[SDSUsnowboards]

At last, Buttonwillow configuration #13. Being the most popular track in Southern California for time attack, a lap time here can tell a person where they stand in the grand scheme of things. And where do I stand? Some place not so good, I think. But you don't want to hear me lament missed expectations. Here are some videos and a totally official track map that has not been altered in any way.
Best time of the day: 2:07.8xx.

Best Lap.

Second best lap [in-car footage].

General fvck-uppery.

Most of the first session. It had an interesting start: everyone all at once. Pretty neat.

 

[Drew1]

I think there are a lot more Upperies of others than you haha

Just some random questions but is it not beneficial to just remove the dash? Or against some rules?

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

I think there are a lot more Upperies of others than you haha

Just some random questions but is it not beneficial to just remove the dash? Or against some rules?

Any class in which the Spyder might be competitive prohibits dash removal. It's also the support structure for the gauges.

 

[silversprint]

Any class in which the Spyder might be competitive prohibits dash removal. It's also the support structure for the gauges.

No one really has a class for the spyder.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

No one really has a class for the spyder.

I am hoping to eventually shoehorn the Spyder in some NASA class. I have no idea if it will ever be competitive.

My Spyder, with about 10 lbs of interior put back in, would have been classed in the Extreme Speed 'Tuner' class at Buttonwillow this past weekend. The overall winner of that class did a 2:01, I think. Therefore, I am very, very glad I didn't go through the trouble of prepping my car for that because I wasn't even close. What would get a Spyder to that point?

Buttonwillow is one of those tracks that I think highly benefits from aero. I think that with aero and more power I could get there while staying within the regs. How much power? That is the question. I don't think a 2zz would be enough. I imagine Cosmin would have been 2-3 seconds ahead of me, just like on config #1, which would place his time around 2:04.xxx. Then again, a 2zz in my car, which is much lighter, might be enough to squeeze out another 3 seconds...

 

[silversprint]

Extreme speed time attack is not very serious.

A spyder without a bunch of money dumped into it won't be very competitive in a typical "Time Attack" style race. Those races are usually won by deep budget cars.

Remember that Cosmin's car weighs 2200 because it's mostly ungutted. He has better suspension, LSD, tires, Aero (hardtop+wing).

Your car is close to the weight of a stock Elise which with 190hp, good tires, and a good driver can run around 2:00. See Manly videos.

I don't think it's worth the effort to built a car for the extreme time attack.

NASA is easier to run. But they have a minimum weight for each class. I think if you take them a dyno sheet they can class you based on hp/weight. Pretty easy to do

BTW the 2zz is heavier than the 1zz. Maybe by 75lbs.

 

[akomsr1]

Nasa does have a "run what you brung" class that classifies you based on power/weight but you need a comp liscense to compete

I'm not sure if they ever classed the spyder into an actual class though

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

Nasa does have a "run what you brung" class that classifies you based on power/weight but you need a comp liscense to compete

I'm not sure if they ever classed the spyder into an actual class though

The Spyder might not even need aero to be competitive in such a class because it is so light. I would just need to get a hard top and do some things to decrease drag. I was keeping up with, and passing up, a lot of cars with aero. The Spyder was top of its class in corners and stopping. The weak link was, as always, acceleration and speed on the straits. The only cars not pulling away was this one nb Miata and a 240sx.

 

[silversprint]

The Spyder might not even need aero to be competitive in such a class because it is so light. I would just need to get a hard top and do some things to decrease drag. I was keeping up with, and passing up, a lot of cars with aero. The Spyder was top of its class in corners and stopping. The weak link was, as always, acceleration and speed on the straits. The only cars not pulling away was this one nb Miata and a 240sx.

NASA only runs the big tracks here. Mainly Big willow and Auto Club speedway. Both tracks that give an advantage to cars with aero and lots of hp. NASA does have a time trial for the spyder. I think the minimum weight with driver is around 2200lbs. You would need to contact them to see how many classes you will move up with your current setup. NASA is crowded and you only get about 4 session per day for a high cost.


I actually looked up the Spyder NASA classification.

