QUIKAG

I did the Level II at Spring Mountain this past Thursday and Friday. Outstanding time once again. I did the 3-day ZR1 school last year and finally was able to get out for the Level II program.

Rick, Rico, Ken, Rocky, Melinda, and the rest of the gang were awesome as usual. They have such a nice facility and everyone is just so friendly, the cars are so well maintained and new, etc. Weather was nice too besides a bit of wind.

Below is my link to my review of the 3 day ZR1 program last year:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...-mountain.html

This time, it was more of the same, just better. We got almost 300 track miles and I would say maybe 30% of the time was in the classroom and the rest was on track with, heel-toe exercise, then follow the instructor for most of first day. Then instructor follow you, instructor ride with you, and then open lapping with transponders to finish off the second day.

It all came together for me on the last session in the Z06. When I finished what I felt like was a few good laps, I pull back around the building and Rick Malone comes walking out. He asks if I was taking it easy out there and I look at him puzzled. He again asks if I was just taking it easy out there. I told him I was trying to be smoother, less abrupt with my inputs and apply what he had taught me.

He then told me I had just set the overall Level II student lap record. It was a 1:55.852 in a stock Z06 on the 2.4 mile course. I backed it up two laps later with a 1:56:603 and two 1:57 lap times prior to the 1:55. Rest of the laps were with traffic.

Here is a pic of my driving the screamin' fast #51 Z06 on that last session:


I was pumped and very happy with my progress. So, I fly home Friday night, get up Saturday morning, pack for Circuit of the Americas and head down there. A neighbor brought my Michelin racing slicks down there for me as he was towing his track car.

Well, guess what happened on my last session as well at COTA? I set the fastest lap of the weekend. There was over 200 (only advanced solo approved) drivers out there this weekend with everything from stock Miata's, Viper ACR on Hoosiers, Porsche GT3 on slicks, to full blown Ferrari 430 Challenge cars with semi-pro drivers. My 2010 ZR1 with Motul brake fluid, Michelin racing slicks, and otherwise stock just cleaned up the field. The 430 Challenge car reportedly ran a 2:26 lap time. I ran a 2:22.272. Here is the link to the video:


Here is a link to a back to back 2:26 and 2:24 lap time:

Finally, here is a link to the full last session. Towards the end, chasing a very fast modded GT-R on Hoosier R-comps, I set my 2:22 time.

Overall, just a total blast at Spring Mountain and then COTA. Thanks again to everyone at Spring Mountain for all the help. It certainly helped me at COTA yesterday.

crease-guard

I thought I did good with my 2:37...man that is flat out bookin' and smooth as butter. Nice job.

Jay

QUIKAG

Thanks, Jay. Enjoyed watching your video!

SW

It was a great time.. Congrats on your times. Just curious how you knew you had the fastest lap time at the event out of everyone there?

SW

QUIKAG

Thanks, SW. That's what I was told by several people. I'd love to hear if anyone ran faster than a 2:22. Do you know of anyone?

BTW, your white GT3 sounds INSANE. What header/exhaust set-up are you running?

SW

Thanks, the GT3 is stock except GMG headers. I did not have a transponder in either one of my cars but couple of guys clocked my GT3 in the low 20s also but who knows. I was just dialing in my 430 Challenge car for the MVP 3 day track weekend, so I never tried to go all out. Steve Hill was in the other Challenge car that had the wing/splitter on it.

Cota is a fun track, can't wait to go back..

BTW, how fast were you hitting on the front straight?

QUIKAG

Well, your car sounds great. Was one of the loudest and best sounding out there for sure. Nothing like a tightly wound flat six at 8,500rpm.

My brake fluid was shot, Motul 600 apparently doesn't cut it, even though it was fresh. SRF is next. So, I was having to double pump the brake pedal on the front and back straight to get good pressure and couldn't do full threshold braking. So, my car has more in it for sure, plus that was only my 4th session out at COTA. Anyway, it was fun and I completely agree COTA is an incredibly fun track.

Coming into the braking zone of Turn 1, I was hitting around 140mph. Back straight was up to 160mph or so, but with my brake pedal mushiness I started short shifting to 5th on the back straight, so I was only getting to 150-155mph in the later sessions, including my 2:22 lap.

Have a blast with MVP. I didn't get signed up in time. If you can pull some strings to get me in, let me know. haha.

QUIKAG

SW, your vid here shows low 2:30's pace, but it was only a short clip of less than two laps. You have any other good video?



