AU N EGL

Good Luck Guys



Who cares who else is on the podium, as long it is below your step

sidepipes79

It looks like the guys over are Digitalcorvettes.com are running their C5 Z06 in the event. Check it outHERE

Axelrod

Hmmm, I've analyzed their entry... and the car appears to be under-prepared. Don't tell them though, the regular lappers need some more cockiness.

Seriously, they need 315 x 4 tires and at least 500 whp to compete for top 10. Or am I missing something?

racerjon1

You need one of two things to compete for top ten.

A VERY well prepared car, on decent sized rubber with a comfortable driver in many situations. Or.. HUGE horsepower and HUGE rubber to make up for what you might lose in the corners to better prepared drivers/cars.

Well prepared car I believe could mean bone stock C5 or C6 Z06. In the right hands either of those should go top ten out of the box.

Top 5 - you need both.I will also restate that rain can does and will throw it all into turmoil. If It was going to be rainy for the whole week, I would opt for a Stock Subaru STI or Mitsubishi Evo - the more rain the better those do.

Jon K

robvuk

A very reasonable summary.

freefall

What kind of expenses, besides comsumables and travel costs, are involved with the one-lap?

Axelrod

Plot out your gas mileage @ $3.00/gal for 5,000 miles

Race gas? Add that in too...

Throw in 7-9 nights hotel stay (unless you're a hardcore sleeping bag/tent team)

$2500 entry fee

$1k in tires (more or less if you're in a Vette)

Add in your fast food habits, etc.

Spare parts and car prep...

All told? Probably $10k for the ultimate car guy vacation

Axelrod

When was the last time a stock Z06 finished in the Top 10... ummm, never?

Top 10 is always a highly modified contest of machinery and driver skill. I don't mean to give anyone high hopes of a strong Top 10 finish in a stock car. It just does not happen. You can certainly do very well in a stock car.. but the stats aren't there from prior events to place a stock car in Top 10.

At minimum, the C5's that have finished top 10 have been large cube, possibly turbo, wide tired machines with excellent driver's who know most of the tracks.

That's another cost not shown above.. "practice". It does pay off!

robvuk

I personally think top 10 in class is easy with a stock vehicle. As he pointed out, it would require a well prepared experienced driver. Most of the finishers you speak of are also very well prepared drivers. Most drivers of stock Z06's are not competitive because of their self preparedness, not the car. As you pointed out yourself, having had practice at all of the tracks will make a HUGE difference. Of course, all this is jmho.

varkwso

You left off the $150 SVRA license fee and the race physical to go along with it.

And if you are not "experienced" throw in some drivers schools.

You will also need a drivers suit.

I have a feeling a feeling high test gas will average more than $3/gal

I think a well sorted and well driven stock ZO6 could make top 10 - longevity matters. Street tires are a great equalizer...

Of course we are bringing 575-600 rwhp to the party and 315 tires If it rains much we are pretty well hosed due to our tire choice..

Axelrod

yeah, for sure, I don't disagree that the General has offered enough fire power for a stock car to be in the top 10. However, statistically, it has not happened. All of the results are on the One Lap site... though, the only way you can really tell if they are modified or not are to 1) know the entrants, or 2) see the wicked stupid fast cumulative laps times.

Axelrod

Returning veterans are exempt.. shhh, don't tell anyone.

RogueVette

Danny could likely finish top 10 in a stock Z if it disn;t rain. He proved last year a stock Z had enough power, but I can tell you it does not have enough suspension.

The EVO/STi contingent can do well stock or nearly stock if it rains.

racerjon1

Steve Stubbs was running 6th last year with two days to go in a BONE stock C6 (non-Z06) He hadn't even owned the car a week when he brought it to One Lap. The rains came, and he backed off, saying "I am not ready to go that hard in the rain and crash my new car."

Popp or a driver of the like in a stock C6 Z06 would go top-5, and would go top ten for sure in a C5 Z06.

This is mostly true, depending on the way the event and weather goes. Joel Lipperini went 9th last year in a Subaru STI with a set of coilovers and a cat-back exhaust. Some attrition helped, and it was rain-induced yes.. but it's a matter of putting yourself there to take advantage. attrition and rain will always be there.

Jon K

racerjon1

One Lap could be done for as little as $4000 - $4500 cash outlay I feel. Cost of tires being the dependent factor. I could probably do it cheaper if I chose the right car. (40-mpg Honda Civic with $35 tires would help a lot.)

That does not include driver safety equimpent, or track days to get the needed "track experience." It also doesn't include food. (You have to eat even if you are at home.) It also doesn't include the car or wear on the car.

That isn't going to be competitive, and you won't be sleeping in any hotels, but it could be done.

If you want to have even a hope of being competitive, start at $6k and go up from there.

Jon K

Ojustracing

I agree with Jon also. 4-5 grand is a very good figure. With a resonably fast car could get in the top 30 without to much fuss. In 04 my fuel bill was just over a 1000 for the wk, but that included the 1500miles there and back to start, Covering 7800 miles in 9 day. What always bumps the price is the parts Breakage. I hurt the clutch in hallet. limped the car at Road America and back home. 500 miles later the tranny munched 5-6gear. Last yr(06) my car owner hit a truck tire in Florida and did $4000 in damage. He paid out of his own pocket. This is the stuff that adds up quickly.

Guys enjoy the wk.

John

Axelrod

Did a stock car ever finish in the top 10 ? The answer is still "no". Let's not get into a discussion of "how far from stock" or "they only spent this much"..

Steve is a great competitor, I hope he's got some better tires this year!

racerjon1

Steve is coming back with better tires, suspension, and horsepower.. like I said he is going to surprise some people.

I will still say that a C5 or C6 Z06 is plenty able to run top 10. The reason it hasn't been done is most of the good drivers are going for first, and bring lots of HP/grip, instead of just proving that one of those can go top 10.

Jon K

robvuk

That's what I was thinking.

1lapRacer

Knowing the tracks and be a great driver can make a big difference just as everyone has agreed above. In 99 we ran a stock ... borrowed off the used car lot... subie impreza 2.5 not a wrx... At Texas World Speedway I ran faster than a gaggle of camaros, vipers and other machinery that had 150 plus hp on me. The difference was someone who knew the track gave me 2 tips on 2 sections of the course. To be top 10 you have to be an excellent driver, a car you have had some time in and some good old luck. Rain for the 4 wheel drives and dry for the 2 wheel rear drive crowd. Putting a stock Z06 in the top 10 is possible but I would predict it is more like a top 10 - 20 range unless the driver is just incredible.