The spyder is classed in TTE with minimum weight with driver of 2195. Your car with driver is 2032. That's a loss of 163lbs. If you can add back some weight to 155lbs lose total you will take 11 mod point. That keeps you in class.

You need +20 point to move up a class to you are still in TTE class. You may still have to take other points for mods but just keep it under 20.

David Golik the TTE champion ran a 2:07 Buttonwillow #13..in April! :lol: Enjoy.!! So you are right where you should be.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

NASA only runs the big tracks here. Mainly Big willow and Auto Club speedway. Both tracks that give an advantage to cars with aero and lots of hp. NASA does have a time trial for the spyder. I think the minimum weight with driver is around 2200lbs. You would need to contact them to see how many classes you will move up with your current setup. NASA is crowded and you only get about 4 session per day for a high cost.


I actually looked up the Spyder NASA classification.

The spyder is classed in TTE with minimum weight with driver of 2195. Your car with driver is 2032. That's a loss of 163lbs. If you can add back some weight to 155lbs lose total you will take 11 mod point. That keeps you in class.

You need +20 point to move up a class to you are still in TTE class. You may still have to take other points for mods but just keep it under 20.

David Golik the TTE champion ran a 2:07 Buttonwillow #13..in April! :lol: Enjoy.!! So you are right where you should be.

2:07? That's crazy. I can definitely do that with 155lbs added to the Spyder and some more track time. I wonder if my existing mods would equal 9 points or more... probably not.

What's a good way to add weight? Steel ballast bolted to the bottom of the chassis? Is that allowed?

 

[silversprint]

Bolt a race/passenger seat in. That would give you over 10lbs and let you make the min weigh you need.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

Bolt a race/passenger seat in. That would give you over 10lbs and let you make the min weigh you need.

I think I misunderstood. The minimum weight for TTE is 2195, but if I can get within 155 lbs less than that minimum weight, I can run in that class but it will count as mod points?

 

[scotched]

Those videos were great.

 

[ferrytran]

you had a good run! did the unichip ever work out for you? any satisfied gains?

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

you had a good run! did the unichip ever work out for you? any satisfied gains?

I still need to figure out what is wrong with my car. I've been meaning to send my fuel injectors in to be tested and cleaned up. Then, I want to install and get a dyno done so I know what my gains are.

Have you decided if you are buying one?

 

[ferrytran]

I still need to figure out what is wrong with my car. I've been meaning to send my fuel injectors in to be tested and cleaned up. Then, I want to install and get a dyno done so I know what my gains are.

Have you decided if you are buying one?

no, i dont believe the power gain out weighs the cost. my next mod that im leaning towards is a lightweight flywheel for now. possibly a 6 speed tranny as well.

 

[silversprint]

I think I misunderstood. The minimum weight for TTE is 2195, but if I can get within 155 lbs less than that minimum weight, I can run in that class but it will count as mod points?

That is correct. The base weight of a spyder in TTE is 2195 but you get 20 mod point to use before you get bumped up a class.

Dropped weight costs mod points.

If you lose 155lbs from 2195 it costs you 11 mod points. You still have another 8 points.

You can go the NASA time trial website and look at the rule/classification and calculate exactly what you have now.

Also the base weight is different for every car.

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

26 points with my mods.

Interestingly, the bracing and removal of OEM sway bars add points. Getting rid of the bracing and putting stock sways back on will bring me down to 21 points I think. I'll need to brake it down later to see what can be done...

 

[silversprint]

26 points with my mods.

Interestingly, the bracing and removal of OEM sway bars add points. Getting rid of the bracing and putting stock sways back on will bring me down to 21 points I think. I'll need to brake it down later to see what can be done...

The bracing doesn't really affect lap times. Go back to stock with those.

What if you put the swaybars back in and don't connect them to the struts?

 

[SDSUsnowboards]

The bracing doesn't really affect lap times. Go back to stock with those.

What if you put the swaybars back in and don't connect them to the struts?

That is probably allowed as long as the end-links are present. I'm going to need to purchase the stock sways and the stock bracing. I tossed all that.

I still need to lose 2 points. Maybe by adding weight?