Timz06

(with dead tires on camaro)

Fun video. This is from the last instructor session at the NCM. The orange car in front of me is the ZR1. My rear tires were gone, and that, along with too much speed , caused me to lose control, and some time in turn 1 and the oak tree. Got caught in traffic, had a silver c6z06 cross over the blend line and I almost ran into his a$$...and then was runing out of fuel at the end causing me to lose some ground, but this will give you a view of the new zr1.

http://www.timz06.com/vir2008/virzr1lowmed.wmv

Humanoid 2.0

Nice video So even in the instructor group people cross the blend line

Short-Throw

Tim,

Thanks for posting!

You have no idea how happy I am that you captured this.

Let me fill in some blanks.....................

First of all you did a superb job driving. I was very impressed by the speed the Camaro matched on the straights. How do I know? I was the one driving the ZR-1. I remember you being behind me early on and being impressed how you kept up.

I had a GM Exec passenger with me. My number one priority was to bring the car back in one piece. It was hard holding back. My shifts were not at redline, more like 6300-6400RPM. Despite all the power, the tires were the true limiting factor here. Although better than the Goodyear EMTs, the Michelin's only had so much grip and it's no dis, but they are OEM street tires.

I asked my passenger if he was okay with everything and each lap I picked up the pace. I wish you could have followed some more because that's when the real show started.

At the 5:30 mark in the video you will see me pass a Yellow Z06 before the uphill esses. This was none other than hot-shoe Frank Gonzalez in Ole Yeller 97. Frank was out waiting for me and pointing me by like a cat playing with a mouse.

Frank was running A6's and Shocks. I started to push the car a little harder as I wanted to leave Frank in the dust. Frank would have none of that and stayed on me like our bumpers were locked. Three reasons....Tires, Frank knows the track very well and this was my second time there. Frank is every bit as good as I am if not a better driver period.

Frank, you can drive pal!

Frank was able to carry more speed out of Oak Tree and Hog-pen than I was. Even given this fact, I was not able to pull on him in the straights. Yes, I know, the ZR-1 has so much HP. Frank was only a few car lengths from me so I don't know how much drafting helped. Also, the higher air temps will affect the supercharger.

I drove the car to it's limits on the tires. As Frank can confirm, I saved the car a few times from oversteer and decided to reel it in a notch. I still had to bring this baby back.

Also, as good as the brakes are, I was easy on them. I was being conservative by braking at the 4 marker on the back straight. These brakes can easily go deeper but there really wasn't a good purpose to try in this venue. Bring the car back, bring the car back.

I drove the Yellow ZR-1 earlier in the day reaching 170 on the HUD, hit the brakes and still had room to spare.

A lot of questions still need to be answered to make any real conclusions.

I could use more time on the track, I had very little seat time in a car that I wanted to drive harder. The suspension was something I still need to figure out. Very different than my race car or Z06 with coilovers. Frank is about as good as they come as far as drivers and he knows the track.

We laughed about it afterwards and still chuckle now. I'm not sure who is more impressed, Frank keeping up with me, or me staying close with Frank!

One more side note:

After a few laps I tried pointing Frank by as I wanted to chase for a bit. He kept waving me off saying, come on wimp, let's see what you've got.

BTW, Frank had a passenger as well, so kudos to him!


We will get another chance at Road America next month. A track I know and Frank hasn't been to. Will there be payback or will I eat more humble pie? Stay tuned and don't feel bad if #97 passes you, you're getting taken by one of the best!

Tim,

Again thanks for posting. I didn't mean to make this about a Z06 and ZR-1 but the session you started to tape was primarily that.

You sure showed what a good driver can do as well! You coming to Road America?


Mike

abc 123

Not impressed if it can't out run a LT1 camaro



Whatcha got in the camaro?

rustyguns

Yeah! sounds mean as hell !

VetteDrmr

No, No, they all sound like that! And can make that much speed. And corner like that. All stock...(sorry, can't keep it going any longer )

Short-Throw

Thanks, you saved me some typing!

Timz06

Definitely the tires were the limiting factor for the ZR1...I was surprised the car did as well as it did in the corners, and braking, with the stock tires.

