ShaftEd

I am signed up for a trackday at Willow Springs in SoCal for Friday 10/24. Just thought I would post a link of the event in case any SoCal Z owners can get Friday off. Here's the link

Redline Events "Streets" Trackday

I have never run with this group, but they seem to have their act together and it's darn cheap at $100 (which is cheaper than a speeding ticket)

Anyway, I'll be running my 04 blk on blk Touring 5AT Roadster.

ShaftEd

Thursday afternoon leave work early to get on the road to Lancaster, CA (close to the track). Stop by my buddy's work and meet him with his Z06 Vette he will be running on the track. We mostly freeway it, but make a quick side trip up the Angeles Forest Mountains for a beer at our favorite pub in Wrightwood. From there it's N4, which is an awesome road down the mountains into Palmdale/Lancaster area. It's a great twisty road, but I'm still not used to pushing the Z, so my buddy in his Z06 leaves me pretty easily. Get into town and head for the hotel.

We arrive next morning at the track with beautiful weather, it's gonna get warm, but not too bad and the notorious wind there is not to be found. Time to setup the pits and go to the riders meeting, then it's out on the track. I go out first time in the beginner class. An instructor takes a group of 5 or 6 cars out with him and each driver gets to follow him for a lap and see the lines, then after one lap the driver behind the instructor falls back to the end of the group, so another driver can follow behind the instructor. Pretty good system for newbies to learn the lines. I start out at the end of the 6-car group, so it takes 5 laps before I am running right behind the instructor. By this time he's starting to get up to some speed. No problem, I'm right with him and after our lap, I look back to fall back in line and we've just left the rest of our beginner group. This aint too hard. Then the instructor comes into the pits and I'm on my own. Now I start driving with some more of the experienced "beginners". Whoa, I'm getting toasted. Maybe this isn't so easy after all. Meanwhile, My buddy Steve is goes out for his first session on the track in the intermediate group. He's a seasoned auto-x boy, but never been on a roadrace course before. Within 8 laps he's down to a 1:38 lap, which is flying for a 1st timer. Fastest lap I saw that day, was another Z06 doing 1:35's. I'm struggling with a 1:50 best time. Next session I'm back out and trying harder, while I manage to break into a 1:49, I also manage a 180 spinout out in turn three, and then later two wheels in the dirt in turn two. Next time out, I ask Steve, to go with me, but coolant gets sprayed on the track and we have to come in. Finally we go out again. Steve riding "shotgun" says let's get going, we got some fast laps to do. One lap to warm up the tires and he starts the clock, all the while showing me ridiculously late brake points, but it's helping. First lap 1:48, next lap, 47, next lap, next 46, then it's a 45. Four laps and 4 seconds off. No matter what, Steve knows how to drive a friggin car! All in all, great fun, N4 back to Wrightwood I was much more confident this time (what a great road), especially since we had a couple of "ricer boyz"(phat cans, black lights under the car) wanting to play in the twisties. Buh-bye. Burger and a beer at Wrightwood, then head for home. 3000 miles on the tires, and they aint looking too good. This is gonna be expensive.

The Z performed wonderfully. Engine never overheated, brakes never faded, auto tranny didn't overheat, tires got greasy after about 6 hard laps, but do a slower cool down lap and then get back on it and you are good to go for more hard laps. 30-minute sessions are a long time. First few sessions leave the TCS on (trust me on this). Also, get a good driver to go with you, it's amazing what they know. How's the 5AT tranny work on a track? Well, it works fine, but it aint the hot setup. Mostly my gearing was just too wide. Quite a few turns 2nd gear was too short, and third was too tall. With the 6MT, the closer gears would probably allow you to find a more suitable gear for each corner. Also, without being able to match revs, it can get a bit loose coming into corners. Still the 5AT works pretty darn well, and is no reason not to run on a track. As for my lap times, I have a Road & Track article where they took the Z Roadster with 6MT and the 18" Track model wheels and tires to "Streets" and did a best of 1:36.7. Considering they’re pro’s, and I've got the 17" Touring wheels, and 5AT, my 1:45.1(thx Steve!) seems pretty reasonable. I think I learned more in one trackday, than years of on road running could do. Plus it’s lotsa fun.

BTW, while I’m new to sportscars, I’m not new to the “Streets of Willow” track. I’ve run on this track a few times on my motorcycle. Last time there, I was on my BMW R1150GS sport-touring semi-dirt bike monster. It isn’t really a performance type motorcycle, but it does handle very well. I can do 1:41’s on that bike at “Streets”. Guess I’m still a better MC rider than a driver at this point.

ShaftEd

Here she is, taped up and ready for action.

ShaftEd

Chasing a Miata.

ShaftEd

On the "skidpad" turn before the main straight.

ShaftEd

Onto the main straight.

ShaftEd

Here's a pic of "Bigbird" on the same track in September.

jim911

iTrader: (1)

That's one beautiful track! Any long straights? The clutch just went out in my coupe after 4800 miles and a day at the track, so I'm ready to trade for the roadster. My dealer will have what I want in December. My only consern is that the roadster doesn't have VDC. Were you losing the back end on some of the tighter corners?

ShaftEd

There are 2 straight sections where a good driver is getting up to around 100mph. I was getting, maybe 93 or 94. The track is 1.8 miles and designed to be tight and technical. Willow Springs also has their larger International track, where most of the professional races happen. It has a huge front straight where I have seen bikes doing over 160mph. I specifally chose the smaller "Streets" course for a first time track event.

I found my Roadster wonderfully neutral in handling. I only spun the one time, getting greedy with the throttle on exiting turn 3. Purely my rookie error not the car. I found I could run about 85% speed with the TCS on, but then when I was really pushing it, I had to turn the TCS off, so it woudn't kill my drive off the corner. I would think that most Z coupes doing a trackday would have the VDC/TCS off too, so you shouldn't miss not having it.

jim911

iTrader: (1)

Okay, stupid question. What is the TCS? The coupe has VDC and believe me I leave it on at the track. I need all the help I can get. My instructor seems to think it's a good idea also. He drives a new 996 turbo.

ShaftEd

Well, I as understand it, if your coupe has VDC, it also has TCS(Traction Control System). When you start to powerslide, TCS limits the power to the rear wheels to stop the car from spinning out. VDC is an extra control feature that most of the Z coupes have that also will apply brakes to certain wheels to stop loss of control. So the roadster has the TCS, but not the extra VDC.

jim911

iTrader: (1)

Thanks! I guess I'll see for myself in December. My dealer has one coming in Black/Charcoal/6MT. Meanwhile, I'll wait to find out what happened to the clutch in the coupe. Hopefully I'll find out something tomorrrow.

ShaftEd

Found another pic apexing the "skidpad" corner.