ASP help?

[S2kreno]

Hi,

I have a new stock Lotus Exige and never planned to get into a prepped class but the car is classed asp so here I am. My understanding is that leaving my car stock in ASP-land will result in getting my tailpipes kicked regularly by the competition and I'd like to avoid that. If anyone could give me some tips on what changes would offer the most help I'd appreciate it very much. I'm more comfortable with suspension changes than engine thingies but am keeping an open mind.

Thanks :)

[Dean]

Hi,

I have a new stock Lotus Exige and never planned to get into a prepped class but the car is classed asp so here I am. My understanding is that leaving my car stock in ASP-land will result in getting my tailpipes kicked regularly by the competition and I'd like to avoid that. If anyone could give me some tips on what changes would offer the most help I'd appreciate it very much. I'm more comfortable with suspension changes than engine thingies but am keeping an open mind.

Thanks :)The reason the stock car is classed in SP is that it already has most of the mods that SP cars have from the factory.

It is unlikely that the car needs much of anything to be competitive in our region.

I'd be happy to take a few runs and check it out for you Sat. afternoon after I compete in the morning. :)

Heck, if it had 4 seats, it would probably be competitive in SM.

[dknv]

Your tailpipes kicked regularly, in ASPL? Or in pax?

The wisdom of the ages still say that the most noticeable improvement is going to come from improving the driver. That said, I learned a LOT from other drivers in the region, both in having them ride with me, me riding with them, talking to them on course walks -- but a real springboard was the Evolution driving school classes I took in 2004-2005.

[solonut]

Gina work on the driver....you have come a long way already, just keep on learning the car as it is....like Debbie said go the Evolution school....the best thing is seat time....if you run in the am then pay the 10 bucks and run in the afternoon group....

[S2kreno]

I'm planning on more school to improve the driving -- well aware that it needs work. Dean you are more than welcome to drive the little sucker. I know PAX is going to suck; Brian (other Exige) Nelson said he checked it out and apparently the system is going to be a little unkind to us. Planning on Spring Mountain Lotus school; if there is an EVO school anywhere accessible I'd love to do that as well.

[Kevin M]

Gina, to echo what Dean said, I don't think there's much you can easily do to really improve that car. There may be a little power, like 15-20 hp, from doing intake and full exhaust, but suspension-wise it's already pretty damn good. I believe that car has no swaybars, so you can't bother with that. I'm sure there are coilover sets you could get that are stiffer, but they may not necessarily be faster. The stock wheels appear very light, you don't want to upsize the brakes. Basically I would just look into how much tire you can squeeze under the car and spend the rest of your mod money on gas and entry fees to anywhere you can get seat time!

[S2kreno]

It does have sway bars and the front is adjustable. I'm getting that done at C and C for optimal tracking and vertibrae cracking....

[Kevin M]

It does have sway bars and the front is adjustable. I'm getting that done at C and C for optimal tracking and vertibrae cracking....

It has sways? Colin Chapman must be rolling in his grave!

[S2kreno]

Front only I think. Adjustable 5 ways with track pack option. Don't think Colin would have a problem; the car is very uncompromising I promise ;)
2007 Lotus Exige Handling, Ride & Braking Standard Features

- Four-wheel ABS
- Four disc brakes including four ventilated discs
- Immobilizer
- Wishbone front suspension independent with stabilizer bar and coil springs , wishbone rear suspension independent with coil springs
- Tire kit

[Dean]

It does have sway bars and the front is adjustable. I'm getting that done at C and C for optimal tracking and vertibrae cracking....What is C&C doing?

I would not change any suspension settings unless somebody who really knows setup drove the snot out of it it at the test and tune or you have some really solid recommendations from hard core drivers of the car in autocross / track settings, though even those can be different.

[sperry]

What is C&C doing?

I would not change any suspension settings unless somebody who really knows setup drove the snot out of it it at the test and tune or you have some really solid recommendations from hard core drivers of the car in autocross / track settings, though even those can be different.
Well, I'm not sure the car comes from the factory with a proper autocross alignment. I'd certainly do that right out of the box if the factory specs are like -0.5 front camber or something.

[Dean]

Well, I'm not sure the car comes from the factory with a proper autocross alignment. I'd certainly do that right out of the box if the factory specs are like -0.5 front camber or something.Agreed, sort of, that is why asked what was being done and specified suspension settings, not alignment. Though again, without some significant research or testing, I would be hesitant to make wholesale alignment changes either. Would be nice to throw it on a rack and make sure it was even and reasonably close to "stock" to start with.

["A" Stocker]

I'm planning on more school to improve the driving -- well aware that it needs work. Dean you are more than welcome to drive the little sucker. I know PAX is going to suck; Brian (other Exige) Nelson said he checked it out and apparently the system is going to be a little unkind to us. Planning on Spring Mountain Lotus school; if there is an EVO school anywhere accessible I'd love to do that as well.