I was driving my 08 z06 on stock tires (almost worn out) and it was not really a pleasant experience. IMHO, Z06 vs ZR1 will come down to the driver with equal tires.

The camaro has a 383 lt1 motor, that makes about 425 at the wheels, and weighs about 3600 with me in it. It has c5 brakes, koni SA shocks with coil overs, and a few other suspension upgrades. It is basically equal in performance to a c5z, but is much harder to drive. Corvettes are super easy to drive, and can cover up many driver mistakes that would put the camaro off course.

Mike, too bad we didn't get to meet. I don't think I'll make it to Road America, as it is too far to drive from Atlanta (fuel $$)

Tim

Teddy98Z28M6

You go Tim! It looked like a lot of fun.

BTW, nice recovery there in turn 1 and after the oak tree.

trumper Z06

Nice video Tim !!!

Now then... when will you be trading your Z06...

for one of them thair ZR1's ???



Trumper

trumper Z06

Hey Mike,

In the ZR1... you mention the "higher air temp. will effect the supercharger".

Was it higher air temp's/or was the engine showing signs of "heat soak" ?

Oh, and Frank is FAST...

We played a bit, thanks to Frank slowing down at the end of the back straight...

allowing me to catch up.

Trumper

gonzalezfj

I respectfully disagree. The ZR1 with R compounds IMHO will be considerably better than the Z06 in acceleration and braking. I would bet on the ZR1 every time. This opinion is based on following Mike Newlander (Short-Throw) at VIR in my Z06 for several laps.

Mike is a top notch driver in The Beast, his C6Z and his T1 car. He is the alpha dog at Autobahn. That said, he worked those Michelins in the ZR1 for all they were worth. I managed to stay with him at the end by getting a run on him out of Oak Tree and the Hog Pen using the superior cornering of the A6s and then drafting him all along the straights.

It is more fun than a barrel of monkeys to have a good driver and car to play with at an HPDE, and both Mike and I (and our respective passengers) had ear-to-ear sh*t-eating grins on our faces at the end of the session.

Road America is coming, and IT IS A HP TRACK...

Frank Gonzalez

Timz06

Frank you may be right, however, I feel that I could have easily passed the ZR1 if I were driving my z06 with hoosiers. I know the brakes are better on the ZR1, but will it really make the car stop any faster? If the brakes on the z06 can lock up the tires, with hoosiers, why do you need more brake? I would think the ZR1 brakes would definately be more repeatable, and not fade as quickly. Just for a few laps, I would guess the difference would be negligible. You can look at brake stopping distances, and even the stock c5 calipers work very well with the right pads.

As for accel, of course the ZR1 has more power, but if you want to get into repeatability, the heat that supercharger produces is going to limit that. In any case, a nice car, but also a very expensive one.

Tim

heavychevy

A Z06 on hoosiers should be able to easily pass anything (stock) on PS2's.

Not a good comparison.

rustyguns

i agree its like those magazine article comparison tests with Zo6 on stock tires and Viper with slicks. the general public has no idea what a race tire can do'

you can put a set of hoosier A6 on a new $9,000 KIA Rio and it will haul *** through corners and pass everything with stock tires!

woosch

Great vid!!

I want to see Tim behind the wheel of the ZR1, I believe that would make for a fun video...

Timz06

Wow, Woosch and Teddy! We missed you guys out there, along with Bryan!

Only pre-qualified 'master-instructors' along with Noobs from GM are allowed to drive the ZR1!

Tim

AU N EGL

That was pre-qualified by Mr Wallace himself and the person who had the car signed out to them had to be in the right seat.

AU N EGL

Damn Tim

Ol Fire Cracker flies and sound great.

Short-Throw

Tim,

I did pick up the pace a little after you stayed back due to fuel. The ZR-1 did have a little more but I wasn't looking to thrash the car. I was still learning the suspension as well. The car was very predictable and balanced in the turns. For a setup straight off the showroom floor it is fantastic.

I hear you on the fuel costs. I drove 15 hours each way......on diesel.


Mike