|
Welcome to NJ Drive.com! *WARNING!
Some of the information you read here
may appear biased in content, but with good reason...
because it's the truth.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
|
2004:
•
Mazda
Rev-It-Up Club Class Champion,
Wild
Card Winner
•
1st Annual Evo
vs. WRX Bracket Class Champion,
Englishtown,
NJ
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
2006:
•
Chevy
Rev-It-Up Club Class Champion, New York
•
W&L East Coast Subaru Shootout
1st
Place, STI stock turbo class
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•
1st Place, STU, NNJR
SCCA AutoX*
(*excludes
Pro Class)
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
|
|
April
15th, 2008
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Not
much to report.
I
got an alignment, running legal max camber in front, and the
front
wheels are pointed straight now
so that's good!
Last
weekend's event was cancelled due to
the expectation
of
inclement weather. I'm now anxious as ever to
get some
runs
on the new race rubber!! Next events are
April
25th at Giant's Stadium with Motorsports
NE,
and
April 26th with NNJR SCCA.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
April 2nd, 2008 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Four
autocrosses into the season, and the Fitrari has already
made
some waves. With only Falken RT615s and a very crappy
factory
alignment, it has proven that it has what it takes to be a
potential
nuisance in SCCA's H Stock class. The first official
NNJR
SCCA autocross is this Saturday and I'm eager to run!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I've
been focused on cutting costs this year with racing,
obviously,
so I purchased only two Kumho V710 in 205/50/15 and
some
$59 wheels from the Tire Rack to run in front only.
Combined
with Honda factory camber bolts in front, this should
help
tremendously with traction under throttle and grip while turning.
Theoretically,
I think there is enough grip in the rear, for now,
with
the Falkens and the 1.5° of factory negative camber.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
February
24th, 2008
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
For
those interested in autocrossing in the NJ/NY area, please visit
Autox4u.com
and MotorsportsNE.com for information
and scheduling
on
upcoming events at Raceway Park and Giant's Stadium.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
January
26th, 2008
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
 Need
I say more?
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
December
16th, 2007
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Added
NJRace.com today, but for now it will remain just a pointer domain.
It
may become a forum in the near future that will cater to racing
enthusiasts
who take part in autocross, drag racing,
road
course, drifting, etc., right here in New Jersey.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
December
1st, 2007
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I
picked up my new daily driver 2008 Honda Fit, dubbed the 'Fitrari',
three
weeks ago. I have to admit that while being a touch slower
than what I'm used to driving, ha, it is really a fun and nimble little
car.
I
will be committed to running H Stock with it, fully prepped, in '08.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
November
13th, 2007
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
H
Stock... here I come!
HaHa!!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
October
30th, 2007
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Haven't
been here in a while!
Amazing
what can happen in under two months.
The
Evo has been sold to a nice fellow from Louisiana
who also intends on using it how it should be used.
The
car of course was impeccable- I hope he appreciates it!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
September
7th, 2007
Three
autocrosses in less than a week... no complaints here!
Fun,
fun, fun.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
They
say the internet is a way to gain valuable information.
Here's
an excellent tutorial on how to go really fast in NASCAR...
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
August
26th, 2007
It
was a good day yesterday at the 4th annual Evo vs. WRX
Shootout
at Raceway Park. There were close to 60 participants
in
the autocross and both parties had a strong showing.
There
wasn't much anyone could do when Mark Daddio,
John
Winchester, and Kevin Lau show up with their
Street
Modified and Street Prepared Evos,
but
at least they provided everyone with
some
close competition and blazing fast times.
I
don't know where I finished, but I do know the car did not
handle
the way I wanted it to. After some testing yesterday
it
is apparent that the car does like a larger pressure differential
front-to-rear.
The front suspension has also been bottoming out
in
tight corners, and today I successfully fixed that problem.
Let
me just admit that I did NOT expect better handling from
a
lowering spring- they are a temporary solution to the stock
4x4
stance of the Evo. Only a properly set up coilover system
will
provide the damping ability, spring rate, and balance needed
to
be capable against the level of competition I will face
in
the events to come.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
August
20th, 2007
Had
the chance to put the new tires to the test this past weekend
at
two autocross events. It still may be a bit premature to
compare
them to the stock tires butI do believe grip levels
have
been slightly elevated at the expense of some turn-in feel,
although I have yet to really play with front and rear tire pressures.
I've always been 'a function over form' kind of guy, but damn...
I
love how this car looks now!
Getting
ready for the Evo vs. WRX event this Saturday,
at
Raceway Park. See you there!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
August
14th, 2007
Installed
new wheels and tires and a few other things.
