Set a new PB at Buttonwillow CW13 this past Saturday:
Curious what lap times other non-aero AP1's with square 255's and coilovers are clocking? I definitely have another few seconds to shave off with more seat time. Most of the "fast" S2000's I see at Buttonwillow are AP2, which is slightly apples vs oranges due to gearing, torque, suspension.

My car is a 2002 with 121k miles, custom Ohlins 14k/12k F/R, 255/40/17 Hankook RS4 on 17x9 RPF1, Winmax W5 front pads and RBF600, -2.8 camber all around. A few other bolt-ons including Ballade intake/headers, front/rear Buddy club ball joints, and Megan rear bumpsteer kit.

 

Although my car was AP2, PB I did 2 years ago before I sold the car was 2:04.5

First ever track day with some kind of mods on the car, (before it was bone stock with 540TW all-season tires in stock sizing)

It was only with Swift Spec-R springs on stock shocks,
255/40/17 Federal 595 RS-R on 17x9 RPF1, Winmax W5 front and rear pads.
Only bolt-on I had was Spoon N1 exhaust with test pipe.

I knew I had another 1.5 to 2 second to shave off without any changes made to the car.

fastest non-aero AP1 I've seen so far was Sean Mulyanto's 1:59.9 lap.


I'm sure with few more days under your belt, you should be able to shave off few more seconds to about 2 flat or 2:01 for sure.

Keep on practicing! Seat time def. helps you get comfortable with the car to go faster!



I miss my S2K from time to time..


below is my 2:04 vid from 2 years ago..

 

Nice! We have a pretty similar setup besides suspension and AP1 vs AP2. I feel that AP2 gearing helps keep the engine in its powerband better than AP1 at Buttonwillow, but only if the driver can nail quick/precise downshifts with perfect timing.

1:59 on non-aero AP1 is insane. Would love to see what a really fast driver can pull off in my car.

More seat time is always needed. Just wish BW wasn't 3 hours away.

 

2001 AP1 no aero. There's a few other AP1 videos floating around out there. The main spot you can tell and see the difference is on the front straight. AP1 stays in 4th, AP2 goes to 5th.

 

Yeah, more seat time! Stay away from aero

 

I ran a 2:01.7 on my dying 255 71R's with a very similar build of Ohlins DFV 12/10k springs, Karcepts Sways, K/N intake, HFC, HKS Hi Power and 3 deg all around.

The course is really fun for the stock gear/powered AP1 and sub 2:00 is definitely possible without aero. The power isn't really the deciding factor outside of the straightaways, pretty much every corner can be taken while in the AP1 powerband and once you add proper coilovers and swaybars (which very few track S2000's even have) the AP1 is just as capable in steady-state turns as an AP2. Really it comes down to how bold you want to be through certain corners; and that element of risk vs reward varies from driver to driver.

I come from autocross so going balls out on track isn't really my thing but I really enjoyed BW and would like to bring my AP2 would should easily hit sub 2:00 with its extra power!

 

Not an AP1 but I was trying to set some fast non-aero street tire times back in 2014 and 2015. Was able to get down to 159.6xx on both 255 square dunlop ZII (non-starspec) and AD08R. AP2 does have a torque advantage but after driving both AP1 and AP2 at BW I think it's a wash because the AP2 gearing is slightly more awkward around that track, particularly from cotton corners into phil hill.

This was my first time breaking the 2-minute barrier in 2014 when I was testing out the HKS Hipermax IV SP:

It wasn't a very clean lap but it was good weather on new-ish tires and one of my only traffic free laps. I've since moved to our custom valved "SF Spec" Ohlins DFVs but have been plagued with other issues that keep me from getting out there again and trying to see what the car can really do on the new suspension and new generation EHP "street" tires (RE-71R and Rival S 1.5). My guess is a low 58 or very high 57 if the stars align. A properly setup AP1 should be right there or at least within a second.

-Matt M.

 

^^^ Matt's youtube videos are my go-to references to measure how slow I still am.