Supercars, Tail of the Dragon, Blue Ridge Parkway= fun
11-09-2011, 09:10 AM
#1
Safety Car
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Supercars, Tail of the Dragon, Blue Ridge Parkway= fun
it has been well documented who doesn't like Supercars and why. Lets hear it from those that like them.
After 15000 miles, I'm having a hard time calling my Supercars, the tires that came as part of the Z51 option, Supercraps like some CF members do. To be sure, 15000 miles from a set a tires is nothing to write home about. But what were buyers thinking when they opted for the Z51 option?
I have found the Supercars to be exactly as advertised. A tire with above normal grip on dry pavement, and aren't they called a summer tire? So what's all the pi$$ing and moaning about a little slippage when the pavement gets cold? Rather than be a liability, I have found it to be a plus, with the proper amount and timing of foot on the gas, the tires will kick the back end out just a little bit making the car corner faster. Isn't that what the Z51 option was supposed to be about?
I had picked up an extra set of wheels from a base Vette, and mounted them at 7000 miles, in anticipation of long road trips out west, thereby saving the more expensive, and softer Supercar rubber for what they meant for, carving tight turns while pulling 1G. Having taken 4 trips out west, and racking up 26000 miles on the used base wheel set, I put the Supercars back on this spring and enjoyed being a weekend warrior on the twisty 2 lane roads of coulee country in SE Minnesota, NE Iowa, and SW Wisconsin. But the ultimate test came this past week, a trip to Tennessee and North Carolina riding the Tail of the Dragon and the Blue Ridge Parkway. During the day it got up to 60 at lower elevations, but up in the mountains it was considerably cooler, especially in the morning and later in the evening.
To be honest I wasn't expecting much of the Dragon, after a few years of tearing up mountain passes out west like Bears Tooth, Slugmullion, and Monarch, passes that top out well over 10,000 feet, how exciting could a wimpy 3 or 4,000 feet be? And after reading that the speed limit was now 30 mph, I tackled the Tail of the Dragon at 11:30 on a Sunday, since I was expecting it to be like a drive to church. This turned out to be a blessing since there was a speed trap just before getting there. The LEOS were handing out tickets like it was candy on Halloween, which indeed was the following day.
When I finally got to the Tail there was a group of Miata's parked at an overlook, so I stopped to take in the view. It appeared to me that the Miata is the car I should really be driving to enjoy the Dragon, a small car with modest HP. A car you can toss around yet not get in trouble with. Of course I had not yet tackled the Dragon. After enjoying the view and snapping a picture I motored away.
No, I did not lay any rubber down trying to show those mama's boys what a real car was, although I must admit it crossed my mind. Frankly, to me it's not worth the rubber. But once I got up to speed and hit the first turn, well the 10 year old boy inside of me took over. The Tail of the Dragon is like a roller coaster, only better because you are at the controls.
While some of the corners allow you to simply carve into them with the steering wheel, many are best enjoyed by stepping on the gas and powering out of them. This is where the Supercars become fun. Since it was somewhere in the 40's I had no problem sliding the rear end out by hitting the gas a little. The trick is to give the right amount at the right time, and you'll go a lot faster than if the rear wheels maintain their grip with the pavement. Basically you are steering with the rear wheels since you are bringing the rear around to point the front of the car into the apex of the turn. The Supercars were totally predictable, no surprising sudden loss or gain of traction. Quite a hoot, as far as I'm concerned the Supercars are a great tire for their intended purpose.
BTW, the Supercars are nowhere near as noisy as the tires that come on a base Vette, the 2500 miles I drove out east and back it was never a problem even though they had 15K miles on them when I got home. Unlike some, I have found the wet traction to be perfectly acceptable. I think the real problem with the wet traction ability is that since they wear down rather quickly, the wet traction becomes poor quickly as well, which is really no different than any other tire. Sure, you can buy cheaper tires that last longer. If your Vette is a garage queen that seldom, if ever, is driven like the designers intended, that makes sense. But as I always believed back in my moto'cyclin' days, if you like ridin' the twisties, don't skimp on the rubber, it's the best insurance policy money can buy.
Oh yeah, Blue Ridge Parkway was a beautiful drive, every Vette owner should drive that road some day. If you have the dual top option be sure to have the clear top on. Or better yet, off.
After 15000 miles, I'm having a hard time calling my Supercars, the tires that came as part of the Z51 option, Supercraps like some CF members do. To be sure, 15000 miles from a set a tires is nothing to write home about. But what were buyers thinking when they opted for the Z51 option?
I have found the Supercars to be exactly as advertised. A tire with above normal grip on dry pavement, and aren't they called a summer tire? So what's all the pi$$ing and moaning about a little slippage when the pavement gets cold? Rather than be a liability, I have found it to be a plus, with the proper amount and timing of foot on the gas, the tires will kick the back end out just a little bit making the car corner faster. Isn't that what the Z51 option was supposed to be about?
I had picked up an extra set of wheels from a base Vette, and mounted them at 7000 miles, in anticipation of long road trips out west, thereby saving the more expensive, and softer Supercar rubber for what they meant for, carving tight turns while pulling 1G. Having taken 4 trips out west, and racking up 26000 miles on the used base wheel set, I put the Supercars back on this spring and enjoyed being a weekend warrior on the twisty 2 lane roads of coulee country in SE Minnesota, NE Iowa, and SW Wisconsin. But the ultimate test came this past week, a trip to Tennessee and North Carolina riding the Tail of the Dragon and the Blue Ridge Parkway. During the day it got up to 60 at lower elevations, but up in the mountains it was considerably cooler, especially in the morning and later in the evening.
