VIR Track days
Apr 30, 2003, 12:26 PM
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VIR Track days
Just finished two days at VIR track event, the Evo was awesome!!! 
It's stock with the exception of Kuhmo Ecsta V700 Race compound tires. I can now say the best feature of the car is the braking system. I experienced only a small fade near the end of one session, outside temps were around 85F, with 80%humidity.
The handling was exceptional, understeering around turn 1 could be fixed with a brief lift, resulting in a strong rotation. Four wheel drifts were easily controlled at whatever speed they occurred, I didn't have any happen at more than 100mph, but I'm sure that they would be similar above that speed as well.
I ran starting temps of 32 front and 31 rear, which were 44 and 40 respectively at session end, with the tires showing even wear across the surface and wear to the triangles on the shoulders. Negative camber would most likely improve the push in some corners.
Power was on the strong side, but more would be welcome for the long straights at VIR.
Body roll was slight, but noticeable. After seeing pics, I was surprised at the amount present. I'll post pics after I get the pics on CD.
A great stock track day car!!!
It's stock with the exception of Kuhmo Ecsta V700 Race compound tires. I can now say the best feature of the car is the braking system. I experienced only a small fade near the end of one session, outside temps were around 85F, with 80%humidity.
The handling was exceptional, understeering around turn 1 could be fixed with a brief lift, resulting in a strong rotation. Four wheel drifts were easily controlled at whatever speed they occurred, I didn't have any happen at more than 100mph, but I'm sure that they would be similar above that speed as well.
I ran starting temps of 32 front and 31 rear, which were 44 and 40 respectively at session end, with the tires showing even wear across the surface and wear to the triangles on the shoulders. Negative camber would most likely improve the push in some corners.
Power was on the strong side, but more would be welcome for the long straights at VIR.
Body roll was slight, but noticeable. After seeing pics, I was surprised at the amount present. I'll post pics after I get the pics on CD.
A great stock track day car!!!
Apr 30, 2003, 01:28 PM
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I've run about 500 laps around VIR on motorcycles, but never in a car (well, maybe a dozen in my minivan drying the line, does that count?). Now I'm toying with the idea of a track day in the Evo. If you don't mind my asking, what group did you run with and what's the cost? How much track time do you get? And out of curiosity, what were your lap times?
Apr 30, 2003, 03:52 PM
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Ran with the Potomac Audi Club, cost $40 membership plus $275 for the two days. I got about 4 hours of track time total. The first day they put the beginners on the south course while Novice, Intermediate and Advanced/Instructor did the North course. After lunch on day 1 and all of day 2 we did the full course.
The Audi club frowns heavily on timed laps, as this is done as a Drivers Education School for insurance purposes. Best guesstimate on my lap times were in the 2:20 - 2:21 range, not great, but this was my first event at VIR. I based this guesstimate by timing an instructor who had a clean track and did a 2:17, then later we ran together and he pulled me by a couple seconds on a clear lap.
The Audi club frowns heavily on timed laps, as this is done as a Drivers Education School for insurance purposes. Best guesstimate on my lap times were in the 2:20 - 2:21 range, not great, but this was my first event at VIR. I based this guesstimate by timing an instructor who had a clean track and did a 2:17, then later we ran together and he pulled me by a couple seconds on a clear lap.
May 1, 2003, 06:47 AM
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What size tire did you run? Did you run the stock rim or something else? I ask because I just ordered a set of Volk TE37s in the stock size (for autocross) and am about to order race rubber. I was thinking Ecsta V700s too, in 235/40-17...
JW
JW
May 1, 2003, 07:35 AM
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Jason, it was great meeting you there! It was a total blast. I didn't drive my EVO, so I can only comment as a third party watching his EVO pull away. :-) My driving was horrible the first day, so I was letting that little black EVO around me quite often. The second day was quite different, but I still think he would have pulled me in the corners based on what I saw the day earlier. Straight line I would have had him just because of the power difference, but in the corners that EVO was ROCKING! We just never met up that day. I kept getting stuck behind traffic and we just didn't get a chance at any good fair runs. Too many slow 'vettes and Porsches in our way. ;-)
What I loved about that EVO was that it was totally STOCK. My Talon is worked over pretty heavily. To me, the fact that I'm even comparing the two in the same ballpark is awesome! But in reality that EVO was probably FASTER than the Talon. That's just mind boggling to me; straight off the show room floor. Granted, there's some driver difference there as I think Jason is a much better driver than I am, but I'm working on that too. We'll meet again, I'm sure.
Anyone up for Summit Point May 23rd???
Thomas Dorris
What I loved about that EVO was that it was totally STOCK. My Talon is worked over pretty heavily. To me, the fact that I'm even comparing the two in the same ballpark is awesome! But in reality that EVO was probably FASTER than the Talon. That's just mind boggling to me; straight off the show room floor. Granted, there's some driver difference there as I think Jason is a much better driver than I am, but I'm working on that too. We'll meet again, I'm sure.
Anyone up for Summit Point May 23rd???
Thomas Dorris
May 1, 2003, 08:28 AM
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Thanks for the info Jason. Sounds like you guys had a riot. Pricing and track time are similar to bike track days, which I kind of expected. I'll be at VIR with the bike over Memorial weekend so no Summit on the 23rd, but I do think I'm going to look into a car day this summer. Do you guys recommend one club over another? What's the best way to find info on car track days?
May 1, 2003, 09:19 AM
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Originally posted by jwtodd60
What size tire did you run? Did you run the stock rim or something else? I ask because I just ordered a set of Volk TE37s in the stock size (for autocross) and am about to order race rubber. I was thinking Ecsta V700s too, in 235/40-17...
