Peter Thana sez:
> Right... wild it was but not exactly fast. I'm not sure if having a
> passenger changed the weight distribution or if Scot had overheated the
rear
> tires [:)], but the car felt looser than normal on that particular run. I
> was horrified to see that the time really wasn't that bad despite the fact
> that I nearly spun 3 or 4 times.
Are you making smart remarks about my driving style, Peter? ;) I've gotten
accustomed to driving my car, which generally keeps its rear end at the back
pretty well. Eric told me I could drive his S2000 like I drive my Miata,
and I did. What he didn't tell me is that the rear end is a lot easier to
bring around on exit when you've got over twice as much power at your
disposal!
The funny thing is, on my first run in the car I hung the back end out a LOT
(like at almost every corner exit) and my time on that run was not far off
Eric's best official run. The next time I tried to take it easier on the
loud pedal and wound up slowing a bit. That one was a little neater,
though.
> Seriously, the S2K is indeed a rocketship. VTEC in first gear is kinda
> surreal. Then there's the balance- wow it's just so adjustable. Sure
it's
> loose, but a touch of smoothness goes a long way in that car. I was able
to
> drop a couple seconds on my last fun run by being gentle with the VTEC
pedal
> while the rear was unsettled. Eric's new telephone-pole sized front
swaybar
> seemed to address some of my criticisms of the car in the past as well.
The
> steering feel never reached out and shook my hand, but the swaybar seems
to
> slow down the rotation just enough that you can sense it through the seat
of
> the pants. And the lack of understeer is just so liberating. All those
> consecutive 180 degree hairpins were just a canvas that I could paint with
> Eric's wonderful 240hp brush.
Yeah, almost exactly what you said! I definitely prefer the steering feel
of my Miata (and the seating position too; it's nice being able to rest your
elbow on the door ;), but the S2K is a really fun car in its own right. And
if it's that easy to induce oversteer with the Comptech front bar, I hate to
think what it would do with stock bars. The only "gripe" I have about the
car is that it's a bit sluggish below 6K, but if I drove the car enough I'd
find ways to keep it above that point :>
> I guess I'm no help to prevent you from trading your Miata for an S2k.
Just
> as Craig's brief affair with the S2000 came to an end, a new one (and
> possibly two more, Scot and John) was just beginning. I'm so glad I can't
> afford one.
Much as I like the S2000, now that I've seen one from the driver's seat, I
still really LOVE my Miata. Besides, before I buy a new autox ride, I want
to buy a tow vehicle.
> I'd just like to congratulate Eric for his great drive and return to the
AS
> winner's circle on Sunday. And of course he's just the greatest sportsman
> on earth, to let me take out my frustration on his car like that:):):)
I'd say he is. Not to mention he must be pretty trusting to let a maniac
like me take his car out on course ;)
Scot
|