600rr_rocket

I would like to announce an important Mid-year update for the 2009 S2K Challenge:

1) 2009 Season - The 2009 S2K Challenge has been an astounding success; we've averaged 20+ unique participants in each of our first 6 events. We have 5 more events left in the season and we're very optimistic on the turnout for the remainder of the year. We hope that the turnout is reflective of the ROI we have promised to our AWESOME sponsors who have generously donated prizes throughout the year.

Main "Sticky'ed Thread in the Racing & Competition Forum (contains more information about the Series, including links to past events with pics/videos/write-ups): https://www.s2ki.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=665071

2) New PAX System - This system is modeled off of the SCCA PAX concept where a registrant (regardless of modifications) can still participate and be competitive regardless of class. The system is actually very simple; it is very similar to a golf handicap. Each modification (ie. air intake, coilovers, tires, wing, etc.) count toward a number of points, or translated to seconds for a lap time at a track. You take your actual lap time, add the mod points (seconds), and you now have a lap time that is comparable apples-to-apples with everyone else. We will test this system at the remaining two events at Buttonwillow (insufficient data exists for other tracks in SoCal as of now). Here is example using two different S2Ks.

BONE STOCK S2000 - 0 Points
Best Lap Time - 2:08
Add Points - 0
Net Lap Time - 2:08

Modified S2000 (Level 1 wing, Level 2 tires, exhaust) - 1.25pts + 1.5pts + 0.25 = 3pts
Best Lap Time - 2:06
Add Points - 3
Net Lap Time - 2:09

Who wins? The BONE STOCK S2000.

3) Classing System - We have learned a great deal from the first half of the year on how well our newly developed classing system worked. We are looking to perfect and revise the system for next year�s season. The only change made to this year�s system is that UNLIMITED CLASS participants DO NOT have to disclose any of their modifications and reveal their "secrets." We hope that this will entice tuner shops to bring our their race cars to a few events. Think of it as a perfect marketing opportunity!!! What better way to reach the crowd that actually uses performance products in a track environment!

4) Track Newbies - There is a misperception that the S2K Challenge is only for adrenaline-charged, competitive veterans of the track scene. Not so. Many track newbies have joined the series that have delivered performance that have amazed the more tenured trackers. I believe that attending S2K Challenge events is of greatest benefit to newbies because you will be surrounded by S2K owners that will help instruct so that you may quickly improve your skills. Plus, the doubled points system will give chance for talented newbie drivers to actually have a chance to win the series!

When signing up for events on Speedventure�s website, make sure you select the beginner group and select that you would to be assigned an instructor. We will make sure you are paired with a veteran S2K driver that will help you understand the specifics of tracking an S2000.

The S2K was built to be driven to the limit. Test your baby S2K in a safe, controlled environment with proper coaching at one of our events!!!

5) T-Shirts - I'm sorry that the S2K Challenge T-Shirts have hit a prolonged delay. Speedventures has contacted Corporate Honda to ensure that the S2K trademark and the use of the S2000 body design is kosher with Honda. We have a received an informal verbal agreement thumbs up, but Aaron from Speedventures is still working with Corporate Honda to finalize all the legal paperwork. Please keep patient and updates for the production of the 2009 S2K Challenge Tshirts.





6) Schedule - The remainder of the 2009 season will be as follows:

August 2 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) SIGNUP NOW!!!
September 26 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW)
October 11 - Willow Springs Big Track (CW)
November 7 - Streets of Willow (TBD)

7) Prizes - From our AWESOME sponsors, we have collected over $15,000 worth of prizes that will be handed out throughout the 2009 season. The lower value dollar prizes were handed out in the 1st half of the year, thus enticing new/existing participants with the best prizes in the 2nd half of the year. The summary of the prizes in the 2nd half of the year will be summarized below. Prizes for the remainder of the year will be as follows:

June 27 - Willow Springs Big Track (CW) Street Class:

1st Place - Kics R40 Black Chrome 1.5 Lug Set (Mackin Industries)



2nd Place - Project Mu B-Force Front Brake Pads (Mackin Industries)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal) + APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)





June 27 - Willow Springs Big Track (CW) Mod Class:

1st Place - 1 free hour of Dyno Time (Autowave Inc.)



