I auto crossed my Europa again

[rjbaren]

This year I auto crossed my Europa again with the BMW club.  The car performed as it should with no problems at all.  I also put some Toyo tires on a set of Cosmic wheels.  I ran with 205 60 13s rear and 185 60 13s front.  Wheel wise, the rears are 6" wide, and the fronts are 5.5 inches wide.
In September of last year, I auto crossed with Barum street tires in the stock sizes and the car did OK but slid more than I wanted.   This time the grip was much better.  Last year I was 2nd to last of all cars and this year I was 2nd to last in my class but faster than a number of cars in other classes.  Unfortunately, out of 8 runs I DNFed once, and hit a cone on all but 2 runs.  So, I believe the car is up to snuff, but my driving ability needs work.   Then again, I was running against injected cars with ABS, and traction control.  A lot of M2, M3s and M4s, two Mustang GTs and 4 Corvettes including a Z06 that I almost beat, a few Porches and of course some Miatas.  All in all, it was a lot of fun.

[BDA]

Great progress and great fun! 

[Polopharm]

Hi. Good work just getting out and doing it!
My limited experience with autocross( i have a lot of road course miles) is your 1st and 2nd gear ratios are very important to quick times. Also in a relatively low power car its even more important. You need the grunt to accelerate from a near standstill but also the ability to wind it out as the least shifting you do the better.

[Bainford]

Wow, that sounds great. Keep at it, until you can spank those Vettes.

[Clifton]

Awesome. I assume R888R's. If so it sounds like you are hooked. As with anything, you get better/faster the more you do it and find the limit. Any pics?

[rjbaren]

Here is a picture taken during a run.  I can't believe I got it to load.

[BDA]

Looking good on three wheels!! 

[Clifton]

That's a frame worthy pic.

[TurboFource]

 

[Bainford]

Woohoo! Pulling a wheel. Cool photo.

[Polopharm]

Would tightening up the front end, getting less roll help? Assuming its not a high speed turn, i would think it would help. Not sure if these cars are that much different for set up.

[Clifton]

Would tightening up the front end, getting less roll help? Assuming its not a high speed turn, i would think it would help. Not sure if these cars are that much different for set up.

A lot of cars lift a wheel with sticky rubber and especially with heavier bars. Mine does.  Most front wheel drive cars lift a rear. You just don't want a rear drive car lifting a rear tire. If you look at a lot of autocross pics, you will see it often.

[rjbaren]

That's a frame worthy pic.

You make a good point, so I printed and framed it. 

[Clifton]

That's a frame worthy pic.

You make a good point, so I printed and framed it.

Cool. I did one of mine and hung it  the garage with some other past rides in action. These kind of pics are much more harder to come by than just a parked one.

[Polopharm]

It is  a great picture and I understand about lifting a wheel.
In the picture it looks like the rear is squating down likely under acceleration and the front is lifting and rolling, which would add more understeer.
That was my point.