[gemery]

Registration opened up today (again), started at 400 entries and they're already up to 1289 entries as I write this.

There are:
2 Focus RS of 51 total BS entries
1 Focus RS of 11 total BSL entries
10 Focus RS of 60 total DS entries
2 Focus RS of 5 total DSL entries
12 Focus ST of 48 total GS entries (only one GS entry from west of the Rockies! apparently the class is more unpopular out here than I ever would expect)
2 Focus ST of 5 total GSL entries
3 Focus RS of 29 total STU entries
0 Focus ST of 19 total STH entries

 

[nickbaldwin86]

Good luck! sounds fun, but out of my world. maybe someday I run that this level.

location of event/s?

 

[foshjowler]

I don't really understand how the RS is in both BS and DS. I thought they were all DS? Did some models remain, or did some people just not get the memo?

It would definitely be intriguing to go, since I've never been, but with the ST no longer being the car to have in GS, it'd be a hard battle to even compete for a trophy.

Edit:
I see Chris Kirkland is registered in his ST. He's showed up to a couple local events, and is ridiculously fast. He won GS by 4-5 seconds around an 80-second course. I'm pretty fast, but he's on a different level.

 

[nickbaldwin86]

I don't really understand how the RS is in both BS and DS. I thought they were all DS? Did some models remain, or did some people just not get the memo?

It would definitely be intriguing to go, since I've never been, but with the ST no longer being the car to have in GS, it'd be a hard battle to even compete for a trophy.

Edit:
I see Chris Kirkland is registered in his ST. He's showed up to a couple local events, and is ridiculously fast. He won GS by 4-5 seconds around an 80-second course. I'm pretty fast, but he's on a different level.

RS 16-17 non LSD 18 has LSD ... correct me if wrong but I thought that was the case

 

[freakin_elrod]

Good luck! sounds fun, but out of my world. maybe someday I run that this level.

location of event/s?

Lincoln Nebraska. It's a pretty long trek for many.

 

[nickbaldwin86]

Lincoln Nebraska. It's a pretty long trek for many.

quick 24hour drive... if I didn't stop once LOL only 1624 miles

 

[freakin_elrod]

quick 24hour drive... if I didn't stop once LOL only 1624 miles

I've already burned up a bunch of PTO for the two national events I did this year, and just the drive to and from alone will kill a bunch of time that really isn't worth it to me these days unless I had a co-driver willing go drive/tow the car out, while I do a fly and drive.

 

[foshjowler]

RS 16-17 non LSD 18 has LSD ... correct me if wrong but I thought that was the case

Never even realized they changed anything on the RS. That would make sense though.

 

[nickbaldwin86]

Never even realized they changed anything on the RS. That would make sense though.

yeah the 18 RS came with a factory installed LSD... which puts it in a new class. it is from every reviewers stand point a different animal because of it. I race with a kid with an 18 and I am a few seconds faster, so just because it is an RS and has an LSD doesn't make it magically the fastest car, still a drivers course.

Wonder if the same slow driver would be any faster with the LSD.

I assume an experienced driver would be faster with LSD

 

[jdw3md]

RS 16-17 non LSD 18 has LSD ... correct me if wrong but I thought that was the case

This is correct. Per the latest SCCA Solo Rules, 2016-2017 RS is D Street and the 2018 RS is B Street.

 

[foshjowler]

yeah the 18 RS came with a factory installed LSD... which puts it in a new class. it is from every reviewers stand point a different animal because of it. I race with a kid with an 18 and I am a few seconds faster, so just because it is an RS and has an LSD doesn't make it magically the fastest car, still a drivers course.

Wonder if the same slow driver would be any faster with the LSD.

I assume an experienced driver would be faster with LSD

Wouldn't think that a slow/inexperienced driver the LSD would make that much of a difference. They probably aren't pushing the car enough for the LSD to show an improvement.

 

[freakin_elrod]

Wouldn't think that a slow/inexperienced driver the LSD would make that much of a difference. They probably aren't pushing the car enough for the LSD to show an improvement.

Agreed. Example of this is I had an ST locally that was pretty much 100% prepped for STH, (minus the AGS removed for the Depo intercooler) and due to driver inexperience, I was 6.5 seconds faster.

On the flipside though, an equally skilled driver at the pro solo this year was 1 second faster than me with an LSD and 265's. So it goes to show that an LSD isn't some magical instant fast guy mod for the inexperienced, but again more of a supporting mod to get the power down efficiently, instead of having to feather the throttle like no other to find traction out of corners.

 

[gemery]

sounds fun, but out of my world. maybe someday I run that this level.

I'm not going this year. Just isn't in the budget. Next year the west coast national-level events will be a priority and then the trek to Lincoln... provided there aren't any unexpected expenses and/or the state doesn't screw over my pension.

just the drive to and from alone will kill a bunch of time that really isn't worth it to me these days unless I had a co-driver willing go drive/tow the car out, while I do a fly and drive.

You get that LSD installed and we'll be talking...

 

[buttdyno]

It would definitely be intriguing to go, since I've never been, but with the ST no longer being the car to have in GS, it'd be a hard battle to even compete for a trophy.

I know the Civic Si is pretty popular and a good car (weight, wheel width) but are the same caliber of drivers (Scroggs, etc) still running FoSTs? In other words is the Si that good or are there just less fast folks campaigning FoSTs?

 

[gemery]

In GS, the Civic Si is easier to drive since it has a real LSD and is lighter, but they have to shift to third much sooner compared to both the GTI and the FoST. Either that or choose to bump the rev limiter for a goodly distance. The GTI's weakness is softer springs than the FoST while its strength is a real LSD. I believe the FoST could win with the right driver, but few people with a track record are currently driving them.

Dan Cochran currently is the FoST's strongest driver at Nationals with experience. He'll likely finish in the trophies, but I think even he would be surprised to win as neither have been champions before.

Edit: hmm, I left out Mike Casino. He did well at a Tour this year.

Josh McDonough has moved to a CAM Camaro. Neil Britton is in a DS Camaro. Doug Rowse is in an SS Corvette.

 

[bringler26]

I went last year and didn't finish last at least but was definitely out of my league. It was not in the cards to go again this year nor have I had enough seat time to improve my driving enough to be competitive.

It was one hell of a drive for me from VA. I believe it was about 20 hours and I hammered out 16 hrs one day and the remaining 4 hrs the next.

 

[gemery]

Pro Solo currently has GS Honda Civic SIs in the lead for S4 and L2. Ron Williams has a 0.5 second lead in S4 and fast Annie Gill has a 1 second lead in L2. Thomas Simon, the lone GS FoST in S4 is in 13th. Annie Gill's time would put her in 3rd if she had run the S4 open class.

Eric Simmons, GS Honda Civic SI in S4, was disqualified. Don't know why.

 

[gemery]

First runs of single drivers have completed. ST drivers Joe Blaha in 2nd, Dan Cochran in 4th, Mike Casino in 5th.

 

[gemery]

After 2nd drivers complete their first runs. Blaha survives in 2nd, Cochran pushed down to 5th, Chris Kirkland to 7th, Casino to 8th. Trophies are 15 deep in this 59 driver class!

 

[gemery]

Worth mentioning Kirkland and Casino are sharing a car.

After all second runs complete:
Blaha does not improve his time, collecting 3 cones, drops to 3rd, 0.122 sec from 1st
Cochran slips to 6th despite a small improvement
Kirkland slips to 9th despite a small improvement
Casino does not improve his time, slips to 11th
Brian Anthony gets a clean run after coning the first run and moves up to 22nd