To be honest I wasn't expecting much of the Dragon, after a few years of tearing up mountain passes out west like Bears Tooth, Slugmullion, and Monarch, passes that top out well over 10,000 feet, how exciting could a wimpy 3 or 4,000 feet be? And after reading that the speed limit was now 30 mph, I tackled the Tail of the Dragon at 11:30 on a Sunday, since I was expecting it to be like a drive to church. This turned out to be a blessing since there was a speed trap just before getting there. The LEOS were handing out tickets like it was candy on Halloween, which indeed was the following day.
When I finally got to the Tail there was a group of Miata's parked at an overlook, so I stopped to take in the view. It appeared to me that the Miata is the car I should really be driving to enjoy the Dragon, a small car with modest HP. A car you can toss around yet not get in trouble with. Of course I had not yet tackled the Dragon. After enjoying the view and snapping a picture I motored away.
No, I did not lay any rubber down trying to show those mama's boys what a real car was, although I must admit it crossed my mind. Frankly, to me it's not worth the rubber. But once I got up to speed and hit the first turn, well the 10 year old boy inside of me took over. The Tail of the Dragon is like a roller coaster, only better because you are at the controls.
While some of the corners allow you to simply carve into them with the steering wheel, many are best enjoyed by stepping on the gas and powering out of them. This is where the Supercars become fun. Since it was somewhere in the 40's I had no problem sliding the rear end out by hitting the gas a little. The trick is to give the right amount at the right time, and you'll go a lot faster than if the rear wheels maintain their grip with the pavement. Basically you are steering with the rear wheels since you are bringing the rear around to point the front of the car into the apex of the turn. The Supercars were totally predictable, no surprising sudden loss or gain of traction. Quite a hoot, as far as I'm concerned the Supercars are a great tire for their intended purpose.
BTW, the Supercars are nowhere near as noisy as the tires that come on a base Vette, the 2500 miles I drove out east and back it was never a problem even though they had 15K miles on them when I got home. Unlike some, I have found the wet traction to be perfectly acceptable. I think the real problem with the wet traction ability is that since they wear down rather quickly, the wet traction becomes poor quickly as well, which is really no different than any other tire. Sure, you can buy cheaper tires that last longer. If your Vette is a garage queen that seldom, if ever, is driven like the designers intended, that makes sense. But as I always believed back in my moto'cyclin' days, if you like ridin' the twisties, don't skimp on the rubber, it's the best insurance policy money can buy.
Oh yeah, Blue Ridge Parkway was a beautiful drive, every Vette owner should drive that road some day. If you have the dual top option be sure to have the clear top on. Or better yet, off.
11-09-2011, 10:06 AM
#2
Drifting
Will try the Z on the Dragon for the first time Friday because today is 20 years for the wife and me. When I asked her what she wanted to do this weekend to celebrate she said, "Why don't we go do the Dragon?" Am I a fortunate man or what! Can't what for the next 20!
11-09-2011, 12:31 PM
#4
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St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
good write up
11-09-2011, 04:33 PM
#7
Team Owner
You have yourself a keeper as the saying goes.
11-09-2011, 04:44 PM
#8
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St. Jude Donor '13
We put about 50k miles (2 1/2 sets) on Z51 Supercar tires on our C6's. I never hated them like some folks do, the dry grip was excellent and even in rain I thought they did ok. When we switched to Michelin PS2 runflats, I found the Michelins to be a little softer and moderately quieter, both improvemenets but not a huge deal.
However, I have found the Michelins to be much more communicative and forgiving as you approach the cornering limits, dry or wet. The difference is enough that I would buy Michelins again for that reason alone.
The Z51 Supercars are good tires.
The Michelin PS2 runflats are great tires.
And five years from now, someone will be making something that's even better.
However, I have found the Michelins to be much more communicative and forgiving as you approach the cornering limits, dry or wet. The difference is enough that I would buy Michelins again for that reason alone.
The Z51 Supercars are good tires.
The Michelin PS2 runflats are great tires.
And five years from now, someone will be making something that's even better.
11-09-2011, 08:21 PM
#10
Advanced
I did the Tail back in '06 in my 1962 MGA - 1950 lbs with 93hp and skinny tires. Absolute blast - foot to the floor in 2nd and 3rd the whole way, chasing another MGA with the 108 hp Twin Cam engine.
Drove down from Gatlinburg and arrived at 8AM Sunday- didn't see a single LEO going out, or back.
If you ever have the chance to do that ride, don't pass it up! The road has over 300 turns in about 8 miles. Basically you are never going straight, just powering from one turn into another. Up and down is about 1000 ft, but you do it several times each way.
Drove down from Gatlinburg and arrived at 8AM Sunday- didn't see a single LEO going out, or back.
If you ever have the chance to do that ride, don't pass it up! The road has over 300 turns in about 8 miles. Basically you are never going straight, just powering from one turn into another. Up and down is about 1000 ft, but you do it several times each way.
11-16-2011, 12:08 AM
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Try California
I have driven and ridden the "tail" in Vettes and Motorcycles X3 and find it exciting if done before the mounties come out, but I must say living in the foot hills of Ca. is a "tail" every day without the super cop "got you" on the gap. Try above Georgetown Ca. for some real sweeping fast roads and no "tree of shame." Do not wish to speak poorly of the "tail" and its 13 miles, but doesn't compare to roads out West (Not much else is in this Socialistic Republic of Ca.).
