My Day of Cone Harvesting

 

Yes, SCCA Solo Season finally started here in the Great White North. I headed up to Milwaukee for the Course and lap practice yesterday and had the blast of  the year, so far. The course consisted of a couple hours of lecture, powerpoints and youtube type video. (Many of the drivers races have in car cameras, so there really is some cool POV video out there to check out.) We went over basic tech and safety issues and then had a bar  food lunch that was quite good-tuna salad sandwich and crinkle fries. My how I love Wisconsin.

I sat with a young couple that had a pair of hopped up Civic Sis. They were the EP3 version of said car and I have found that they are pretty hated in the Honda community. I asked the young gentleman and he replied that it is a hated borne out of 2 things, McPherson suspension as well as ride height. His car was pretty tricked out, and he had very little problems creating noise and making some good lap times, however.

At the track, actually The Miller Field parking lot, there was quite a variety of low buck race cars. I was the only Fit there, so I got some odd looks from the Bimmer drivers and the Vette guys. The Honda contingent was pretty supportive and psyched that someone would bring a Fit to break. The coolest car was a Lotus Elise. The rumor was that there is a used one around the are for $35K... Wish I had a pic of that ride.

It was time for me to get my mostly stock Fit on the track as it were. I had to pump up my stock ties to 55psi in the front and 35 psi in the rear. This was to keep the sidewalls from folding. It didn't matter as I folded them anyway. I figure I put a couple of 1000 miles wear on my tires yesterday.

The car is extremely light and toss able. Power is obviously not there, so revving hard to the shift point is imperative. Got to get the car up to "speed" and then roll it through the turns. I was extremely happy with the handling of the wee box at the limit.

My best time was a 32.2 sec. That is a pretty slow time as some of the hot Civics that have similar power were in the 27-28 second range. Of course, they had 1600-1700 lb cars with 800 lb spring rates. The red Civic above was three wheeling in every turn. He had absolutely no suspension travel. He was fast.

Two things that I need to do immediately- buy some new tires and some new wheels! Along those lines, also need an air can and a floor jack... The plan is not to jack the car too much, as that would take me out of H Stock and put me into a class that will be populated with Minis which will kill me.

I am hooked.

Comments

[iowahawk]

Sorry I had to miss it, looks like a blast. You guys need to come with us up to Road America this summer for the BRIC vintage races.

[cratedigger]

Let me know when it is. I need to head up to RA.
Solo is a blast, need to try it out!

[Bill K]

Speaking of Wisconsin, the Jefferson car show and swap meet is next weekend. They claim it is the biggest in the midwest.