Fresh
rubber never felt so good and a spot-on alignment
is
now needed to take full advantage of this setup.
     ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
August
1st, 2007
Finished
2nd three events in a row. That's not right!
What
to do? Order new, stickier tires and
lighter, wider wheels to wrap them around!
The
stock Yokohamas are down to their wear-bars
and
have gotten extremely hard after an abusive 5700(!) miles.
I
am a huge Bridgestone fan after all so I'm very
anxious
to get back to using their rubber.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
July
24th, 2007
Finished
2nd in STU with the SJR SCCA on Sunday.
This
time the difference between 1st and 2nd was 0.02 seconds.
I
also coned away a run that was over 1/2 second quicker.
There
was one underlying bit of humor behind all this...
as a result of a computer malfunction before the
start
of the event we had to resort to using a stopwatch!
Not
kidding, but I believe the operator did a fine job,
all
things considered.
Congrats
to Doug who finished 1st.
Also
for anyone in the North Jersey/NY area,
a
few of us have become involved with V-17,
which
is an indoor karting/flight simulator facility
in
Maywood, NJ. One race and you're hooked!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
July
14th, 2007
Today
was the 6th NNJR SCCA points event for the year.
I
took 2nd place in STU, coming 0.06 seconds behind
my
friend Jake and his 2004 STi
 .Just
another lesson learned...
EVERY
single action/reaction on course counts,
exponentially increasing or decreasing your time at the finish.
.Must
eat breakfast next time!!!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
June
17th, 2007
Started
off the day today by handing Nick his new toy to
play
with while I pull into grid- a probe-type pyrometer.
I
also borrowed white shoe polish from another competitor.
The
reasoning behind all this was to monitor tire temps and
tire
rollover, something I have not done at all since
purchasing
this car.
Monitoring
a tire's pressure during a race and adjusting
it
merely by how you feel the car is handling will only get you
so
far. The practice of probing temps across a tire's treadwidth
is
the next step. What to aim for is a linear temperature spread
as
you probe across the tread (I made a rhyme!!).
Getting to the tire(s) as soon as you pull off the track is crucial,
and
the activity and/or manner in which you have just
completed the course may skew readings.
But
getting something out of it is better than nothing.
It
is very rewarding to help other competitors throughout
the
day too, whether it be their driving line as they approach
an
apex or slalom, or simply to remind them to 'look ahead'.
I
also have to constantly remind myself to do the latter,
as
that is probably the most important thing to remember
above
all else when autocrossing. Winning is always good,
but
the camaraderie is what keeps enthusiasts coming back.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
May
27th, 2007
I
would like to start off by thanking Nick. He spent his
Saturday
in a parking lot on a 89° day, brought along a
shitload
of drinks, sunblock, and volunteered for course duty by
replacing
cones and calling in penalties. The stunning fact
is
that this wasn't the first time he's offered- it's probably
his
third. I can't vouch for any other spectators doing the same.
I
finished 3rd yesterday in STU. Perry Aidelbaum set up one
of
the best courses I've ever run on- it truly tested
everything the
car and driver had. Even though they didn't
end
up recording my fastest time of the day, which was a 49.7,
I still had a blast.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
May
13th, 2007
Finished
first yesterday (class STU) with
NNJR
SCCA at Englishtown.
I
ran great in the morning, but slumped in the afternoon,
only
to realize AFTER the day was over that
I
was taking one or two turns much differently
between the two sessions.
Again,
the importance of 'course memory' and
proper driving lines proved imperative.
So
now it's 'Pencil & Paper Time' during walk-through!!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
May
8th, 2007
 Nick
and I were asking that question all weekend,
so
I couldn't resist making
a little something
dedicated
to
helping find Chuck!!!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
May
7th, 2007
Finished
5th on Sunday.
The
participants this weekend brought
along
some thoroughly modified Evos and STIs to
compete
in SCCA's STU class(Street Touring Ultra).
Having
said that, I finished 1.676 seconds behind
the
leader, which is commendable considering
my
minimal mod list.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
May
4th, 2007
I
finally got around to installing non-compliant engine
mounts
and made some alignment changes. I'm looking
forward
to testing the car once again this Sunday with
the
Philly Region SCCA in Warminster,
PA.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
April
23rd, 2007
With
very minor modifications, e.g. shifter bushings,
rear
strut brace, lightweight battery, and a
stainless
steel clutch line, I have managed to do
pretty
well in these beginning weeks of the
AutoX
season. Engine mount replacements and
miscellaneous
bushings still are awaiting install.
