Went back to Sebring this weekend. Yesterday was okay, this is a popular Chin event due to a.) it's Sebring and b.) January weather in Florida can be pretty awesome. The track seemed a bit slick and I was on basically dead PSC2's (track days and street driving), but wanted to get my money out of them.
Car is same as it's been...GM recommended track prep w/SRF, stock GM pads, oil cooler shield and PSC2's. I think the larger from splitter end plates and clear center wicker would help at Sebring quite a bit...maybe later this year. Also, I'll kill a set of stock pads (iron brakes) in 5-6 sessions here. So after the day ended yesterday, I broke out my cooler full of beer, tools and swapped on some fresh tires and front pads for today. Still, you can see that I'm getting pretty bad pad fade by looking at my brake input on the last lap or so. When it's at a full 5 bars, they're giving it all, lol.
Anyway, nothing incredible, but decent. Surprisingly, I don't have a ton of time at Sebring, so hoping to get faster and move those average laps into the ~:19 range with fliers in the ~:17's as the car sits. Was a lot of fun with the white Cup Car. At ~19:50 as pad fade started slowing me down a little, I gave him the point in T5. You can hear him come up next to me as he gave me a thumbs up and motioned for me to "go". Nobody behind or around us as this was the last session of the day for red run group...so we were having fun.

I think I'm done until Daytona in April. I've got 4 hours in Chump Cars this coming Saturday at Road Atlanta so ready for a break after that. Temps were in the low-mid 70's this afternoon and cloudy. Beautiful track weather. There were at least 5 other C7 Z06's there, hope they all ran well.
S.

 

Thanks for the data. I only watched your video three times so far but have a question. And after I view it another 10 or so times.....Will have more questions.....

Can you describe how many miles on the psc2's.....and % of street vs track miles?

 

I see your Oil temps were high, any power loss felt from this?

 

300dF oil temps Sean in 70dF ambient? Man we need a secondary EOC don't we? lol
Bish

 

Hi Sean. My name is Jon. I have been an avid fan of your PDR videos for a while now. Some of the questions that follow, will seem very basic and as if they are from a new Corvette driver. That is in fact the case, so please bear with me on some Q's

First of all, I have a question about "tire talk."
Ross Bently has a video series that suggest tire talk is a big component when it comes to "sensing" the car, while tracking.
In fact, i hear very little tire talk from my tires on track, at speed, nor do i hear it in your videos. What gives?

One thing that is nice about Sebring is there seems to be markers, and structures all around the track. This has got to help overall awareness.

One issue i am having at Big Willow is: since it is out in the desert, and there is very little structure surrounding the track, i start to get tunnel vision and only focus on the near track ahead of me. Also, the turn markers at Big willow are all on the inside of the track, so this poses a challenge. Do you have any suggestions with regard to getting better at that or is this just a matter of accumulating more seat time?

Asked this because you stated that you have not even run Sebring much, yet you seem to be smooth as silk, and tearing it up quite well out there. What is a realistic amount of time to attempt to shave, from a drivers last best lap, on any given day?

Side question: Do you have a recommendation on an in-car communication unit for driver/instructor. Brand, and model?

Thanks for posting the video. I especially like the transition from R to L at 8:10-8-12. Very smooth driving.



Thanks
Jon

 

DLC7, you may know (or have heard) of Jack Olsen. He runs a pretty fast old 300hp Porsche (about 1 sec slower than Pobst in a Z07) and KNOWS Big Willow like crazy. I know him via various internet groups, etc. You can DEFINITELY help from using his references. He addresses the very problem you have (lack of reference) in this video...hope it helps you:

 

Hey Jon

I'm not Sean, but I'm sure he will chime in and elaborate!!

My experience is that, the more track/competition ready a tire is, the less sound feedback you get from it. When I used to run Hoosiers I got virtually no "talk" from them in corners. The softer/stickier tires just grip right up until they're ready to let loose. That's one reason some track day organizing groups don't want novice drivers on anything like Hoosiers.

I looked in your profile and see you have the Z07 package, so if you're running the MPSC2's, they are pretty soft and sticky, and you just won't hear much talking from them. I've been running them for the last year, and I get just a little bit of screeching in some corners.


Many instructors use a Chatterbox. Google it and you'll be able to get info on it, and probably get lots of track supply sites that sell it.


Yes - Sean's video shows he is driving very smooth, and very fast!! Those lap times are VERY good!!!

That area at 8:10-8:12 is where you come out of a right sweeper and onto an old road (the whole track is an old airport with runways, taxiways, and access roads). That road is significantly "crowned" with slopes going down on the left and right of the centerline. You have to be smooth going across the centerline or the car will really twitch as you cross the centerline and go down the slope as you transition to the left side to set up for the hard/tight right at the end of that short straight. You can see in the video that Sean is going about 125-130 mph as he crosses the centerline.

When I come to the end of that right turn and am tracking out to the left, my shift point is right about at the centerline (I have manual in both my Z06 and ZR1). But, if I shift right there it kind of unsettles the car just enough to make it twitch uncomfortably, so I short shift just before I hop over the centerline in order to have a smooth transition to the left. However, I agree - Sean does a very nice smooth job of it!!

Bob

 

They make noise, just not as much as a harder, less track-focused tire does. In particular, I hear them scrubbing in several turns include T3, T10, T13, T15...etc. I don't hear them in T7 because the rumble strips.
In general, there are markers on most tracks. I say most, but perhaps not as apparent on all. Curbing, marks on the track (repave areas, paint, etc.) all help.
Look ahead and through your next turn. You have to pic something you can see repeatedly and use as a reference. At Sebring, the bridges work well as references. If I'm well over 140 mph on the front straight at SIR, and I know the brakes are getting a little soft, I'll brake further out from it.
I couldn't really guess unless I was familiar with the driver's lap times and track and skill level. I will say this, look at averages. Lap times can EASILY vary several seconds based on traffic or even a misplaced turn-in or slight bobble. It's rare to get lap after lap of open track. Just work on one turn at a time and try piecing it all together. I know guys who have been searching for that perfect Sebring lap for years, lol.
I have a Nady PMC 2X, but I'm sure there are other, better choices. I haven't used a communicator in a long time, so not sure if there is better stuff out there. I'd rely on opinions from guys like BEZ who instruct.
My pleasure. As pointed out that section of track can be deceptive due to crowning. So a smooth track out seems to work well. I really like T7, it's one of my favorite parts of the track.
S.

 

Snorman, are you running a catch can? details please. I have the elite EX-2, and have issues on track. Do you get oil in intake and under supercharger cover? Do you run the 1/2 quart overfill as recommended? My car was way, way down on performance on track with my newly installed catch can?
Thanks

nice video and driving.

 

No, I am not running a catch can. I also have not removed the supercharger cover. There has been no oil in the inlet leading to the throttle body or the airbox. I also do not overfill the dry sump as GM states. I put exactly 9.8 quarts of oil in the car after an extended drain time. I have had occasional random misfire codes that I'm starting to correlate with fuel levels (strange), but they clear after a restart or a drive cycle or two or I reset them with my scan tool. But never any intake codes.
Thanks.
S.

 

Sean, great vid. I always enjoy watching your stuff.

I have a question on your code reader. I have a code reader that reads and clears codes on C6 vettes fine. I haven't had a need to try it on my new Z, but wondered if it'll work. I've heard chatter suggesting the new Z requires a newer/different code reader, but not sure I believe that.

What do you use?

 

I don't recall the make off the top of my head. But it's yellow. I would have to check in my trailer and I'm not there today.