The first event was run yesterday and went well.

Check it out.

Modified Front wheel drive class

http://www.forumshawaii.com/topic/38...ycross-at-krp/

Next event date is pending approval.

If you have a stock MINI cooper or cooper S it should be fine.

All wheel drive Countryman Cooper S should be pretty good.

 

Just got the results

http://www.sccahawaii.org/2010results/2010_0925_rallyx.pdf

We did five runs and dropped the slowest time
All times were added for a composite time overall

I got 1st out of 3 in Modified Front wheel drive and 3rd overall out of 30 total drivers.

Overall raw times
1. Subaru WRX Sti Prepared AWD 4:17
2. Honda CRX Stock FWD 4:19
3. Mini cooper Modified FWD 4:23
4. Subaru WRX Prepared AWD 4:29
5. Honda CRX Prepared FWD 4:32

 

Congrats minihune! Awesome photo!

 

It looks pretty good in the photo but that was in the first two runs when the course was not torn up and rutted or wetted down and muddy slippery.

Of course we all have to adjust to the changes in course but it gets unpredictable how it might change as the day progresses.

We can make frequent changes to reduce the bad areas often after only 2 or 3 runs. We run two heats and rotate back and forth to not favor one group.
Heat 1 then 2 in the morning for 2 runs each then heat 2 then 1 in the afternoon for 3 runs each.

If you go right after the water truck or right after a car or truck that mauls the course you might have some trouble.

Most important is to look ahead and be prepared for anything. Being careful would be prudent, I forgot I have the power steering fan on the lower bottom area, I need a skid plate to protect the lower engine bay. I hit a lot of rocks and mud.

I got a flat tire from all the dirt that got into my tire and messed up the air seal. It would not hold air but there was no puncture. The engine bay is full of dirt and the air filter is brown- time for a bubble bath and reoil.

 

I like this photo!

 

*clap clap* I'm glad someone in a MINI showed up the subies. I can't say I'm brave enough to put my mini through the dirty abuse though. Mine likes pavement =)

 

You have to have courage-

It's easier when you are not driving your own car.

I could have gone faster to keep up with the leaders but being just a few inches off the ground I was already a dirt plow.

I may need to make some adjustments and then come out to play

With the right stuff.

 

hmm.. if i still had my coilovers i could raise the mini instead of lowering it!

 

Yes, You got the idea

Right now my coilovers are setup for autocross with a 1.8" drop from Stock.

I figure to raise it front and rear about 1" so less than stock but a bit better for less rock damage. Then do alignment like autocross

Add a cobalt alloy skid plate about 9 pounds for protection

Put on some 15x6" wheels and some


Firestone Winterforce studable snow tires in 185/65-15
"The Firestone Winterforce is studdable, and it's also "siped," which means it has thousands of tiny edges that grip the road and improve traction for winter performance. The directional, computer-modeled tread design helps deliver traction through water, snow and and ice. Designed to deliver a quiet and comfortable ride."

 

wow! I really wanna come out and watch. There is no way I'm racing my car around the dirt and gravel though. I bet the entire exterior, tire wells and engine bay gets terribly filthy and then there's the rock chips..

and when i said raise the mini - I meant like 1 inch higher than stock. Maybe my mind is exaggerating how rough the track is. I just see so much more potential for damage than pavement. I wouldn't mind buying an old junker car for it, but someone else in the household would mind.

 

One inch higher than stock? Wow. Like the Black Tacoma?

Problem is the tall height gives a high center of gravity and that makes speed on turns tricky.

Beater like this one?


The subarus are many




The MINI can hold it's own.

Yes the dirt and mud was everywhere.

In the engine bay, the air filter was brown.
In the door jams and sills even with the doors closed
All over the inside wheel wells- caked mud but easy enough to bang on the fenders the next day to knock them all loose and off in the parking lot at work.

Most of the pictures you see were taken in the first two runs of heat 1 when the course was still pretty good but dry and dusty. Then the water truck came and turned the course to mud. The course became rutted and grooved so then the plowing began then the big rock chucks then the berms or loose dirt and more plowing then more mud. Not so easy.

The course got longer after lunch but my best morning time of about 1:04 was almost the same as best of 1:06 in the afternoon. My range was about 1:04 and 1:05 in the morning and 1:06 and 1:08 in the afternoon with one run of 1:10 dropped.
The 1:06 was pretty narly and best of the afternoon was about 1:05 so the MINI was moving despite the course.

