A Track Day Observation

[Neilda]

I took my GT out today at Goodwood - spent the whole day on the track.

It's now pretty much run in with 850 miles on the clock so I was able to drive it at full blast, something I've been itching to do for a while.

Firstly, despite there being vintage Bentleys, Ferraris, Maseratis, Astons etc - guess what attracted the most attention? We're used to that I guess, but it's interesting that the GT constantly catches the eye....

The sound - I had a couple of mates with me in their cars, between events they watched me, I watched them. There's nothing too quiet about this car at 100mph past the pit lane - a glorious sound was reported!

I was fascinated to take the GT to the edge - that edge is a long way into anyone's ability. It's a big car on the track and you feel it's bulk - it wants to break away at 100mph corners.... but it doesn't. The sheer grunt of it - particularly in second gear from a chicane - it humbled everything else on the track, I gobbled up lesser cars very quickly!

After the GT I then tracked an original 1973 911 RS Lightweight - much more nimble than the GT and perhaps a bit more fun on the twisty stuff, a smaller more agile car - felt more precise. Then immediately back to the big GT! Reassuring in it's bulk and phenominal torque.

Great fun and an education in what the car is capable of. The slight unsettling of the car over undulations at 150+ is not bad at all if you trust the car. The brakes were a revelation too - incredibly powerful.

Well that's it. I haven't told you anything you don't already know - other than sharing my profound pleasure today at really hammering along on a great track.

 

[SteveA]

Good reading! Thanks

 

[Pipelion]

WOW I like that! :biggrin :biggrin :biggrin :biggrin

Thanks Neil, :cheers

Allan

 

[barondw]

Neil

Watch out for excessive brake wear as the cooling is not the best.

Dave

 

[canuck]

WOOW.

What a great post!!! :willy

I am so excited :willy :willy now I am going to have to take the BEAST out to the track.

Thanks

 

[TrackDay]

Hi Neil,
Always great to hear others experience on the track! This is where the GT was meant to be experienced. One can not gauge the grip or balance this car provides on the street (at least not safely). Speed builds so quickly, the engine just pumps out the HP and Torque without much effort, it’s just amazing.
As you say the GT is a big car, wide, long and a bit heavy in comparison to many other cars out there.
However, the balance, power, brakes and overall grip of the GT match it’s size. In short it’s a powerful car that really shows it’s legs on large tracks. I’ve found 2nd gear requires a bit of restraint as the power and torque rise so quickly that if the car is not pointed straight it means lots of wheel spin. I’ve really enjoyed driving the car at Watkins Glen. I’ve generally used just 3rd and 4th gears. Topping the car out on the back straight in 4th at slightly over 6,000 rpm (160 something). I’ve taken the toe of the boot (hair pin turn) in 2nd and third, with 3rd being best if I get the turn right and carry my speed correctly. The Glen is rather smooth without much in the way of undulations but has huge elevation changes so it’s a real challenging track. Some turns are flat, some off camber and several are “on camber”. Basically lots of variety and a real large track. It's an old F1 track and in my opinion perfect for something like the GT. Check out the elevation map at http://www.theglen.com/seating_charts_maps/
As Dave mentioned watch your brakes. My front and rear pads lasted 5 days. Not bad considering the abuse I was dishing out. My first set of stock tires were starting to show signs of chunking after this level of abuse. Recommend watching your air pressures start with 26 front 28 rear cold for stock tires. I’m on my third set of stock tires. However, I would suggest it’s better to place your order at the Tire Rack now for the Hoosier R compound slicks (try 30 psi cold to start with for the Hoosiers). Also I suggest a bit more negative camber than the stock GT is set up for from the factory. This will surely provide more grip in the twisty stuff (perhaps even help with the unease you feel going over undulations). Enjoy.

 

[TrackDay]

I just recalled that Watkins Glen does have a few undulations on the sole of the boot. I’ve felt these in cars with different shock rates from the GT. For example these undulations are more evident when driving the Z06 but this area of the track is straight and although the speeds are around 140 I did not experience any sign of rear wheel spin. So not all that concerning.
With the GT the speeds are about the same (just a bit faster) but the undulations are not that evident. I imagine is has to do with the spring / shock rates more than anything else.

 

[kosupply]

MSRhouston

If anyone gets a chance, check out MSRHouston.com. Champ cars have been testing there preparing upcomong race in Houston. Paul Tracy and Mario Domenguez both drove my GT and autographed on pillars under rear hatch. Tracy spun it!! of couurse!!!

 

[Neilda]

Dave - thanks for the tip on the brakes (Trackday too) - the GT is going into Roush as soon as my Transaxle cooler turns up and I'll have them check and or replace the brakes.

The brakes are very good indeed, most cars eventually fade or you suffer 'pad knock off' - not the GT. Very very confident at high speed straight line stopping. I hauled it in from 160mph into 2nd gear hard hard corners many times yesterday.

Interesting post Trackday. 2nd out of the chicane at Goodwood is severe, but because the steering is so neutral and the power delivery so smooth, feeding the power on is like pouring syrup - it's very smooth. I resisted the temptation to stamp on the throttle!

When you get a corner wrong - and I'm saying needing to brake before the apex during the turn, or the line's not quite right - the GT is INCREDIBLY forgiving. If we're honest, the perfect corner is an elusive beast (OK it might just be me then!), but that seemingly slow rythmic series of turns - that flow - is an art. The GT loves it when you get it right but does not punish you if you get it wrong.

Where 'I'm at today' - and you can go ahead and criticise me for being pathetic - is that I don't think I want to track the GT any more. I felt I did it yesterday - really abused the car, hit the rev limiter (when someone in a F360 pulled over out of my way and I had to gun it to get past and leave me braking space for the next corner - no time to shift, eeek!) - and saw what the car was capable of. Because it's so precious and I love it soooo much, because is so rare (over here), I'm not sure I want to thrash it on a track again.

