I'm running a 2000 FRC in BS this year also. (I was at the Atlanta Match Tour this weekend.)
Admittedly, I'm not the driver you are. After much experimentation, I find my setup is close to yours, though I'm running 275/295 Rivals on stock 18" C6 front and 18" Magnesium rear. Big front bar, full stiff, low tire pressures, Koni singles on 5 or 6 sweeps in front, 2 in rear. A little more toe-out in front, same toe-in rear. Low as it will go in front, rear also very low, then adjusted rear only to corner balance. (The front air dam scrapes under full braking.)
Absolutely love the way it handles now, but it's been a difficult process getting here. Probably too pushy for you, given your description of what you like. The car is 3100 lbs on half a tank of fuel.
Ed Fisher- Huntsville
Congratulations on your win at Atlanta. I meant to tell you in person (I was driving the grey MX-5 gridded next to you) but I got distracted.
Have you changed anything in your setup or driving technique recently? You've found quite a bit of speed since Dixie!
I think I'm done with the MX-5 (just not enough power for the class) and I'm considering giving my C5Z06 a try in AS. Given the success you and Lane have had with your cars in BS I think it might have a chance. The PAX number is nearly the same (.831 vs .833) and on most courses I think the extra power and 1" of wheel all around could cover the difference.
Jason Stroud
05-20-2014, 01:05 PM
#44
Advanced
Hi Ed,
Congratulations on your win at Atlanta. I meant to tell you in person (I was driving the grey MX-5 gridded next to you) but I got distracted.
Have you changed anything in your setup or driving technique recently? You've found quite a bit of speed since Dixie!
I think I'm done with the MX-5 (just not enough power for the class) and I'm considering giving my C5Z06 a try in AS. Given the success you and Lane have had with your cars in BS I think it might have a chance. The PAX number is nearly the same (.831 vs .833) and on most courses I think the extra power and 1" of wheel all around could cover the difference.
Jason Stroud
Congratulations on your win at Atlanta. I meant to tell you in person (I was driving the grey MX-5 gridded next to you) but I got distracted.
Have you changed anything in your setup or driving technique recently? You've found quite a bit of speed since Dixie!
I think I'm done with the MX-5 (just not enough power for the class) and I'm considering giving my C5Z06 a try in AS. Given the success you and Lane have had with your cars in BS I think it might have a chance. The PAX number is nearly the same (.831 vs .833) and on most courses I think the extra power and 1" of wheel all around could cover the difference.
Jason Stroud
Thanks. I think I have found more speed since Dixie, though also I think the Atlanta course was more power-friendly than Dixie.
I moved the handling more toward tight than loose and this has allowed me, at my limited level, to drive harder. Before, I was constantly worried about big slides. I think I just never got the balance right on the FRC, which has more weight on the front than the coupe or ragtop.
But, really, the big thing was the instruction I got from Sam Strano at the Dixie Evo school. I couldn't put it into use that event, but have been working hard on it since then. Credit where credit is due, Sam took only one run to see a major problem. I think I had developed sufficient car-handling and course reading skills, but was being held back by one major issue that is kinda complicated to explain. That "fixed" (but still a work in progress) things seem to have come together a bit.
If 831 is right for the standard Corvette in BS, I think a C5Z06 can do better in AS at 833. However, I have only limited race experience in C5Z06 and C6Z06 cars.
05-22-2014, 11:27 PM
#45
Drifting
Thread Starter
Spring Nats starts tomorrow. I'll have to do a Mineral Wells and Spring Nats write up together after the event.
Teaser - I tested Hankook v1s versus v2s...
Teaser - I tested Hankook v1s versus v2s...
05-23-2014, 06:03 AM
#46
05-23-2014, 11:16 AM
#47
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Member Since: Feb 2014
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Pro has started. You can follow along with the action here:
http://sololive.scca.com/
and
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/SCCASolo
Go Lane! (And Vivek in SSR)!
-Rick
http://sololive.scca.com/
and
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/SCCASolo
Go Lane! (And Vivek in SSR)!
-Rick
05-29-2014, 08:28 AM
#48
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Member Since: Dec 2013
Posts: 28
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Jason,
Thanks. I think I have found more speed since Dixie, though also I think the Atlanta course was more power-friendly than Dixie.
I moved the handling more toward tight than loose and this has allowed me, at my limited level, to drive harder. Before, I was constantly worried about big slides. I think I just never got the balance right on the FRC, which has more weight on the front than the coupe or ragtop.
