and so the build begins

In order for you (and I) to understand just how much preparation went into the 2012 NASA season, we need to look at the car setup that I am throwing out to meet NASA TT rules/points requirements for TTC. For those of you that don't know, NASA TT is the most advanced HPDE group that NASA has. In some regions this group is run with the the HPDE 4 cars, in others (like the MidWest) it has it's own run group.

NASA TT assigns a car a certain base class. From there, each modification you do adds points. When you acumulate 20 points, you get bumped into the next class. Let's examine how my car sat this summer:

July 2011

2005 Honda S2000 Base Class +0 TTC

KWV3 Suspension (dampeners/springs) +9 +9

Berk 3" Header Back Single (exhaust/cat) +3 +12

Comptech Intake/Vented Hood +1 +13

Mugen Replica Hardtop (AeroMod) +5 +18

Cusco front Sway, no rear (sway mod) +2 +20 = TTB

255/40/17 Star Specs +2 +22 = TTB+2

A pretty simple setup, no doubt. Suspension, intake/exhaust/tires. Even with what little it had done to it, the car classed into TTB. The Suspension and the Hardtop accounted for 13 of those 22 points, so they had to go first.

My buddy Drew at DeftMotion was able to help me out with my coilover situation. He sent me a set of their DMP Souro coilovers. They are 16 way adjustible and don't have an external or piggyback resevoir (which is what caused the KWV3s to have such a high point value). I will be installing these in a few days, but probably won't be able to drive on them until next spring as it's getting mighty cold here in Chicago. I will post up my impressions of the coilovers once I have one though. I am expecting a lot of out them and I'm sure I won't be dissappointed.

I was also able to get my hands on a cheap OEM hardtop (+0). For the 2011 season (and most likely beyond), NASA is requiring OEM shaped hardtops if a hardtop is to be used without any points modifications. It's a good idea, but can be expensive for competitors (especially us S2000 drivers - our tops normally cost what a cheap track miata would).

I'll be going back to stock sway bars as well (at least in my current build). Saving me another two points. So all in all, by changing up the three things above (sways,coils,top), I am saving a total of 11 points.

I've decided to use 4 of those points towards a wing. The s2000 sure could benefit from more downforce in the rear, and from all reports, it's a very beneficial mod. I only was able to do one event with the wing (in the July 2011 configuration, which would be way overs in points (+6) into TTB. I was able to shave 2.7 seconds of my old previous best at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, MI though. The time was a 1.46.002, which unofficially beat out the TTC record set by my friend Pat Reyes in the 08' S2000 CR (TTC +14 Base Class) on Hoosier R6s. His time was a very quick 1.46.029. I was on street tires, so I know more time is to be found, but if Pat gets rid of the CR and gets a normal S2000, I'm in for trouble.

Current 2012 Build

2005 Honda S2000 Base Class +0 TTC

DMP Souro Coilovers +5 +5

Berk 3" Header Back Single (exhaust/cat) +3 +8

Comptech Intake/Vented Hood +1 +9

OEM Hardtop +0 +9

Stock Sway Bars +0 +9

J's Racing Type 1 rear wing +4 +13

255/40/17 Star Specs +2 +2 +15

So, as you can see, I have 4 points to play with. I could use it a few different ways. The most common way would be to add some front camber joints:

Front Camber Joints +2 +17

This would leave me with 2 extra points. I could use these by running a smaller than base class Hoosier R6 tire:

-255/40/17 Star Specs -2 +15

Hoosier R6 +10 +25

225 sized R6 -7 +18

For now, this is what I am planning on doing. However, I could gain an extra 2 or 3 points back by going back to a stock exhuast and cat,gain another point back by going back to a stock intake and hood, and gain another two points back by using offest upper A-arm bushings for more camber instead of camber joints. All in all, if I did all three things, I could save 6 points back. If I did this, all I'd be doing would be taking points for the coils and the wing for a total of +9 and having 10 points to play with.

Anyways, I just thought I would explaing my though process. It helps me better understand what I am doing with the car and why. I am feeling slightly anxious because the car was set up perfect to compliment my driving style, and I had gotten pretty quick in it the way it was. I'm going to have go to into the 2012 season and relearn the car all over again. Oh well, it'll be an adventure for sure.