MugenVTEC
As some knows, last week we bought a brand new Honda S2000 in order to make a huge project out of it. In fact, the S2000 should get an entire transformation during the next days here in the MugenVTEC garage. First and foremost, we will bring the S2000 to different tracks to test it and get some times. At the time I write this, the car already have a hole new Mugen racing brake system and Toyo R5 tires. Let me introduce you the project. In perspectives, the engine of the S2000 (F20C) will be tuned at a touring level. We will also introduce the first ever All-Motor S2000 amature touring car ever. What means all-motor ??? Well "all-motor" are another words to say naturally aspirated car. So it means that the car is not powered by a turbocharger or a supercharger. The car will be tuned with precision to meet the requirements we'll set on paper. If everything goes well, we will have one of the greatest S2000 amature touring car. We already signed the papers with Mugen in terms of using the name " Mugen N/A S2K". Now we have the test the car and see what it has.
We first been to Infineon Raceway, a good starting place to test a car. The day was very sunny, it was very bright, I thought I was in the desert, oh but wait, California and desert ??? Same thing... So we parked the S2000 in the pits to see if everything was good and after a 2 check-ups, I clipped the belt and gone for a 4 lap run. The car has good performances as the engine is stock. With the Toyo R5 tires, the car just stays on the road even with stock soft suspension. I was very suprised of the handling, very. I felt like the car was made for racing, and suprising, it is. Heres the times I registered:
Lap 1: 1'52.314
Lap 2: 1'41.323
Lap 3: 1'43.883
Lap 4: Out of track (Arrived to fast in the curve and it was too late to brake)
At the second day of testing, we were now at the Mazda's Laguna Seca Raceway with its famous corkscrew. I felt it was going to be a tough day. With the famous and dangerous corkscrew, I needed to be extremely concentrate. But when I jumped on the track, I was so confident. I coursed the track like I knew it for years, but to tell the thruth, I never been a big fan of Laguna Seca. Reality hitted me back really quick as I was WAY TOO confident on lap 3, I slided in the corkscrew due to high-speed/hard braking/corneling. I do have regain it all by beating my lap 2 record at the lap 4. In overall, the car was performing greatly, but due to much more speed on Laguna Seca, the handling was reduced, causing to brake alot more than Infineon. Heres the times:
Lap 1: 1'44.764
Lap 2: 1'37.551
Lap 3: 1'40.520 (Slide in corkscrew)
Lap 4: 1'36.954
Third day of testing, we been into the Yosemite National Park's own track, El Capitan. The track attracts alot of people and racers of all categories. Thats the final track where we will test the stock version. Heading the start line, I wasnt so confident as I was at Laguna Seca. The track was unknown to me and I had no basis of this track whatsoever. That was a test for my skills and the car. I have been dissapointed of the car several times. Well, I would prefer saying that was my driving's fault, because I have been arriving too fast and didnt brake much earlier resulting a close wall kissing. The car even made a quick drift as I was in a curve. So for this track, the car should be tuned, of my driving would need to be improved.
Lap 1: 2'02.938 (Torn up front driver side)
Lap 2: 1'56.893 (Little drift)
Lap 3: 1'57.263
Lap 4: 1'58.607 (Horrible lap)
We are heading back the garage to plan our things and come back with a big project really soon...
