Gonna dab in that Miata life.

"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
06/07/2019 at 18:44 • Filed to: RIP cone killing Juke

Not by choice, but it how it will work for a little bit. More on that below.

The auto-x group I run with is having insurance issues, & they want them to comply to SCCA/CASC rules (they are not SCCA/CASC affiliated) for insurance purposes. So they let me know I can’t run my Juke any more. It’s fine, but if it was on a more sticky tire I be concerned. The organizers are fine with it, but it’s their insurance that’s not. In all this happening it reminded me why I love the people I race with. I have had offers to co-drive other cars so I can still compete. So this Sunday I’ll be driving an auto-x prepped 2000 Miata. It kinda sucks, but the given situation brought our the good in fellow competitors. I’ve had offers for other cars to drive too, so I’ll won’t (*hopefully*) miss any more events.

The said car I’ll be driving. It won it’s class the past few years, so it’s well set up.

Now to look at coil overs so I can run the Juke again.

DISCUSSION (29)

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 18:53

Insurance sucks

just-a-scratch > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 18:53

I don’t understand what makes a Juke too dangerous for autocross or how coilovers would remedy that.

Whatever. It’s nice to try someone’s prepped ride.

I ’m having fun playing with my new coilovers, even if a simpler sport spring and damper setup might have been a b etter choice.

jminer > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 18:54

What’s the problem with the Juke? I have a coworker that is pretty serious into auto cross and they have similar rules. I wanted to run my 71 CB500 through their cones and their answer was a hard no and they seemed seriously offended at the thought of it . They regularly turn away cars that have the wrong dimensions (height v width) and for a organization that’s supposed to be inclusive and fun it seems to be full of guys that are way too serious.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > jminer
06/07/2019 at 18:57

The SCCA is run by 80 year old men that sit in dark basement making BS rules, then have cameras on their front lawn going to screens in the basement so they yell at kids to get off it when they step on it. What the SCCA was built on, is the same thing that is killing them.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > just-a-scratch
06/07/2019 at 18:58

Springs would not get it low enough to comply to be legal again.

Nick Has an Exocet > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 18:59

That kind of bites, but at the same time, it’s great to have diverse experiences. Have you driven an NA or NB Miata in AutoX before? I imagine it’s great. I’ve only ever driven an ND on a course like that.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Nick Has an Exocet
06/07/2019 at 19:02

I’ve never driven any Miata. I’m looking foward to it, & I’m mega excited to drive it. At the same time it’s still not my car, & it’s not their fault I can’t run the Juke any more as it sits currently.

HondoyotaE38: A Japanese and German Collab...wait a minute > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 19:03

Damn. That sucks man. That’s one hell of a community though, have fun with the Miata FWIW.

jminer > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 19:04

Yeah I showed up for one day when he invited me out. This guy is already a bit of an asshole but he and I get along well enough. That event was full of guys way more angry than him. They would openly mock folks about what they drove (not in a fun way) and the day I was there a guy showed up in a Y ugo which I thought would be hilarious to see run but they wouldn’t let it.

I’m never going back to another. Drag nights and dirt tracks are pretty fun though - whole different group of people.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 19:16

An NB winning in STR?? Must be a damn good driver and not too many NC/ND/S2k around. I find CSP to be more fun for an NB Miata, the options for mods are way better. But either way, you will have a blast. A fully class prepped STR Miata is basically the perfect non-turbo Miata without going into crazy-town mods.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
06/07/2019 at 19:19

That was taken at CASC regional event. I run with a non-CASC group , it won in the latter of group.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > just-a-scratch
06/07/2019 at 19:22

It’s to tall relative to its width. Get it into a situation where it snaps from sliding one way to sliding the other and there’s a not insignificant chance for it to end up rolling.

WRXforScience > just-a-scratch
06/07/2019 at 19:44

Cars have to be wider than they are tall, sounds like a silly rule until you watch a Fiesta ST roll over while taking a right turn on a flat parking lot (been there, done that).

The height/width rule is one of the more reasonable rules and although it sucks for anyone with a vehicle that doesn’t comply, it’s still better than rolling your CUV.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > jminer
06/07/2019 at 19:46

The rules exist because of lawyers. It’s hard enough to find a venue and insurance so when you are able to get an event going the restrictions put in place by the insurance and venue are the law. You let a vehicle with a high enough COG to pose a rollover risk run and it ends up rolling, you get shut down.