But, really, the big thing was the instruction I got from Sam Strano at the Dixie Evo school. I couldn't put it into use that event, but have been working hard on it since then. Credit where credit is due, Sam took only one run to see a major problem. I think I had developed sufficient car-handling and course reading skills, but was being held back by one major issue that is kinda complicated to explain. That "fixed" (but still a work in progress) things seem to have come together a bit.
If 831 is right for the standard Corvette in BS, I think a C5Z06 can do better in AS at 833. However, I have only limited race experience in C5Z06 and C6Z06 cars.
Thanks. I think I have found more speed since Dixie, though also I think the Atlanta course was more power-friendly than Dixie.
I moved the handling more toward tight than loose and this has allowed me, at my limited level, to drive harder. Before, I was constantly worried about big slides. I think I just never got the balance right on the FRC, which has more weight on the front than the coupe or ragtop.
But, really, the big thing was the instruction I got from Sam Strano at the Dixie Evo school. I couldn't put it into use that event, but have been working hard on it since then. Credit where credit is due, Sam took only one run to see a major problem. I think I had developed sufficient car-handling and course reading skills, but was being held back by one major issue that is kinda complicated to explain. That "fixed" (but still a work in progress) things seem to have come together a bit.
If 831 is right for the standard Corvette in BS, I think a C5Z06 can do better in AS at 833. However, I have only limited race experience in C5Z06 and C6Z06 cars.
06-01-2014, 04:35 PM
#49
Drifting
Thread Starter
2014 Mineral Wells ProSolo
The Mineral Wells ProSolo was my first of two ProSolo events for the year. For 2014 B-Street has its own class, which was one of the deciding factors for me in choosing to run that class.
Before the event, I measured my tires against a friend's. He had ordered the tire was should have been bigger, but that the manufacturer said was actually a little smaller. The manufacturer was wrong. I was giving up about 0.75" on the rear tires compared to the larger size, which is even more than I would have expected it to be. Despite this, I was able to get a win (my first ProSolo class win ever) by just a few thousands of a second. The bigger tires, which also had a better tread compound, clearly helped my friend as he was very happy with the way his car felt compared to mine (which he drove at the College Station Tour). See the earlier post for pictures and details on the tire size comparison.
I made it into the challenge, but I didn't do very well and I had a red light in the second round, knocking myself out.
Overall, it was a decent weekend. I learned a couple things about tuning the car, which will help later in the season. Specifically, I tried running wheels spacers in the rear (I normally run them in the front only). This change definitely tightened the car up, which is what I wanted on the low grip surface at Mineral Wells. However, despite the better feel, I could not get close to matching my times without the spacers. The only reason I ran faster in the second heat is because I didn't hit a cone. There was still 0.7s out there that I think would have been obtainable with a looser car.
Before the event, I measured my tires against a friend's. He had ordered the tire was should have been bigger, but that the manufacturer said was actually a little smaller. The manufacturer was wrong. I was giving up about 0.75" on the rear tires compared to the larger size, which is even more than I would have expected it to be. Despite this, I was able to get a win (my first ProSolo class win ever) by just a few thousands of a second. The bigger tires, which also had a better tread compound, clearly helped my friend as he was very happy with the way his car felt compared to mine (which he drove at the College Station Tour). See the earlier post for pictures and details on the tire size comparison.
I made it into the challenge, but I didn't do very well and I had a red light in the second round, knocking myself out.
Overall, it was a decent weekend. I learned a couple things about tuning the car, which will help later in the season. Specifically, I tried running wheels spacers in the rear (I normally run them in the front only). This change definitely tightened the car up, which is what I wanted on the low grip surface at Mineral Wells. However, despite the better feel, I could not get close to matching my times without the spacers. The only reason I ran faster in the second heat is because I didn't hit a cone. There was still 0.7s out there that I think would have been obtainable with a looser car.
06-01-2014, 04:44 PM
#50
Drifting
Thread Starter
2014 Spring Nats Testing
At Spring Nats, I ran a quick comparison on the Evo TNT course to compare the car on the V1 Hankooks and the V2 Hankooks. While I didn't get enough runs to get a solid data set, what I did get was 38.0s on the V1s and 37.7s on the V2s. Both of these runs were backed up once, but I was hoping for three to ensure the tires got up to temperature enough.
I ran the V1s during the two dry heats at the Pro and the V2s in the third (wet) heat and the Challenge. The Challenge had pretty hot weather and I never sprayed the tires. They were at a good temperature in the fifth and final round where I finished third and broke out by 0.5s. I would say in the dry there is a measurable improvement in lap time, but you aren't out to dry if you run the V1s in place of the V2s.
