Sigma Racing: Time Attack (4 track events)

[-cj-]

Since I already missed the early bird special, I'm gonna ride it out a few days and see how the weather situation looks for that weekend. I just about destroyed my regular street tires in the rain, at CSCS the other weekend. Weather will be the only deciding factor... I've got some toys that I want to try out at the track. =)

[taz4432]

Since I already missed the early bird special, I'm gonna ride it out a few days and see how the weather situation looks for that weekend. I just about destroyed my regular street tires in the rain, at CSCS the other weekend. Weather will be the only deciding factor... I've got some toys that I want to try out at the track. =)

Waiting it out would be ideal since my engine does not take to rain well but it should hopefully be a fantastic weekend weather-wise (predictions are looking that way thus far) and they have the rain guarantee thing anyways. Worst comes to worse I'm out $82.50 if it pours; let's just hope it doesn't!

I destroyed my street tires at the first event but I've got different rims+tires to use now =)

[Fobio]

hope to see you there jerry...work the friend angle!

taz...I hope it all worked out!...see you there soon!

btw, I'll be coming from a wedding the night before...but not like I haven't done that...lol...

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Small vid from the 1st session at yesterday's event...jump to 0:26 for the beginning of the slide

[Fobio]

great finish MBNTO!

this just goes to show that power means nothing without control...my new suspension was way stiffer than last event and I spent all day (and lotsa gas) getting used to the new setup, and my lap times reflect that...having mentally reviewed the day afterwards, I realized I should spend more time on set-up and prep...can't wait til next time!

Official result:

Sigma Racing Time Attack – Mosport DDT CCW with 2 Kinks, June 27 2010

[Lloyd]

Gotta watch out for the lift off oversteer. Saw a SRT-4 roll over that way only a few corners earlier on the DDT (the 1-kink configuration means there is more speed going into the uphill part).

These look like pretty decent days though. Maybe I should try and limp out to one. What's the deal with that Genesis? 68 seconds is starting to get quick.

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Gotta watch out for the lift off oversteer. Saw a SRT-4 roll over that way only a few corners earlier on the DDT (the 1-kink configuration means there is more speed going into the uphill part).

These look like pretty decent days though. Maybe I should try and limp out to one. What's the deal with that Genesis? 68 seconds is starting to get quick.

The SRTA days are well organized.

The Genesis is a Castrol Canadian Touring Car run by these guys SG Motorsport, and factory-backed by Hyundai Canada

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Here's my video from the official Time Attack session (available in 720p HD )

0:11 to 1:19 Warm-up lap
1:20 to 2:31 Hot lap #1
2:32 to 3:42 Hot Lap #2
3:43 to end Cool down lap

...yes, those are white Nike golf gloves

Sigma Racing has also put up:

* the quickest times in either Test and Tune or Official Time Attack (OTA)

* the top 10 quickest times in OTA to date

1	A	Miles Markovic		2001 Lotus Super 7 Yellow	01:07.52
2	B	Jim Houghton		1998 Acura Integra Type R White	01:10.59
3	B	Greg Parker		2003 Nissan 350Z White		01:10.97
4	B	Majestic Blue		2008 Mazda Mazdaspeed3 Red	01:11.00
5	B	Terence Wooe-Chung	2009 Chevrolet Cobalt SS Silver	01:11.03
6	B	Fobio			2008 Mazda Mazda 3 Grey		        01:11.18
7	B	Bazyl Debowski		1989 Mazda RX7 White		01:11.19
8	B	Andrew Popovitch	1999 BMW 323IS Green		01:11.23
9	A	Jeff Pippy		        2008 Evo X Black		        01:11.37
10	A	Panos                   	1999 Porsche 996 Carrera Silver	01:11.43

And, for some perspective, here are CASC SoloOntario SoloSprint times from the same configuration

I won't be at the next event but hopefully I can do as well at the last one in August.

[-cj-]

Hey! Some of those cars look familiar.

[mleblond]

Hey! Some of those cars look familiar.

http://www.torontomazda3.ca/forum/sh...11-Promo-Video

[-cj-]

Damn you Mat!! I just had it emailed to me, thought I was special.

[MajesticBlueNTO]

bumping an old thread with updates and video from the Test and Tune session this past Sunday.

