Ever since I could remember I always loved to go fast on Highways. Now the other day I was strolling around and found this website for a 59 mile race in Texas on a highway and thought of how awesome it would be to join in.

So I figured that in 2010 I would actually go out for it. Giving myself a year of time for prep also to save for the time off.

Now as for class I'm unsure. I know my Z is capable of going 152 mph but can it handle it for this long. No. I'd like to build it to hit 170 and hold approx. and probably enter in the Super Sport Class which is a 155-160 mph class.

But I have alot of questions. Has anyone here ever ventured in this race? If so what class did you enter? What tire setup? What cooling system? Any brake modifications? Also what is the best Aero option for the Z? I know there are a couple that actually do the test like Veilside but are there any others that look more subtle that are actally wind tested?

 

I think you mean the big bend open road race. ( http://www.bborr.com/ )
I live in texas but I'm italian and not too many years ago we practically haven't any speed limits on the highways... so... tricks.
tire pressure a little bit higher. (Z should be 35 psi, put 38/39 psi cold)
cooling, unless the car is designed by a freaking idiot at 120mph+ you have enough cooling from the air, if it's cold enough (not in texas of course) you even risk to have the temperatures going too low in that speed range.
brakes, any clubsport pad that doesn't require warm up for braking is fine (ferodo ds2500)
suspension... the last thing you want at 150mph is a car too reactive. the Z can handle that speed with stock suspensions. I don't know the "track" so either you don't want to lower the car with weak springs to avoid bottoming the car (and loosing grip) at 150mph.
tires, the stock RE050a works just fine.

 

Your Z will not be able to sustain its maximum speed for the almost 30 minute duration to complete the Big Bend Open Road Race. And that's only for the first leg. You'll have to do it again on the return leg. Do more research and you'll see that most of the cars in the higher speed classes are either American cars with V8 engines or high powered exotic cars.

Here's a link for additional information:

Big Bend Open Road Race
http://www.bborr.com/

April 2008 Class Results
http://www.bborr.com/2008/2008results.html

If you're looking for a shorter event to just sustain maximum speed, then there's another famous event in Texas called the Texas Mile. Again, most of the cars able to attain the higher speeds are American muscle cars with V8s. Heck, even a couple of GTRs who entered this year's event can only attain ~165mph top speed.

Texas Mile
http://www.texasmile.net/

October 2008 Results
http://www.texasmile.net/results/Oct...leResults.html

Although I've wanted to do both events with my Z, I'm a realist. It's either too expensive (BBORR requires you to stay multiple days) or other cars are just way too fast (Texas Mile has a 200mph+ club). Even though you can do both just for fun, I think my $$$s will go a long way doing other fun things (autocross or HPDEs).

 

The Z can handle it for a long period without any issues. I have done 160 for 10 minutes without a problem in my HR NISMO Z being stock. Now that I have a tune, I can even go faster.

Just make sure you get stiffer suspension, Z rated tires, and your tires are warmed up before you do the run.

If I remember correctly, this race requires you to stay above a certain speed that you set. So if your car can only do 152, I would recommend 140-145mph speed.

 

A stock Z (not a nismo) is not very stable at those speeds. It has lift compared to our NISMOs which have down force and feel tight. He needs some mods to put some down force at those speeds.

 

Come on Ed, the Z can handle those speeds just fine for a long period. 5th gear can hit those speeds, 6th gear is OD and will keep the RPMS lower so it won't be near redline.

I was doing 160 in my car in 5th gear at 7200rpms. I shifted to 6th and it was around 6400~ or around there.

 

Russ, I beg to differ. You're way off topic here. OP is talking about a 59 mile road race (and a return leg) and looking at sustaining top speed for almost 30 minutes. You're talking about attaining top speed of 160mph for a VERY short time. Totally different scenario. BBORR is not a sprint, it is a MARATHON!

I'd like to see you enter the Big Ben Open Road Race at the 150mph class, which means driving at 150mph for 59 miles with 59 turns, some blind, many elevation changes. Then, do it again on the return leg. When I see your official results posted at BBORR with your NISMO in the 150mph class, then you can brag about it. For now, everything else is nonsense that a Z can achieve this. The only cars that I have seen at BBORR that have driven at a higher speed is a NASCAR car (172mph+) that was entered in 2007 in the open class. There's a Grand Prix also that has achieved high speeds for a few years now. Most of the cars in the 150mph are Corvettes, Mustangs & Vipers.

Trust me, I've been a big fan of BBORR for years, and have monitored the results. I would like to do this one day with the Z, but at a more realistic & reasonable class (100mph+) to make sure I don't sustain a catastrophic failure.

BTW, there was a TT 350Z from Austin that entered this year and he was at the 110mph class.

 

Ed, I know several people in our Z club for that matter that have done this event in their Z cars. You have never done it yourself so you have no experience. Again, reason why I said if you can do 152 max speed due to speed limiter, you set a top speed of 140-145 mph.

Take a look at the spec. You see a GTI in the faster class and that is a small 1.8L Turbo most likely. If a GTI can do the 130mph~ class then a 350Z can easily do that.

