Kyperion

iTrader: (2)

ok
I know I am not crazy now
STS class for the last event on that site had top STS cars behind top ESP cars by 5-6 seconds on raw time (ESP 57.797 to STS 63.243). Paxed they were really tight as they should be with two drivers who aer equally talented for their respective cars. But Raw Time STS is getting pounded by ESP as it should.

Damn you guys get a lot of people at your events. Makes me mis the big events in detroit and chicago when I lived up there.

jbrennen

iTrader: (1)

Even at the National level, STS occasionally kicks butt all over classes with much higher PAX indexes. It's weather, surface, and course dependent.

At the Atlanta ProSolo in February, here are the final times for some class winners:

STS: 62.446 -- Jason Tipple
STU: 62.849 -- Kiko Seibt
ASP: 62.861 -- Danny Popp
SM: 63.856 -- Neal Tovsen
BSP: 64.205 -- Mike Losert
ESP: 64.316 -- Sam Strano
BS: 64.537 -- Mark Sipe
AS: 64.734 -- Larry Fine
SS: 66.900 -- Hector San Nicolas

Note that Tipple, Seibt, Popp, and Strano are all previous Solo 2 or ProSolo National champions, so the level of competition there is high.

In low traction conditions (like the rainy conditions in Atlanta), the lightweight STS cars can really make the rest of us look like also-rans. And because of the street tire rule, STS cars are probably damn near as fast in the rain as they are in the dry.

urbanknight

iTrader: (14)

The last event favors R compound tires (although it chews them up like ground beef), but there have been times where the raw times were comparible. But your guess was right, we have former national champs running STS, not so in ESP or SM (although they have gotten some respectable places).

It also might have something to do with the fact that about 1/2 of our courses are designed by one of those previous STS national champs But overall, STS is just really competitive around here.

And don't be jealous of the large number of entrants, it just makes for a long day. Walking the course at 7:30am just to get 2 walks in before they close it at 8, then possibly waiting around until 2:00 just to work and then run at 4:00 only to be limited to 2 runs because we have to be out before sundown. We're proud of our attendance, but it's not always beneficial.

Kyperion

iTrader: (2)

Our local club usually has 20-40 vehicles show up. which makes for a much more intimate setting. Everybody pretty much knows everyone else, and there seems to be much more of a comraderie than at the bigger regional meets.

I am not saying I wish we had hundreds of cars, just that you guys have a big time turn out.

Now if you are not comparing simialr drivers (national Champ vs regular Joe), then it makes more sense for sts to run comarable raw times. It just suprised me as that should not be the norm.

KC

Regional times really get skewed when comparing against a class or a few classes rich in talent. STS in the North East for some reason is filled with some of the faster drivers. But you go out to Cal... SS ownz.

How was the weather and temps? Hoosiers and Kumhos like 70+ degree tems. Street tires... they like anything. The colder it is, the less separation in time you'll have beetween them and R-compounds.

I hope to make DIVs. Dunno if I'll be in STX or ESP.

Is there a date set yet?

jbrennen

iTrader: (1)

http://www.nedivsolo2.org/schedule.html

NEDiv Solo II Championship... Ripken Stadium, Aberdeen, MD. July 23-25.

urbanknight

iTrader: (14)

70+ degrees? That accounts for all but one or two of our events! I did my first rain event in 5 years last December, but other than that we usually find 80-110 degree weather to race in.