Thread: Project Rallycross

That's why all dirt track drivers have fwd cars, right?

Were we talking about dirt track racing? Dirt track is very much different than rallyx. You obviously have never done this. Go watch a rallycross, and see how the RWD cars do compared to the FWD cars. They are not competitive. Of course AWD is better than both, but also more complex, more to go wrong, weighs more, and in a different class anyways. Think about it traction wise, the advantage of FWD is all of the weight over the drive wheels. Yep, FWD cars tend to understeer, but you can overcome that with left foot braking. RWD cars tend to have traction issues and many times end up facing the wrong way. In fact, the most recent rallyx I went to, both of the RWD cars that entered, (an e36 bmw and a miata) ended up going home early because they kept on getting stuck. The track posed no problems for the FWD cars that day. I can tell you for a fact that your tires will play the greatest role in rallyx, more than the car itself does.

You would think that a W-body would get dominated by pretty much anything as it does in autox and pretty much every other competition, but they actually do very well at rallyx. I was pleasantly surprised at how well I did, I entered just for the hell of it.

When it comes down to it, you are wrong. Just go to a rallyx man, and watch the neons spank the e30's. Not even sure why this is still a discussion, I'm talking from experience, you're speculating.


OP, throw some craigslist winter tires on your GTP and show these guys what's up. Wish I still had a beater L67 W-body so I could..

I took my Grand Prix to a monster truck rally yesterday. Won first place. Thankfully I still had snow tires on it.

Originally Posted by darkhorizon

Has anyone here actually racecross'ed their GTP? I have and I can easily say that I keep up with the cobalts on the pavement. Power on pavement with summer minded all seasons was a bit low stock, so I could easily see a 3.4 pulley setup offering much more.

In terms of rally cross, I have raced my TBSS more than a few times, and I can say the extra weight is not nearly as bad as people make it out to be. The bonus to extra weight is the fact that you can transfer it to the wheels you are getting traction with, and the more weight you put on those wheels the faster you go. The small cars have problems putting down power when they cant maintain transfer through corners because they are so light and have little braking to do.

Also, assuming you are not trying to compete in some super serious rallycross leauge or something, there is plenty of fun to be had in having a "crap car" out there because it makes doing well reflect well on the driver more so than having a trick car. Now that I have ~10 rally/autocross events under my belt with all 4 of my cars, I have been able to completely demolish "noobs" in "fast" cars with my junk...

Unlike drag racing, just getting out there and racing is fun, and honestly out of the 4 cars I have the GTP is second in fun only to my full out turbo CRX with autocross rubber on 13x10s.

Your 3.4" pulley GTP does not keep up with any Delta body car on the track.

Ever.

Unless it's an LS or LT that isn't boosted. I'm sure a stock SS/SC Cobalt would wax a WBody on an auto-cross style track even with a solid 3.4" setup.

I'd even be willing to bet a stock SS/TC would eat up a well setup WBody around some curves. It just isn't a "handling" platform.

Originally Posted by camopaint0707

Ever heard of 24 hours of LeMons? Something like that.

I don't think it's anything like that, actually.

Originally Posted by camopaint0707

Not sure if serious...

It's not your car, what does it matter?

You are the one with the theories...I'd love to see your vids and such of your superawesome rally GP. Also, drivetrain doesn't dictate a damn thing...I'm comparing the Delta platform to the Wbody. It's a load of crap to even try to tell anyone that your GP handles worth a sh1t. We all know it doesn't. Your Fiero would be a better bet. I'd also hope that your 3.4" setup car is better than a 90WHP car...not sure any Cobalt that makes that though.

Also, thanks to Flake...it's rated from the factory @ 155...and makes around 130WHP.

Thanks for your concern though. Let me know when you get that actual hard evidence for all the times you've posted in your GP.

Thought it was a fwd race? BMW?

I think driver skill has more to do with it then platform. I'm sure everyone on here thinks there a great driver but few actually are. Ex. Put someone like Sebastian Vettel in a mini van and try to keep up.

e36 318's are quite slow..

Hey, nice cinder block.