Track Night in America Report - Grattan Raceway in a Fiesta ST

"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
05/05/2015 at 14:04 • Filed to: Track night in america, Fiesta ST, Grattan

Well, I finally managed to get some track time in the FiST! Autocross, rallycross, road trips, and now the open race track. How did it fare? Who at automobile magazine is losing their job? What smells like a pastry shop?!?!?!? Read on and find out!

So I did the track night at Grattan yesterday and with only about 20 people, 12 of whom were in the novice class with me, I definitely got my 150$ worth. I was the ONLY ST there. Let me reiterate that I found a motorsports venue in Michigan where two dozen Focus STs didn’t crawl out of the woodwork. Two BRZs(not FR-Ses), two mustangs, three vettes, an M235i. an E46 M3, an RSX type-S. a brand new WRX, a lotus elise, Automobile Magazine’s long term jaguar F-type S, and a few others.

Let’s get one thing straight out of the box - The Fiesta ST easily punches above its weight class. The lotus elise was the only one to dice me up in the turns. And even then he was an “advanced” driver who showed up late and picked on us rookies for a session. But in the turns, I could easily dictate the pace of people behind me. In the esses and hairpins, I had no trouble going toe to toe with anyone. On the straight?.........Okay that was where I stumbled, but still, I easily dusted the BRZ in my group on the uphill onto the straight. The cobb tuning motor mount and tune put all that power to the tires and the MSW lightweight wheels and sticky BFGoodrich rubber was an amazing combo.

Here is the video from my final session. About the 11 minute mark is where I start really giving chase to the F-type after the RSX and jag almost had an “incident”.

I gotta say, it was a TON of fun not only to be out on the course in anger but to really be able to push the little hatchback. Autocross and rallycross are amazing and all, but that open road and g-forces are something else. My brakes were definitely toasty after the second session. Smelled like burnt toast. In both the first and second sessions, I took a short break about halfway through to make sure the car was cool. But no problems to report otherwise. And I got to play around a bit with tire pressures. At first, I cranked them all decently high. But I soon saw that was not helping me grip as on the pace laps I had no issues squealing the tires and seeing some odd understeer. I dropped the pressures but by the second session, I saw blisteing on the right side. So I pumped them up for the off-camber turn 3 and the infamous “toilet bowl” turn 6. Session 3 was easily my fastest. The car’s turn-in was impeccable and it once again felt like there was some room for me to grow into it.

I can’t recommend !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! enough. Or the Fiesta ST. Or Grattan Raceway. The staff were friendly, the event was well organized, and the people were awesome. I should point out that the paddock is open to spectators and friends the whole time so if you want to see some cool cars, you can head down and hang out for free on these events. Whatever you decide to do, I implore all of you to support these efforts however you can and help spread the love of car culture.

DISCUSSION (17)

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 14:16

I really want to do a track night but the closest one is about 2 hours away in wisconsin

cnessel27 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 14:40

I’m really wanting to do one of these, you really can’t beat $150 for a high performance drivers ed/track day. Plus it’s my understanding that with a SCCA membership (wether it’s for the weekend or the year) comes with a $1,000,000 health insurance policy so just incase anything super shitty where to happen you might not owe medical bills the rest of your life. I need to go over the suspension/brakes on my focus and get out there.

Justin Hughes > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 14:43

Thanks for sharing! I’m doing the first Track Night in New England (Thompson Speedway) tomorrow, and will be writing up the whole thing. If my experience is anything like yours, I’m sure I’ll have a great time.

Tires and brakes are worth upgrading on any car that sees the track. I've done both, so hopefully I won't have the issues you did - except for those pesky FiSTs passing my BRZ...

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > cnessel27
05/05/2015 at 15:36

It is an absolute riot to bang around an actual course. It’s nice in street cars on street tires since you don’t get thrown off as much if you do some landscaping and put one off a bit. Multiple times I cut a little too much into the inside and picked up some grass and she was still steady as can be. If youhave a highpowered corvette or something.....you might be at more risk but if you respect your more standard car, it is very difficult to feel out of your element on the road course.

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Justin Hughes
05/05/2015 at 15:37

You have to do a point by so you don’t have to let them by unless you get blue flagged. It got old having to point by the entire field on the straight though.......I could easily chase down the A4 avant, the C5 vette, the F-type, the M235, and the M3 in the twisties. But the second the road opened up, all I saw was their car getting further and further away :(

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero
05/05/2015 at 15:38

Well that’s a damn shame. Hopefully the program grows and next year there are more options.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 15:40

Oh I still plan on making the drive I think they have 3 or 4 nights through September it’s just gonna suck making the drive alone haha

Justin Hughes > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 15:41

Yep, I get how that works. I haven't done a track event in years, but when I did I drove a 1.6 Miata - 116 blazing hp. I joked that I should've just attached a mannequin arm to my roll bar giving a constant point-by.

cnessel27 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 17:53

Street tires are also good for if it rains seeing as Mother Nature has other plans some times, and I’ve heard it’s also beneficial to teaching some driving technique.

I’ve got a 2005 Focus wagon with a five speed. I wanna try (see note) Generals G-Max AS-03 on some 17x7 rims, they seem like some street-able tires at a pretty good value. My main priority before I go is refreshing the brake system, get Konis for it, and replace all the bushings in the suspension. At 125k every thing is worn out, and needs to be replaced before I try to push it to the limit. Might do lowering springs a little later but I want to feel that difference when I change the suspension geometry.

(Note. If you need convincing on General tires; I had a remarkably great set of General Grabber studable mt2’s that where on my 96 S-10. I put 30,000 miles on it and it had 1/2 tread left with when i sold it. It had increased traction and drivability over the previous sets of tires I had on it. I would give them a try again.)

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > cnessel27
05/05/2015 at 18:54

Oh I had those same G-max tires on my 98 jetta slammed on ebay coilovers and on some 17” wheels. Worked surprisingly awesome in the snow and cruised like a boss during the summer. I think I put about 15k on it in a year before dumping it for the FiST. Worked woodward like a BOSS in that car.

cnessel27 > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/05/2015 at 20:14

Right on, hopefully there better than the Kelly Safaris I have now..... Hahaha!

JKER > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/06/2015 at 10:24

Nice! I’ll be at Grattan this Sunday with my bike, looks like it’s going to rain so it’s going to be a shit show out there!

Skamanda > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/12/2015 at 12:53

Worked Woodward in a Jetta? I dunno, man...how’d you keep up with all the STI bros? :D

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Skamanda
05/12/2015 at 12:55

I meant the cruise lol. I would describe the jetta GL’s speed as “slightly faster than a brisk jog”

Skamanda > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/12/2015 at 13:19

Wow, you tuned a GL?

Kinja'd!!!

themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles > Skamanda
05/12/2015 at 13:52

Yep. No engine, just appearance.

Kinja'd!!!

Skamanda > themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles
05/12/2015 at 13:56

I think that’s actually how they described it in the brochure... :D

‘course, that said...I tuned a bright yellow 2000 Beetle. Even though it had a turbo, I’m hardly one to talk...