NCM HPDE @ VIR 6/30-7/1-post event ...

[DennyM]

Just getting back to the Forum ... AFAIK, Zippy and I were the only Z06 Forum reps there ... so I apologize if I missed someone.

Great weather - rained (at times VERY hard!) Sun eve when folks were dropping trailers and cars at the track but stopped late evening; muggy Mon AM and up to 90 or so thru the day with a few clouds. Tues was perfect weather - low to mid 80's and lower humidity!

I'll do the car count and distribution later.
Here's a "look at me" pic - turn three:

Musta been about 120 student cars and 50 instructor cars.
GM Corvettes were there with FIVE ZR1's ... one instructor group and four student groups. Only passengers allowed were the instructors for the four students ... and the instructors (Roc Linkov of NCM was one) had specific advanced orientation on the ZR1 before GM agreed to them as instructors ...
A few carefully screened instructors, with the personal approval of Tom Wallace, had the chance to drive the ZR1's on the track.
Here's a short clip I borrowed - pit shots only:
http://www.bigpinekey.org/zr1atvir.wmv
My observation - watching them @ corners 3 and 4 - the magnetic dampers give it a notable advantage over the gas dampers of the Z06.
My take ... the ZR1 will put a big on the face of the fortunate owners who really explore its potential on the track ...
Here's a video clinic on driving VIR Full - compliments of David Farmer:
http://www.davidfarmerstuff.com/videos/VIR-session2.wmv

Bad juju to pass a ZR1 ... as shown here ...
C6Z gets ZR1 point-by and cooks T1 at VIR


BTW ... the ZR1's will be at the NCM HPDE event at Road America ... and should be in production by then ... and perhaps some serious "demo" runs ... immediately following the ALMS race in august ... still some openings in the intermediate and advanced group ...

[Zippy]

So good to see you again Denny!
You were absolutely right....VIR is awesome.
Had a fantastic back road adventure driving home. Did a short stint on the Blue Ridge Parkway, stopped at Floyd Garrett's muscle car museum in Sevierville TN. Drove many miles of twisy back roads coming and going to VIR. Over 1,200 miles of smiles in all.

Hope the NCM does more HPDE's....hint, hint, Mid-Ohio.

Zipster

[BEZ06]

I was there running in the Green group

Sorry I missed getting to say hi.

You've seen the links to the big boys running fast and furious.

Here's a link to a Green group track noobie trying to learn how to run on a race track. This is in my C6Z with OE Goodyears. I have upgraded to DBA 4000 rotors with Hawk HP+ pads and Motul fluid. Next event I think I'll put on some DTC-70 pads and I sure would like stickier tires, but I still want to drive them to events.

Any constructive criticism, fire away!!!

Video link to Green Group track noobie at VIR

Bob

[DennyM]

Zippy ... good to hear ... was a great day to be driving - track OR roads!
Bob ... thanks for posting. What was your car number?
Really like your data acquisition ... that and camera are a great asset for self-tutoring.
Nice running for not having much experience
How did your pads hold up?
You probably heard your instructor say that, as you gain experience, you'll be carrying speed deeper into the corners and using all the track. Probably also said that there were corners where a later apex sets you up well for the next series of turns.

[BEZ06]

Originally Posted by DennyM

.....Bob ... thanks for posting. What was your car number?......

........Really like your data acquisition ... that and camera are a great asset for self-tutoring.
Nice running for not having much experience
How did your pads hold up?
You probably heard your instructor say that, as you gain experience, you'll be carrying speed deeper into the corners and using all the track. Probably also said that there were corners where a later apex sets you up well for the next series of turns.

Denny

I was in a DSOM C6Z, #108. I was surprised to see about 5 DSOM C6Z's there (including Jose's fantastic all out race prepped car). With only 282 of them made that was a good turn out of that color!

The Hawk HP+ pads held up well. I put in a new set of padlets and bedded them in just before driving up from Daytona. They're now down to about 1/2 thickness of what they were new. Of course the first couple sessions in the green group I was not pushing too hard while trying to get comfortable on the track and learn the line.

