[QUOTE]Originally posted by Legal Bill
I didn't read Red's reply, but the answer is no.

 

I think Bill takes his autocrossing more seriously than I do; I just like to get out there and slide the car around, which is not the way to turn a fast lap, but is something I enjoy. I always over-drive the car and course, but yesterday, in part because of this thread, I was intentionally pushing the car WAY beyond where I normally would, just to see what happens when the driver does crazy things. At one point I managed to get in a full sideways slide (that's what my car tends to do when I throw it away completely and then hold steady throttle and counter steer), at a good clip, going up a slight incline. While this kind of stuff murders the tires (and you won't be doing this kind of stuff unless you're as crazy as RED ), the Honda slides very nicely, even going up an incline, and it won't do anything nasty (like rolling over) unless you hit a curb or get in some soft dirt. This should not be possible at an autocross, though when we walk the course, we look for any potential hazards, and ask the event organizers to change anything that might cause a problem. Anyway, autocrossing is a low-risk way to learn to handle slides and spins, and it will equip you handle emergencies on the street with greater competence as well.

Track days are fun, but they're more expensive, and the risk is somewhat higher (because the speeds are higher, and course safety is variable). Most top autocrossers make the transition to racing easily, but some racers never adapt to the autocross course. What you learn in a parking lot, at low speeds, still works, with some adjustments, at higher speeds.

Try it. I'm sure you'll have a good time.

RED

 

I think it's a matter of how well you can control the S2000, or any RWD vehicle for that matter. Drifting is more than just sliding, the driver has to feel the car and input sensitive feedback with his feet and hands. People that know how to drive can often drift RWD cars fairly easily. Those S13 Silvias produce monster amounts of torque and horsepower, but yet the pilot often makes it look like child's play. Even if they are tuned to produce power smoothly, I imagine it would be harder drifting a 500 horsepower turbocharged car than a 240 roadster like the S2000. The non-linear powerband of the S2000 is rarely an issue when people drift.

By the way, when I make these statements, I assume drifting while maintaining control? Not competitive or anything. I mean, I can drift around a corner, but it'll look shitty with the rear end shaking when I exit the corner, if I exit at all! Lol, most drift endeavors i've had ended up with me sliding out or ending up in the grass. The S2000 is hard to drift from the stock package, but trained driver's probably have little trouble drifting this car.

 

Oh, and with the S2000, usually to compensate for the lack of torque, they'll tap the gas twice, once to exit the turn, and the second to get the wheels loose. Try it sometime, not on a pubic highway of course.

 

I think the tires on the S2000 S02 or S03 or not as well suited as other tires are. They tend to snap once when it goes even though it the car natural car characteristic. But if you change the suspension setup you can overcome this also with the change of the tires. Can and I done this kick my rear end out but nothing like those professional drivers can. But always with some good fun. I'm with most of these people on this board you try to practice in safe and close environments.