996FLT6

Mikymu had plenty of open laps in race though : ). That tube chassis black corvette looking monster of a racecar probably 700 hp(sounded like thunder and pissed off) -laid everyone to waste. He did 1:51 over the top. Spot him 1.5-2 seconds for bypass he's in the mid 1:48 to flat 1:49. Mike

TT_man

New Viper? The current Viper ACR with just a semi aggressive track alignment is an awesome machine. It's the only production car that holds both lap records at Laguna Seca,and at the Nurburgring. A car that is priced at only $100k.

mikymu

This is not about who did what time or who can out gun the other driver in XYZ cars. There will always be another car and another driver that's faster. Just sharing my experience with the 7.1 GT3, 7.1 Cup and 2011 Z06. They are all fast and fun cars and I am glad to have the chance to drive each of them to my limit. Everyone's experience differ and we all have very unique shoes to fill on the track.

mikymu

lol

density of traffic increase as your lap time decrease.
DE=MC square
DE = density, M= mass of car, C= 1/variable constant of lap time

wanna911

Clean laps are hard to find.

TT_man

No worries I was just responding to IR guy's comment on the Viper thanks.

Carrera GT

Agreed.
151 is certainly moving along in a Cup, but 160+ is flying -- you must be coming out of 15 on an aircraft carrier steam launch.

I'm assuming those speed numbers are form data acquisition ... : )

I think video talked about Pobst in a Z06 Centennial on Sport Cups -- still an eyeopener time.

The thought of a usable 680hp naturally aspirated is appealing. That's the real deal for "no replacement for displacement." I've heard there's even factory crate engines with warranties up around those numbers ... oh the grass is greener ...

That's what I thought. Run flats on my Benz wagon cost about two seconds per lap ... : )

Agreed. Just a useful reality check for any of us deeply buried in the Porsche reality distortion field. Then again, as others noted, the Vette at 160 mph where my RS is maybe 130's as I go to brakes and use every square millimetre of turn one at Thungerhill. Or turning 1:32's at Laguna where I'm at 1:36's ... that gets into that "spongebob" demise where they have to hose (what's left of) you off the asphalt ... : |

Your :57's at Thunderhill is equivalent to what I can get out of the 3.8 RS with R6's. I know I left a full second on the table for my own sense of where I'm safe and where there's hell to pay, but that's not to say I have any way of going and taking that second off the clock ...

For a grease-monkey wrenchin' tooth-jockey, you sure is wicked smart with the algebra ...


Thanks for assessment of the cars -- I trust your check is in the mail from GM ... : )

There's not too many other cars still in production today that can compare to the history and continuous, incremental design of the 911. The Corvette is one of those few cars and I think it's something of an unappreciated beast -- it's somehow loved and admired by millions of fans over half a century, but I wonder how many of those bow-tie devotees really appreciate the aspects of the Vette that would appeal to enthusiasts outside the American car scene. Perhaps the next one will be a much more modern car (that train is slow to reach the station) but that's not to say the current car isn't already more than most track drivers will be able to access and no doubt, will require the usual "V1.0" bugs to be squashed out.

I think the thing that keeps me (and perhaps many other Porsche drivers) away from the Vette is just the aspects of its image that aren't quite in line with what we think of ourselves as car enthusiasts, one way or another, for me at least, there's always that "mid-life crisis" subtext. : )

mikymu

Very well said and always love to hear your thoughts. We, are not trying to defend one marque vs the other but merely exercise our taste in sports car much like fine wine. What may seem unique and highly sought after at Napa valley mabe as common as tap water in other parts of the world. On the same token if VW ancestor started here in the states and Mr Chevy in Germany and we put our industrial might into mass producing 911 would we have thought of vette as the fine gem as our GT3?

There is no excuse to Corvette's horrible interior and what most people do to their vette makes me puke. The current C6 has a very nice line under all that silly chorme accent and I would not have touch it if not for the carbon edition which got rid of all the chrome nonesense. The evolution of vette is much like Elvis, it started with very classic clean line but with time it started to put on weight, side burn and sunglasses as large as his head. Put Vagas Elvis in Jenny Creg diet plan and get rid off all the silly 70's decoration you will find a star that sings as well and any European speedster.

mooty

no abs ==> challenge, mike is crazy.
akro ==> it is quieter than cup exhaust. EVERY nor cal track now has sound police.

mooty

full support and keeping up with cup boys is 10k a weekend.

mooty

u know i love p cars and no matter how slow they are, i still love them.
but a 3.6 cup is not going to keep up with a lightly modded (cooling, suspension, brakes, safety). equal driver, i think vette is faster. i am not talking about look, quality, heritage, reliability. just lap time.

that said, i still didn't buy a vette. but i then again, i only want to look cool being fast are for boring ppl

wanna911

I think that's a bit too much. 3.6 997 cups, are only about two seconds slower than the 3.8 . On a pure HP track the vette may be able to stay in the ballpark, but will still be significantly slower. Unless we are talking about someone who had never driven a cup before.

MariusRacer

+1

tdf360

Great writeup, thanks for sharing. I have had a similarly positive track and street experience with my '07 Z06. Stock except for Forgelines and RA-1s, StopTech brakes, and Sparco Evo seat, and it probably has 45+ track events on it between the previous owner and myself. Lap times are 1:39 at Laguna and 1:50 at Sears driving tidy and conservative. I'm far from the fastest guy out there, and I'll play the age card (69 next week) so I know the car is capable of a lot more, even though it is an early one. Judging by the Z06 group I run with they are very very reliable, and other than routine maintenance my car has had no issues at all.

Gary

mooty

I'm no pro, cannot speak for pat or Magnus. but for most mortals, u b surprised how fast the vette is and how easy it is to drive.

I hit a 7.5 deg driver. but most ppl hit better with 10 deg bc it's easier.
so , for morta
s vette just may surprise