The Traqmate data logger and the video are great learning tools. Chuck Hawks was talking in the classroom about how strong a tool "visualization" is and with that info on my computer I can really re-drive a whole session. With the data and video on my computer I can really see what I'm doing wrong and, as you mentioned, see where I'm blowing an apex, where I can apex at a different spot, and where I can go deeper, although in latter sessions I'd usually get a short buzz of ABS activating just prior to turn-in for T1, so I think I was getting about all I could get out of the pads and OE tires right there. There are some other places I can still go deeper though, and as I get more seat time I'll be able to improve with trail braking and other advanced techniques (but that's a LOT more track time away!).

I was only getting about 147 or 148 on the back straight and I know I could keep in the throttle longer before the brake zone for T14, but even though you know there's a bunch of straight track left after the crest of the hill, it's hard to keep your foot in it when you can't see anything but sky!!! Analyzing the video I can see I'm lifting right at the crest of the hill and I think I could keep on the power for another second or two before braking.

Overall, what a great event!!! I learned a huge amount and had a terrific time on a beautiful and challenging race track - I'll be back!!!

Bob

[DennyM]

Thanks, Bob ...
Think about it ... how many can even comprehend " was only getting about 147 or 148 on the back straight" !... and then braking hard from the dip up, downshifting, left into the corner, hard braking, rotating against the right curb and accelerating downhill with a late left, track out right, braking, left against the curb, right over the apex, tracking left and coming right out of the bottom and hammering it down the pit straight "apexing" the "straightaway" just past the big tree and braking hard into turn one ... What a Rush! ... I think I'll go watch your video again!
You thinking about some FL events?... or Road Atlanta? ... or Roebling Road?

[BEZ06]

Originally Posted by DennyM

Thanks, Bob ...
Think about it ... how many can even comprehend " was only getting about 147 or 148 on the back straight" !... and then braking hard from the dip up, downshifting, left into the corner, hard braking, rotating against the right curb and accelerating downhill with a late left, track out right, braking, left against the curb, right over the apex, tracking left and coming right out of the bottom and hammering it down the pit straight "apexing" the "straightaway" just past the big tree and braking hard into turn one ... What a Rush! ... I think I'll go watch your video again!
You thinking about some FL events?... or Road Atlanta? ... or Roebling Road?

Well.....that's why I'm doing these events - this car is so damn powerful that I think it's pretty important to know how to handle it all.

I had a terrific instructor, Kirk Bennion, who is one of the chief design guys for the Z06 and ZR1. He said that the purchase price of a new ZR1 includes a driving school package.

Here's some #'s posted on another forum:

here's an UNOFFICIAL "back of the envelope" breakdown of students and instructors:
Students: Green; Yellow; Blue; Black = TOTAL
C4 0 ; 1 ; 1 ; 0 = 2
C4ZR-1 2 ; 0 ; 0 ; 0 = 2
C5/FRC 4 ; 5 ; 4 ; 2 = 15
C5Z06 4 ; 6 ; 4 ; 7 = 21
C6 6 ; 5 ; 9 ; 1 = 21
C6Z06 25 ;14;12; 8 = 59
C6ZR1 - (4 total)
TOTAL STUDENTS: 124

Wow!!! Look at all the C6 Z06 students in the green and yellow groups!!!! It's great to see that others are like me - we understand that we've got a car with special capabilities and the only place to really learn how to handle all that power and performance is on the track, so you can be able to drive the thing responsibly on the street.

SAFE is running events at Sebring 7/19, 8/16, and 9/13 and I plan to make at least one of those. I'll definitely be doing the Daytona HPDE on the Rolex 24 course in December that is put on by an Audi Club from Ohio. I did that last year - it was my first HPDE and got me hooked!!!

I'll definitely be on the computer next year when registration opens for VIR 2009!!!!

Bob

[Zippy]

Pic from VIR

[Zippy]

The new ZR1 in Bad Boy Black!

[Zippy]

Ground level view of ZR1 rear Michelin tire.

[Zippy]

Side view of ZR1.