Videos of Insight racing on tracks and autoslaloms

[Guillermo]

These videos are not new, but i'm sure there are a lot of Insight Central members that joined recently that have not seen them before.
I made these videos when I competed in dozens of autoslaloms and race track time trials with my Insight every weekend from spring 2004 to fall 2005. I decided to put this post on the Modifications forum because the Insight was wearing Race Compound tires in all these videos.
I recently moved these videos to youtube.com for your viewing convenience.

Oversteer and Understeer on the track (Insight spins out at 60 mph)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvOg2ydEY7Q

Insight keeps up with 1.6L Miata on race track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A3buUu7jco0

Insight catches Corvette Z06 on the track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D1ShyQQFdI

2005 Canadian Solosprint Nationals Shannonville Fabi Track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3tlNG-PR3s

Honda Insight lapping Shannonville long track:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jfz3J5b5hGM

Insight competing in Autoslalom / Auto-x Hersey Center:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg0AZDMXk-s

Insight competing in Autoslalom / Auto-x PMG Quebec:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V3Gszaq2I8

[HafNHaf]

thats some good stuff! looks like fun too! i noticed a video on the you tube page with a miata at langley speedway. the building i work at is across the street from langley. we can see the races from the roof! and we can smell the burning rubber inside the shop....

[gomarlins3]

I have autoxed the Insight. When I have done it in wet weather, I do better than some capable cars. In the dry though, I come in last.

[HafNHaf]

hey Guillermo: what do you think about this for a good mix of high mpg and good grip: get a set of oem tires and have them siped. this would be for normal street use, not racing.

[Guillermo]

Originally Posted by HafNHaf

hey Guillermo: what do you think about this for a good mix of high mpg and good grip: get a set of oem tires and have them siped. this would be for normal street use, not racing.

Siping tires means using a hot wire device to cut slits in the tread. This only slightly improves the tires grip in wet and ice conditions because the sipes evacuate water away from the tread surface by capillary action.
The siped tires will have a slightly higher rolling resistance as well because the tire tread will flex more. The tire will also wear out faster.
I wouldn't recommend it.
It's better to buy a better tire to match your requirements.
In Europe Nokian sells a performance summer only tire in the Insight OEM size. This tire has much better grip in dry and wet summer conditions compared to the all season RE92 OEM Insight tire because of it's summer compound. But it's identical dimensions will maintain the aerodynamics of the OEM tire so the fuel milleage from the softer compound should be only slight worse then OEM, compared to using wider tires.

Winter tires use a very compound that stays grippy in very cold temperatures and the treads have large gaps for snow traction as well many tiny sipes on each tread block to evacuate water that forms when pressure is applied to ice.

For ice racing we tractionize winter tires which is an extreme form of siping. Check it out:
http://www.uniwerks.ca/sac/sactionizer2.htm

No I don't ice race the Insight, I ice race a blue Chevette I got for free:
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?doc...+racing+canada

[HafNHaf]

those tractionized tires look like their tread exploded! thats wild! a bit too much for normal driving, i think. i really dont want to go with two sets of tires, since we usually dont have much of a winter here. i will try the sumitomos out in the snow, if/when we get some. if it is too squirley i will just drive the grand wagoneer. it will go through just about anything.

thanx!