Ride along for another tuner car track battle between a Time Attack Mazda RX8 and a 350HP Nissan 370Z the October 2017 SCCA PDX Club Trials event at Summit Point Jefferson Circuit in the Advanced run group.

HERE'S THE VIEW FROM THE NISSAN 370Z:
   • Summit Point  Jefferson Circuit (SCC...  

MAZDA RX8 VS NISSAN 370Z TRACK COMPARISON & ANALYSIS

As evident in the videos, the 370Z has a significant advantage on long straights, pulling away by multiple car lengths; the car simply has great top end acceleration.

At the end of the straights, the Nissan 370Z shows another small advantage under heavy braking due to its wider, stickier tires.

In the corners, the RX8s lighter weight (2800 lbs vs 3300+ lbs), low center of gravity, and excellent weight distribution shine, allowing it to easily keep pace with the 370Z, despite narrower, lower grip tires. In tight corners, the RX8's advantage is particularly evident, demonstrating the ability to turn tighter and take a shorter distance while still hitting the apex at full throttle.

During flatout laps with no traffic, the RX8 and 370Z ran within a second of each other, but they achieve that lap time in very different manners. At a highly technical track such as this where top speed are low (under 110 MPH) and corners are numerous, the RX8 shines with better cornering . However, at higher speed tracks such as Summit Point Main Circuit, VIR, or Road Atlanta, the Nissan 370Z's acceleration strength would shine and should easily outpace the RX8.

The Nissan 370Z Specs:
Enkei RPF1 17x10 wheels with Toyo R888R tires 275/40/17 (square setup)
BC Racing coilovers with external reservoirs
Lightly tuned engine (exhaust, ECU) with around 350 HP at the crank
Racing driver seat, no passenger seat
OEM sport model brakes with Carbotech XP10 / XP8 pads

The Summit Point Jefferson Circuit is a 1.7 mile, 14turn circuit with significant elevation changes, tight corners, and a rather bumpy surface. It is a fun, technical, and challenging circuit that will test both the car and the driver.

Data was captured with an android phone running RaceChrono and an external Garmin Glo 10Hz GPS. Video was made with Race Render and MP4 splitter & joiner software.

SPECIAL THANKS TO:
* Group.E Racing Services (GRP.E)
* Fast Brakes
* Fortune Auto

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   / mchuffman  


RX8 SPECS & MODIFICATIONS:

Suspension/Wheels
Fortune Auto 500 series coilovers, 10k/7k Swift springs
17x10 +50mm Rota RT5R2 wheels
255/40/17 Falken RT615K tires
Mazdaspeed front tower bar
Whiteline front offset UCA bushings
Powerflex front sway bar bushings
Disconnected rear swaybar

Brakes
Hawk DTC60 front and rear pads

Engine
Pineapple Racing engine rebuild
HKS Hi Power exhaust
Racing Beat V2 dual resonated midpipe
AEM intake
RX8Performance pulley kit

Drivetrain
Race Roots poly engine mounts

Reliability
TRex LS ignition upgrade
TRex S.S. oil cooler lines
CSF racing aluminum radiator w/ LRB undertray & improved sealing
Pettit Racing closedloop coolant overflow system
Mazda heater hose restrictor orifice

Interior
Modified driver’s seat for more headroom
Dash mounted triple gauge pod with VDO oil pressure, oil temperature, and water temperature

Misc
U1R battery (~19 pounds)

SPECS
195 WHP
Under 2800 pounds
Full interior, A/C, radio