Tracked the car on the Hoosiers yesterday, long.
05-24-2011, 10:56 PM
#1
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Tracked the car on the Hoosiers yesterday, long.
I am just sitting here doing nothing so I hope you dont mind a little bench racing about a track day I went to with my kid yesterday...
So I normally run MPSC (235 & 295), but I got a nice set of Hoosiers with my spare wheels so I was excited to try them. 245 front, 315 rear. I have had them on the car for over a month now driving it around, but this was my 1st non-rained out track day.
The car is set up with factory springs & shocks, but Tarett arms & a pro alignment (Kussmaul spec) & corner balance. Car comes in at 2975 w/o driver and has misc speedy mods.
I set the tire pressures by feel and off I went.
It took a little time to get heat in them so I drove with the tail a bit loose the first several laps. I had gone out with a bevy of speedy cars including a fairly good driver that I know in a Nissan GTR (traded his Z06). He was pressing on me huge the first lap so I gave him the point till my Hoosiers warmed.
Then I hunted him down like a convict.
The car danced like a prize fighter. I felt that it stuck a tad bit better than the MPSC but feel that maybe it was just the extra width. I tracked down that Datsun in about a half of a lap. That big behemoth was caring the inside wheel nearly every corner but the GT3 only saw red. I caught him and got up under his bumper. Next I put the hurt on him on corner exit and pulled around him down a short straight. He was astonished. I keep the pedal in the carpet - got up on the wheel and put a chunk of track between us in a heartbeat. This GT3 was on a rail.
Not done I pulled off line and waited for him. Now I was more interested in the speed down the long straight. I had to hold off the throttle for a while but he finally came charging up. I gave him the point around and pulled in behind for a second go at it. We rounded the 90 degree bend onto the longest straight and he went for the boost. But I was on the go pedal at the apex and had a great run. I pulled on him early and then around I went with what I felt was a demanding show of performance differential. This was good.
After the session I saw him wandering the paddock. I walked over to him to talk shop. I said "sorry that I may have startled you on that 1st pass" He says "were you that Red Porsch?" (he knows my car
) "the one I passed?" I replied with "oh yes, I was the one that pointed you around on lap 1 as I warmed my tires" Then he says "...there is something wrong with my new car... Its not pulling as hard when you are around..." he went on to say "I normally get 122 down the straight" (my digital speed was reading well over 122 well before the braking zone). So I said "I dont think anything is wrong with it" but he insisted and ended with "I think I need to let it cool down" (It was about 72 degrees ambient). Fine, better let 'er cool.
So I let him cool down, and went off to play with a 997.1 sunroof GT3 (on 18 inch Hoosiers) and a neat old school Carrera. They were like cat nip toys and really fun to bolt around with.
Then the next session came up and the GTR was rolling again. I rolled out with the 7.1 GT3 & Carrera again but after more fun & with my Hoosiers up to temp I got tangled in with two GT3 Cup cars. They pretty much had me for lunch. I could run down the straight at their pace, but their braking and cornering (on slicks) had me covered. The GTR was behind a bit so I bailed after that abuse and laid in wait till I saw his daytime driving lights approach. Then I pounced again.
It was worse for him then before. The GT3 was an animal. It was not without effort but I could go around, then do it again, and do it again any time I wanted. These are great cars! I was convinced the godzilla car would be fast(er) somewhere, but its not faster than mine.
Admittedly my 6 GT3 with me is a nice match. There was another silver 6 GT3 there with a fine gentleman driving on MPSC and he commented "your car is really moving" after a session with me going around. He luvs his car too but I feel that my car is really matched to my style. Perhaps that was the advantage over the Datsun, perhaps not. Maybe it was the Hoosiers.
Either way, it was/is fun. However with the lack of any Hoosier rain ability I may just stick with the MPSC or the 888 next time.
I may actually give it up and let my Son focus on his driving. He is 13 and they gave me the green flag to put him in my Spec Miata yesterday. Now imagine that... 13. Wait till the GTR guy gets passed by him!
So I normally run MPSC (235 & 295), but I got a nice set of Hoosiers with my spare wheels so I was excited to try them. 245 front, 315 rear. I have had them on the car for over a month now driving it around, but this was my 1st non-rained out track day.
The car is set up with factory springs & shocks, but Tarett arms & a pro alignment (Kussmaul spec) & corner balance. Car comes in at 2975 w/o driver and has misc speedy mods.
I set the tire pressures by feel and off I went.
It took a little time to get heat in them so I drove with the tail a bit loose the first several laps. I had gone out with a bevy of speedy cars including a fairly good driver that I know in a Nissan GTR (traded his Z06). He was pressing on me huge the first lap so I gave him the point till my Hoosiers warmed.
Then I hunted him down like a convict.
