Poor-sha

I'm here this weekend with Track Daze and I thought I'd give folks a run down on how the car is performing. It's currently 87F and 46% humidity. My car is a stage 2 M7 with PSC2 tires

So far I've run 3 sessions at speed and one doing lead follow with a friend in his C7 Z51. The best lap I've been able to turn is a 2:06.8 in traffic and I'm still getting comfortable with the car. Given the amount of traffic I doubt I'll be able to turn any really fast laps.

Max temps so far:

Coolant:232
Oil: 277
Transmission: 255

Some initial observations. The car is very easy to drive fast and with the PTM you just floor it coming out of slow turns like T4 and listen to the thump, thump, thump as it regulates power - as jvp says it's like cheating. Turn in isn't as sharp as my C6Z with coilovers and 315 Hoosiers so I had to recalibrate my hands to the car's response. It also doesn't rotate as easily although it responds well to trail braking.

The aero flat out works with the car feeling much more stable in the climbing esses and through the bend and small bump in the front straight. I can easily carry more speed in both those sections than in my C6Z.

I will take back what I said about the stock steel brakes being sufficient for heavy track use. My first session was really bad as the pads gassed off and got bedded but I expected that and after they cooled I thought all would be good like at Summit Point and with my C7 Z51.

However, the last session I ran this morning I started to get some significant fade going in to the brake zones at the end of the straights after about 20 minutes of lapping. That included going in to T1 with smoke rolling off the front brakes. We'll see how the rest of the weekend goes but I expect to be ordering a set of the Essex J-hook front rotors on Monday.

That's it for now. I'll update as I can and provide PDR data with the final results. I thought another forum member was going to be here but I haven't seen another C7Z in the paddock.

P.S. Max lateral G recorded is 1.51 which I find astounding on a street tire.

RedLS6

Thanks for the update- I was planning to be there this weekend, but my car's getting the XPEL treatment right now.

truth.b

Subscribed for more detail & PDR.

Adam@Amp'dAutosport.com

dvandentop

sounds like a good weekend for ya Sean

AORoads

Nice to read, but 1.51 g on street tires is amazing.

9157

Great write up!
ENJOY!

kenw

Thanks for the write up. I really wanted to be at this event but just could not make it work. Hope to see you guys at NCM in June.

Poor-sha

Another quick update while I'm cooling off in my room. So far the fluid temps have been about the same. I managed a 206.7 the first session but got balked by two 944's running side by side down the front straight. It'll be interesting to try and extrapolate from the PDR data how much time that cost me but I was not a happy camper.

There's still a lot of time to be had in this car and in particular my lack of confidence in the brakes is hurting me. Given the amount of traffic and the fact that the temps are up I doubt I'll beat the 2:06.7 today. Samwise Mueller is here too in his Z06 so perhaps he will net a better time.

Cheers from VIR

Poor-sha

One more quick comment. HOLY COW THIS CAR DRINKS FUEL! I went out the last session yesterday with just over a half a tank indicated. I had to come in after 22 minutes because I was reading on the last small dash and the low fuel light was on. That's the second time I had to come in because of low fuel.

I've taken to filling the tank after each 30 minute session.

OnPoint

Hoosiers or even cups may help with the turn-in performance.

Nice report, Sean.

racerns

I think has Cup 2s on the car if I am reading the first post right.

OnPoint

Yes, I think you're right. I missed that and was thinking MPSS.

Poor-sha

Yup. Cup 2's. Track alignment per manual.

DonLakeFlyer

Let us know how that goes. I'm having the same front rotor overheating problem. My take has been that there just isn't enough air getting to the rotors. We're trying to figure out how to get some additional ducting back to them and maybe better deflectors. Curious as to why you think new rotors will make things better? Cross-Drilled?

Doc New

Incredible! Hope you get the brake issues worked out. Thanks much for the report. Best regards. DN

thebishman

I think you'd be taking a big step back with some kind of cross drilled rotor. I'd look into the AP Racing J-Hook for an OEM replacement. Worked like a champ on my '09 GT-R.

Poor-sha

Yup, that's what I'm looking at. I have a PM in to Jeff at Essex about getting a set for next Monday. Based on my experience with the Brembo GT kits a better rotor makes all the difference even if it's smaller. More cooling vanes, better airflow, better metallurgy. My hope is with a better rotor I can stick with stock pads since this is mainly my street car.

Just got off track from another 30 minute session at 91F and humid. I don't have PDR data yet but no alarms sounded and what I saw on the instruments looked about the same as before. Times were way down though with the best I could muster being in the 2:09 range even with clear track. I suspect we're loosing a lot of power with the heat. Given that I went through nearly 3/4 of a tank that session I bet the car is just dumping fuel like mad to stay cool.

I still can't believe how easy this car is to drive fast. It just goes where you point it and really rewards trail braking. With PTM you don't even need to think about the throttle and can just mash it and go. I'm actually afraid I'm going to develop some bad habits that will bite me when I get back in the C6Z.

redtopz

I think that's exactly what's going on with these cars, dumping fuel to prevent pre-detonation due to super high intake air temps. E85 conversions will transform the C7Z on track. The PDR data I've seen from the West Coast tracks indicates trap speeds pretty much identical to my 380 hp C5 and probably slower than a C6Z. Tons of power is being pulled from the C7Z on the track and a side effect of that is cooler engine temps.

Sounds fun, enjoy.

jvp

Cheater, cheater... Seeeeannn's a cheeeater!