PMSC (Peterborough Motor Sports Club) SoloII events

[Steve]

Well, everyone is welcome to come, but it might be a bit more achievable for those in the GTA and eastern Ontario areas.

Next event: September 11, 2005 (http://WWW.PMSC.ON.CA)

The link is to the PMSC website

This Solo2 is going to be in the Kawartha Downs stock car pit lot. This is bigger and smoother than Douro and also has some exciting features like a little hump in the pavement to throw the car off balance and a fine layer of dust for the first few runs as the horses race on Saturday night.

If you can't make it out to Peterborough, I'll strongly recommend to anyone and everyone to find a local event and participate, Autocross/Solo2 is challenging, fun, and lets you push yourself and your car in a safe, legal environment.

[carbonman]

Yup I'm with ya Steve, would be cool to caravan together whatdya think?
If you need my number again shoot me a PM or email.

[Steve]

Right on. I still have your number I believe, We could meet at a Tim's in Ptbo and then head out to Douro if you want. Any other Ontario XDer's want to try their hand at cone avoidance? It's only $25.

UPDATE June 7, 2004: Well, I can't seem to teach the driver to back off and stay within the limits of the stock Michelins, he's too stupid, so I didn't place very high on the results board, but ah well, this is way too much fun. Here's the results June Bug Solo II Results (http://pmsc.on.ca/results/2004/JuneBugSolo.htm) I have basically decimated the stock Michelins into ragged chunks of melted and reformed rubber... sidewalls included.

Anyone else who's taken their XD soloII racing, do you a problem with outrunning the power steering??? I can't use first gear for autoX because the steering basically locks up and I can't make any quick turning maneuvers. In second gear it's still a tough go, but I can manhandle the steering wheel through the cones, but it's still choppy and stiff as the power steering seems to work and stop through the steering wheel movement. I rode with my friend in his 2003 Protege and he was basically palming the steering wheel, quickly and smoothly gliding from lock to lock around the cones. Is there a problem with my Elantra's P/S or this a engineering defiency common to all? I'm tempted to go take a 2004 Beta Tib for a "test drive" and see if it does the same thing.

>>>>ANYONE know the answer to the question? Is it just my Elantra or has anyone else found their power steering can't keep up with really fast directional changes?

[carbonman]

I've experienced this in parking lots, when turning and accelerating faster than normal I guess. Can't say at the track or anything but I think I know what your talking about

[Steve]

Yeah, I can replicate it to a very small degree in parking lots and a few really tight chicane streets in Ptbo, but nowhere to the same degree as AutoX.

UPDATE JULY 14: The June Bug SoloII is covered in this bulletin on the website, go to page 6 and there's a page of photos taken. The yellow Type R won. The Z06 didn't officially compete, instead he raced in his son's Cavalier (top right), he was afraid to push the Vette, so he just did a fun run. My friend was driving the Blue Protege and of course.

June PMSC newsletter (http://pmsc.on.ca/bulletin/June%202004.pdf)

[CaseyGT2001]

Hey Steve....


I some how overlooked your question....


It sounds to me that you are overdriving your tires. Explain to me what you are doing, and what happens....

[Steve]

Well, it happens when I go to transition my turns. So for example, I'm turning left around a cone and need to quickly turn right, as I try to spin the steering wheel fast, it fights me all the way. However, it's not a continuous resistance, as I turn the steering wheel, the movement is very choppy, as if the power steering was going on and off. That's why I think it's the power steering. You run SoloII, you don't have this problem?

[CaseyGT2001]

I haven't had the problems that you are talking about.

at first I thought you may be describing understeer, ie... the car not responding to your steering input, ie... PUSH!

If you were turning the wheel to much or to fast, or you are giving to much gas, then your wheels could lose grip or spin, and it could cause what you are describing(especially with the stock michelins). But I don't think it would be harsh enough to feel like the P/S was turing on and off.

maybe it's an issue with your P/S pump, or pulley...


watch this video (http://www.elantraxd.com/yabbse/index.php?op=download;id=4) ... check out what happens when I turn right at the 27 second mark. as I am exiting the turn you hear a vibration.... thats a tire issue ( ie overdriving my tires). ist that what you are talking about

[Steve]

I can't watch that video here at work, stupid XP locking me out from upgrading/installing anything. I'll watch it tonight. I'm positive this isn't understeer, but you might have a point about the Michelins exacerbating the problem, perhaps the tires deflecting so easily all over fights the steering input, who knows. I'm trying my very hardest to pull together some Falken Azenis money, but money sucks.

UPDATE JULY 20: Anyone interested in hitting some cones? I mean avoiding some cones? Peterborough/Douro isn't that far for you GTA people. And don't worry, all the water is gone now, you won't have to worry about your XD swimming. This Sunday, racing starts at 10:00am, we could meet at a Tim's for around 9am, nothing like coffee to stimulate the driving reflexes.

