Chike's official 2007 AutoX Blog thread (D-Stock)

[svxfiles]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

I hope you did good today. Post your results.

Chi ke,Bob
How didja do?
So did you have to learn the handeling all over again?

[benebob]

Originally Posted by rufus

You are kidding, right?

No rufus I'm not kidding. Its nothing more than a VW bug that was put on the quartering machine and yanked for a spell.

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

I hope you did good today. Post your results.

Official results aren't posted yet. I had a co-driver who finished 4th in class (I was 3-4 spots back in a 16 person field), but he ended up 0.8 seconds behind the winner (Matt Arnold - 20th at Nationals in '05) who was driving a fully prepped 330i which won Nationals in '05 (in the hands of his co-driver GJ Dixon).

Once the reuslts are up, I'll be sure to post them here.

Originally Posted by SSSVX

Do these struts handle and stop better?

How much change for the ride quality?

I hope you get better times with them.

The handling is greatly improved. Car resets much faster during quick transitional elements, and there's much less brake dive. Ride quality is a little stiffer - but not jarring in the least.

Originally Posted by svxfiles

So did you have to learn the handeling all over again?

In a way yes, but in a way no. The car is handling much better now, and I have to get used to how much faster the car can slalom now. My co-driver typically competes in an '06 WRX on Tokico D-Spec struts all around, so he's used to a car that transitions quickly (he cross-threaded 3 studs and had to co-drive with me at the last minute). My car is set-up a lot more loose than his (his words, not mine), so he did have to get used to everything.

Chike

[Chiketkd]

Okay, here's my account of last Sunday's WDCR event - final results are still not posted on the solo.wdcr-scca.org website, but were posted in preliminary form last night on the wdcr yahoo message board.

My energy level for the day really 'tanked' after working the 4th heat out on a hot 95+ deg course with no shade. Formula Junior carts ran during that heat and one completely broke down by my station. The chain had come off the engine and got caught in something which locked the drive wheels. As a result, the cart couldn't be pushed - my friend Harry and I had to physically lift the cart and carry it roughly 50 yards or so over to the side of the parking lot. This is a pic that Team WTF?! took of the incident (not the greatest quality but you get the idea):



D-Stock didn't run until the 6th and final run group of the day. I offered my friend Eduardo a ride, when he cross-threaded at least 3 wheel studs when changing tires that morning on his D-Stock '06 WRX. My car was also driven earlier in the day by one of my good autoX friends Katie, who's the girlfriend of Shawn - the guy who's miata I co-drove earlier in the season.

The break-down of my runs were as follows:
Run 1: Took it easy in the slalom, really wanted to focus on my lines and running clean. Came down the hill to the showcase, went in too hot and pushed really wide loosing a good deal of momentum & boost. Drove the rest of the course reasonably well and finished with a 59.9 +0
Run 2: Came up through the slalom slightly faster and pushed really wide in the 180 turn-around at the top, came down into the showcase too fast once more and pushed wide. Drove okay over the rest of the course and finished with a 60.7 +0
Run 3: Got a solid run through the slalom, everything was feeling good coming down the hill into the showcase, braked earlier and nailed it! No push whatsoever, and I went out of the showcase with some solid speed. I got into those two offsets before the 180 skidpad thingie faster than before and went over 20ft wide in the first (had to counter steer to prevent a spin)! Came off of the skidpad with some decent speed and didn't lift until I came down the hill, went into the finish and ran a 59.7 +0 with my freaking a/c still on!!!
Run 4: Crap. Slalom didn't feel good at all, car pushed in 3 places killing momentum, and my final time was a 60.0 +0.

Results:
'D Stock' - Total Entries: 16 Trophies: 3 Times Total Diff.
1T 57 Arnold, Matthew 2003 Bmw 330I Blue 58.606+1 58.437 58.036+1 57.811 57.811 -
2T 157 Rubenstein, Nicholas 2003 BMW 330i 58.010 57.884 57.917 57.431+2 57.884 0.073
3T 37 Spector, Larry 2000 Acura Integra Type-R Black 58.150 58.131 58.277 57.675+1 58.131 0.247
4 170 Arispe, Eduardo 2006 Subaru Wrx Grey 59.600+1 59.240 58.882+1 58.525 58.525 0.394
5 71 Staples, Curtis 2002 Bmw 330Ci Blue 59.404 59.676 58.594 59.072 58.594 0.069
6 50 Taylor, Bill 2002 Subaru Wrx World Rally Blue 60.278 58.996 58.596 58.914 58.596 0.002
7 80 Radford, Tommy 1994 Bmw 325Is Black 60.048 59.559 60.635 60.049 59.559 0.963
8 70 Dellimore, Chike 2006 Subaru Wrx Grey 59.919 60.733 59.778 60.088 59.778 0.219
9 46 Redington, Alex 2001 Audi S4 Black 63.219+1 62.980 61.435 61.332 61.332 1.554
10 13 Hogenkamp, Harry 2006 Subaru Wrx Wagon Black 62.834 61.886 62.694 61.840 61.840 0.508
11 11 Clark, Jim 2004 Subaru Forester Xt Black 64.898 62.379 61.863 61.865 61.863 0.023
12 180 Radford, William 1994 Bmw 325Is Black 65.106 62.872 62.683 62.102 62.102 0.239
13 42 Cuellar, Roland 2005 Subaru Wrx Wagon Silver 64.021 62.666 62.700+1 62.365+1 62.666 0.564
14 48 Williams, Phil 2001 Bmw 330I Orient Blue 65.691+DNF 63.840 66.721 64.373 63.840 1.174
15 3 Rollison, John 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt Black 64.437+DNF 64.844 64.325 65.365 64.325 0.485
16 33 Garbow, Trevor 2005 Subaru Wrx Silver 74.110 69.798+1 69.101+DNF 68.694+1

Summary:
8th out of 16 in DS
102 out of 244 in PAX

Pics:

Yours truly:








My co-driver Eduardo:


Katie in my car:

[Chiketkd]

Some of pics of DS competitors:

Harry (who helped me lift the cart)


Matt's 330i


Larry's ITR


Dodge Viper (which competed in ASP)

[Chiketkd]

My next event is the Coventry CommonWealth Games of VA 2-day autocross to be held this weekend (7/21-7/22).

