Autocross Adventure w/ the 1LE

[JusticePete]

Are you restricted in class on modification?

[nilfinite]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Are you restricted in class on modification?

Yeah, exactly. They really limit what you can do to the car in the stock/street class that I'm in. That means only shocks, 1 sway bar can be changed. No other suspension changes. No power mods allowed other than intake filter (can run w/o a filter). Wheels can be 1" diameter smaller or larger. Offset can be 7mm closer or farther. Any tire with a treadwear rating above 200 is fair game.

Here is another thread on the topic: http://www.camaro5.com/forums/showthread.php?t=431921

[PapaKlutch]

Originally Posted by nilfinite

Thanks for the subs guys. I live and work all over the Bay Area but aiming to make as many Crows Landing, CA events as possible. I have family in East Bay so it's not too difficult to make those.

Haven't gotten involved with the NorCal Camaro group yet but I'm a member. Lots of good content on there.

Actually meeting quite a few Camaro5 forum members in person at these AX events.

Saw 3 other gen 5 Camaros last weekend. A Yellow SS with 1LE track pack (on Camaro5), a silver SS with roll cage and another white SS.

Two weeks ago met another guy with a white 1LE that is active on the Facebook group.

Assume you joined up with NorCal here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norcalcamaros/

Nice group of Camaro owners. Lots of 1LE's, too! My Northern Nevada group is heading to Sacramento to join up with NorCal at a car show on July 09. Then, the following weekend, NorCal are visiting Reno on an overnight stay and cruising with us through the Sierras.

Yeah, lots of Bay Area 1LE's here on C5.

[nilfinite]

Originally Posted by SteveZ28

Assume you joined up with NorCal here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/norcalcamaros/

Nice group of Camaro owners. Lots of 1LE's, too! My Northern Nevada group is heading to Sacramento to join up with NorCal at a car show on July 09. Then, the following weekend, NorCal are visiting Reno on an overnight stay and cruising with us through the Sierras.

Yeah, lots of Bay Area 1LE's here on C5.

Yep! That's the one. I'm actually going to a Reno SCCA event on 6/25. I might see a couple of your Reno friends that day.

[nilfinite]

Gotta pay to play. Pre-Ordered the 305/30/19 RE-71R tires via Tire Rack yesterday. Supposed to ship August 2. $354 per tire for those guys interested.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by nilfinite

Gotta pay to play. Pre-Ordered the 305/30/19 RE-71R tires via Tire Rack yesterday. Supposed to ship August 2. $354 per tire for those guys interested.

do they come in a 325/30/19

[nilfinite]

I haven't heard any mention of that size yet. Tire Rack would know for sure. I think if enough people asked for it they would create it.

RE-71R tires are generally much wider than the specs. Like 10mm+. My 205/50/15 tires were pretty much 215 width the last time I bought RE-71R tires for my Abarth. They mounted up fine on 15x8 wheels. Ah, the good ole days of cheap tires & wheels.

[PapaKlutch]

Originally Posted by nilfinite

Yep! That's the one. I'm actually going to a Reno SCCA event on 6/25. I might see a couple of your Reno friends that day.

That weekend is the Camaro Rally in Sturgis, SD. Quite a few club members going. One or two of the NorCal guys are going, too.

Only a handful of the local Camaro club folks do any autocross, or track days at Thunderhill, etc., and all of them are at Sturgis that weekend. I have other plans, so no appearance for me.

Good Luck!

[nilfinite]

Originally Posted by SteveZ28

That weekend is the Camaro Rally in Sturgis, SD. Quite a few club members going. One or two of the NorCal guys are going, too.

Only a handful of the local Camaro club folks do any autocross, or track days at Thunderhill, etc., and all of them are at Sturgis that weekend. I have other plans, so no appearance for me.

Good Luck!

Holy wow. Just looked up the Sturgis Rally. That looks like a lot of fun.

No wonder there aren't very many registrations for the Thunderhill event. Hopefully that means less traffic and less funny business.

[nilfinite]

Going through results to see how much I have to improve.

1st Event: Raining puddles. On Stock Goodyears. First event and it was miserably cold and wet. 8 seconds behind the leader (M3 w/ 18" RE-71R) on a 56 second course.
2nd Event: Good weather. Dry. First time on 20" RS3. 0.9 seconds behind the leader (Mustang w/ 18" RE-71R) on a 47 second course.
3rd Event: Good weather. Second time on 20" RS3. Won by 0.005 (vs another 1LE w/ 20" RS3). 47 second course
4th Event: Good weather. 2 seconds behind leader (M3 w/ 18" RE-71R) on a 56 second course.
5th Event: Good weather. 3 seconds behind leader (M3 w/ 18" RE-71R) on a 50 second course.

Embarrassing results so far. I clearly need to get some 19" wheels w/ RE-71R tires! The combination of shorter wheels + the right tires should save me about 2 seconds. If I catch up to the M3 w/ 18" RE-71R, I'll be able to do well regionally. I'd still have 1 more second to find to be decent nationally. Those final tenths are the hardest to get.

[JusticePete]

The RE-71 should shave near a second

[nilfinite]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

The RE-71 should shave near a second

That's exactly what I've heard and experienced in the past as well. But that's true with the same width, diameter and wheel.

Going from 285/35/20 RS3 to 305/30/19 RE-71R should be much more than a second with better gearing, more rubber, better compound and lighter wheel. I also need to fix my alignment, need a little bit of looseness on corner exit. Thank you (JusticePete) for identifying the toe in vs toe out error I have in my alignment.

Obviously we can't discount the value of driver mod! I'm sure if a national champ drove my car he/she would have won FS last weekend.

[JusticePete]

Originally Posted by nilfinite

That's exactly what I've heard and experienced in the past as well. But that's true with the same width, diameter and wheel.

Going from 285/35/20 RS3 to 305/30/19 RE-71R should be much more than a second with better gearing, more rubber, better compound and lighter wheel. I also need to fix my alignment, need a little bit of looseness on corner exit. Thank you (JusticePete) for identifying the toe in vs toe out error I have in my alignment.

Obviously we can't discount the value of driver mod! I'm sure if a national champ drove my car he would have won FS last weekend.

Are you running Z/28 OE wheels or something else?

[nilfinite]

Originally Posted by JusticePete

Are you running Z/28 OE wheels or something else?

Haven't gotten my wheels yet! Due to the SCCA rules, I can't use the Z/28 OE wheels :( Or else I would buy those in a heartbeat.

I must have the same width as the 1LE stock wheels. Can only go down 1" in wheel diameter and push the offset out by 7mm.

So the optimal specs are:
Front: 19x10 ET16
Rear: 19x11 ET36

I'm not baller enough to buy Forgelines or else I'd get those by now. Still looking for a good solution. Would welcome recommendations. Considering anything flow-formed or forged!