UPDATE JULY 26:Someone has already uploaded a bunch of pics from the Speed Weekend Event. Here's the link, Speed Weekend Photo Album (http://ca.f2.pg.briefcase.yahoo.com/cundillc) there's a lot of pics, not very high quality, but you get the idea. I attached a few pics of mine and Carbonman's cars here. I included one of mine where I thought I had a bit more grip than I actually had, resulting in some sweet, succulent understeer.

[carbonman]

wher's the results!?! where's the results!?!

yer right though, those are kinda crappy pics

[Steve]

Well, the results will be up in a couple of days, maybe even tonight. My pics will be developed on Friday, I'm having Black's do the digital CD thing, so I'll upload them as soon as I get them, I guess probably to Imagestation or maybe even just my website. All I can say right now is your PAX time is 54.752 (67.512 x .811) and mine is 56.922 (70.188 x .811). The overall fastest time of the Fiero was 64.075, but when you PAX him for D-mod he ran 57.283.Oh after you left, I went back and ran a fun run, 68.006. Stupid running faster after official timing is over!

[CaseyGT2001]

those wheels look familiar....



glad you guys had fun!

[Steve]

Results are up on the website now,
Speed Weekend SoloII Results (http://pmsc.on.ca/results/2004/SpeedWeekendSolo.htm)
That's Carbonman in 7th out of 12 competitors and yeah, that's me in 2nd last place, Tyler and I both victims of class PAXing. He ran the fastest overall in his Fiero, but the 3.1L in the back puts him in D-mod, my few mods put me in FSS, the abused Michelins and stock suspension killing my times. Craig really did an impressive job once he figured out the course layout, in fact you'll notice he's the highest ranking non-stock racer there.

[vabeach_03]

i'm still waiting on the results from my july 18th event.

[Steve]

Ouch, that's no fun

EDIT: Aug 4 Imagestation photo album (http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4286021073&code=11125893&mode=invite&cmp=EMC-IS_other&creative=album-invite)

[carbonman]

I like to think I came in 4th actually, hehe based on best runs, that PAX time is BS lol

[Steve]

Fourth overall eh? Nice. Ryan Hill's Civic is far from stock, I see they fixed that now, and it moved you up to 6th PAXed. Nice, this was your first SoloII, it takes some practice to get used to not pushing too hard, but just at the limit, you have to go slow to drive fast as I was told... is it still good advice coming from the guy in second last place? :S

[carbonman]

Sweet!! lol

[Steve]

Alright, it's time for a new and exciting event, this will be my first regional event. Everything up to now has been just a bunch of Peterborough locals screaming around in an old parking lot hoping the rednecks in their pickup truck don't crash the party and perform dounts across and over the pylons (it's happened before).

This is the Regional Solo at a new venue, Kawartha Downs, a slots/horse race/stock car speedway facility. Here's the details PMSC Regional SoloII details (http://solo2ontario.com/schedule/eventdetails.php?eventid=4012)

The only problem is that this event is Sunday Aug. 22, so if anyone is not going to Hyundai Sunday and wants to race instead, here's a great spot to go.

[CaseyGT2001]

Best of luck sunday. I'm intersted to hear what you think of a sanctioned event....


I'm running the XD sunday too. we're running a challenge event against 2 other regions (south bend, IN and Akron, OH) out at the Airport. Yummy concrete as far as the eye can see.

[Steve]

Thanks and hope you do well too! I await your thread next week about your event.

UPDATE Aug.24 Alright, so Regional Solos are huge! There was close to a hundred cars competing by my estimation and some of them were definitely serious hardware! The weather was perfect, the new venue was great, it's only drawback being that the horses raced the night before and left a fine layer of dust on the parking lot that affected everyone's first run. I purchased some used tires for the fronts, 205/60/15 Bridgestone Potenza RE71, a lot more grip for only $100 installed. With a stock suspension though, the only way I could promote a more neutral almost oversteer condition was by inflating the fronts to 46psi and dropping the rears to 26psi. A few told me that I spent more time with only three tires on the ground than not. I had hoped to get some video, but I don't think it happened, results aren't up yet, and this is the only image gallery I've found so far and it only has a few of the cars that were running, but it does have a few of mine and several of my friend's 2003 Laser Blue Protege, PMSC Regional SoloII gallery (http://www.imagestation.com/album/?id=4285843069)

UPDATE Aug.25 The results are up! I'm 2nd place in my class... ok, so there were only 3 competitors in my class.... anyway, if anyone cares to look, here's the link, look near the bottom for event #8, CASC-OR Regional Solo2 Event#8 Results (http://solo2ontario.com/events/2004results.php) The Event 8 best times you'll find me near the top of the second page, my friend Nathan and his Protege near the bottom and my other rivalry of the day, Greg driving the 92 Plymouth Sundance just below me.

