JDM makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside...

Just in from Japan: J's Racing S2 Camber Joint! Unfortunately, J's Racing does not make one for the rear, so I'll be using the SPC Camber Joint for the rear.

Even the box makes me happy!

J's S2 Camber Joint: maximize camber for OEM suspension

For comparison: J's on left, SPC on right.

Endless Brake Hoses to complete the JDM touch

How to mount a G2X display

GPS dataloggers like the G2X and Traqmate are becoming more and more popular among the weekend racers, taking self improvement to a whole new level. Unfortunately, none of these devices come with a convenient mounting option. I found a simple solution, and now I pass it on to you.

I found a universal GPS window mount kit made by Bracketron at Best Buy. It comes with several different mounting options, but one of those options is a flat plate that can then be screwed onto the back of GPS displays. I wouldn't try to screw anything onto the back of the G2X display, so I decided to use heavy-duty double-sided tape instead.

Front Packaging

Rear Packaging

Kit Contents

Heavy-duty double-sided tape from Home Depot

Peel off the red cover, attach to G2X display

Allow the tape to adhere to both sides overnight before mounting

View from the cockpit

Cheers!

S2000 Challenge Hat Trick... Sorta

S2000 Challenge Series - Event #6 - Streets of Willow
The next event in the S2000 Challenge Series was at Streets of Willow Springs (SOWS) on May 10, 2009. I finally got my CR lip installed, but didn't have time to install the MY2008 front spring. This was the weekend right before year-end finals, so I had a bit of guilt going to this event and not spending the weekend studying.

Grabbing some lunch at Fosters with S2ki buddies

This was my third time at SOWS, and my second time doing the clockwise (CW) configuration. Last time I was here, I was on old, tore up RE-01R street tires and APR GTC-200 wing. It was also much cooler, with some scattered showers, and I was able to manage a best laptime of 1:30.596. This time, I returned with Nitto NT01 race tires, Project Kics 10mm spacer, and CR front lip. I was hoping to break into the low-1:29 mark or even into 1:28s.

Hmm, do you think a wing is an important element in a fast S2000?

Unfortunately, because of the heat, everyone was running way off pace--by almost 2 or 3 seconds. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't break into the 1:30s. By the end of the day, right before the Time Attack, I was a bit disappointed to learn that William and Joel (Street Class competitors) had both broken into the 1:29s, leaving me gridded third. Fil, with a best laptime of 1:32.279 was gridded fourth.

Fil and I are gridded side-by-side on the second row

During the break before the Time Attack, I overheard Emilio and William discuss the proper line for turn 3, a tricky off-camber turn that sets up for an uphill charge to turn 4 and the esses. I had been braking in a straight line, late-apexing turn 3, to set up for turn 4. According to their datalogger, it turns out it is much better to trail brake into turn 3, use the oversteer to carry more momentum into turn 4. I decided to try this on my Time Attack run.

As I was putting on my helmet for the Time Attack, Sarang came up to me, looked me dead in the eye, and said: "win." Whenever I am put in a pressure situation, I tend to focus just a little bit better, my senses are heightened, my reflexes quickened. Not only was this the Time Attack, but Sarang demanded the win. I drove the car as fast as I could, and as I finished my first lap, my G2X displayed: 1:29.486. I was able to drop over half a second from my best lap all day, and I knew it was good enough for the win. I ended up taking first, William took 2nd with a 1:29.707, and Joel took 3rd with a 1:30.106. Emilio had run in Modified Class this time, so with this win I was the new Street Class points leader... at least for the time being.

