Quote:
Originally Posted by LESS1
Agree. What I find amusing is a lot of old and new track rats will start planning mods before the car becomes a limiter to performance. Chevy set the bar very high with SS 1LE, so high I'd say that 90%+ of owners that track these cars will never approach the performance limits of the car.
Yet in a never ending quest for speed, these folks mod the car. When in reality more time on track learning about the car and getting comfortable is what most truly need. In my case at this track in the video I posted earlier I went from a SS 1LE PB of 1:25.63 my first time out. To my new PB of 1:21.87, both of these PB times were set with the same mods which include Chevy track alignment and high temp brake fluid, all else stock. And there is still time to be had, maybe a 1/2 second or more from this new PB.
As proof of this more seat time is better than jumping straight into mods belief consider this. The very next day at the same track with cooler temps, no rain, much less wind, and a rubbered up track - your welcome. A ZLE driver set his PB of 1:21.83... only 4 hundredths quicker with better/stickier tires and 200HP advantage. Not saying a ZLE doesn't have more in it because a well driven stock ZLE will go around this track in 1:19 or better.
Arrive and drive is the way to go for sure. I gave up on the change tires...etc stuff at the track a long time ago and will never go back to that madness. Much more enjoyable to relax in between sessions, watch PDR and work on correcting my mistakes. I do get a chuckle out of watching others scramble after getting out of their car to prep for the next session, especially humorous when a good rain shows up!
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Well, you took words right out of my mouth! That's not to say that stickier tires, etc wont eventually lead to faster times. Of course they will and i appreciate those that do know how to get 90+% out of the car wanting more. It is part of anyone's progression it seems. And some just like to continue improving their cars, or outright tinker
But, in 99% of all cases, the driver will matter the most.
I am not the fastest by any means, but i am still waiting for a single ZL1, or a ZLE for that matter, to pass me.
I am sure it will happen. But it wont be just the car, or the sticky tires, but the driver that will make it happen.
The thing is, many folks want to somehow accelerate their progress quickly and as such, blow money on mods vs seat time, as the former doesnt take any time. Just money. It seems easy and guaranteed. My ZL1 friend ran an Rcomps and i passed him. Next season he showed up on G3Rs and i still passed him. This year he may show up on slicks. And i know i will still pass him. Because i can get more out of my car than he can out of his no matter what tires he's on. I laugh when ZLE guys come over for a chat scratching their heads after being passed. Too many ppl automatically assume that a faster car will always equal faster laps.
But of course that's not the case and our own Fastest Laps illustrate it pretty good. OTOH a friend runs a modded street legal 1M Bimmer and we are neck to neck most of the time. Another one drives a Carrera GTS and it is a cake walk. Again, too many variables here, incl driver experience, but bottom line is to have fun!
Anyway, it is all good and i try hard (sometimes i should try even harder lol!) not to get bend out of shape about it anymore. Only a few even consider the advice, most promptly ignore it and look for shortcuts. And i am confident they will have a eureka moment eventually. Well, hopefully!
I think we've all been there at one point or another, to be honest. I am no exception!
Ive gone a full circle, from a stock car on streets, to a stock car on Rcomps, to a modded car with a tire trailer, to a track car and a full trailer and hauler, back to a stock car on streets. Funny, as my FUNometer has never been higher and my PITAmeter lower
But i must confess, if not for the Camaro, i am not sure I'd get there, unless i paid 3 times the price and got a GT4. And since no GT4 has ever passed me either: here's to our cars! Cheers!