0Spec Corvette

Here is in-car video from Oli Thordarson racing his Spec Corvette in the first ever race for one of these cars. The car faired well in a field dominated by SCCA GT1/GT2 and Trans Am TA2 race cars.

Below are Oli's comments about the first real track shakedown of the car. He identifies a number of teething problems he has to correct, but it was the first real full on-track test for the car. He points out some things learned and some things to fix. He predicts more speed for the car as it gets sorted out during the 2018 season.
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My Spec Corvette Race Debut at SCCA Super Tour at Auto Club Speedway

I got to put my Spec Corvette on the track for its first full test this weekend at ACS racing with SCCA at the Super Tour race. The race start when the green flag is thrown is horribly formed up and disorganized. I am not sure why they did not make us go around again. Also, I bounce off the rev limiter a bunch of times as the the limit is set 400 below the setting on my GT2 car. That along with the different gear ratios and I shift too late several times.

I was not actually racing in Spec Corvette with other Spec Corvettes. I entered in GT2 where I was severely outgunned by the higher horsepower cars with wings and splitters, but I was there because I crashed my GT2 Corvette at a previous Thunderhill race and it is not yet repaired. I need the minimum starts and finishes this season if I am to qualify for the SCCA Runoffs in October at Sonoma Raceway.

I elected to start from the very back rather than in P22 where I qualified because we found a gas leak and I wanted to be in back in case the car still had issues. I also drove a bit conservatively at first as I had not driven a track oriented street tire since 2010. Having been always on Hoosier A7s and Pirelli DH slicks I was a bit cautious to figure out what the limits are on the Spec Corvette Falken 615k Plus tire. Data showed the tires should go out at 27 PSI cold and target 33-34 hot, but we felt the fastest PSI would actually be 22 cold and my driving experience in this race leads me to believe this to be true. Further testing is required. ABS was also not working on my Spec Corvette on this maiden race voyage as you will see a few minor lockups and one severe.

I pulled in after nine laps due to a teething problem with fuel starvation exiting corners. I predict these Spec Corvettes will be turning sub 1:50 laps on this track on the Falken street tires. That is a very impressive lap time. My fast lap was only a 1:53.4, but as I progressively got faster my predictive had me at low 1:52, but the fuel starvation killed the lap time. A change of rear end gear ratio to the mandated gear in the differential, resolving the ABS and fuel starvation issue and we will be seeing some very fast lap times and exciting racing in Spec Corvette.

Let me add that the aFe Suspension and Falken tires provide great levels of grip and speed. The Falken tires stick very well and I was impressed with their resiliency even as I got tread temperatures up over 200 degrees. They did not fall off much at all.The reason the aFe suspension set-up and the Falkens worked better together at 22 PSI cold in my opinion is that the tires have more compliance and interact better as part of the overall Spec Corvette suspension system.

PS. I need to adjust my camera angles, too.

You Tube

Kubs

Congrats Oli! Looked like a good outing with just a few teething issues.

Olitho

Thanks. I was really impressed with how the car sticks in the corners. I was running against GT cars on slicks and A7s so I was definitely outgunned in terms of tires and weight, but the Spec Corvette holds its own. Yes, I got some fixes to do on the car to make it perfect, but Spec Corvettes are no doubt fast.

As I continue to learn more about the best alignment settings, tire pressures, shock settings, etc. I will share them here.

TrackAire

You could definitely teach Nascar a thing or two about product ad placement, LOL

Nice job on track, looks like the car held its own. I look forward to seeing more videos and development details as this series grows.

JRitt@essex

Atta boy Oli. Congrats on safely diving into the deep end!

Charley Hoyt

Looks like a lot of fun Oli. You are flying considering you are on street tires with no aero! It will be interesting to see how much faster you get when you get the car dialed in.

Charley

Mick14

Just curious to what you reach up for by the headliner? Nice vid.

dapopa9

i think he was fixing his hair and checking it out in the mirror each lap

Charley Hoyt

I thought he was flipping off (or waving at) the other drivers when he went by

0Adrian @ F.A.S.T.

Looking good

clubracer23

Oli, nice to meet you and your car in person at the track, it's a REALLY good looking car!

Bimota Guy

Calling OnStar for dinner reservations.

Olitho

Ha ha Clint! You are a funny man. I wasn't fixing my hair. I was doing my mascara.

I knew someone would wonder about that. The mirror was not quite tight enough and the G-forces in the turn would cause it to shift a bit so I constantly had to check it and readjust while racing. It is funny the small things that have to be sorted out on a race car when you first put it on a track. That is one of those things.

Olitho

Ha ha! You are a funny man, too. I have already taken enough crap from you on the race track. I don't need to put up with it on the forum too. ;-)

Olitho

The first official Spec Corvette race is this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. A bunch of us are heading out to Buttonwillow Raceway Park. I am leaving around noon today. It is going to be a lot of fun.

kdm123

Looking forward to Saturday as well! I'll be there in the morning to watch.

One of the great things about the Spec Corvette rules is that the spec suspension does not change the basic nature of how the car handles. I don't have my car fully built up yet, but I do have the suspension fitted to my '03 Z06, and it's still the same friendly, precise, and forgiving car that it was when it was stock.

Olitho

Agreed. The Spec Corvette suspension kit keeps it a nice, friendly and forgiving handling car... just faster.

NSFW

Did you find a workaround for the fuel starvation issue?

Do you recall how much fuel was in the tank when the race started and ended?

Thanks!

Olitho

Yes, we resolve the fuel starvation on my 1998. It works great now. I have raced it down to 3 gallons and not gotten starvation. Before, with original fuel system, I was getting starvation before 1/2 a tank.

If you need the name of the solution I will need to look it up. It is only about $250 as I recall.

The amount of fuel I start with varies on the length of the race. I am doing a 90 minute race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Saturday. I will start full and come in around 50 minutes into the race. I suspect it will have about a 1/4 tank when I pit.

NSFW

Yes, I'd love to know what you used to fix it. Thanks!