However another track day will come and I'll probably look at it and say:

It's time.

:biggrin

 

[Neilda]

Unfortunately the only picture on the track of the GT is this one - this is the parade lap (no helmet) and my 4 year old son Harry is in the passenger seat. No, he really is!!

 

[Neilda]

The 911 with some 'attitude'.....

My little Leica is still in the GT, I took some snaps yesterday in the pit lane - if they're any good I'll post them.

 

[Pipelion]

TrackDay & KO,

Cool posts thanks,

Amazing how with racing you chew through tires and brakes.

Allan

 

[Pipelion]

Neil,

Sweet shots!!!!

The Carrera looks clean. The GT looks mean!

Allan

PS I love the finish on the lips of the earlier Porsche alloys. Many sets were polished out, and lost that matt finish.

 

[B O N Y]

Neil & Track Day, you gents made my morning. GREAT posts. Tell me Neil how much wear on your tires so far? Thanks again. CHEERS, Daniel

 

[barondw]

I just recalled that Watkins Glen does have a few undulations on the sole of the boot. I’ve felt these in cars with different shock rates from the GT. For example these undulations are more evident when driving the Z06 but this area of the track is straight and although the speeds are around 140 I did not experience any sign of rear wheel spin. So not all that concerning.
With the GT the speeds are about the same (just a bit faster) but the undulations are not that evident. I imagine is has to do with the spring / shock rates more than anything else.

Trackday

In my experience the GT is substantial quicker than the Z06 on the sole of the boot. The Z06 gains on the GT going through the toe and up-to-the-track out point. Then when the GT gets into 4th its bye-bye to the Z06. The Z06 stays or even gains a bit in on the GT in 3rd gear but once 4th its no contest.

But I find the Z06, mine is a C5, to be quicker through the corners than the GT. But the GT is faster on the straights.

Dave

 

[TrackDay]

Hi Guys,

I’ve never experienced Goodwood but it looks and sounds fantastic.

Brakes on the GT are very good. I never experienced any sign of fade, straight stable stops from very high speeds.
The stock Goodyear tires are also very good providing good straight line and lateral grip. Very predictable and the balance of the GT is very nice. This is exactly what you need to build confidence, something stable and predictable. Once you have that confidence you can work the track picking up speed here and there, try braking a little later, different turn in and apex points, etc.

Overall the GT is one of the easiest cars to drive hard on the track.

For me the brake pads lasted just about 5 days. I’m an aggressive driver but not one that drives all out.
There is a very big difference (gap) between me and a real talented driver / professional race car driver. For some drivers a given turn will come easy and can be reproduced again and again close to the ideal line. However, other turns are more difficult depending on the turn and the driver. Like Neil said, I do the best I can but when I get certain turns right the car just goes through with such ease. When you get it right you think gosh I could have carried another 5 mph in that turn no problem. However, those perfect turns for me are not experienced on every lap so I need to leave a larger margin for error. But gosh in my opinion there is no better fun to be had at any price.

In comparison I’ve been told many Viper guys get two days on a set of stock pads at Watkins Glen. Some of it depends on the driver, tires (if you run slicks then your trap speeds will increase thus your braking becomes more aggressive) etc.

I would generally recommend that everyone taking their GT to the track bring along an extra set of pads. Just keep an eye on them and when they get low change them out. The Brembo pads slip out the back of the caliper simply by taking out two small retaining pins. I imagine it would take you more time to jack the car up and take off the rims than actually swap the pads. To my knowledge no other pad exist for the GT. However, I think the only reason to go to another pad (composition) would be for all out competition on the track.
Brake cooling ducts may improve the life of the pads too for track days so it’s worth checking out.

In my opinion the big area for improvement on the GT is the tires. The car needs a larger contact patch. For comparison look at the new Z06, it has much larger tires (larger contact patch) and thus will surely be a strong competitor.

So I can’t wait to get those Hoosiers on the track .The front tire for the GT is a little wider and shorter (providing a larger contact patch) so this combined with the fact that it’s a slick should make a big difference.

Keep in mind the biggest factor is always the driver. Same cars (or even a better car) can’t be driven at the same speed if the driver does not have the experience / skill. It takes practice, practice, practice.

 

[Tungsten]

Tires

The Kinetics car that they built for SEMA has Pirelli's on it. They are on the stock rims. They are running P ZERO 345/35/ZR19 and Corsa 265/35/ZR18.

The tread pattern is certainly more aggressive than the Goodyears and it appears to put more rubber on the road just based on the tread pattern.

I will be talking with them this week if you have any specific questions. I know they have run this car at Road Atlanta and have some data from those track events.

Don

 

[fjpikul]

Neilda, you don't look that tall in the GT. Really must fit you OK.

 

[Neilda]

It's a good fit - I'm 6'2" and need to tilt my head very slightly when shutting the door -as a precaution only. My hair just brushes the roof.

But with a helmet on it's a bit different! The helmet wedges against the roof and the feeling is one of confinement.

 

[Vic]

It's a good fit - I'm 6'2" and need to tilt my head very slightly when shutting the door -as a precaution only. My hair just brushes the roof.

But with a helmet on it's a bit different! The helmet wedges against the roof and the feeling is one of confinement.

If you are willing to sacrifice the seat adjustment rack, you might be able to bolt the seat right to the floor. This is basically what I did with my GTS. I always have the seat all the back anyhow, so its not like I lost functionality. If I sell it, I can always put the adjustment rack back in.

That is a great post about your track experience! Bravo! I live vicariously through your exploits! hah hah!