This must be what prevents them from giving me the point by at both Roebling Road and especially Barber.

(Disclaimer: I know that a well driving Z06 can out run my Miata at both of those tracks, however a well driven Miata can[and has] out run an average driver in a Z06 at both tracks [I have video to prove it])

 

How early on did you do the Panoz school?

Of course most people will hate them when compared to other tires because they will be slower. Over the course of the weekend, did you learn to make the car do what you want, even on those tires? If so, then you learned something, whether you liked it or not.

 

I prefer to drive it without large slip angle, I like to keep it straight.

As far as parts braking, I think hub is a common failure on the Zs. Of course I think the bling bling wheels people have can cause more damage.

 

It was my second year of tracking. My time there was sheer frustration and almost a complete waste. The problem wasn't technically in the tires, its was the instruction and the car. The Panoz was billed as a tube frame V8, but it couldn't get out of its own way. My buddy and I figured out the by the end of the second day that it had to be driven like a Miata. I didn't know how to drive momentum and the instructors claimed we were already learning the "race" line when asked, so I just went out the last day and tried to have fun driving. The only place I could make the car do what I wanted was in the esses. I don't think the tires helped the situation though, because there were lots of offs and 1 guy with multiple offs, who was almost kicked out, and a fairly severe crash.

I think you can drive forever on a street tire and still not learn how to drive safely. I'm not bashing the choice to start with street tires, that's where I started and where I'd recommend people to start. But driving safely is a package deal, it takes lots of different skills. However when it comes to learning car control, for me, the first time the momentum line was demonstrated to me by a really good instructor I understood what I had to do in about 1 session. And could safely explore the limits by the end of the first day. (Peaking with a perfect 4 wheel drift into the boot at the Glen.) Teaching that early error identification was for me, the key to safety. I think the problem for most students and instructors is that most people drive their car like a high hp Vette. Its difficult to learn early mid corner error correction driving that way.

 

Many slicks like the hooisers prefer 3-5 degrees of slip to gain maximum traction and keep optimum temps. If one is driving them less than 1% slip, they are loosing about 20% Maximum traction.

 

I drive by feel, not with a gauge measuring degree of slip. I think lap time is a better judge than degree of slip angle...

 

That was a mostly a PSA, not a comment on anyones personal driving style.

 

I guess, grip is like obscenity, you will know once you see/feel it.

 

Wow !

Any other pearls like that to share ?