New Season of Autocross in the CR-Z - Honda CRZ Forum: Honda CR-Z Hybrid Car Forums

Hutchead · 01-31-2012, 10:26 PM

I got rid of the stock Bridgestone tires and installed Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs. I fit the widest ones I could get onto the stock rims... 225/50/R16. I also bought a set of brand new stock rims/tires from someone on Ebay ($600 for the lot) and those are my daily drivers. I use a ATEQ QuickSet to swap TPMS settings when I change rims for an event. Works great. The car is still bone stock except for the tires.

My first run resulted in an epic cone kill. The back end came out during a tight turn and I hit 10-12 cones, and a timing device, on the crossover part of the course. That was new, the car had terrible understeer with the old tires and I could never get the rear end to move.

The next run I adjusted tire pressure and the car was SWEET! The rear end now comes out when I turn hard into corners, but add a little gas and it comes back into line. It is so much more fun to drive now.

Won H stock for the week and my PAX adjusted time was in the top 1/4. Raw time was exactly in the middle of the field.

Honda CR-Z Autocross SASCA #1 - YouTube

Varmint · 01-31-2012, 10:40 PM

Keep the reports coming.

sirphoenix · 02-01-2012, 12:37 PM

Pretty sweet for a CVT on auto-cross.
But how the hell did you fit 225 tires on our 6x6.5" stock rims?

I'm going staying with 215/40 on 17x7", that already is pretty tight and i wouldn't go any further with my new tires.

Hutchead · 02-01-2012, 06:42 PM

The Dunlap site says the Star Specs can fit on a 6-8 in rim. My stock rim is a true 6 inch, so I figured go with the widest tire I could get onto the rim. The installers at Discount Tire didn't balk, so here I am. I may have a little more sidewall play than your tire, but I am running at 44PSI in the front to stiffen them up as best I can. 44 in front and 36 in the back gave me great response, without the threat of the back end jumping out too fast. I figure as I get better I can up the rear PSI to get even more response.

gomarlins3 · 02-02-2012, 08:57 PM

Congrats.

dtoups · 02-05-2012, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hutchead

The Dunlap site says the Star Specs can fit on a 6-8 in rim. My stock rim is a true 6 inch, so I figured go with the widest tire I could get onto the rim. The installers at Discount Tire didn't balk, so here I am. I may have a little more sidewall play than your tire, but I am running at 44PSI in the front to stiffen them up as best I can. 44 in front and 36 in the back gave me great response, without the threat of the back end jumping out too fast. I figure as I get better I can up the rear PSI to get even more response.

Some Integra Type R folks run 275s on a 6 inch rim.

Hutchead, that's probably the tire I'm going to run as well, only on a 7 inch rim.

Are you going to do the Texas National Tour in March?

Hutchead · 02-06-2012, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtoups

Are you going to do the Texas National Tour in March?

Dunno yet, probably not. I will have had 6 of 8 weekends with some sort of high speed action in the CR-Z at that point. 3 days and a 400 mile round trip for 6 runs doesn't seem fun. Maybe in the future if/when I get more competitive.

Hutchead · 03-05-2012, 11:28 PM

It's been a busy San Antonio winter for the Zedd. The first SPOKES (Austin) event was held in the rain. I swam around the course in the stock Dunlaps. Got 8th out of 69 in PAX time. It was a day for FWD and 4WD cars. The rear wheel cars could not get anything going. The camera fogged over so no video.

SASCA autocross 2 was a nice, but chilly day. The Star Specs loved the weather. The course had a slow 180 degree turn in the middle. I really wanted more horsepower to get back up to speed after that. I was the only H Stock again. Top third in PAX and right at halfway in terms of raw times (behind 2 S2K's). I am starting to get a better feel for the tires.

SPOKES #2. Cooler weather again. This course started with a long slalom with a right hand kink. Tricky. It also had 2 late apex turns. I had a 3 second drift around one of them when the back end came out. Won H Stock over a Mazda 3 with racing slicks and 2 guys in a Chevy Cobalt. My last run was my fastest, but I think there was a lot more time I could have gained. Not my best showing.

SASCA #3. Perfect weather. Great course. Another kinky slalom off the top, a slow S turn in the middle, and a hideously tight left hander into the finish. I hated that turn every time. I was the only H Stock again, but would have got 2nd in Tire. Top 3rd in PAX, and once again, right at midway in raw time.

Details of the day at autocross school in another post later.

