tdf360

Monterey, Calif. (August 18, 2006) – After one installation lap today on the 11-turn, 2.238 mile Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Panasonic Toyota F1 driver Ricardo Zonta easily set a new track record on his second flying lap with at 1:07:587 at119.206 mph. This time and speed edges the previous record of 1:07.722 set by Helio Castroneves at the CART Honda Grand Prix of Monterey in 2000. Castroneves' speed was 118.969.

Rick964

That is pretty impressive considering Ferrari could not break the record last year during their runs. However I read that Totyota was running on slicks, I don't know if Ferrari was using legal F1 tires or not.

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...73254243831434

ltc

According to Zonta's blog (#2) on Speedvision website:

Once I was strapped inside my TF106 (finally!), I did one lap on intermediate tires just for system checks. I brought the car back in and the guys put on the pre-heated grooved Bridgestones - the tires we use in the dry - and sent me out again for a half-dozen installation laps.

I can't imagine they would not be running grooved F1 Bridgestone rubber on the car....guessing soft compound for the flying laps.

ltc

BTW, it's killing me not being there

dpressley

Pete and I were there
The new track surface looks soooo nice! We waited at the top along the straight above the corkscrew. WOW, when he lit that thing off, no problem hearing it all the way up there! I just can't imagine what 22 of those sound like.

We did not experience 6 installation laps, however. We counted 2 under full power after that 1st lap on inters. His 4th and last lap was with the engine off! He got towed up to the top after turn 5 and was let off tow at the top and cruised into the pits. We don't know why he shut it down. Maybe if I go read the blog???

Anyways, it was a great day. Fri is the day to go cuz ALL the cars get on track for practice and hardly any spectators around (just walk up and get your beer - no lines!). Sat is only A groups, Sun is only B groups. But, if you are really interested in the 10 lap races, go all 3 days!

ltc

Go ahead, rub it in

I did Skippy School out there back in March.....loved everything about the track.

Went to the inaugural USGP at Indy......the sound was like nothing else.

From the Speedvision web log....electrical problems?
There's still plenty of potential for a significantly faster lap by Zonta this weekend, however, as the Brazilian faced electrical issues after only two flying laps. Furthermore, the Toyota TF106 was shod with a harder tire compound - the team intends to fit its softer Bridgestones for an all-out run this Saturday afternoon

dpressley

Good to know I can count! Instead of getting louder as he approached, it got quieter, and then nothing, so we figured he shut it down. The other cool thing yesterday was getting pretty up close to the car in their "pit" (tent?). We were all of about 6ft away. They had the car torn down and Pete took some pix of stuff you don't normally see. If there's any interest, I'll see if he will post them.

Barring problems for them Sat and Sun, spectators will get quite a show w/ Zonta going out at 12:40 and 3:40 each day for some timed laps!

Ahhh... Skippy school.... I've only been out on that track in our C2S for a couple of "poser parade laps" I signed up for at Porscheplatz at last year's ALMS (Pete tracks, I'm still limiting myself to AX). I can't wait to go for the entire weekend in Oct for this year's ALMS race. Last year's event was great, and the Spyder was awesome! It's wild - they let spectators out on the grid before the race. Is that typical of all ALMS venues?

Getting to an F1 race is on our to-do list. Maybe Montreal? I'm still a little gun-shy of Indy...

ltc

Please do, I'd like to see them.

Don't limit yourself to AX, definitely try a DE, I'm sure you'd really enjoy it.
Skippy school at LS was a blast. In 3 days in March, we had picture perfect sunny weather, torrential rain (rivers coming across the track), damp track....every kind of weather you could imagine. Lots of fun driving the cars in all those different conditions (especially in my homemade 'rain suit'...which was a 33 gallon trash bag with my head and arms sticking thru)

Yes, very casual and fan friendly, especially compared to F1 (you'd likely be shot trying to get on grid without at least 27 different credentials)
They do the same thing at the ALMS race at Lime Rock. Very friendly to children, putting them in the cockpit for pictures, giving them hats/shirts.

Indy is OK, Montreal is a bit congested (traffic), but a nice city.
I'm thinking more like Melbourne or Monaco.........

gums

Montreal is the easiest of all GP's to attend. Stay downtown, and take the subway, which is like an amusement park ride, right to the track. No car, no parking, home in 20 min. Great city by night, GP by day. A great weekend.

dpressley

Here's a link to a few pix we took of Zonta in the Toyota F1

There's a few of him on the track. Don't mis the one showing him being released from tow at the top of the corkscrew! You'll also notice a shot of some plank dust left behind, and how the 2 marks are only about 6" different (and the pavement looks soooo flat).

The only shots we have in the pits is one each of the L front and rear brakes/suspension. Notice the 3 thin spacers on the rear. When they took them off, it looked like they were about 1/16th each. There's also a shot of the nose. I thought we had some from our afternoon visit to the pit when they had the thing torn down - sorry 'bout that.

Anyways, it was a lot of fun to see some of the IMSA cars and the RSRs, too!

ltc

Thank you very much for posting those.

ltc

http://www.toyota.com/montereyhistoric/videos.html

1AS

Doesn't that say alot about the CART cars? AS

hacker-pschorr

I beg to differ - here is a counter point from the editor of Autoracing1.com:

Previous editor's note when he broke the record the first time by only 1 second:

I think Champ Car needs to spend a day at every track next year with the boost turned up - set some new records with the new cars.

dpressley

Thanks for the link - that's awesome! Too bad I wasn't wearing dayglo orange, or you'd see me trackside. Did ya notice those horrible crowds on Friday?
If you're going to the Historics, don't miss the Friday practice day!!!