GOTO:Racing is working on a plan right now to bring our 2002 Subaru WRX into SPEED World Challenge for the 2005 season. We are looking for sponsorships to help meet this goal. If anyone out there knows a company that might be interested let me know so I can send them a proposal. If a budget can not be found to do a whole season, the west coast events will still be made.

Brian Lock
www.gotoracing.com

 

Well, if you had as much money invested in the weekend as I did you would have raced also. I went out for the race just to get a finishing position. I was holding first place for the first two laps with out third gear, if I hadn't lost second, I could have one.

The motor and tranny in there was on its way out anyway. The synchro's were toast on the first day I took it out, and the motor was already running low oil pressure. I am not capping on Gary at all, I knew I was buying a used car. Gary has been great with his post sale help.

We have since gotten the car back together, and will be out at Infineon for the next round of USTCC this coming weekend.

 

I agree with you if the problem is something that could be a danger to other racers on the track. However, it was a tranny problem and that can't really do anything bad. It did prove to in this case though with the engine letting go because of the low rpm pulls. Sorry if I sounded defensive, the ! after you telling me to park it made me think that "this guy wasn't even there and did not have all the info." Anyway, I do agree with you on one hand, but on the other I had so much money invested in the first weekend I at least wanted to take the start. I did not think it was a danger to others on the track.

 

Alright when are we gonna start seeing some in car or any footage of this notorious car in new hands! I'd love to see some vid's of this car in action. Brian let see what you can do with this car!

I'll be keeping an eye on 2005 season. Thanks for keep us informed thus far, please keep us informed on later occurence's

Good luck!

C

 

Thanks for the support!

I should have some in car footage up soon, I will post a link when it is up. I think I am handling the car pretty well at the moment. I was 1.6 seconds ahead of the field in qualifying my first USTCC race, and ran a 1:52 at sears point my first day out in the car, only about 1.5 seconds of Gary's best. The car is great, easy to drive, very forgiving, but HEAVY! I can't wait to run World Challenge weight instead of USTCC weight. World Challenge is about 300 pounds lighter.

I will keep everyone informed.

 

That weight difference will make a huge difference. hehehe

Looking at the USTCC the top cars are Honda's, and I'm sure its to your advantage having in depth experience and knowledge how your competitors cars will handle. I also came from a Honda background of RR. And have only been driving Subaru's recently. Would you mind sharing some of your knowledge of the differences between the two and how they compare in these types of competition.

Thanks,

C

 

Well I am still learning the goods and the bads of AWD. The car handles very similar to a FWD car at low speeds. It pushes a little and you can rotate the car if you let off the power. However, I have found that high speed turns are very different than FWD and BETTER! The car rotates under power, and can recover from almost anything. The only bad thing I have found at high speeds is you can't roate the car by just letting off the gas like a FWD. The car just kind of goes in a straight line if you let off sharply. The best way I have found to turn the car fast is to trail break a lot, and use the AWD to recover if you over do it.

It did help in my race last weekend when following a FWD car to know when they are probably fighting understeer so I know where to get a run on them to try to pass.

I think that the AWD is an advantage all the way around the track, there is no short coming that isn't drastically overcome by a advantage somewhere else. It will be hard to going to a different drive train in my career, the AWD just plain spoils you!

 

"the AWD just plain spoils you!" I can agree with that!

I think with added aero dynamic's, besides all the toys on board already the AWD is a WIN WIN combo, its probably one of the most forgiving drivetrain system if not the one. Audi is a great example.

Any changes in your driving techniques to cope with the weight transfer differences of a FWD to a AWD? Like what are you finding that your doing more of or less of between the two?

Hope you dont mind these questions, I find it very interesting, please share anything else you think I could benefit from your driving experience.


Thanks,

C

 

As far as weight transfer goes, the most surprising thing I found with driving AWD is how the handling of the car changes so much depending on throttle position. I think a lot of this has to do with the turbo also, but on turn exit when I hit the gas, I have to be ready for the car to switch handling types from FWD to RWD. As the turbo spools and gets a burst of power, the weight really transfers to the back and the rear end starts to move alot more then FWD. I found that this is more of a factor the fast the turn is.

Another cool thing that I found is when going over 3a at Infineon, the car gets really light and it feels like every wheel is crawling over the hill. The car kind of pulls back and forth as different wheels are getting traction.