2010 Carlisle Autocross

Ataru · Post by **Ataru** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:41 pm

Ed Lijewski wrote:The way he drove around that track I thought he and Grayson went to the same Auto-X school; he is Grayson-smoooooooth!

Is his car stock or modified (what mods)?

YMMV

Here are my mods...at least the performance ones:

Engine:
VF Engineering Rear Engine Mount
"Big Three" Wiring Kit - Gotta throw this one in since Ray made it for me.

Suspension:
H&R Race Springs
Koni Yellow Adjustable Struts
Tein Super Street Adjustable Shocks
P-51 Rear Shock Shims
Auto-X-ZTS Adjustable 24mm Rear Sway Bar
Steeda Front Strut Tower Bar
Motegi TrakLite Wheels (16x7 - 45mm) with 215/45/ZR16 Kumho XS Tires (autocross)
Centric Rotors with Hawk HPS Brake Pads

Interior:
Corbeau 4-Point Double Release Harness (autocross)
Steeda Tri-Ax/F Short Throw Shifter

Ataru · Post by **Ataru** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:43 pm

demonfire wrote:haha, nice Jason!
Welcome to merkurclub. Does this mean you'll be getting a merkur soon?

They're fun. They're addictive.

I stayed until 3pm when they were giving away the 86 XR, and I kept HOPING I would win it. I already decided that Sonic would remain my DD and the XR would be my toy.

Sadly, I did not win. BUT I did hear an XR owner did win it, so it went into the hands of someone who will appreciate the car.

For some reason I think if a Mustang owner won it, they might be confused on what to do with it. lol

Post by **Ed Lijewski** » Tue Jun 08, 2010 5:44 pm

Ray: the Force could be moving people the other way (pulling us towards Focuses) given the track times Jason posted.

YMMV

Post by **Grayson** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 10:13 am

These results are making me cry. I beat Rob Senft by 3.5 seconds last year, so if my blue car was available this year, I probably would have been in the 46's while everyone else was above 50 seconds.

I'm designing the strut housings I need to build right now. There's always next year I guess.

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 11:36 am

Grayson wrote:I probably would have been in the 46's while everyone else was above 50 seconds.

Apparently I was trying to cover that feat for you - I'm sure I took that right hander that sends you parallel with the PA Tpke at about the same speed as you - all I needed was more traction and skilz to succussfully complete it however.

Post by **86XR4Ti5SPD** » Wed Jun 09, 2010 4:22 pm

demonfire wrote:...It's an SVT tho, so it's not a "normal" focus.

That answered the question I was going to ask. HUGE difference between your run-of-the-mill foci and the SVT. I know it's a chargeable offense to say it, but after 1618 miles in the Merk, it felt good to get home and back in the SVTF again.

Post by **Grayson** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:41 am

Apparently I was trying to cover that feat for you - I'm sure I took that right hander that sends you parallel with the PA Tpke at about the same speed as you - all I needed was more traction and skilz to succussfully complete it however.

Despite the spin, I have to say that I'm impressed with your runs. Andrew beat you with his XR, but only after taking a second set of three runs. Going by the first three runs alone, you took the Merkur crown this year.

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 12:03 pm

Grayson wrote:Despite the spin, I have to say that I'm impressed with your runs. Andrew beat you with his XR, but only after taking a second set of three runs. Going by the first three runs alone, you took the Merkur crown this year.

Thanks Chris, but there was definitely some more speed left in the car. I ratcheted back my aggressiveness after the first loop-de-loop. I had it set up relatively loose, so it was rotating well, I just needed more seat time to learn how to control it better.

MerkXR4 · Post by **MerkXR4** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:57 pm

Here's some in-car video of my three runs from Heat 2. Enjoy

Heat 2 - Run 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARESP6Qfb28
Heat 2 - Run 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pjJ0D2DiYU
Heat 2 - Run 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH8wzDwZ0Ho

Andrew West
1988 Merkur XR4Ti T5 Rosso Red

Ataru · Post by **Ataru** » Fri Jun 11, 2010 9:12 pm

MerkXR4 wrote:Here's some in-car video of my three runs from Heat 2. Enjoy

Heat 2 - Run 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARESP6Qfb28
Heat 2 - Run 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6pjJ0D2DiYU
Heat 2 - Run 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH8wzDwZ0Ho

Andrew West
1988 Merkur XR4Ti T5 Rosso Red

In your second video I see the same cone that got me got you as well. I pushed too hard in my second run and smacked that cone both times around. The worst part was that I forgot to hit record on my camera on the first and third runs. That's right, the only run I recorded was my worst with two cones hit. lol

http://www.youtube.com/user/AtaruSVTF#p ... 7DaAJYXng0

I really wish they allowed passengers at the event. I had a friend there who has never ridden with me at an autocross. Plus I would have loved to ride in one of your XRs.

Next year I plan on returning and I have an invite to drive Miss Daisy. I'm sure that will wake me up

MerkXR4 · Post by **MerkXR4** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:35 pm

yea, the entrance to that bus stop is interesting, i think your reaction to hitting the cone was a little more vocal than mine was haha

your car looks really smooth, probably a much stiffer suspension than my practically stock setup - maybe someday i'll be able to afford something stiffer

Post by **DPDISXR4Ti** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:08 pm

MerkXR4 wrote:your car looks really smooth, probably a much stiffer suspension than my practically stock setup - maybe someday i'll be able to afford something stiffer

Just some stiffer springs would make a pretty significant difference. Tempo springs in front, Scorpio or Saab 900 springs in rear - $20 at the U-Pull.

Ataru · Post by **Ataru** » Sun Jun 13, 2010 10:30 pm

MerkXR4 wrote:yea, the entrance to that bus stop is interesting, i think your reaction to hitting the cone was a little more vocal than mine was haha

your car looks really smooth, probably a much stiffer suspension than my practically stock setup - maybe someday i'll be able to afford something stiffer

Stock spring rates for the car are 129F/157R. Those Race springs are 325F/375R, so they are a little more than twice as stiff. Still not as crazy stiff as some of the Hondas run at over 1000 lb/in.

I buy all my parts used because there's no way I could afford to buy new springs and struts for my car. Got those springs and Koni adjustable dampers for $300 a few years ago. New would have put me at about $1K. No way I could have afforded that.

ex_are_four_tea_eye · Post by **ex_are_four_tea_eye** » Mon Jun 14, 2010 5:12 pm

Wish I could have at least watched it this year. Woke up too late.

I battled issues with the car all weekend, so auto-x was out of the question.
Coolant issues, boost controller issues (shot past 25psi on Friday...WEEEEEEEEEE), bypass valve issues... Nothing like trouble shooting 400+ miles from home.
That's what I get for not driving the car enough before Carlisle.

Maybe next year...

I plan on trying some local auto-x before the summer is over. They run them at the Toledo express airport, IIRC. Only 1/2 hr. from home.