New
lightweight wheels and better tires are
quickly
becoming a high priority, as well as a
much-needed
performance alignment. Luckily for me,
reasonable
camber can be had from the stock
camber
bolts and 30 minutes labor.
Also,
back for 2007 is Chevy's Rev It Up
performance
driving school and competition.
This
year the grand prize is a brand new
2007
Corvette. Registration will open shortly.
Click
on the above link for details.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
February
28th, 2007
Parts
have finally started to arrive and are awaiting
installation.
I have my fingers crossed for good weather
in
the next few days.
After
countless hours of research,
studying fluid dynamics and exhaust velocity behavior,
I
have come to the conclusion that I have to fabricate
a
small but very critical portion of my exhaust.
There
is not a single vendor or manufacturer that offers
what
should be offered, so as usual, when you want
something
done right, do it yourself!
Never
follow the sheep and disregard all the nay-sayers...
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
February
2nd, 2007
Mitsubishi
Lancer Evolution IX RS is one of the
quickest
cars for under $30k, says
Car
and Driver magazine HERE
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
December
23rd, 2006
My
new 2006 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX RS
is
finally in my possession. Some history behind
the
Evolution can be found HERE.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Key
features include:
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•MIVEC-equipped
4G63
•TD05HR-16G6-10.5T
twin-scroll turbocharger
•
brakes
•Aluminum
hood, roof, trunklid and front fenders
•Minimal(!)
interior/exterior amenities.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
•Only
1 of 358 shipped to the USA.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
|
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Modifications:
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Falken
RT615, 205/50/15 (street)
Kumho
V710s (autocross, front only for now!)
Honda
factory camber bolts
$9
muffler delete, pure hotness!
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Super Lex·i·con Evo 411RS Modifications: •
Buschur front and rear engine
mounts
•
AMS transmission mount and cam gear side
mount
•
Tein rear 'strut' brace
•
Deka ETX12 battery
•
Speed Source shifter bushings
•
Enkei RPF1s
•
Bridgestone RE-01Rs
•
Swift Springs
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
*Photos
taken by Robert Plafta
  ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
*Photos
taken by Steve Seguis
 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
 ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sold, but not forgotten!!!
  2006
Subaru
Impreza STI...
SOLD!
Modifications:
-Protuned
by Agile Auto
-354whp,
365wtq on VP103, @ 20.5psi, 90°F ambient temps
-328whp,
335wtq on pump 93, @ 19.5psi, 90°F ambient temps
-Version
3 APS header with full APS aluminum heatshielding kit and Swaintech
coated uppipe
-Cobb
downpipe, Swaintech coated
-Magnaflow
Titanium catback, fully Swaintech coated with custom painted black
muffler
-ACPT
carbon fiber driveshaft
-Falken
RT615s in 245/45/17
-Cusco
engine/tranny mounts
-Cusco
Titanium strut tower brace
-Omori
45mm Boost Gauge in Psi
-Custom
boost-dependent IC water sprayer
-Custom
lightweight dual-tube stainless steel front bumper beam(7lbs)
-Whiteline
24mm adjustable front and rear swaybars
-Whiteline
Heavy duty urethane endlinks
-Whiteline
steering rack bushings
-Offensive
Power cowl stays/fender braces(whatever you want to call them)
-Braille
lightweight battery with custom Titanium tiedown
-Solid
polyethylene pitch mount
-Walbro
GSS342 fuel pump
-NGK
LFR7AIXs
-GM
Typhoon Boost Control Solenoid
-Limited
edition Viper Red Samco inlet w/MAF hose
-Group
N rear differential mount
-Pagid
Blue brake pads
-Motul
RBF600 brake fluid(also used for the clutch fluid)
-Silkolene
Silktran Syn5 gear oil
-Silkolene
BOA 90LS rear diff oil
-Kartboy
lower shifter bushings and rear stay bushing
-TIC
outrigger and upper shifter bushings
-NRG
hood dampers
-2005
STi tail lights
-Homelink
-Auto-dimming
mirror
-Shock
sensor
• 12.39mph at 111.20mph on pump 93*
• Agile Auto Protuned: 354whp, 365wtq *Stock
turbo, stock airbox, full interior, stock engine,
stock
intake manifold, stock
intercooler, stock injectors,
no meth/alk/water injection,
no
nitrous... no tricks whatsoever.
This
car was basically a
Protuned Stage II STI
with
only a header and TBE.
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Questions? Comments? Want to advertise? E-mail:
typer765@aol.com
people have visited this site. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
|