Full disclosure, pressure were the same, but the rear tires of the V1 set were 275/35R18 and the rear tires of the V2 set were 285/35R18. The balance didn't change as much as I thought, so I don't think the tire size difference played a major role in the test, but I want to make sure that info is out there.
In the Tour on Day 1, it was wet (at least for second drivers) so I ended up doing an informal V1 wet vs V2 dry comparison. Conditions were similar between the first and second runs for me. While the V1s were more worn than the V2s which probably helped to a certain extent with hydroplaning, the grip was much better on the V2s than the V1s and I picked up 2.1 seconds switching from the V1s to the V2s.
Conditions improved for third runs which accounts for the pace improvement from the second run if you look at the results.
Also at the TNT course, I confirmed my pressure test from College Station. The tires are much more crisp and responsive at 34/32 than at 32/30. Subjectively I like the high pressures much better. That said, at the lower pressures, I ran 0.5s faster on a 37 second course. I'll take the pace improvement over subjective feel any day.
I ran the V1s during the two dry heats at the Pro and the V2s in the third (wet) heat and the Challenge. The Challenge had pretty hot weather and I never sprayed the tires. They were at a good temperature in the fifth and final round where I finished third and broke out by 0.5s. I would say in the dry there is a measurable improvement in lap time, but you aren't out to dry if you run the V1s in place of the V2s.
Full disclosure, pressure were the same, but the rear tires of the V1 set were 275/35R18 and the rear tires of the V2 set were 285/35R18. The balance didn't change as much as I thought, so I don't think the tire size difference played a major role in the test, but I want to make sure that info is out there.
In the Tour on Day 1, it was wet (at least for second drivers) so I ended up doing an informal V1 wet vs V2 dry comparison. Conditions were similar between the first and second runs for me. While the V1s were more worn than the V2s which probably helped to a certain extent with hydroplaning, the grip was much better on the V2s than the V1s and I picked up 2.1 seconds switching from the V1s to the V2s.
Conditions improved for third runs which accounts for the pace improvement from the second run if you look at the results.
Also at the TNT course, I confirmed my pressure test from College Station. The tires are much more crisp and responsive at 34/32 than at 32/30. Subjectively I like the high pressures much better. That said, at the lower pressures, I ran 0.5s faster on a 37 second course. I'll take the pace improvement over subjective feel any day.
06-01-2014, 04:49 PM
#51
Drifting
Thread Starter
2014 Spring Nationals - Pro and Tour
Last weekend I was in Lincoln, NE for Spring Nationals, which is double event weekend including a ProSolo (Friday/Saturday) and a Tour (Sunday/Monday). It wasn't until the Sunday prior to the event that the class numbers in BS were high enough to matter. Thankfully a class (five or more drivers) was made in both the Pro and the Tour at the last minute. Drive over 800 miles each way to race by yourself is never fun.
Lincoln ProSolo
The Pro went very well and I was able to secure a solid lead on the first day. This was good because the second day started wet from the overnight rain so no one improved their times. This resulted in my second ProSolo win ever and as a bonus, my lead was big enough that I was the third qualifier for the Super Challenge.
By the time the Super Challenge happened, the courses were dry and things were looking fairly good. Because of the morning rain, tire changes were permitted, so I changed to the new compound of dry tire I bought just before the event. I had no idea if the tires were any faster than the old version, but it is probably a safe assumption that they aren't worse. Knowing this, my chances in the Super Challenge were very high since it should be easier to run the same time I did the day before using better tires.
Unfortunately my borrowed GoPro was acting up so I don't have any video from the Challenge, but I made it all the way to the semi-finals before red lighting. This put me into the third-forth bracket, which I won while running a much faster time than I needed. Basically, this means if I had adjusted to the stickier (because they were warmer) tires and non red lit, I probably would have won a Super Challenge. Either way, third place is still my best overall Challenge finish ever.
For the overall ProSolo Super Challenge Championship, I am currently sixth overall, the highest I have ever been in it. Unless I go to an additional (and unscheduled) ProSolo before the Finale, it's pretty unlikely I would win the overall championship, but being this high is definitely a huge bonus.
Lincoln Tour
Spring in Lincoln usually means wet weather in the mornings and afternoon thunderstorms or rain and that is exactly what happened this time. On the first day, by the time we made it to my heat, rain was definitely coming. The first drivers got in a dry run of the course, but before I ever got a run, it POURED which slowed the lap times down a lot, in addition to just generally making things miserable. The course was one of the best courses I have ever seen and would have been AWESOME for my car if it was dry. Sadly I didn't get that. Another one of the miserable parts of racing in the rain is that if your camera isn't waterproof, you don't get video. Since my second borrowed camera was not waterproof and my first borrowed camera was not working, I don't have video from the first day. It started to dry more by my last run and I was able to get about a second out of first place.
