[762CAT]

Great driving by the ZL1 owner and congrats to you good sir.

I love these threads because they prove that the driver is still the most important factor. I road race my Hellcat (GASP!) and I've been passed by exactly two cars. A Viper ACR which I chased for multiple laps and a very skilled driver in a Z06. Those are both clearly superior track cars. I've never been challenged by anything else including two now 5th Gen Z28s. Both of those had skilled drivers and were great guys. One was at NCCAR and the other the VIR full course. The VIR full course is a big power track with lots of long straights and the famous climbing esses. The power gap was just to large for the Z28 there.

I say all that not to brag but only to prove the point that the driver matters. My pet pieve is people always say "at least my car can turn." Then they quote ring times and professional drivers times. News flash….the ring is in Germany and you are not a professional driver. I've been to a professional driving school….I'm not a professional driver. Most modern cars are so capable that you likely do not posses the skill to drive it at its absolute limit. IF you do posses the skill to drive it you DAMN sure should not be driving it like that on the street. If you do think you drive it at the limit on the street around turns you are likely very stupid, very dangerous to yourself and everyone around you and should do it on the track. Tracks are well maintained, predictable and you can learn the track and push harder and harder as you go. The street is unpredictable and has traffic, pedestrians and that minor inconvenience called law enforcement.

The speeds and lateral G's these cars are capable of make it simply laughable if you think you are anywhere near the limits on any street. Even if you have a nice highway like the famous tail of the dragon are you apexing every turn and using every inch of the road on you exits? Head on traffic won't allow you to use a proper line and a mistake will be your last. You can drive fast now doubt but not fast enough likely to approach the limit of a ZL1, a Ford GT or even the Hellcat which everybody loves to call a pig. I beg to differ and driving a heavy, high horsepower, rear wheel drive supercharged car with all the noise and drama around a track is what makes it fun!

Ok…mini rant over. Side note….I give props to the Ford GT owner just for tracking it. Most drivers don't track and that seems especially to be the case with exotics. Yes I'd consider the FORD GT and exotic considering it's price point, tech and extreme lack of availability.

[meadowz06]

Two VERY different cars. Both are outstanding!

[762CAT]

To the gentleman who commented about braking zones. Good observation sir. I make up a lot of ground with very aggressive braking and being willing to use all the gators and curbing on tracks like VIR. A lot of folks don't want to put their cars up on curbing and don't want to push that hard into a corner. After all fast in can result in an off track if you misjudge. Nothing wrong with driving your car "conservatively" at a track day. As mentioned they are High Performance Driving Experiences. Not races. Races are very dangerous and require a lot of skill. Watch the start of a Formula 1 race. Accident city. Hard to drive a line and see all the cars around you and not have impacts.

I respect anybody who tracks their car and enjoys it in a controlled environment regardless of their skill. At least they are using the car in a way it was designed to be driven and enjoying the thrill of what it can do.

[UK Basketball Rocks]

Originally Posted by 7WSM

I'd be at least a little embarrassed if I couldn't shake a 70K Camaro in my 500K Ford. I could only imagine what the new ZR1 would even do to a Ford GT.

I think your dreaming about the ZL1 running with the Ford GT, I do not see the GT really trying to get away from the ZL1 and IMO with a capable driver the GT would run away from the ZL1, dont fool yourself thinking it wouldnt.

[Number 3]

Love the video AND the audio.

The ZL1 is an awesome car, no doubt.

But we have a few unknowns here in this video.

1 - skill of the driver of the GT vs the ZL1
2 - giving a sh%tness of the GT driver that a Camaro is behind him
3 - willingness meter of both drivers willing break/wad their cars
4 - trying to not blow up a brand new $450,000 at the first track day

Like I said, great video but on paper this shouldn't even be close.

216 mph top speed
0 - 60 2.9 seconds (est)

And from the video, I'm pretty sure the driver of the ZL1 would have lapped me......twice............if I were driving the GT. And of course that's another wild card, is the driver the owner of the GT?

[JUSTIFIED]

Originally Posted by 762CAT

Great driving by the ZL1 owner and congrats to you good sir.

I love these threads because they prove that the driver is still the most important factor. I road race my Hellcat (GASP!) and I've been passed by exactly two cars. A Viper ACR which I chased for multiple laps and a very skilled driver in a Z06. Those are both clearly superior track cars. I've never been challenged by anything else including two now 5th Gen Z28s. Both of those had skilled drivers and were great guys. One was at NCCAR and the other the VIR full course. The VIR full course is a big power track with lots of long straights and the famous climbing esses. The power gap was just to large for the Z28 there.

