conemark

http://scca.com/newsarticle.aspx?hub=3&news=3812

Cliffs Notes Version:
Pro Solo:
April 17-18 - El Toro Airfield, Irvine, CA
May 1-2 - Lincoln Airpark, Lincoln, NE
May 22-23 - Wendover Airport, Wendover, UT (tentative)
June 5-6 - Arkansas Aeroplex, Blytheville, AR
June 19-20 - FedEx Field, Largo, MD (tentative)
July 17-18 - Toledo Express Airport, Toledo, OH
July 31-Aug.1 - Hampton Mills, Packwood, WA
Sept. 4-5 - FINALE - LINCOLN AIRPARK, LINCOLN, NE

National Tours:
March 13-14 - Dixie National Tour, South Georgia Motorsports Park, Cecil, GA
March 20-21 - Texas National Tour, TBD
April 10-11 - San Diego National Tour, Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, CA
May 15-16 - Western States Championship - Wendover Airport, Wendover, UT (tentative)
May 29-30 - Eastern States Championship - Arkansas Aeroplex, Blytheville, AR
July 3-4 - Peru National Tour - Grissom Aeroplex, Peru, IN
July 10-11 - Finger Lakes National Tour - Seneca Army Depot, Romulus, NY
Aug 7-8 - Packwood National Tour - Hampton Mills, Packwood, WA
SEPT 7-10 - SOLO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP - LINCOLN AIRPARK, LINCOLN, NE
Oct 23-24 - - Tri State National Tour - Arkansas Aeroplex, Blytheville, AR

Plan accordingly

Davidb32

I'll be going to the texas tour, arkansas tour's and pro and nationals for sure. I'm going to try to make it to the dixie tour and the lincoln pro. The only thing is, I will drive my cobalt at the arkansas pro only....all the other events I will be in a DS wrx


So who all is planning on going where?

Boosted_Cobalt09

nothings close to me really or else i would go..

des

I'll do Dixie, Packwood and Nats for sure, and either Texas or San Diego.

Davidb32

Were you the one at the tri-state national tour in Arkansas?

des

Yep, got beat by Jeff Schaadt!

Davidb32

Ok...I remember seeing your car. I was lucky enough to codrive with Jeff at this past nationals in his mini...he is a outstanding driver. He was in my buddies wrx. Here is my problem...i'm not sure if I should prep my cobalt or jump in his car this year. By march he will be fully prepped on motons...

Anyways, if you don't mind, what is your setup? Tires/sizes, alignment, shocks??? Just trying to see what all the cobalt guys are doing. I was able to get some info out of "fastmike" about kevens car. Do you think you had more in it at blytheville?

des

Yep, Jeff's very talented, and a nice guy to boot. I had an 08 WRX and codrove an 09 WRX for a half dozen or so events earlier this year, both modestly prepped.

Jeff and I compared data at Blytheville (which had a very Pro Solo-like start on Day 1), and the Subaru was 8 mph faster by the first turn. Even with that advantage Jeff won by maybe a tenth or two overall. I think if he'd been in my car (or his Mini) he'd have beaten me by way more than that.

I race with FastMike and Kevin in Seattle. I don't have FastMike's genius for car setup, so mine is completely off the rack: stock bar, off the shelf Konis. I did do the slotting adjustment for camber and run Hawk HP Plus pads on the back to improve the balance. They run 255 Hoosiers because they win tons of them. I run 245/35 Kumhos because I have to pay for mine.

The Cobalt is far easier for me to drive fast. I've beaten Kevin and Mike a couple of times when they weren't paying attention. That never happened in the WRX.

Which isn't to say you shouldn't dive in ...

See you in Dixie!

Fastmike

Des can be fast forsure. He is too kind when he talks of my car setup skills.
I agree with him on the 08/09 WRX though.
I autox'd one(a 09) and I think the 2nd gear is too tall and has too much lag coming out of slower corners when you stay in second gear. The car was new and I was not abusing it but still I think I can tell if a car is going to be extra special or not.
Do they launch well if you go for it and "abuse it?" Absolutely.
But Kevin still won the 08 ProSolo Finale in the rain in the Cobalt though against a WRX.
Yea...The WRX KILLED Kevin at the line but he made it all up on course.
Anyhow,
In regards to the Cobalt SS, I think that there is time to be had with a custom set of monotube shocks and an adjust fsb.
We never maximized the setup on Kevin's car. Good? Yea..Maximized...no.
We did greatly reduce acceleration wheelspin coming out of corners on the but it cost us a little bit on other parts of the course's.(slaloms)
Shocks would have to be custom built since there is no stock legal choices in a monotube that I know of.
Would it be enough to beat the MiniS and TypeR? Hard to say.
On some courses that can let the Cobalt stretch it's legs and especially use the low end TQ when the Type R has to stay in 2nd gear, absolutely.
Heck. It can win at big events now.
Someone will want to make the effort to really build one and you will have a great race against the TypeR and MiniS.
Or you can do like Des does and go low budget and drive well and get good results.

Side note: Yes, we ran Hoosiers of various sizes and Kumho's too and they are VERY similar to the each other as far as performance. Kevin and I both liked how the 35 series K tire felt but like Des said, free tires are free tires...

FM

Davidb32

Awesome....this is some good info. I actually got to drive the wrx at the blytheville pro last year. We were on kumhos and otherwise stock. I had the 2nd fastest 60ft of the event (1.7x) but still got beat out by a type r. I haven't had the chance to autox the cobalt yet.

des

David, how did your car shake out?
If you're headed for Dixie, I know Wes Jenrich is looking for a ride -- great low-key guy who was eager to try mine (but seat was already taken, unfortunately).
/des

Davidb32

As of right now, i'm a no go for dixie. I'm unable to get that friday and monday off I'm still trying though...Thats the bad thing about one of you co-workers racing with you...he already go that time off...He will be there in a SM evo....If it breaks between now and then, which is likely, then I should be able to get those days...LOL.

Oldguy

David:

I'm the old guy and owner of the SS sedan who talked with you briefly at the Houston autocross. I thought you were a local new-comer trying out his car, not a ringer from Arkansas! In any case, good driving.

I noticed that you did quite well at the Nationals in a MINI Cooper S. My son and I ran a Cooper in H Stock for three years and then an '06 Cooper S in G Stock for three years here in the Houston region. I'm no longer that competitive, but my son did well in those classes (except for when Carter Bolman, National Champ in H Stock was running or when Jeff Schaadt was running in G Stock). Years ago I competed in a D Prepared Mini and drove classic Minis for more than 20 years, so you could say I'm a Mini/MINI guy- great cars. I bought the Cobalt because I needed more room to haul the grandkids around and I thought that it would be a competitve D Stock car. We are not disappointed with the choice. I was lucky enough to find one with LSD, but had to take the sun roof that went with it. Turbo lag is something we need to get used to (the supercharged MINI seemed to have much better throtle response).

I'm hoping that the Top Dogs driving D Stock Cobalts will pass their wisdom and info on their setups down to the rest of us. That's what made the MINI forum so great for autocrossers.

Davidb32

It was really good meeting you and your son. I love the 4 door by the way I'm really liking the WRX.

Buzz65

Does anyone here have the info on the strut-grind for getting more negative camber on the Cobalt?

Pics and/or a how-to would be greatly appreciated.

F_Imports_09tc

iTrader: (1)

That would be helpful. I know that it was posted on here at one point but I can't find it. If someone has the link to the GM TSB or whatever document it is published in that would be greatly appreciated as well.