[carbonman]

Sounds like a great day Steve, sorry I missed it man
But you did pretty good comparing other times

[Steve]

I'm heavily outclassed at present, but next spring's suspension overhaul should help me run a lot faster and some grippier rubber should help too. I hope to attend at least one more event this year, I'll let you know long in advance Craig, see if you can fit it into your schedule :)

[carbonman]

yeah I got your PM with the info on the next events, I should be good to go.
we'll need to hook up early next week so I can get that little sum'tn sum'tn back to ya ;)

[Steve]

Sweet ...(What's with the 7 character minimum anyway?)

[carbonman]

Less post whoring

eg. LOL
LMAO

[Steve]

Alright, so PMSC has an event on Sep. 19th, but there's no way I can attend that one. The next event I can attend will be at Mosport on Sep.25th. I don't have much more info right now, I'll go have a look and see what I can provide. Any GTA people want in on some Solo2 action, it's fun, seriously!

[Steve]

Alright, the 2005 SoloII season is about to begin. May 1st is the first event PMSC will hold. Anybody in the Eastern GTA area or Central Ontario is more than welcome to come try out this safe form of motorsports, but still loads of fun.

Here's the 2005 PMSC event calendar, note the SoloII events (http://pmsc.on.ca/events/2005/pmsc.html)
Make special note of the May 29 SoloII, I'm the organizer, my first one, I hope I can put together a nice course design and fun event.

On that page there's also a link to directions to Douro Arena, but if you missed that, here's the page with all sorts of directions (http://pmsc.on.ca/flyers/DouroArena.htm). These directions work if you know how to get to the 115 from the 401.

[4mynikka]

Hey Steve I'm down for May 29th.

[Steve]

Right on!

[carbonman]

Yeah Steve-o , I'm in for that one too.
I'm going to join up with OMSC this week I think, being that its closer and all.
I'll see tomorrow at their meeting.

[Steve]

Craig! That's most excellent news. If you do join up with OMSC, you can keep us informed of their schedule too. I'll change this thread to "The Eastern GTA/central Ontario Solo2 thread" or something like that :)

[Steve]

Just updated the first post with the latest PMSC Solo2

[Steve]

I was finally sent a couple of pics from the Reginal Solo2 that happened on July 10. I've been told more pics are soon coming my way, even some good ones of my XD's huge three-wheel action.

EDIT: Was sent a few more pics last night. Supposedly there's a few more still on the way. The first two are from the post above, the last four are from the Auto-X on July 24.
Also the results are posted (http://pmsc.on.ca/results/2005/SWS/SWS.html). I placed fourth after paxing! Beat by three Mazdas. The stock class Miata was wearing Kumho 710s, enough said. The Mazdaspeed Protege is just too damn good at turning and the RX-7 is a Solo1 car, so it has the power and handling to hang on the big racetracks like Mosport with Porsches. I was really impressed with my XD's handling finally! In the fun runs afterwards I took my official best of 64.681 and beat it with a 63.714, which would have placed my third overall.

EDIT: And the final few pics from the last event. They tell me the three wheel turn is quite neat to watch, I can't tell from in the car how much lift I'm getting.

[Steve]

Alright, so this past Sunday was another PMSC AutoX. I laid down the 2nd fastest overall time, behind a Miata with Kumho 710s and AGX shocks and a very good driver too. Once all the times are paxed, I'm sure I'll be third as there was a old school 323 that was right behind me in raw times.

A couple of things of interest though.
-I don't know if there are any pictures that captured it, but due to a worn out suspension, the Elantra was lifting the inside rear tire almost a foot off the ground.
-The power steering fluid seems to froth up so bad that it forces its way out around the fully tightened down lid on the reservoir. I've been told that if the p/s fluid froths up like that it's mostly likely causing the choppy steering I've been experiencing in previous Solo2 events.
-I knew all my struts were worn out and due for replacing, but I really broke something on Sunday. After a close inspection of the entire front end, we couldn't find anything wrong. Checked the wheel bearings, checked the drive axles, checked for anything loose that could be causing the vibration/rattling that is now occuring. My best guess is that I snapped the strut mount internally on the passenger front and it's letting the whole assembly move around.

So, I am now faced with a decision. Replace the parts with OEM quality and turn the car back into a daily commuter and buy something cheap and tough to play with on weekends, or upgrade all the suspension and continue trying to tune the car into something fast...

[Steve]

I've made my decision.

The Elantra's motorsports career is over. I'm in process of returning the car to stock commuter status which is how it will serve out the rest of its days. I will be buying something cheap and somewhat agile to race on weekends... right now, I'm looking at CRX, Civic, Integra or 240sx.