2006 PAX factors

[MattR]

Well, it's almost December of 05, so why not discuss the release of the 2006 PAX factors...Here's the buzz, and a good thread on NASIOC Looks like I'll end up sticking with SM, no real reason to run BSP as far as I can tell, that way I can run the brake brace and not worry.

Comments?

Class-new pax- change from last year
SS 0.84 0.003
AS 0.831 0.003
BS 0.822 0.001
CS 0.813 0.003
DS 0.798 0.002
ES 0.806 0
FS 0.805 0
GS 0.795 0.013
HS 0.78 0.003

ASP 0.852 0.002
BSP 0.843 0.004
CSP 0.838 0
DSP 0.826 0.004
ESP 0.828 0.002
FSP 0.814 0.003

STS 0.797 -0.002
STS2 0.802 -0.001
STX 0.803 0.001
STU 0.82 0.002
SM 0.845 0.003
SM2 0.854 0.002

[MikeK]

Wow, SM has slowly been getting harder year by year

[sperry]

The thing to note... just about every class gained something... especially the GS army... so much for Mini domination!

[Kevin M]

God dammit. If I had gotten a non-Torsen LSD Miata, I could run STS2 instead of TCSP.

At least I'm not in GS.

[MikeK]

I just realised that the STi will be in BSP this year ... and BSP and SM are almost identical. How is that a good idea?

[MattR]

Agreed...An SM car has the potential to be a lot faster than a BSP car, but as far as the STi goes, realistically, the BSP car and SM car should run fairly close in times.

Like I said, there are a few mods I want to run, like the brake brace, and the difference in PAX is not enough to make me run without it.

[MikeK]

I thought you were going to do an FPGreen this year as well?

[MattR]

Originally Posted by MikeK

I thought you were going to do an FPGreen this year as well?

Nah...unless I stumble into a huge pile of extra money, I'm pretty content with where my car is right now. My focus right now and thru the season is improving as a driver. After seeing what my car can do as it currently sits (with Lucas behind the wheel) my belief was confirmed that the only mod I need right now is to improve my skills.

I feel like I've really improved over the last year with the high-speed stuff (RFR and SOlo trials), but I have a long way to go at Solo2.

The turbo will definately help with trials, I know that going in, but for Solo 2, I don't think it's needed right now. Besides, I want to see you're new setup first

[Joeyy]

2006, any luck on a solo 2 schedule?

[MattR]

Originally Posted by Joeyy

2006, any luck on a solo 2 schedule?

No, it will not be compete until we here back from other regions, as there are scheduling conflicts we need to avoid. Scott and I are working on the SCCA schedule comittee, so we'll let everyone know as soon a possible.

[Joeyy]

Thanks for the information.

[dknv]

Originally Posted by sperry

The thing to note... just about every class gained something... especially the GS army... so much for Mini domination!

And, that really comes into play in the Prosolo ladies classes (L1) - so I'm glad to see it.

[dknv]

Originally Posted by MattR

No, it will not be compete until we here back from other regions, as there are scheduling conflicts we need to avoid. Scott and I are working on the SCCA schedule comittee, so we'll let everyone know as soon a possible.

The first draft of the National Tour/Prosolo schedule was published, hopefully the scheduling committe will avoid scheduling solo2 events over the top of our norpac divisional events (Atwater CA; Packwood WA):

2/18 Ft. Myers, FL National Tour
2/25 Miami, FL Pro Solo
3/4 San Diego, CA National Tour
3/11 Los Angeles, CA Pro Solo
4/1 Little Rock, AR National Tour
4/8 Little Rock, AR Pro Solo
4/22 Houston, TX National Tour
4/29 Atwater, CA National Tour
5/6 Atwater, CA Pro Solo
5/20 Mineral Wells, TX Pro Solo
5/27 Peru, IN National Tour
6/3 Peru, IN Pro Solo
6/10 Devens, MA National Tour
6/24 Washinton, DC Pro Solo
7/1 Milwaukee, WI National Tour
7/15 Denver, CO Pro Solo
7/22 Denver, CO National Tour
8/5 Packwood, WA National Tour
8/12 Packwood, WA Pro Solo
8/26 Wendover, UT Pro Solo
9/23 Topeka, KS Pro Solo Finale
9/26 Topeka, KS National Solo2 Championship

[sperry]

Thanks for that info Debbie. John Evans probably already has it, but I'll forward the important dates off to him just to be sure!

