Lex’s RX-8: Underdog Pride
Long before Initial D became a gateway for young gearheads into mountain driving, Lex King had found his inspiration through watching tarmac rally on Speedvision – before it became the Speed Channel.
His canyon runs set the stage, but it was a local mechanic who suggested that Lex quiet screwing around on the street and get his fix in a controlled environment. Lex listened and took his RX-7 to Sonoma, where the foundational skills he’d honed through backroad blitzes served him well at drift events.
At first, it was the sideways stuff which had the most pull. He grew comfortable with the RX-7 moving around underneath him and quickly grasped the essentials of weight transfer.
When he wasn’t lending a hand in setting up his friend’s Mustang, Lex was learning how to get his drift-oriented RX-7 around a track in a clean and composed easy. “I could find my way around a corner, but I still had to learn how to use a racetrack,” he said.
Pinching exits weren’t too big a deal for the pointier RX-7, which could overwhelm the rear tires with its turbo power, thereby neutralizing the car. The main issue was learning how to use the full width of the track, how to brake later, and how to roll entry speed. When Joe McGuigan took notice of Lex’s efforts, he stepped in and offered a few pointers.
A few productive sessions later, Joe suggested Lex pick up a car suited to grip driving. It just so happened that Gordon Peng had a lightly modified RX-8 for sale. While Lex wasn’t too keen on the chassis, he figured he wouldn’t flake as Joe had already put the two of them in touch.
“I went into that inspection looking for an out,” he began, “but I couldn’t find one. I had owned a few rotaries by that point and was happy to see the engine was mostly untouched. It was clean, had some decent suspension installed, and looked ready for track work.”
The footwork had already been put in place. With a set of Feal 441RR single adjustable coilovers, 14/10K Swift springs, Goodridge stainless brake lines, and a set of Stoptech ST40s on the front axle, the car was already quite capable on handling the forces the track would throw at it.
Rotary maintenance was something he’d grown familiar with, and so he was pleased to see this motor hadn’t been stretched much beyond its factory parameters. With only a Racing Beat dual resonated midpipe, an HKS Hi-power axle-back, and AEM intake, and Black Halo Racing ignition, he was confident the Renesis could handle track work as long as he kept up with oil and plug changes. The price was right, the seller was trustworthy, and the odd shape of the RX-8 was starting to grow on him, so Lex decided to buy.
Gordon’s gift for modifying was clear from the moment Lex brought the car home, but its new owner waited to track it until he could put his own stamp on it. “I didn’t want people to say, ‘There goes Gordon’s car.’”
After adding a Sparco Sprint, a Thrash Racing wheel, and OEM Mazdaspeed aero, he felt ready to run it. It was now his own.
Trying to keep up with Joe in his slick-shod MR-S forced Lex to start pushing a little beyond what was comfortable. “I started pushing harder and started dissecting what was happening. Before that, I’d been driving by the seat of my pants, and I wasn’t aware of how much I was coasting, or how early I was braking.”
CAPTION: Tying his Mazdaspeed front lip into the frame rails negates flex and ensures consistent front grip.
Lightweight and well-balanced, both the MR-S and the RX-8 had similar strengths, and Lex had no excuse not to try and match Joe in corner entries, even if he was on harder tires. Thankfully, the car’s longer wheelbase and staggered tire setup kept that rotation manageable.
Rolling that extra entry speed not only helped induce a little rotation at the mid-corner phase instead of the exit, but also helped him keep his revs up; killing two birds with one stone. The Renesis engine needs to be wound out to make decent power, and if he wanted to drive this car quickly, he had to conserve all his momentum.
The next push from Joe helped Lex get some hardware for all his efforts. After Joe encouraged Lex to jump in and compete with the other Challenge drivers, Lex whittled his lap times down and eventually getting into the 1:26s at Thunderhill West – quick enough to snag third place in S5 For a middleweight with less than 200 horsepower, that’s worth a tip of the hat.
Having a nicely sorted car and a teacher pushing him in the right direction, Lex has been able to grasp the finer points of vehicle dynamics in a relatively short span of time. Drifting and motorcycle track days have helped, too; drifting giving him confidence in low-grip situations and bikes giving him a better sense of track topography. Along with a little sim work, he’s been able to show up to new circuits and set respectable times from the get-go.
The next step will see Lex take full advantage of the chassis underneath him. Along with wider tires and a new tire compound, he aims to add a new splitter that should move him into the S4 Class.
“I hope that I'll have the confidence to take full advantage of the aero soon. It’ll push me harder as a driver to get the most from it than power mods would, so I won’t touch the engine for now. Besides, the engine is reliable, and I like the underdog status. I know when I do well, it’s because I’ve been driving the hell out of the car.”