Day 2 ran on schedule and the chances of rain dropped off into the afternoon. I got all dry runs and I was able to put myself almost three seconds in the lead on combined times. Since the Tours don't involve points, it's just a one off event with some contingency prizes.
Overall, I think the car is well prepared for Nationals.
Lincoln ProSolo
The Pro went very well and I was able to secure a solid lead on the first day. This was good because the second day started wet from the overnight rain so no one improved their times. This resulted in my second ProSolo win ever and as a bonus, my lead was big enough that I was the third qualifier for the Super Challenge.
By the time the Super Challenge happened, the courses were dry and things were looking fairly good. Because of the morning rain, tire changes were permitted, so I changed to the new compound of dry tire I bought just before the event. I had no idea if the tires were any faster than the old version, but it is probably a safe assumption that they aren't worse. Knowing this, my chances in the Super Challenge were very high since it should be easier to run the same time I did the day before using better tires.
Unfortunately my borrowed GoPro was acting up so I don't have any video from the Challenge, but I made it all the way to the semi-finals before red lighting. This put me into the third-forth bracket, which I won while running a much faster time than I needed. Basically, this means if I had adjusted to the stickier (because they were warmer) tires and non red lit, I probably would have won a Super Challenge. Either way, third place is still my best overall Challenge finish ever.
For the overall ProSolo Super Challenge Championship, I am currently sixth overall, the highest I have ever been in it. Unless I go to an additional (and unscheduled) ProSolo before the Finale, it's pretty unlikely I would win the overall championship, but being this high is definitely a huge bonus.
Lincoln Tour
Spring in Lincoln usually means wet weather in the mornings and afternoon thunderstorms or rain and that is exactly what happened this time. On the first day, by the time we made it to my heat, rain was definitely coming. The first drivers got in a dry run of the course, but before I ever got a run, it POURED which slowed the lap times down a lot, in addition to just generally making things miserable. The course was one of the best courses I have ever seen and would have been AWESOME for my car if it was dry. Sadly I didn't get that. Another one of the miserable parts of racing in the rain is that if your camera isn't waterproof, you don't get video. Since my second borrowed camera was not waterproof and my first borrowed camera was not working, I don't have video from the first day. It started to dry more by my last run and I was able to get about a second out of first place.
Day 2 ran on schedule and the chances of rain dropped off into the afternoon. I got all dry runs and I was able to put myself almost three seconds in the lead on combined times. Since the Tours don't involve points, it's just a one off event with some contingency prizes.
Overall, I think the car is well prepared for Nationals.
06-02-2014, 01:12 PM
#52
Full disclosure, pressure were the same, but the rear tires of the V1 set were 275/35R18 and the rear tires of the V2 set were 285/35R18. The balance didn't change as much as I thought, so I don't think the tire size difference played a major role in the test, but I want to make sure that info is out there.
06-02-2014, 01:57 PM
#53
Drifting
Thread Starter
There was a pace improvement, maybe compound, maybe tire size, probably a little of both. I just went by the Tire and Rim Guide range. The 285 is acceptable on a 9.5" rim in that. In Stock, people used 315 Hoosiers on that rim. I think that is the kind of over tiring he's talking about.
06-04-2014, 06:07 PM
#54
Drifting
Thread Starter
I forgot to mention, I ran the car across the official SCCA scales after my last run of the Tour. 3083 lbs with about 3/16 a tank (indicated), no roof, and Hankook V2s on OE thin spokes rears (front narrowed 1" with the added weld beads making the weight very similar to the standard rears).
06-05-2014, 11:00 PM
#56
Instructor
Also at the TNT course, I confirmed my pressure test from College Station. The tires are much more crisp and responsive at 34/32 than at 32/30. Subjectively I like the high pressures much better. That said, at the lower pressures, I ran 0.5s faster on a 37 second course. I'll take the pace improvement over subjective feel any day.
Thanks,
Steve
06-06-2014, 08:44 AM
#58
Drifting
Thread Starter
06-21-2014, 02:48 PM
#59
Drifting
Thread Starter
2014 Rocky Mountain Match Tour
Still on the V1s and they feel great even though they are probably over 100 runs. First in class, second seed in Heat 1 for the shootout tomorrow. The engine is definitely having some altitude sickness...
06-21-2014, 08:26 PM
#60
Nice. Fastest street and ST time for the day I think. I hope the V2's are as durable. I've got a couple of events on mine now. The V1's I had in 2012 hadn't slowed down any that I could tell after about 110 runs and 2 or 3 thousand street miles.