It has been stated but : SEAT TIME ; SEAT TIME ; SEAT TIME; you can have the most awesome car in the world, set up for Auto-X by the best in the world, but if you don't have the seat time and confidence all you have is a very fast car that doesn't do anything except leave you DFL all the time. SEAT TIME is way more important than trying to get the car setup before you know how to drive it to the limits.

[as197f12518]

Gina, beg to differ about your car's chances in ASP. You need look no further than the San Diego Tour and the El Toro Pro Solo. A Lotus was second by a knat's butt at both events. It kinda spanked a certain white Viper that we see in Reno and it was co-driven by past BSP champ Harold Olsen. And we know the Viper is fast in Reno.

Like others have said, continue to work on your driving. I'd find the flaws in the car's setup before making changes just because. I'd suggest trying to get some alignment specs from those who know the car well. I can align your car just as well as the next guy, but knowing what specs to set it to is critical. And this is coming from the guy who aligns the fast White Viper and the fast Yellow Corvette.

If you can locate Jason Uyeda from SoCal, he's got one, its FAST....it was the second place car I mentioned.

[S2kreno]

Thanks everyone for your input. C and C is making a few minor changes after talking with the dealer in Salt Lake who I bought the car from. Nothing too hairy as I do drive the car on the street. And I know about the seat time. And you probably know I almost always drive all day when I run in the morning. And I do Solo school. And test and tune. And Fernley driving school. And PDX. And midnight runs up the Mount Rose highway. So if y'all would kindly stop reminding me that I'm not a naturally gifted driver I'd appreciate that very much. I'm already getting as much seat time as I can and don't want to overlook anything else, that's all.

[dknv]

...I'm already getting as much seat time as I can and don't want to overlook anything else, that's all.In my opinion, there's a difference in getting as much seat time as possible, and getting the right kind of seat time - if your goal is to be faster in autocross. PDX/Fernley driving school/Spring Mtn/driving up Mt. Rose is neat and fun, but won't necessarily help you get faster at 'backsiding' the cones in a slalom (as Dean describes in the other thread), as one example.

But, having the alignment checked and knowing what it is, is a good step.

- Debbie
(also a member of the 'not naturally gifted' class of drivers) ;)

[Dean]

So if y'all would kindly stop reminding me that I'm not a naturally gifted driver I'd appreciate that very much. I'm already getting as much seat time as I can and don't want to overlook anything else, that's all.As someone who has ridden with you at RFR, and watched you autocross, I can honestly say you have made huge improvements in the what is it, 2 years you have been performance driving? And how many years of bad habits before that are you working on overcoming? 10 maybe? ;)

Don't be hard on yourself.

I am somewhere around 12,000 track miles and 750 autocross runs and am still learning and I am sure some who have far more time in than I would agree. It isn't "easy" for any of us. I struggle with remembering to look where I'm going and backsiding slaloms. I can fake it and get around the course, but often have to talk to myself to try and keep turning my head and stop trying to go faster instead of going smoother. (I only did what I consider as well in the slalom once on Sunday.)

Probably the most depressing, if you can call it that, part of performance driving is this:

Before you start, you probably thought you were a pretty good driver.
After you start you realize you didn't have a clue.
As you keep doing it you get better until you think you are actually getting pretty good. (back to where you thought you were when you started.)
And it is somewhere around then that watching/riding with select other drivers or even watching in car video from road course or even some oval somewhere that there is little if any chance of ever becoming better than good, much less great.

But then you realize how bad you were when you started, how bad the rest of the drivers out there are, how far you have come and how much fun you have had doing it and it isn't nearly as depressing. :) And if you are like me, you then decide how much fun it is to lead others along the same road by instructing or supporting the club in other ways.

Welcome to the road, now shut up and drive. :D :D :D :D :D

["A" Stocker]

In my opinion, there's a difference in getting as much seat time as possible, and getting the right kind of seat time - if your goal is to be faster in autocross. PDX/Fernley driving school/Spring Mtn/driving up Mt. Rose is neat and fun, but won't necessarily help you get faster at 'backsiding' the cones in a slalom (as Dean describes in the other thread), as one example.

But, having the alignment checked and knowing what it is, is a good step.

- Debbie
(also a member of the 'not naturally gifted' class of drivers) ;)

Debbie is right on the money here: "The right kind of seat time". I've seen alot of Road Racer/PDX guys who were great on the track, but couldn't auto-x to save their lives and transversly I've seen alot of Auto-x guys who couldn't road race /pdx. The better you are at Auto-X, the better you will become at Track Days/PDX's, anyone can run flat out down the straights, but it's what you can do in the turns that makes the difference and that's where the Auto-X experience comes in.

Just agreeing with another "not naturally gifted" class of driver like myself and adding alittle of advice.

[zpeed]

Before you start, you probably thought you were a pretty good driver. After you start you realize you didn't have a clue. :D

I've been auto-x for more than 10 years so I should be pretty good going to my 1st PDX. Not a clue on the track.. Now I start seeing bad driver driving a bad line after a couple of track days. I'll be do both PDX and CT on this 1st event. Seat time I know seat time.