My goal of the day was to break into the 1:10s with some new tires. During the 1st session, I got a 1:10.26 with Donutz in the car (goal met, i could go home after that ) and wanted to see if I could get into the 1:09s ...ended up getting a 1:09.24! (Go to 06:04 in the video for that lap) Previous best was 1:11.00



* full interior
* full tank of gas
* the right tires made a world of diff.... 3-4 seconds faster with the hankook z214 vs. toyo r888 (best I could get with the R888 was 1:12.74 at the May 2011 event, 1:13.xx's consistently)

[Fobio]

Official results are up:

Official 2011 2nd Event Results

I got my 245's R6's ready to go on next week...just to keep up with you!

[-cj-]

Nice times guys. I really dig that they provide you with your own lap timer at Sigma.

I looked into their AIM sponsor, and their ECU bridge doesn't support our Mazdaspeeds. Only RX8's

[MajesticBlueNTO]

bringing back this thread from the dead as the 2011 season of Sigma Racing Time Attack (SRTA) has come to a close.

it was a good season as they sold out 3 out of 5 events before the pre-registration cutoff date! talking with them after the last event, they have some good ideas on how to keep the momentum they got in 2011 going. looking forward to 2012 already.

A recap on each event for me....

May 22, 2011

SRTA May 22, 2011 OTA and Test and Tune results

This day was a bit of a disappointment for me as it exposed the fact that the used R888 tires I bought were wholly inadequate. It had me second guessing whether or not I could handle the extra power of the car (after adding a downpipe over the winter) or whether I really sucked as a driver since I was turning worse times than last year when I ran worn RA1 tires. As mentioned in an earlier post, I was getting 1:13.xx's consistently with a fastest time of 1:12.74 - compared to 1:11.00 in a "stage 1" power configuration.

After seeing taz best his time from last year in a stocked out Mazda3 on Hankook Z214 tires, I decided that, for the next event, I would get myself some of the Z214 goodness.

Some video of a test and tune run...



And a video comparison of the R888 vs RA1. Datalogs show that the speeds approaching the left hander are close.




June 26, 2011

SRTA June 26, 2011 OTA and Test and Tune results

As stated in the earlier post, my goal of the day was to break into the 1:10s with some new tires. During the 1st session, I got a 1:10.26 with Donutz in the car (goal met, i could go home after that ) and wanted to see if I could get into the 1:09s ...ended up getting a 1:09.24! (Go to 06:04 in the video for that lap)



The Z214 tires made the biggest difference and inspired a ton of confidence in the car. They stuck like glue but did need some time to warm up. I got the C51 compound which is a good road course tire but they need a few laps to get some heat in them and, unfortunately, the OTA is 2 hot laps. I was only able to get a 1:10.00 in the OTA...considering I got into the 1:09s after 4-5 laps in the video. The 1:10.00 was only good enough for 5th place in Group B ... BUT... 3rd in Group A ...hmmmmm


July 24, 2011

SRTA July 24, 2011 OTA and Test and Tune results

This day was the 4th track day on the Z214s (2 days at Mosport GP (big) track and 2 days at Mosport DDT). Would the Z214s hold up for the day?

During the morning sessions, I turned a 1:09.37 and it was good enough to be top 3 during the Test and Tune for the entire day. However, I should have just parked the car after that rather than wasting gas and tires as each subsequent session the tires started to get slower and slower. They wouldn't hold like before and were starting to chunk off and show cord in places from sliding too much.

As for the OTA, with Jeff Pippy and his Evo X not there, I decided to run in Group A. It was a good decision as my poor time of 1:11.47 was good enough for a podium finish (3rd) and a t-shirt!

Speaking of the Z214 tires being done for, the 2nd hot lap in the OTA I was sliding around like a kid in a soapbox car and, according to my lap timer, the 2nd lap was a 1:18.xx! Needless to say, the Z214s served me well but it was time to put them out to pasture.

No video from this day...didn't feel like making any.


August 21, 2011

With the Z214s done and funds depleted faster than expected due to some unforeseen repairs *cough*power steering pump*cough*, I decided to sit this day out. Good thing too as it rained like a mutha****a that day and the OTA was cancelled.