JW
What size tire did you run? Did you run the stock rim or something else? I ask because I just ordered a set of Volk TE37s in the stock size (for autocross) and am about to order race rubber. I was thinking Ecsta V700s too, in 235/40-17...
JW
Rob K, the best site for info is www.trackschedule.com
that's where I hooked up with the Audi club.
Tom- had a great time as well, glad to see the talon had zero problems all weekend, and hearing the tearing-paper sound of a heavily-boosted DSM was music compared to the quiet of all those "slow" Audis!!!
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May 1, 2003, 09:40 AM
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Originally posted by JasonS
hearing the tearing-paper sound of a heavily-boosted DSM was music compared to the quiet of all those "slow" Audis!!!
hearing the tearing-paper sound of a heavily-boosted DSM was music compared to the quiet of all those "slow" Audis!!!
Anyway, if anyone has questions about the potency of the EVO8 in the corners, be sure to check out this thread:
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...threadid=21790
To even consider comparing the EVO8 to cars running $100-$200k is insane! To see the EVO8 whip their asses in several categories is even sweeter! Check out those slalom results! Yeah, the EVO is down on straight line power, but damn! Look at those twisty numbers! Articles like that really help me to appreciate what we all have here...
Thomas Dorris
May 7, 2003, 09:05 AM
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Re: VIR Track days
Originally posted by JasonS
Just finished two days at VIR track event, the Evo was awesome!!!
It's stock with the exception of Kuhmo Ecsta V700 Race compound tires. I can now say the best feature of the car is the braking system. I experienced only a small fade near the end of one session, outside temps were around 85F, with 80%humidity.
The handling was exceptional, understeering around turn 1 could be fixed with a brief lift, resulting in a strong rotation. Four wheel drifts were easily controlled at whatever speed they occurred, I didn't have any happen at more than 100mph, but I'm sure that they would be similar above that speed as well.
I ran starting temps of 32 front and 31 rear, which were 44 and 40 respectively at session end, with the tires showing even wear across the surface and wear to the triangles on the shoulders. Negative camber would most likely improve the push in some corners.
Power was on the strong side, but more would be welcome for the long straights at VIR.
Body roll was slight, but noticeable. After seeing pics, I was surprised at the amount present. I'll post pics after I get the pics on CD.
A great stock track day car!!!
Just finished two days at VIR track event, the Evo was awesome!!!
It's stock with the exception of Kuhmo Ecsta V700 Race compound tires. I can now say the best feature of the car is the braking system. I experienced only a small fade near the end of one session, outside temps were around 85F, with 80%humidity.
The handling was exceptional, understeering around turn 1 could be fixed with a brief lift, resulting in a strong rotation. Four wheel drifts were easily controlled at whatever speed they occurred, I didn't have any happen at more than 100mph, but I'm sure that they would be similar above that speed as well.
I ran starting temps of 32 front and 31 rear, which were 44 and 40 respectively at session end, with the tires showing even wear across the surface and wear to the triangles on the shoulders. Negative camber would most likely improve the push in some corners.
Power was on the strong side, but more would be welcome for the long straights at VIR.
Body roll was slight, but noticeable. After seeing pics, I was surprised at the amount present. I'll post pics after I get the pics on CD.
A great stock track day car!!!
TIA,
Barry
May 9, 2003, 02:36 AM
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tires
Just to let everyone know... do not use Toyo T1-S tires on the Evo. I have run nine track events since I got the car... and wore out my stock Advans. Upon a recommendation from a friend of mine, I tried the Toyos and drove Infineon. I was rewarded with horrendous understeer throughout the entire day, regardless of tire pressure meddling, trail-braking, trail-throttle, etc. In fact it was so bad I ended up after two events -it was a weekend- wearing off all of my side tire tread. I'm trying Potenzas next, but as a warning to all... beware of Toyos!
May 10, 2003, 02:39 PM
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Re: Re: VIR Track days
Originally posted by Barry
QUESTION: Do you have the strut tower braces?? How about the brake cooling ducts??
TIA,
Barry
QUESTION: Do you have the strut tower braces?? How about the brake cooling ducts??
TIA,
Barry
May 10, 2003, 02:42 PM
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Re: tires
Originally posted by coachola
Just to let everyone know... do not use Toyo T1-S tires on the Evo. I have run nine track events since I got the car... and wore out my stock Advans. Upon a recommendation from a friend of mine, I tried the Toyos and drove Infineon. I was rewarded with horrendous understeer throughout the entire day, regardless of tire pressure meddling, trail-braking, trail-throttle, etc. In fact it was so bad I ended up after two events -it was a weekend- wearing off all of my side tire tread. I'm trying Potenzas next, but as a warning to all... beware of Toyos!
Just to let everyone know... do not use Toyo T1-S tires on the Evo. I have run nine track events since I got the car... and wore out my stock Advans. Upon a recommendation from a friend of mine, I tried the Toyos and drove Infineon. I was rewarded with horrendous understeer throughout the entire day, regardless of tire pressure meddling, trail-braking, trail-throttle, etc. In fact it was so bad I ended up after two events -it was a weekend- wearing off all of my side tire tread. I'm trying Potenzas next, but as a warning to all... beware of Toyos!
May 10, 2003, 06:47 PM
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I didn't try the RA1 Toyos because they weren't really available at the time, and I had heard good things about the T1-S model. I was running events every weekend, and tried to find some good high-performance ones at a reasonable price within a short period of time. A buddy of mine who runs a performance shop suggested I use the T1-S tires, and helped me out on the price. Unfortunately, although they got great reviews for RWD cars, they didn't seem to work all that well on mine. For summer competition, I will most likely need a new set of tires, so let me know how those RA-1s hold out!