Hutchead · 03-28-2012, 03:50 PM

I went to Harris Hill Mazda Raceway in San Marcos this weekend for the "Outlaw" Autocross. It looks a lot like what they call "autoslalom" in Europe. The main turns of the track were untouched, but the straights had cones to maneuver around. Speeds were about 20mph faster than at autocross. Pretty exciting going through a slalom at 65pmh.

romiata · 03-28-2012, 04:46 PM

Very nicely done! I hate to say it, but I would probably hit every cone

Lol I did when I auto crossed my Miata and my WRX.... But still had a blast

I'm sure the other drivers/course workers didn't think so :/

01-31-2012, 10:26 PM	#1 (permalink)
Hutchead Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Antonio Posts: 49	New Season of Autocross in the CR-Z I got rid of the stock Bridgestone tires and installed Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Specs. I fit the widest ones I could get onto the stock rims... 225/50/R16. I also bought a set of brand new stock rims/tires from someone on Ebay ($600 for the lot) and those are my daily drivers. I use a ATEQ QuickSet to swap TPMS settings when I change rims for an event. Works great. The car is still bone stock except for the tires. My first run resulted in an epic cone kill. The back end came out during a tight turn and I hit 10-12 cones, and a timing device, on the crossover part of the course. That was new, the car had terrible understeer with the old tires and I could never get the rear end to move. The next run I adjusted tire pressure and the car was SWEET! The rear end now comes out when I turn hard into corners, but add a little gas and it comes back into line. It is so much more fun to drive now. Won H stock for the week and my PAX adjusted time was in the top 1/4. Raw time was exactly in the middle of the field. Honda CR-Z Autocross SASCA #1 - YouTube

02-01-2012, 12:37 PM	#3 (permalink)
sirphoenix Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Germany Posts: 109	Pretty sweet for a CVT on auto-cross. But how the hell did you fit 225 tires on our 6x6.5" stock rims? I'm going staying with 215/40 on 17x7", that already is pretty tight and i wouldn't go any further with my new tires. __________________

02-02-2012, 08:57 PM	#5 (permalink)
gomarlins3 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Kuna Idaho Posts: 2,050	Congrats. __________________ Happiness is a nice road, great weather, and driving the S with Sue in the seat next to me.

03-05-2012, 11:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
Hutchead Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Antonio Posts: 49	4 More Autocrosses Done It's been a busy San Antonio winter for the Zedd. The first SPOKES (Austin) event was held in the rain. I swam around the course in the stock Dunlaps. Got 8th out of 69 in PAX time. It was a day for FWD and 4WD cars. The rear wheel cars could not get anything going. The camera fogged over so no video. SASCA autocross 2 was a nice, but chilly day. The Star Specs loved the weather. The course had a slow 180 degree turn in the middle. I really wanted more horsepower to get back up to speed after that. I was the only H Stock again. Top third in PAX and right at halfway in terms of raw times (behind 2 S2K's). I am starting to get a better feel for the tires. SPOKES #2. Cooler weather again. This course started with a long slalom with a right hand kink. Tricky. It also had 2 late apex turns. I had a 3 second drift around one of them when the back end came out. Won H Stock over a Mazda 3 with racing slicks and 2 guys in a Chevy Cobalt. My last run was my fastest, but I think there was a lot more time I could have gained. Not my best showing. SASCA #3. Perfect weather. Great course. Another kinky slalom off the top, a slow S turn in the middle, and a hideously tight left hander into the finish. I hated that turn every time. I was the only H Stock again, but would have got 2nd in Tire. Top 3rd in PAX, and once again, right at midway in raw time. Details of the day at autocross school in another post later.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

02-01-2012, 06:42 PM	#4 (permalink)
Hutchead Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Antonio Posts: 49	The Dunlap site says the Star Specs can fit on a 6-8 in rim. My stock rim is a true 6 inch, so I figured go with the widest tire I could get onto the rim. The installers at Discount Tire didn't balk, so here I am. I may have a little more sidewall play than your tire, but I am running at 44PSI in the front to stiffen them up as best I can. 44 in front and 36 in the back gave me great response, without the threat of the back end jumping out too fast. I figure as I get better I can up the rear PSI to get even more response.

03-28-2012, 03:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
Hutchead Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Antonio Posts: 49	I went to Harris Hill Mazda Raceway in San Marcos this weekend for the "Outlaw" Autocross. It looks a lot like what they call "autoslalom" in Europe. The main turns of the track were untouched, but the straights had cones to maneuver around. Speeds were about 20mph faster than at autocross. Pretty exciting going through a slalom at 65pmh.

03-28-2012, 04:46 PM	#10 (permalink)
romiata Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Virginia Posts: 1,257	Very nicely done! I hate to say it, but I would probably hit every cone Lol I did when I auto crossed my Miata and my WRX.... But still had a blast I'm sure the other drivers/course workers didn't think so :/