I'll be interested in what you run with your 430 Challenge car with MVP. It's less weight and a bit more horsepower than the GT3RS, so it should be fast.

jamsvet

Congrats...Nice times. It's too bad Spring Mountain doesn't have Corvette Track Days anymore.

SW

No other clips, I swapped the camera over to the challenge cars. As you can tell, those were first two warm up laps on cold tires. Our session got cut short because a Boxster broke. Did you sign up for TWS March 3 & 4 with driver's edge?

QUIKAG

I'm on the wait list for TWS. I don't think a GT3RS has the horsepower to run low 2:20's. I have little doubt a higher horsepower in your hands can get there without issue.

Trade one of your 10+ cars on a ZR1 and put in some SRF, get an alignment, get some Finspeed wheels and Michelin slicks and go break 2:20 at COTA with MVP.

BTW, did you have a debadged white CTS-V at COTA?

Andi

As John Galt once said, facts trump feelings. Fact is as of now Corey has the level 2 student track record at spring mountain (even beat me - props!). Fact is Corey also has the fastest production car lap recorded at COTA to date.

SW-- you're going back with MVP right? You have your work cut out for you. Get it on video.

Cheers,
Andi

0Finspeed

I enjoyed watching all of you last weekend, and look forward to running at the MVP event. What a facility!
Corey, that GTR that you passed on your fast lap was running Finspeed wheels as well, with GIGANTIC Alcon calipers - our standard 18" ID wouldn't come close to clearing them, had to do a custom set specifically for that car. He was very quick, in fact he told me he wasn't passed all weekend until you went by.

SW

The video you see is of my first warm up lap, then a red flag lap..
My speedo indicated 164 on the front straight, 8500 in 5th which you can see in the video. I had a ZR1, very nice car but don't want another one. I have alot of time in Vettes, now just trying to learn a Porsche. My next purchase will be a Cup car after I learn my RS.

Andi I hope both you guys can make it to TWS in March.

21STCENTURYMUSCLECAR

Looking good out there Quikag,
You and Andi should try and come to TWS for the NARRA Event in a few weeks, they have wheel to wheel and Time attack as well as HPDEs
and I bet you guys could beat up on plenty of Vipers that will be in attendance.

It's a lot of fun and a bunch of fast cars & drivers.

http://www.narraonline.com/

Best Regards,
John Page
Twenty First Century Muscle Cars

QUIKAG

Wow, so you had 20+mph on a ZR1 with your nearly stock GT3RS on the front straight? That is just amazing. Well, as Andi said, I have the fastest posted lap, so until I see anything to the contrary, I'll stick with my original asssertion despites some unsubstantiated attempts to challenge it.

I know you have had a bunch of cars and still own a bunch of fast cars, so good luck at MVP. I look forward to watching your sub 2:20 video.

EDIT: Interesting it takes you more than a second longer to get down the front straight than in my ZR1 video. I wonder how that is possible with your higher speed? Also, check out this thread. A 2010 GT3RS on 18" wheels/tires at 8,000rpm in 5th is doing 143mph. Wonder how you can get 164mph in 5th gear? Speedo may be way off. http://www.6speedonline.com/forums/g...n-gt2-gt3.html

QUIKAG

Thanks, John. That sounds like fun. Let me see if I can pull it off.

SW

Good research but his calulations were 8000 rpm with a 295/30/18, I run 335/30/18 which is a 1" taller and was turning 8500-8600 rpm.

Like I said, speedo indicated but at 8500 rpm with 335's.. You also said you were running 155-160 on the back straight, so no I am not 20 mph faster. I also never claimed that I could run sub 2:20's, I just said a couple of guys clocked me in the low 20's which means 22's 23's ect. I will talk to Rick and try to get you in to the March event. Should be fun considering you have almost 200hp more than me

Lap times are all great, I'm just using this as a stepping stone to get good enough to run a Cup car..

QUIKAG

Wish you had proof of the low 20's as it would be fun to watch. Also, are you talking front or back straight? I was hitting 155-160 on the back straight and around 140 on the front straight. You said your speedo was showing 164 on the front straight and an actual 164 just isn't possible. The F1 cars were hitting 170mph before braking into Turn 1. What engine do you have in that RS exactly and how do you hit such speed while still being a little more than a second slower down the front straight?

All in good fun, SW.

Andi

I think he meant the straight in front of the the track. You know, the one with the petrol station and the mailboxes.