Points leaders as of Event #6
Nam Yoon 34
Emilo Cervantes 30
Joel Perez 18
Dino Antonov 16
Dustin Dessero 14
Paul Asterline 10
Filip Craciun 9
Charles Ng 8
Tom Liang 8
Mike Skowron 8
William Chen 8

S2000 Challenge Series - Event #7 - Willow Springs International
Over a month and a half later, on June 27, we were back in Rosamond, this time on the Big Track--the track that separates the men from the boys. Willow Springs International Raceway is a 2.5-mile course with only nine turns. Some of these turns are pretty heavily banked, and the last turn (Turn 9) has been labeled, "the most dangerous corner in motorsports." Even street cars will routinely see sustained lateral G-forces of over 1.0G, and in my car with NT01, I was seeing over 1.5Gs according to the G2X accelerometer. Coming out of Turn 5, drivers are usually full-throttle all the way until the braking zone for Turn 9. I was taking Turn 8 full-throttle, going 118mph and pulling over 1G and counter-steering to keep the car from sliding out of control!

View of Willow Springs Raceway from the 14-Fwy

Since I had a retreat to go to this weekend, I left for Rosamond from Big Bear Lake. I drove down the mountain in a hurry, drove through Apple Valley and cut across using local streets to 14N. It was a grueling 3+ hour drive, and I finally made it in time for a few sessions. Aaron was kind enough to give me all three wristbands (basically I could go out and come in as I please). I worked my up to speed slowly, and during my first session out, the best I could do was a 1:43.311, which was slower than the last time I was here on a bone-stock S2000 on old S-02 street tires. People looked at my times and reassured me: "it's really hot out there, people are running 2-3 seconds slower." I appreciated the comment, though I knew that was an exaggeration.

Budweiser Balcony at Willow Springs

Next session out, I dropped almost 3 seconds and managed a 1:40.885. Better, but definitely nowhere near what I'd need to be competitive. I drank some water, went out again and dropped another second to 1:39.442. I cut that run group short because of all the traffic, and went out in the last Red run group. Free of traffic, I finally figured out the flow of things. I got 3 laps in the 1:39.2, but I really wanted to break into at least 1:38 (I initially was hoping for high 1:36, but that was contingent on me being there for a whole day). I took Sarang out during the last White group serssion during the driver's meeting, and went straight from the track to grid. I was hoping to be in the 2nd group, but I was gridded last in the 1st group.

Ed and Mark battling it out down the front straight

During the Time Attack, I decided to push my luck just a little bit. I charged down the front straight and planned to do some late-braking. Except because I had just gone out in the previous run group, and sat baking in grid without a cool-down lap, my brakes were faded. I had no choice but to turn in almost 5mph faster. My rear slid out, and I had to drift my way through Turn 1, scrubbing off a ton of speed. I lost exactly 0.425 seconds during Turn 1, and lost another .293 seconds down the straight that connects to Turn 2, for a total of 0.718 seconds! The rest of the lap I drove pretty well, but managed a 1:38.543. The second lap, I was doing quite well, except my tires started to get hot. I started to slide through Turn 4 and almost lost it in Turn 5, scrubbing off a ton of time. My second hot lap came out to 1:38.408.

G2X Datalogger Plots: 1st lap (yellow); 2nd lap (magenta)

Looking back on the G2X Datalogger, if I didn't have brake fade in Turn 1, I could have been 0.718 seconds faster in my first hot lap, for a laptime of 1:37.825, and if my tires hadn't gotten greasy in my second hot lap, I could have pulled a laptiome of 1:37.252. Sure, there are a lot of if-only's in that equation, but I'm fairly confident that if I had a bit more time to practice, I could have broken into the 1:36s like I had originally hoped. We will return to Willow Springs International for the penultimate S2000 Challenge Event in October. Hopefully the weather will be a bit cooler, and I will be able to achieve my 1:36 or better.

The next two events will be at Buttonwillow Raceway. I plan to finally install my MY2008-2009 front springs in time for the Buttonwillow Open Test Day in July 11. Depending on what my low-speed handling characteristics are like, I might even install a thicker front sway bar from MY2000-2001. My goal is to get low-speed handling to match my high-speed handling (which I can tune using the rear wing angle). I will also try to install the SPC Camber Kit in the rear to allow more camber, and re-align using less rear toe-in. My goal for Buttonwillow is high 2:04 or low 2:05 to win PAX and a nifty $800 vacuum cleaner. That should please the missus...