I say all that not to brag but only to prove the point that the driver matters. My pet pieve is people always say "at least my car can turn." Then they quote ring times and professional drivers times. News flash….the ring is in Germany and you are not a professional driver. I've been to a professional driving school….I'm not a professional driver. Most modern cars are so capable that you likely do not posses the skill to drive it at its absolute limit. IF you do posses the skill to drive it you DAMN sure should not be driving it like that on the street. If you do think you drive it at the limit on the street around turns you are likely very stupid, very dangerous to yourself and everyone around you and should do it on the track. Tracks are well maintained, predictable and you can learn the track and push harder and harder as you go. The street is unpredictable and has traffic, pedestrians and that minor inconvenience called law enforcement.

The speeds and lateral G's these cars are capable of make it simply laughable if you think you are anywhere near the limits on any street. Even if you have a nice highway like the famous tail of the dragon are you apexing every turn and using every inch of the road on you exits? Head on traffic won't allow you to use a proper line and a mistake will be your last. You can drive fast now doubt but not fast enough likely to approach the limit of a ZL1, a Ford GT or even the Hellcat which everybody loves to call a pig. I beg to differ and driving a heavy, high horsepower, rear wheel drive supercharged car with all the noise and drama around a track is what makes it fun!

Ok…mini rant over. Side note….I give props to the Ford GT owner just for tracking it. Most drivers don't track and that seems especially to be the case with exotics. Yes I'd consider the FORD GT and exotic considering it's price point, tech and extreme lack of availability.

Interesting that you were able to beat Z/28s. Power gap is significant, but have not read a single article or ready any track results that would indicate that a Hellcat could come close to beating a Z/28 on the track (assuming equal drivers). The track configuration probably makes a difference.

[JB'sZL1]

Originally Posted by 762CAT

I make up a lot of ground with very aggressive braking...

I like the HC though I've never been in one. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought that was one of their shortcomings: "inferior" brakes (given the hp).

[762CAT]

The Hellcat braking distance from 60mph is 109ft, the 2017 ZL1 does it in 97ft…less than a car length. When I took a 427 cobra driver around NCCAR is first comment was how strong the brakes are. The rotors are the same size I believe as the ZL1 but of course the ZL1 has wider rubber and lighter weight thus it stops from 60 a bit faster. Both are 6 piston brembos front and 4 piston rear. A LOT of misinformation about the Hellcat and it's capabilities. I routinely hit 1.24 lateral G's on the stock Pirelli Summer tires I use on track. I just get them to cheap to justify a more expensive tire. I got my last set of 6 for 300 dollars with less than 500 miles on them. Hellcat guys regularly sell them off when switching to drag radials. Same way I get a full set of brembo pads for 100 bucks when guys want the low dust stuff. Tracking is pricey enough and at the end we are not really setting lap times so 300 bucks a tire is not worth a couple seconds when there is no prize and no real race.

The Z28 thing was surprising to me as well. NCCAR is pretty twist with lots of long turns but VIR full course is a great track for high horsepower. The guy Larry at VIR owns several Z28s and I really enjoyed chatting with him and believe me it was not for lack of trying on his part. He lives in Daytona I believe and tracks all the time.

Track times are funny. You have to consider conditions and the type of track. Streets of Willow or something like that a Z28 should smoke the cat. But not the case in my run ins. I'll dig up some photos for you guys. Z28 is a great car but a 200hp gap is large.

[762CAT]

Here is the some cars and Z28 from VIR and my G meter after a session. I alway zero it out before a run. Normally the aft G's are pegged from Drag Racing. Lol.

[JB'sZL1]

Good info. Thanks.

[762CAT]

I don't normally subject myself to internet experts but what the hell. Here is video of me chasing the Viper that got away at VIR. Things heat up the second lap once the tires and brakes are warmed up a bit. You can see the speedometer if you look closely and you care. Typical speeds approach 160mph coming up the back straight into the roller coaster. I'd real him in just a bit with the power and trail braking coming into the roller coaster (the down hill turns.) and then a again braking aggressively coming of the front straight. In the third lap I paid the price with 2 wheels off and saved it. I got a little off my line and braked to late. You always make mistakes when the fangs come out and you are chasing another car. Especially one that is lighter with superior grip, aero, suspension and pretty equal power….lol. All good fun. The video demonstrates the good use of the gators though and with the helmet mounted cam you get a sense of how violent it is in the car. It's the most fun you can have!!!

Same driver went off the front straight at turn 1 in another session being to aggressive. He said he was at 140mph at the 3 board still…oops. He did minor damage to the splitter but no big deal.

One more thing for the braking… I use Castrol SRF. It's a must with the amount of heat in these brakes. Enjoy the video.

[JB'sZL1]

Good correction at 5:06. It would be nice if you could see the mph, rpms and G's. Maybe on your next time out.

[762CAT]

Originally Posted by JB'sZL1

Good correction at 5:06. It would be nice if you could see the mph, rpms and G's. Maybe on your next time out.

Go full screen look under steering wheel. RPM gauge on far left. MPH is at top to the display. I brain farted and left the Tire pressures up. Usually the MPH is on the big screen. I really need to download one of the track apps. Not ideal but you can see it.

[Artos]

You should subject yourself more often cat...that was fun. Thanks for sharing.