I'll be up against Keith Vail (drives a black Crossfire), the winner of D-Stock at the DC Pro Solo last month.

When analyzing my driving last Sunday, I realize that I'm not looking ahead enough when on course - hopefully by going back-to-the-basics, I can pick my driving up another notch and stay close to Keith's times over the 2 day event.

Chike

[Royal Tiger]

You were the 3rd Subaru, and you lost to an Acura. No christmas cookies for you.

[Chiketkd]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

You were the 3rd Subaru, and you lost to an Acura. No christmas cookies for you.

Thanks Dan. That makes me feel so warm & fuzzy inside!

[benebob]

Originally Posted by Royal Tiger

You were the 3rd Subaru, you lost to an Acura and you took a picture of said Acura. No christmas cookies for you.

Fixed your post Dan.

[Chiketkd]

^
I can't claim credit for taking any of the posted pics from WDCR events - they're primarily taken by Alex T. of Team WTF?!

[Royal Tiger]

Had you lost to a ford, I'd have some boys come over and take the WRX back. Consider this a warning.








And still no cookies.

[Chiketkd]

I competed in the official 2-day CommonWealth Games of Virginia at Danville airport last weekend. I was up against experienced drivers in well prepped cars.



Day 1:
The course was reasonably fast & flowing except for one tight gate near the end. I ran into cone trouble and had to run almost 2 seconds slower on my last run inorder to run clean. I finished the day 2nd in class, more than 2 seconds behind the leader Keith Vail in his Chrysler Crossfire (DC Pro Solo Champion in D-stock).

Day 2:
Spent the night at the hotel with my family and got up Sunday morning feeling very well rested. I took to Sunday's faster course much better and had the lead over Keith for the first three runs (he was having a little cone trouble). Couldn't quite put a perfect run together and Keith ended up bettering my time on his 4th and final run. Combined 2 day results are below:

D-Stock
157 DS KEITH VAIL 05 CHRYSLER CROSSFIRE BLACK 97.512
70 DS CHIKE DELLIMORE 06 SUBARU WRX STEEL GRAY 100.933
185 DS WILLIAM BAKER 06 SUBARU WRX SILVER 102.311
24 DS STEVE DASHER 06 SUBARU WRX SILVER 102.800
http://www.brr-scca.org/2007Combined.htm

While Keith won by 3+ seconds, if you take 2 seconds off of my combined time (for my coned runs on Saturday), I would have had a 2 day time in the 98's.

Summary:
2nd out of 4 in DS
44th out of 111 in PAX (Saturday)
22nd out of 115 in PAX (Sunday)

The prize for my 2-day efforts was a CommonWealth Games silver medal:



Pics:

Yours truly






Other competitors:

Jinx Jordan

[Chiketkd]

This coming weekend I'll be at Radford University for my local SCCA club's event #7. This will be followed up by the WDCR event #5 at Fedex Stadium the following Sunday. The best is saved for last, as I'll be at the two day North Carolina Autocross Championships being held at Danville Regional airport on 8/25-8/26.

I'm trying to do a few of these 2 day events in 2007 as I prepare for the '08 season where I plan on doing at least one National Tour event, and three Pro Solo events followed by a trip to Topeka for the Pro Finale.

In other news, I'll be switching tire brands to run Hankooks Z214's:



These tires come in three different compounds. A hard C30 compound for road-racing, a medium C50 compound for autocross/road racing, and a softer C70 compound for autocross only. I'll be picking up a set of 245/40/17 C50 compound tires pretty soon, and depending on my experience with them, I'll run C70 compound tires next season. These tires run $199 each from Frisby Tire, and are much cheaper than my current Hoosiers which run $237 each from The Tirerack. From several accounts on sccaforums, these tires are taking road racing by storm and are proving to be as fast as the Hoosier R6, and in autoX good drivers are winning National Tour and Pro Solo events on this rubber and can match the times of drivers on Hoosier A6's.

Here's a stack of 245/40/17 Z214's stacked up next to a set of 225/45/17 RE070's (my current street tires):

[Chiketkd]

I competed at the Blue Ridge Region Event #7 held at Radford University on Sunday. I ran solo in the DS class on a rather tight autocross course on which I found no real rhythm. Pax-wise I finished 14th overall, but my fastest time came on a run where I nearly spun out twice (requiring heavy amounts of counter steering).

I always try to learn from my mistakes, and the course designer sent me back-to-school yesterday!

Either way, I had fun and got to hang out with several of my autoX buddies - one of which will be moving away pretty soon to Mississippi with his wife.

DS - D Stock Time Pax
1t CHIKE DELLIMORE 06 SUBARU WRX STEEL GRAY 36.511 29.355
http://www.brr-scca.org/08052007.htm

Summary:
1 out 1 in DS
14th out of 67 in PAX


Pics:
Yours truly




SM2 C5 Vette


SM2 Corvair

[Chiketkd]

Yours truly x2





SS Cayman S




BS 350Z


This is me trying to explain to a guy (not in view) why his 3,600lb Mustang Cobra convertible wasn't able to be competitive in Street Mod in its current state:





WTF?! Hitting cones is bad!!!