September 18, 2011

SRTA September 18, 2011 OTA and Test and Tune results

A couple weeks prior to this event, I ordered some Nitto NT01 tires in 245/45/17. I chose the Nittos for a few reasons:

1) they are the same compound as the Toyo RA1 (Toyo owns Nitto)
2) they are a good value for the dollar as they have more tread, last longer, and get stickier as they wear (compared to the Z214 which I called a "go for the glory" type of tire)
3) a friend with the white S2000 has been using them this year at his track days and have had nothing but good things to say about them

What I didn't expect, but should have accounted for having had 235/40/17 Toyos which were really 245 measured width, was that the 245/45/17 were really closer to 255 measure width They were rubbing all morning in the rear and the sidewalls were getting torn apart. I almost called it a day until Fobio brought up the idea to hammer the lip up more (note I had a fender roll done but it didn't provide much more clearance).

Why a hammer? Well, a PVC pipe didn't do the trick and neither was a metal jack handle. Besides the paint on the fender lip was already cracked and coming off in areas where it rubbed the tire and got pulled down. After hammering both sides up, it was time to test things out.

The following video was the first session where no rubbing was heard! The hammering worked and now I didn't have to call it a day. In this video, the first hot lap after the warm-up I turned a 1:09.87 in the video (a 1:10.09 according to the AIM timer Sigma gives you)... a .20 second difference between beacon timer and gps timer.



With a 1:10.09 I was 8th fastest of the day and 7th fastest of those who were running the OTA (the RX-7 that turned the 1:06 had to bow out). That put me in the 2nd run group and I was really just running for fun as it was the 2nd session where I could run with no rubbing

Video from the OTA:



After the run, I checked my lap timer (as Sigma tapes the timer outside the car so that people 1) can't see their times and 2) can't interfere with the timer) to see what I got and saw a 1:10.23 was done on hot lap 2. Figuring that, in my previous session, my lap timer had a 0.20 second difference, I thought I got a 1:10.4x in the OTA. Decent but not fast enough to win anything....or so I thought.

While the remaining OTA runs were going, Fobio and I decided to swap our tires and start packing up. We were a bit late going to the Awards ceremony but didn't think much of it as I definitely wasn't expecting anything....until I got there and heard that I placed 3rd in Group B....What?! I thought people were joking but no, they were serious. That was unexpected ...i finished off the year with another podium finish and got another t-shirt!


I'll conclude with a big thanks to the SRTA guys and girls that run the event.... and hope that more Mazda3's come to these events next year

[CelestSpeed3]

Niel I think you should let me re-roll your fenders. I've done it more than a few times and I will get those tires to fit without rubbing. Although the tire is quite a bit taller then the stock tire and I think thats more the issue.

I'm looking forward to coming out with you guys this summer.

[breakfasteatre]

neil, i know ive asked this a couple times, but there are just too many damn acronyms. Is this the series you had mentioned that has all sunday dates?

[CelestSpeed3]

I can't wait for these track events.

I've got the foldable tent, BBQ, and all the good stuff ready for track days.

Do you guys bring a spring compressor to swap out for the different courses?

[MajesticBlueNTO]

neil, i know ive asked this a couple times, but there are just too many damn acronyms. Is this the series you had mentioned that has all sunday dates?

this would be it... SRTA = Sigma Racing Time Attack

[MajesticBlueNTO]

Niel I think you should let me re-roll your fenders. I've done it more than a few times and I will get those tires to fit without rubbing. Although the tire is quite a bit taller then the stock tire and I think thats more the issue.

I'm looking forward to coming out with you guys this summer.

After hammering both sides to pretty much flush with the fender, I didn't get any rubbing in the subsequent sessions.

However, if I do get rubbing after putting on the pro-kits this year, i'll take you up on that offer

[Kiyomi]

I can't wait for these track events.

I've got the foldable tent, BBQ, and all the good stuff ready for track days.

Do you guys bring a spring compressor to swap out for the different courses?

+1, u coming out to cscs as well?

[CelestSpeed3]

Yes sir, I'm bringing the old TM6 spirit to TM3 this year is going to be great!

[MajesticBlueNTO]

+1, u coming out to cscs as well?

there's already a thread asking people what series they are planning on running next year

[sjd]

This Sunday! Weather is looking good.

[lazor86]

Anyone going to June 10 event?