2nd Place - ARC Cool Fin (Mackin Industries)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal) + APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)





August 2 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) Street Class

1st Place - $120 Gift Certificate (Prestige Auto Accessories)



2nd Place - Free Alignment (West End Alignment)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal)



August 2 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) Mod Class

1st Place - $120 Gift Certificate (Prestige Auto Accessories)



2nd Place - Free Alignment (Evasive Motorsports)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal)



August 2 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) PAX System Winner

Oreck XL21 Vacuum Cleaner (Cobblestone Realty in Palmdale)



September 26 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) Street Class

1st Place - Front/Rear Rotors (Brake Options)



2nd Place - Front/Rear Brake Pads (Brake Options)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal)



September 26 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) Mod Class

1st Place - $100 Gift Certificate (Aliso Viejo Auto Service)



2nd Place - Free Baffled Oil Pan (R&D Factory)



3rd Place - APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)



September 26 - Buttonwillow Raceway (13CW) PAX System Winner

Type 5 Bucket Seat (F1 Spec)



October 11 - Willow Springs Big Track (CW) Street Class

1st Place - Front/Rear toe hooks (GT Motoring)



2nd Place - Free Baffled Oil Pan (R&D Factory)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal) + APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)





October 11 - Willow Springs Big Track (CW) Mod Class

1st Place - ASM Oil Catch Can (Go Tuning Unlimited)



2nd Place - Free Baffled Oil Pan (R&D Factory)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal) + APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)





November 7 - Streets of Willow (TBD) Street Class

1st Place - Front Bumper Canards (APR Performance)



2nd Place - Eye Line (C-West)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal) + APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)





November 7 - Streets of Willow (TBD) Mod Class

1st Place - 70mm High Flow Cat (Berk Technology)



2nd Place - 70mm Test Pipe (Berk Technology)



3rd Place - Free Dent Pull (Mike's Ultimate Dent Removal) + APR 30% off coupon for S2K Parts (APR Performance)





GRAND PRIZE POOL (Distribution TBA)

Carbon Fiber Trophies for 1st place finishers in Street & Modified Class (on behalf of Cobblestone Realty in Palmdale)



T1R 60RT Titanium Exhaust (A&J Racing)



Full Custom Body Kit (Vision AutoDynamics)



GT Bumper (APR Performance)



Racing Spec EVO Damper (Buddy Club)



Newly developed 6UL S2000 Wheels (949Racing)



3� Single Pipe Exhaust (Berk Technology)

rob.ok

I think there needs to be a better explanation of the PAX points system.

Will this points system take the place of former classes (street, mod, & Unlimited) or, is it a fourth class that is now competing with all classes?

I don't understand how unlimited class car don't have to tell their secretes but are still able to compete with the new point system. Isn't that cheating?


Lastly, and probably the most important.....How can you calculate a points system that equates to time and make it an "apples to apples" comparison? That is impossible! At some point in time you have to convert points into their true time slip value per vehicle. A part that is worth one point in your system will inevitable be worth one tenth of a second after all the other parts have had their effect on the time slip. You can not simply add parts and subtract time from your laps.
The system sounds inviting to new ones but, puts a serious handicap on those fighting for tenth of a second (which is what I though was the goal right?). First and second place can duke it out for fastest lap in the contest based similar point builds but in the end, they'll be lucky to place on the podium cause the points system is skewed. If that's truly the case, not only is not an apples to apples comparison but its totally unfair to those duking it out at the upper level of the class.

Sorry, I just don't see how 6 points equates to 6 seconds fairly. Maybe the first few points should actually be worth more than 1 second. Theoretically as the time slip slowly starts to flatten out...so should the amount of time that points are worth. It should be a curve that starts out steeply and slowly levels out. Graphing a line on a one to one ratio (1 point = 1 second) makes it simple but, totally unfair.
To accurately calculate time slips to the parts that are being used, as well as being used in conjunction with other parts is impossible to do for each car. Again giving advantage to the cars with the least amount of mods.

Maybe I missed something but, I think the one to one ratio is extremely unfair to the maximum point contenders in each class looking for tenths.

