My Crz at willow springs - Honda CRZ Forum: Honda CR-Z Hybrid Car Forums

juantushag · 02-19-2012, 08:12 PM

Hi everyone

I was instructing at a private event recently and had the opportunity to take my Crz on track.

Originally I was supposed to take my Honda challenge race car but due to the threat of rain I did not.

Details on my car - stock EX CVT, with Civic SI wheels/Hankook tires. 1 inch spacers in rear. AEM cold air intake.

I was very surprised at how well the car did. Very neutral in most corners . Some push in turn 2. I was able to get 100mph down the back (turn 8) and a friend hand timed me at a high 1:46.

It began to rain and I stayed out, the car was a blast with the sticky hankooks. Everyone I took for a ride remarked how fun the car was .

I was very impressed that the car never "went away" . Lap after lap the brakes/tires were great.

I will try to get some pics up

DTLA · 02-20-2012, 03:28 AM

The tiny stock brakes somehow are excellent. Depending on which Civic Si wheels you were using those can be CRAZY heavy. I took someone for a ride in my girl's CRZ at Streets of Willow (next door to Willow Springs) and he just said it seems to defy physics. Lol.

juantushag · 02-20-2012, 02:04 PM

Man I had the exact observation on the brakes, and ya those SI wheels are ridiculously heavy, I have a set of 16 inch 5 zigens laying around that I'm going to find tires for. They are something like 8 lbs lighter each!

human668 · 02-20-2012, 02:22 PM

I agree the stock brakes are excellent except brake fluid. On a small track with lots of braking, stock fluid gets heat up pretty soon. Although brakes feel soft at that point, it's still stoping the car well.

On paper, this car doesn't seem like it would take corners well. However, it does in reality. I especially like Honda makes it response to throttle steering very well, very controllable.

juantushag · 02-20-2012, 09:57 PM

Next time I'll get some video and real lap times from an AIM system. I hold a couple track records at willow in Honda Challenge, so I'm going to really see what this thing can do.

Still I'm amazed how well it corners stock. What's the deal with people saying its one of the worst handling cars? Mabey with the mileage tires

DTLA · 02-21-2012, 01:51 AM

Serious. It's amazing how much hate the car gets on my native 8thcivic. I won't lie. I was a nonbeliever till my girl offered to let me drive it on track with my wheels/tires. Everything else stock. That was an eye opener.

juantushag, were you at SoW on the 12th in a white CRZ?

tempo · 04-24-2012, 01:40 PM

Awesome! I always see one or two CRZ's at streets and sometimes at big willow. Feel free to say hi I'm usually in an E46 M3 (black) with orange wheels and a cage.

muddy · 08-02-2012, 02:24 PM

I always overheat my brakes out there. I switched to a race fluid and ebc green stuff pads up front and I can now get more time out of it. I consistently loose my front wheel caps when the wheels get too hot. On tracks with less braking I can now go for a full session. When the pads get too hot the friction is significantly reduced and the wear rate goes shy high. The ebc pads were a big improvement.

It is surprising that you guys are getting such better results.

DTLA · 08-04-2012, 11:17 AM

It also depends a lot on what wheel/tires you are using. You may need to do a lot more braking if you are on stock size all season tires as opposed to someone on 4 size wider Extreme performance summer tires or R comps. Don't most event organizers require you to remove your center caps before going out on track??

tempo · 08-07-2012, 01:33 PM

Depends. I know a lot of organizations don't enforce smaller rules such as that.

02-19-2012, 08:12 PM	#1 (permalink)
juantushag Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 44	My Crz at willow springs Hi everyone I was instructing at a private event recently and had the opportunity to take my Crz on track. Originally I was supposed to take my Honda challenge race car but due to the threat of rain I did not. Details on my car - stock EX CVT, with Civic SI wheels/Hankook tires. 1 inch spacers in rear. AEM cold air intake. I was very surprised at how well the car did. Very neutral in most corners . Some push in turn 2. I was able to get 100mph down the back (turn 8) and a friend hand timed me at a high 1:46. It began to rain and I stayed out, the car was a blast with the sticky hankooks. Everyone I took for a ride remarked how fun the car was . I was very impressed that the car never "went away" . Lap after lap the brakes/tires were great. I will try to get some pics up

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02-20-2012, 03:28 AM	#2 (permalink)
DTLA Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 99	The tiny stock brakes somehow are excellent. Depending on which Civic Si wheels you were using those can be CRAZY heavy. I took someone for a ride in my girl's CRZ at Streets of Willow (next door to Willow Springs) and he just said it seems to defy physics. Lol.

02-20-2012, 02:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
juantushag Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 44	Man I had the exact observation on the brakes, and ya those SI wheels are ridiculously heavy, I have a set of 16 inch 5 zigens laying around that I'm going to find tires for. They are something like 8 lbs lighter each!

02-20-2012, 09:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
juantushag Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 44	Next time I'll get some video and real lap times from an AIM system. I hold a couple track records at willow in Honda Challenge, so I'm going to really see what this thing can do. Still I'm amazed how well it corners stock. What's the deal with people saying its one of the worst handling cars? Mabey with the mileage tires

02-21-2012, 01:51 AM	#6 (permalink)
DTLA Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 99	Serious. It's amazing how much hate the car gets on my native 8thcivic. I won't lie. I was a nonbeliever till my girl offered to let me drive it on track with my wheels/tires. Everything else stock. That was an eye opener. juantushag, were you at SoW on the 12th in a white CRZ?

04-24-2012, 01:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
tempo Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 72	Awesome! I always see one or two CRZ's at streets and sometimes at big willow. Feel free to say hi I'm usually in an E46 M3 (black) with orange wheels and a cage.

08-02-2012, 02:24 PM	#8 (permalink)
muddy Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Posts: 148	I always overheat my brakes out there. I switched to a race fluid and ebc green stuff pads up front and I can now get more time out of it. I consistently loose my front wheel caps when the wheels get too hot. On tracks with less braking I can now go for a full session. When the pads get too hot the friction is significantly reduced and the wear rate goes shy high. The ebc pads were a big improvement. It is surprising that you guys are getting such better results.

08-04-2012, 11:17 AM	#9 (permalink)
DTLA Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Posts: 99	It also depends a lot on what wheel/tires you are using. You may need to do a lot more braking if you are on stock size all season tires as opposed to someone on 4 size wider Extreme performance summer tires or R comps. Don't most event organizers require you to remove your center caps before going out on track??

08-07-2012, 01:33 PM	#10 (permalink)
tempo Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 72	Depends. I know a lot of organizations don't enforce smaller rules such as that.