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Took the Teggy to the Track

524 Views 7 Replies 6 Participants Last post by  lnf
I've been anticipating this day since I bought the car. My buddy's club rents out Thunderhill once a year and invites family and friends. The Integra was everything I thought it would be. I've enjoyed some twisty roads and autocross, but this was the first time to really stretch its legs. I can't say whether it's better or worse than other sport compacts. I can just say it is a driver's car, in the sense that it is happy to let you flog it as much as you want (with one exception I'll get to) and has great driving controls for proper input and feedback. I wanted a driver's car that could fit my family and was fuel efficient, so I can finally confirm it is all three.
One point to note: I replaced the factory Conti's with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires which have undoubtedly improved the car's feel and performance.
Wheel Tire Car Vehicle Hood

This was my 3rd time driving at Thunderhill (Polestar 2 and Cooper S previously, and passenger in a Miata), but the first time I've experienced it in the wet. We have 3 run groups and I joined the beginner/slower group since I figured the Integra has "only" 200 hp. Being FWD with the LSD I think I had a big advantage. Most of the RWD cars were afraid of spinning out on corner exit but I could just plant my foot and go so it definitely stroked my ego chasing down Corvettes and such. This is my first car with an LSD and I love it.

The only issue I had with the car was cooking the brakes. I came in from the first 20-min session with smoke floating out from the fronts. I could tell from the smell and the pedal feel, but there is also a "BRAKE SYSTEM" light on above the fuel gauge but hadn't noticed it on track as it was hidden behind the steering wheel rim from my view. Drove around to let them cool, also the light turned off, and it was ok by the next session. Brake fade, mushy pedal, and the warning light came on every session so I just got in the habit of letting it cool for a lap or so and then getting back on it. I will upgrade the fluid before my next track day and I'm keeping an eye on what pad upgrades might be appropriate.

The slower group had a bit too much traffic in front so I had the flagman find me a gap and got a good clean run chasing this Focus RS in the wet:

There was somewhat low turnout and the intermediate group was pretty empty so I joined them for the rest of the day. This is chasing my buddy in his BRZ:
He is a faster driver than me (2% faster lap times in karting), but with these cars it was a pretty close match. He said when he was following, I'd pull away on corner exit and on the straights, and he'd catch me in the braking zones.

Anyone else gotten to do some track driving with their Integra? Thoughts?
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How does it feel powering out of a corner with the Pilot Sport 4Ss? LSD with good tires must have felt great! I've driven a Fit with Toyo R888s on a track before, but you can only do so much without an LSD.
Excellent. It’s most noticeable on uphill corners, and I could get on the gas earlier and harder in corners. It’s satisfying to feel it pull you around the bend.
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How did it feel on track compared to the Polestar 2 and Cooper S? I know they're no the same as the Integra but I'd still be curious to know.
The first thing my wife asked was which of our cars I liked best on track and immediately said the Integra, mainly because it has a manual transmission and is therefore more engaging. They are all good on track, though.
The Cooper S (2005) has a more lively chassis and the steering is hydraulic assist so there is more feedback. There’s a constant radius turn where you can play with the throttle position and coax it between under- and over-steer. On the flip side, under hard downhill braking the rear gets very loose and feels like it wants to get ahead of the front. At least the brakes didn’t overheat. The Integra is very stable by comparison, and the earlier torque delivery makes it feel faster.
The Polestar 2 is on another level for acceleration. I knew EVs have instant torque, but the constant pull surprised me. My body expects a gradual decrease in torque and a pause for gearshifts but the Polestar just keeps pulling. You definitely feel the weight under braking, but it never had any brake fade, probably due to regen helping out. The steering is just ok, not as direct as the Integra’s. The chassis is well-balanced, but so composed it’s almost boring. I wonder if stability control intervenes. It’s more fun on an autocross course, where I found it starts to slide all 4 wheels when accelerating mid-corner, rather than over- or under-steering. The main issue on the track was the battery getting too hot and pulling power to protect itself. There is now a paid software download that unlocks more power and has better thermal management.
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