Jaku

our points system was heavily rely on buttonwillow laptimes in the begining, it is a track that needs evenly a bit of everything, areo, tire grip, hp etc, this 1 point is close to 1s at buttonwillow, that's our initial intention, rules for next year is being discussed based on the results this year

and that's why the PAX is only going to be tried out at remaining 2 buttonwillow events, not other tracks, and it's mainly for fun adding unknown competitiveness and letting all of us seeing how the points reflect the laptimes

damn Ed you really putting out good stuff right after i book my flight ticket home, haha

rob.ok

I understand that its still in testing but this 1 point = 1 second is seriously flawed.

Like I said, the realization that one point or modification could equate to a tenth, a hundredth or even a few thousands after the other modifications have had their effect on the cars dynamics will be a real let down for those in a close battle of lap times.



BONE STOCK S2000 - 0 Points
Best Lap Time - 2:08
Add Points - 0
Net Lap Time - 2:08

Modified S2000 (Level 1 wing, Level 2 tires, exhaust) - 1.25pts + 1.5pts + 0.25 = 3pts
Best Lap Time - 2:06
Add Points - 3
Net Lap Time - 2:09

Who wins? The BONE STOCK S2000.


The third scenario that has not been worked out (based on BW)

Modified S2000 (11 point with the regular go fast stuff).
11pts
Best Lap Time -1:58
Add Points - 11
Net Lap Time - 2:09



A 1:58 for a 11 point modified S2000 and 1:08 for a bone stock S2000 is probably the limits that you could realistically achieve and even these goals will be out of reach for most. For those that want to go faster the new modifications will without a doubt equate to tenths at the most....not 1-3 seconds lower as the rule dictates per part. I perceive it as a way to slow down the cars in the name of competition and leaves those that are battling for the fast lap ready and willing to give up their spot on the podium without just cause.

Again the 1 point = 1 second rule is a skewed result and can not be used as the determining factor (even at BW).

600rr_rocket

Rob, a couple goods points...here are my responses:

1) PAX System only for Street and Mod Class

2) The PAX System is NOT going to replace the original system. It is a supplemental system that we will test at the remaining two Buttonwillow events, in addition to the normal points system.

Winner of PAX on 8/2 will receive a high end vacuum cleaner (Retails for $700!)
Winner of PAX on 9/26 will receive a bucket seat (Retails for $550!)

3) The purpose of the PAX system is to try and eliminate the car/mods as a variable and award driving skill. I'd love to throw a Spec S2000 series but 95% of the S2000's I see at the track have at least ONE mod. Therefore, the system tries to accommodate all S2000s on a level playing field.

Here is an excerpt from SCCA:

4) Read the last two sentences from the excerpt very carefully...NOT EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY!!!

When we originally created the rules, we used Buttonwillow as a baseline because it contained the most historical performance data. Based on S2000 performance, we were able to dissect the mods one by one and see how much they affected lap times. Therefore, we converted the seconds each mod shaved off, and converted them into points, making it easier to class.

This is why we are only testing out the PAX system at the Buttonwillow events this year. Next year, we will consider running PAX at all of ours events. Based on this year's data, we can calculate proper handicaps for all the tracks, not just Buttonwillow.

5) I'm not sure I understand your part about "totally unfair to those duking it out at the upper level of the class" or "unfair to the maximum point contenders in each class looking for tenths" The whole purpose of the PAX system is to create an even playing field, not give advantages to certain groups of people??

600rr_rocket

Perhaps my example was a bit off; I should have said 2:09 for bone stock S2K. We know that's the current record on CW#13.

The current record on a street tire S2K is a 1:58, and we modeled the 11 second gap (or 11 points) based on the mods that the Evasive Street Class S2K had.

Does that make more sense?

600rr_rocket

Dude, you are not supposed to add the points from the standings:

You are supposed to add the points from the modifications!!!

Jaku

rob

PAX points = mods points

not

top 8 finishers' points

rob.ok

Yeah I don't know what the heck I was thinking. Figured it out right after I did posted it Been up all night drinking. I deleted it but I'm still looking into it. For some reason it just doesn't make sense but now I guess I know why.

600rr_rocket

Hahaha...

"Blame it on the goose, gotcha feeling loose
Blame it on the 'tron, gotcha panties off
Blame it on the ah-ah-ah-alcohol, blame it on the ah-ah ah-ah ah-al-co-hol"

No hard feelings right Rob?

We are seriously trying our best to make the series where S2K weekend track junkies have a venue to test their skills in a competition that puts all participants on a level playing field. We hope that people will spread the good word!!!