Impact 15-30 degree temp on Road Race times?

[Silver Bullet]

Am trying to do some baseline comparing.

Ran VIR this weekend (it snowed sat) and on Sunday it was 15-35 degrees. I ran Nitto NT-01's.

Just had new suspension and a cam added and still ran a few 2:11's in traffic (no clean laps so likely 1-2 seconds quicker than this at least). Was curious how much slower that is then a 75 degree nice sticky track day.

[Subdriver]

I think it may be a trade off as the engine makes pretty good power with the cold dense air and if you can get heat into the tires they will work pretty well in those cold temps, though it will take longer to get them there. You may see a pretty big difference between 15 and 35 though...

This weekend at CMP it was below 40 and Chris Ingle was in the 1:45s which was about average for him I believe. I was in the 1:48s in my first practice session, then qualifying was in the rain... on slicks... which wasn't fun... then I lost ABS on lap two of the race... which wasn't much fun either, but managed to run 1:48s being very gingerly with the brakes.

[sleeper02Z06]

Originally Posted by Subdriver

I think it may be a trade off as the engine makes pretty good power with the cold dense air and if you can get heat into the tires they will work pretty well in those cold temps, though it will take longer to get them there. You may see a pretty big difference between 15 and 35 though...

This weekend at CMP it was below 40 and Chris Ingle was in the 1:45s which was about average for him I believe. I was in the 1:48s in my first practice session, then qualifying was in the rain... on slicks... which wasn't fun... then I lost ABS on lap two of the race... which wasn't much fun either, but managed to run 1:48s being very gingerly with the brakes.

You did great out there considering that I feel we all have forgotten a little about threshold braking. Kinda makes you want to pull the ABS fuse every once in a while and practice!

Joe

[Subdriver]

Thanks Joe. I don't recommend learning to threshold brake the Z06 in a race with cars directly ahead and behind you... on a track that you have a grand total of 14 dry laps of seat time.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but I have a fair amount of experience threshold braking in older formula cars and go-karts. Unfortunately, I didn't have one second of it in the Z06. I locked up the brakes a few times, backed off quickly and got back on them in time to make the corner (although a little wide). Post race inspection of the tires shows no flat spotting so I guess I did okay.

I also don't recommend pulling the fuse on a track with anything you can hit if you lock the brakes and go long into a corner.