The car danced like a prize fighter. I felt that it stuck a tad bit better than the MPSC but feel that maybe it was just the extra width. I tracked down that Datsun in about a half of a lap. That big behemoth was caring the inside wheel nearly every corner but the GT3 only saw red. I caught him and got up under his bumper. Next I put the hurt on him on corner exit and pulled around him down a short straight. He was astonished. I keep the pedal in the carpet - got up on the wheel and put a chunk of track between us in a heartbeat. This GT3 was on a rail.
Not done I pulled off line and waited for him. Now I was more interested in the speed down the long straight. I had to hold off the throttle for a while but he finally came charging up. I gave him the point around and pulled in behind for a second go at it. We rounded the 90 degree bend onto the longest straight and he went for the boost. But I was on the go pedal at the apex and had a great run. I pulled on him early and then around I went with what I felt was a demanding show of performance differential. This was good.
After the session I saw him wandering the paddock. I walked over to him to talk shop. I said "sorry that I may have startled you on that 1st pass" He says "were you that Red Porsch?" (he knows my car
) "the one I passed?" I replied with "oh yes, I was the one that pointed you around on lap 1 as I warmed my tires" Then he says "...there is something wrong with my new car... Its not pulling as hard when you are around..." he went on to say "I normally get 122 down the straight" (my digital speed was reading well over 122 well before the braking zone). So I said "I dont think anything is wrong with it" but he insisted and ended with "I think I need to let it cool down" (It was about 72 degrees ambient). Fine, better let 'er cool.So I let him cool down, and went off to play with a 997.1 sunroof GT3 (on 18 inch Hoosiers) and a neat old school Carrera. They were like cat nip toys and really fun to bolt around with.
Then the next session came up and the GTR was rolling again. I rolled out with the 7.1 GT3 & Carrera again but after more fun & with my Hoosiers up to temp I got tangled in with two GT3 Cup cars. They pretty much had me for lunch. I could run down the straight at their pace, but their braking and cornering (on slicks) had me covered. The GTR was behind a bit so I bailed after that abuse and laid in wait till I saw his daytime driving lights approach. Then I pounced again.
It was worse for him then before. The GT3 was an animal. It was not without effort but I could go around, then do it again, and do it again any time I wanted. These are great cars! I was convinced the godzilla car would be fast(er) somewhere, but its not faster than mine.
Admittedly my 6 GT3 with me is a nice match. There was another silver 6 GT3 there with a fine gentleman driving on MPSC and he commented "your car is really moving" after a session with me going around. He luvs his car too but I feel that my car is really matched to my style. Perhaps that was the advantage over the Datsun, perhaps not. Maybe it was the Hoosiers.
Either way, it was/is fun. However with the lack of any Hoosier rain ability I may just stick with the MPSC or the 888 next time.
I may actually give it up and let my Son focus on his driving. He is 13 and they gave me the green flag to put him in my Spec Miata yesterday. Now imagine that... 13. Wait till the GTR guy gets passed by him!
05-25-2011, 12:13 AM
#2
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Michael, really enjoyed reading your thread. I dont care much for cars like the GTR either - anybody can drive those fast ( for a lap or two until they have to let things cool down 
) to drive 6GT3 fast requires an other skilllevel - Im also very fond of how my car drives with first time mounted MPSCs
) to drive 6GT3 fast requires an other skilllevel - Im also very fond of how my car drives with first time mounted MPSCs
05-25-2011, 08:35 AM
#7
Nordschleife Master
Great write up. Thanks for sharing. 
Nothing better than sharing a track day with you kid. Mine love the track and make the weekend memorable. Can't wait until the day they can drive on track with me
Nothing better than sharing a track day with you kid. Mine love the track and make the weekend memorable. Can't wait until the day they can drive on track with me
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05-25-2011, 08:57 AM
#8
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Yes thank you all. I savor days like this. As for the KTM... Crazy car. My Son (standing to the left) tried to convince me that the KTM is the car he should have for going to school... He pointed out that it is somehow street legal somewhere. I guess I am glad he digs the weird fast stuff but I told him wearing a helmet to school may mess up his hair.
05-25-2011, 11:02 AM
#12
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Yeah, as you know I almost always pack the g-pro, but a Corvette pal of mine is doing a multi-go-pro video shoot and he has failed to return mine to date. My son brought a video but even with the waiver they would not let him ride under18. He can drive the racecar @ 13... but not ride with his club racer father. Rules.
05-25-2011, 11:34 AM
#14
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Yes indeed. I have to put a passenger seat in it, but other than that its the way to go!
Spare, this is all we have from yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1jsAdIuVYw
Good looking cup cars though...
Spare, this is all we have from yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1jsAdIuVYw
Good looking cup cars though...