My region doesn’t allow karts because they had a kart driver get injured way back before my time and the insurance companies want nothing to do with the idea anymore as a result.

That’s why autocross groups are so strict about what is allowed to happen at events. Something happens that wasn’t explicitly agreed upon in the contracts? That’s it, no more events. That’s why bikes aren’t allowed and the Juke has to be lowered several inches, because if you let the stock Juke in and it rolls nobody gets to autocross anymore.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > WRXforScience
06/07/2019 at 19:56

Fiesta STs scare me at autocrosses. They are going along perfectly fine and then suddenly they will just flop over on their sides. My region had 2 of them fall over within a couple months of each other before we banned them from running 200tw tires on stock suspension.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > jminer
06/07/2019 at 20:23

It depends on the organizers really. Any group under the SCCA/CASC seems that way. Independent ones (like the one I run with) is pretty lax, & laid back.

jminer > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
06/07/2019 at 20:28

See I’m not sure I really buy that. There are plenty of far sketchier and more dangerous auto oriented sports that don’t have this issue. Look at everything from mudding to off road events to motocross they’re all far more dangerous and lower budget than autocross.

XJDano > jminer
06/07/2019 at 20:33

Is this the group that goes to Gateway on the drag lot?

If so, they are not good at jokes. And I only got respect from a few people when I ran my metro in 07 for a Full season. I even went to the awards banquet. It was dry, and a lot of old dudes from road racing.

jminer > XJDano
06/07/2019 at 20:38

No, the group I went to runs out in the St Charles convention center lot.

ihm96 > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
06/07/2019 at 20:42

That’s kinda hilarious. I’d love to see video compilations of dumbfounded ST owners flopping the car over

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > jminer
06/07/2019 at 20:59

You get insurance for what you are trying to do. Motocross is insured for motocross incidents and injuries, autocross is insured for autorcross accidents. You have a car accident on a motocross track and their insurance is going to tell them to get fucked. Same with crashing a bike at an autocross.

Motorsport insurance also isn't there to cover the participants, it's there to cover the event. That's why you sign a waiver at every event, you are acknowledging that there is potential to get hurt and that the event doesn't cover you if you do. The insurance covers damage to the venue, spectators, etc (something there's a lot more risk of at an autocross than at a motocross or off-road event) as well as lawsuits that come up despite that waiver.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > ihm96
06/07/2019 at 21:03

The Fiat 500s are funnier to watch. They tend to do a little hop before falling over. There was a good video of one from a year ago but it was taken down about a month after it was uploaded.

wafflesnfalafel > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/07/2019 at 22:09

awesome shot of the Jukester

i86hotdogs > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
06/08/2019 at 01:07

I had a debate on this with my van. It was a regional event, so they were more lenient. Since my cargo area was completely empty, they believed the center of gravity was low enough to be safe for rallycross.

Nick Has an Exocet > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
06/08/2019 at 02:27

Don’t be surprised if you get addicted. They do that. They’re a good bad influence.

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > i86hotdogs
06/08/2019 at 10:07

With rallycross it is also a case where anything is a rollover risk if it digs in right. It’s not something you can really mitigate like you can with an autocross on a paved surface.

i86hotdogs > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
06/10/2019 at 06:29

Yeah that’s a good point. I haven’t tried autocross yet, so I’ll see hat they have to say about the dimensions

TheTurbochargedSquirrel > i86hotdogs
06/10/2019 at 07:59

You are probably outside the height requirements but there’s basically nothing more than about 2 feet above the ground so depending on what your region’s insurance is like you may be able to make the argument that it will be fine on all seasons (I wouldn't plan on being able to run 200tw or r-comps).

That or you can slam it down on coilovers and go full Supervan style with it.

i86hotdogs > TheTurbochargedSquirrel
06/10/2019 at 08:52

I would likely run it on whatever tires it carries, maybe purchase a nicer all season set. Just looked it up, height and width are both 72"!

I did have plans to install a set of lowering springs in the furutre , but that would put it out of the stock class.