Big double header weekend this past weekend! And for once a dry event weekend in what feels like forever! First event started in Champaign, running again from the north end. Decided to make my Evo up for the trip, as the north end courses are usually way faster than the normal configuration. CCSCC put up a really nice, fast, fun course. One thing I really hated about running from the north end was that there was always a slalom down and back where we would normally grid, but rather than doing that they made a tight turn around sweeper, which was still better than a single turn around cone. The finish was also very fast, very bumpy, and very fun, and I never really got it right. What I realized about doing this last Rantoul & StlSolo back to back is that Rantoul courses really favor big power big grip courses. There are a lot of hard turns, fast sections, and low end dig sections which really favor fast cars.

Was still playing with the Evo settings at CCSCC. The last event I had was way back for the advanced autox school we had, and I ended up making some changes since then. The ACD ecu was set way less aggressively so I could actually use some of the more aggressive modes, and the rear bar was set to the middle setting. I also set the shocks at 17F/15R (17 clicks away from stiff, aka softer, and 15 clicks away from stiff). Higher the number, softer the setting. For whatever reason, this combination made the car very loose, especially on Rantoul’s bumpy concrete. I realized about mid way through, and I went to 17 clicks all around (softened the rear) and set the ACD on the middle setting. Car felt okay here, but still a little loose and I ended the day doing 17/16 with ACD on soft. Looking back I think I should have stuck with the ACD on mid and 17 clicks all around. There were a few spots I was scrubbing that I hadn’t scrubbed with the ACD on the middle setting, so I wonder if it has to do with that. First was the tight turn around after the wallom, second was the turn around going into the old grid area, which I downshifted into 1st gear for and picked up a little time.

The results turned out okay – for SM I did 23rd which is not bad, but using the ‘true’ index of STU, would have been 13th. The run itself was very sloppy. A lot of distance between a few cones, especially slaloms and in the back stretch with late turn ins and such. Still getting used to the car though, I’m definitely driving better than I did long ago in that car and having a lot of fun doing it!

Things to work on (Evo):

• Still adjusting some settings, getting comfortable
• Late turn in in a few spots

Notes (Evo):

• In the future will leave ACD on middle setting and try shocks at 15 all around (stiffer)
• 37 psi all around felt okay

2015 Run Count: 129 (+6 Evo)