 

We are still planning to have Rallycross but will need to wait until we can confirm the next date of Nov 20.

If we are given the OK I will be there.

I will have my mods installed soon and see if things are better.
I got in all the goodies.

Winterforce tires are ready and look good.
I probably will be bringing two spare tires in case.

Neat stuff-
X brace
Cobalt skid plate

I think with all the rough driving I will need to do alignment twice a year.

 

Let me know if you need help installing the goods.

 

Next event date has been confirmed for Nov 20.

Bring your MINI and play in the dirt

http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.c...C55B528802BDEA

Cost is only $30 per driver with SCCA membership online (early) for the next two events sponsored by SCCA Hawaii to promote participation. After that the price per event will increase to about $60 per driver per event.

Now is the time to get out there and drive.

 

So far 11 drivers are signed up early for the next RallyX

I did my mods and seems OK for now

Added Firestone narrow snow tires to wider than stock wheels for fronts only

Added
increase ride height 1/2" front and 3/4" rear
Realigned
cobalt skid plate
X brace

 

SCCA Rally is a blast! I really hope all of you come check it out on the 20th! As long as you prep your car right, you can make it through without much to worry about it! Just make sure you're not at stock height and your rebound is set!

 

Still some time to pre-reg for Nov 20 RallyX before Nov 11.

http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.c...C55B528802BDEA

Price is $30 per driver per event for the next two. The date in December is to be announced later.

The Nov 20 event is on and will be held no matter how many drivers show up or not.

Come out to watch at least.

 

ack, nov 20th is a saturday.. Are all the rallys going to be on saturdays? I still don't plan on running but I'd like to watch. I just happen to work every Saturday.

also looking at the results page - it looks like Mike W. bought a sti just for this. Wish I could have that many toys!

 

Yes, several autocrossers have a separate AWD subaru for Rallycross only.

All Rallycross events will be on saturdays. All autocross on sundays.

 

Next event is Nov 20

15 are pre-registered and walks up are invited too

see your competition
http://www.motorsportreg.com/index.c...C55B528802BDEA

Nobody in stock classes yet?

 

It's this saturday

All are invited to watch after Coffee meeting for HMMC. Just drive out to Kapolei area

 

I did not see anyone from the MINI club.

We had good conditions and about half as many drivers



Using 15x6 rims and 185/65-15 snow tires in front, stock wheels and tires in back. Seemed OK, probably would have helped to have grippy tires on the back too.

 

Very nice, how did you place within your class? Looks like a lot of fun.

Don

 

Some pics- check out the snow tires up front-


I might have the nicest interior of all the rally cars at the event.

Out of about 14 drivers there were only two front wheel drive cars.

I was first in Modified FWD last event and the only one in that class so I was trying to beat as many AWD cars as possible. The RWD cars aren't going to have an easy time with RallyX.

Overall on raw time I was 3rd out of 14. One 4WD pickup truck. The rest were AWD and all but one was Subaru.

Raw times
1. Subaru WRX Sti on snow tires- 5:49.13
2. Subaru WRX on rally suspension and aggressive snow tires- 6:08.78
3. MINI Cooper S on snow tires up front only and lower than stock ride height using coilovers- 6:10.93
4. Subaru WRX - 6:18.36
5. Subaru Impreza RS - 6:19.12

I had one mess up run, missed a gate and had to correct it on the course for about a 6 second loss of time. No cones hit all day. In the afternoon had one bad run where I could have gone faster by 5+ seconds.

 

I think as time goes on and more drivers get to know how to make the most of their AWD cars it will be more difficult to keep up in a FWD MINI.

I'm not sure how well I can keep up and still be easy enough on the MINI as to not beat it up. I have to use it as a daily driver when not doing Rallycross.

Some ideas to do better-

Be super aggressive and fearless, hold back nothing.
Cut corners close and find the shortest course as cleanly as possible
Try Rally tires for loose dirt and gravel like the Hankook Rally R201 in 185/60-15 or even 195/65-15 (tall at 24.8").
Change to stock springs and Koni shocks maybe yellows or FSD.
Reduce weight (modified class legal changes).


One of the photographers shot this. Made my day.