If my car can do 160 mph steady, then I would do 140-150mph class range. My car is extremely stable at those speeds with all the down force the body kit is adding. The turns are more of a slight curve and not a turn. You will not have to slow down much for any of the turns and if you go faster than your average speed you will have time to space to slow down more if needed. At TMS on the oval the car is planted solid. I will be doing this event probably in 2010. 2009 is dedicated for the ZCON convention which I have a lot of work to do for that and no spare time. But by the time 2010 comes, the Z will be even more ready for the event. I already got my tune done to pull the speed limiter off the car so that will help.

 

Here is an example of the qualifier race. Hardly anything to the turns. That is what the turns are like throughout the race.

http://crazymotion.net/hi-racing-big...WpmPVEjAy.html

 

And a Corvette doing it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vdapNrApM4

Part of southbound leg. 145mph class. Max speed 163mph. Min speed about 110mph. Average...145+. Car - '01 Corvette Z06

 

https://my350z.com/forum/upcoming-ev...road-race.html

Other members here who have run this event. 150mph class.

 

I kept a sustained 140+ mph (240km/h+) in Italy on a volvo S60 T5 (my previous car there) for about 130 miles (overnight on a freeway) that was the limit of the fuel tank. has only 2 upgrades, eibach springs and koni yellow shocks... (except the ecu tuned).

2.3liter turbo engine with about 280/290hp at the flywheel.

trust me. the Z can do it, not being used to do it.. is a different game.

and about 59 miles... at 120mph average is about one half hour. at 145 is less than 25 minutes... in 6th gear you're running at about 5K rpm, an HR Z can do it w/o any upgrades. (for what concern engine cooling etc.)

the example of the marathon is actually correct. is not a sprint race, you don't keep the engine at 100% throttle all the way and once you got the speed you're just cruising, fast, but cruising.

edit. I agree on staying on a 120mph class... not for the car, but for safety of the driver.
if you don't know the road as your wallet, you don't want to stay close to the limit of the car... the Z takes a long time to go from 120 to 150mph.

 

Can you please point me to the official results where the guys from the Z club have participated in this event? I'm curious if they've driven the 350Z and at what class. As I stated in my earlier post, there was only one 350Z that participated and it was this past year (110mph class).

For your information, I've driven this route several times before when I went to Big Bend National Park for camping trips so I'm more familiar with this route than you do. At least I can say I've driven it. It's a safe road for high-speed runs. I just don't think the 350Z can sustain the top speed of 160mph for 30 minutes like you're claiming you can do on your NISMO.

Again, stating that your NISMO can do 160mph for a short period of time is not relevant here. BBORR is not a 1/4 mile event nor it is the Texas Mile.

 

I don't see any 350Zs except for the one I pointed out in my post #7 earlier (110mph class). I'm not sure where you're seeing 350Zs in the 150mph class.

As I stated earlier, if you're that confident your NISMO can sustain 150mph+ for 30 minutes and do a return leg after, then register & run to prove it. Otherwise, all this cyber bragging about what your car can do & can't do is pointless.

 

+1 I am not seeing any Z's on the other lists.. just the 110mph class...

besides that this race is sweet, always interesting to see the results

 

Again power is not everything. The regular Z at high speeds is NOT very stable. It gets very light steering and lift. Having power to do it is not the problem. You need down force to keep the car stable. Sure the Z can do it, but it's not safe in a stock Z to do it without something keeping the tires planted harder.

 

I doubt they have them online anymore. They did it several years ago. You can ask anyone in our club about it. As I pointed out a member on this site has done it and I posted the link above. I posted videos of the turns. Yes you might slow down to 110 in some of the turns but most you do not.

Wow you actually know how many times I have been down there? So YOU think you know more than I do? You have NEVER ran on that route. You have NO CLUE about it. I hear from people who have actually RACED on that route. I trust their comments over someone who has never raced on it.

Why can a Z not sustain 160 mph? It can sit at 160 as long as it would like. Mine did with no issues showing up for 10 minutes in 90 degree heat. The car is not in the redline in 6th gear. It is cruising at those speeds. But you don't put 160 if it's your top speed, you put 140-150 range as your top speed average. See you obviously don't know that since you have never ran down there. That is why you qualify at a speed you suggest and have the correct safety equipment to run at those speeds. Once you qualify then you should do fine at those speeds.

If a freakin GTI can hold 130 mph for a average speed (which a GTI is a VERY unstable car at high speeds due to the hatch design), then a Z can do 140-150mph range.

Shoot, if my Maxima that I had ran 200 miles at 130-140mph between OK and Kansas, then the Z can hold 150+ mph without any issues.

 

A Z in the 110mph class only means the driver was not comfortable to go into the faster class. That means nothing at what the car is capable of.

 

I'll have to call BS on this since BBORR has posted results going back to 2002.

 

Like I said, they have done it. You can call BS all you like Ed. I have nothing to prove to you. Try coming to some local Z meets and talk to them youself sometime. I posted all the facts up. You have never raced there so YOU have no clue.

What is with you lately and your arguing in topics? Chill out.