[NevadaSTi]

Considering last season started beginning of April, would it be safe to presume that the season will start about the same time?

[sperry]

Originally Posted by NevadaSTi

Considering last season started beginning of April, would it be safe to presume that the season will start about the same time?

I'm pushing for an April 8/9 Autocross school.

[Dean]

Can you believe STS got easier? I needs me a 89 Civic Si..

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

Can you believe STS got easier? I needs me a 89 Civic Si..

I think STS hasn't really gotten easier so much as the rest of the cars in other classes have gotten faster.

I think we're finally at the point where a to the limit STS Civic isn't competative to an at the limit STX WRX. It used to be that same Civic could win both classes, but that's only because there was so much more knowledge about how to make a Civic fast in autocross terms. Now that the WRX has been out for a while, it's caught up, and it's making use of the additional allowances in STX.

The same goes for other classes... newer cars like the EVO, STI, WRX, Cooper-S, S2000, etc didn't have the same development behind them that cars like the Miata and Civic have had. I think it makes sense, now that the new "crop" of autocross cars has matured, that we're finally seeing the STS, STS2, CSP, ES and FS cars PAXes come down compared to the classes that tend to have the newer cars in them.

[dknv]

Originally Posted by Dean

Can you believe STS got easier? I needs me a 89 Civic Si..

Well, they went from .791 in 2004, to .799 in 2005, that's a big bump. Rick Ruth must've figured out that was too much.

[Dean]

STX beat STS in only 3 of the 11 tour events, and at nationals.

I am more convinced than ever that Rick is only looking at nationals which given the multi-day format, and significantly different conditions, is not a reliable data IMHO.

The days of the Civic SI's PAX domination have been extended.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

STX beat STS in only 3 of the 11 tour events, and at nationals.

I am more convinced than ever that Rick is only looking at nationals which given the multi-day format, and significantly different conditions, is not a reliable data IMHO.

The days of the Civic SI's PAX domination have been extended.

I dunno... the WRX is *much* faster now than it was 2 years ago due to better aftermarket and experience. The Civic Si is still the same car with the same parts... I think we can handle the .001 to .006 PAX-second advantage it's getting over the other classes.

In short: just drive faster.

[Dean]

Originally Posted by sperry

I dunno... the WRX is *much* faster now...

That's not what the data says...

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

That's not what the data says...

You're going to tell me that a WRX with a UniChip, exhaust, and KYB struts (circa 2001/2002) is as fast as a WRX with a reflash, divorced wastegate titanium exhaust, and double adjustable coilovers, plus all the other bits available today? Hell in '02 no one was even running 245 tires 'cause no one thought they'd fit! Now, if you don't have 265's you're slacking!

[Dean]

OK, but they still aren't as fast as the Civic is my contention. And you can't run 265s in STX.

[sperry]

Originally Posted by Dean

OK, but they still aren't as fast as the Civic is my contention. And you can't run 265s in STX.

Well, I don't have the '05 results in front of me, or any of the other data that goes into the PAX factors, so I could be off point... Also, I was thinking of Allon w/ regards to those 265's, but that's an AS STI... people have been running the widest tires possible in STX all along.

One additional thing to consider about these PAX factors... cars like the STI, EVO, and WRX may not have been included in the calculations, at least not in a straight forward manner. Because they're all gaining boost modifications, and some are moving to new classes, the PAX factors may (should!) have been calculated to take that into consideration. If STX is getting boost, the WRX is going to be quite the dominator... while the Si is still going to be just as fast as it's always been... that might have something to do with the above PAX changes?