[OminouSS]

Took my car out to Thunderhill Raceway this weekend as I finally have enough break-in miles on her. I would say that this car kinda hauls ass.

I won't bore you with the whole session but here is my fastest lap. Put down a 2.04 which I think is pretty solid. I'm not familiar with the track so perhaps someone else can chime in on typical times. I know that in the Chrono Series race the fast Porsche put down a 2:02 and his car was a full blown race car. Not bad for a bone stock Camaro off the showroom floor with a lap belt
I'm pretty confident that with some more familiarization with the track and car that we can put down a 2 flat. Just need to get to know the lines. We ran bypass and then added cyclone. This video is with Cyclone.

How do I embed video, dammit!

https://www.youtube.com/embed/ivlu8S...E%3C/iframe%3E




MAY 2017 UPDATE: Rather than clutter up the thread with new posts of the same track I will just update this one as I inch closer towards the elusive 2:00:00 mark. Ran this same track and configuration yesterday and consistently bested my previous time. I ran very consistent 2:03's and sometimes down to the 2:02's. My best, very surprisingly came late in the day at 80 degrees in my last session. This is a testament to the Cup2's, at least when they're new. My new Personal Best: 2:02:106 So very close to the 2:01 I was shooting for this time out. I know there is time to be made up to the tune of seconds. I was not driving very well in these two laps as I missed my marks several times and battled a loose booty. I probably should not have been pushing since it was the last session and I was tiring, but most people had gone home and the track just came at me a little easier this session. Hope it is useful.

[Norm Peterson]

Put just the "ivlu8STv-tc" portion of the video url between "[u r l]" and "[/ u r l]" HTML coding. Without any spaces between the characters inside the braces or quotation marks.

Nice lap, faster than I'd ever see currently . . . pretty nervous nanny you've got there, though.





Norm

[detltu]

Don't know the different layouts, but this is the only Thunderhill time listed on the Camaro5 fast list:

Thunderhill Raceway (3 Mile, CCW, w/ Bypass)
JRL1LE - 2:00.9, 2015 SS/1LE, Manual, Goodyear Eagle F1 G2, Dry Post #8

2:04 sounds pretty awesome for your first time at that track.

[OminouSS]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

Put just the "ivlu8STv-tc" portion of the video url between "[u r l]" and "[/ u r l]" HTML coding. Without any spaces between the characters inside the braces or quotation marks.

Nice lap, faster than I'd ever see currently . . . pretty nervous nanny you've got there, though.



Norm

Thank you Norm!! I'll have to jot that URL thing down. and, yeah... Driver is working through his differences with Car at this point. I believe once I understand the nuances I'll smooth her out a bit. We have different ways of communicating with each other at the moment. And the car is smarter and more capable than I.

Originally Posted by detltu

Don't know the different layouts, but this is the only Thunderhill time listed on the Camaro5 fast list:

Thunderhill Raceway (3 Mile, CCW, w/ Bypass)
JRL1LE - 2:00.9, 2015 SS/1LE, Manual, Goodyear Eagle F1 G2, Dry Post #8

2:04 sounds pretty awesome for your first time at that track.

That makes two of us! I don't know all the layouts as it looks like there is a whole second track over the hill next to this one. The club page said CCW, Eagles Nest. We were not running the bypass this day and I think Cyclone takes a few extra seconds to get through so I'm pretty satisfied with 2:04/2:05's. Thanks for the reference! I always forget that forum now that I'm a spoiled 6 Genner.

[OminouSS]

If anybody is interested in running Thunderhill, NCRC is running it on May 15. I'd love to meet some forum members there. Additionally, they're at Buttonwillow April 1&2. PM if you want information or have any questions how to get started. They have a drivers school that will get you on the track for 5 sessions that day and then cut loose for solo driving. Good organization I have come to learn. I'll be at both events. Rob.

[meyouand987.2]

I will 2nd the NCRC for those new to the track, I instruct for them and they do a great job.

As far as the nannys go, all I can say is wow, there is a LOT of intervention going on. This is the 5th or 6th PDR video I have seen on the track with way too many happening. It's beginning to remind me of a B2 bomber: it won't "fly" without the computer. I see this as a bad thing, as it will give owners confidence in their abilities when they do not really exist, which is a recipe for disaster when they get in a car without them. Anybody else agree? Norm?

[Norm Peterson]

Yes, agreed. If S'Trak is truly working that hard, an abrupt change to no nannies at all without dialing the pace back a bit would be more than a little risky.

But it's kind of a shame there's no way to tell just what actions are setting it off. Then there would at least be a clue as to what needs more work.

Just one of the things I'm wondering about is what drive modes various people in these videos are choosing - I'm aware of the claims made for modes labeled 'Sport' or 'Track', but I have no idea how much more relaxed the resulting interventions would be, relative to 'Normal'.


Norm

[Cremaster]

A 2:04 is a very respectable time. I'll finally be able to get out there for my first outing April 15,16 with NASA. I used to do a similar time with my mildly modified 01 Z06 (seat, harness and race rubber). I ran with the traction control off as it was too intrusive and changed how the car behaved - not to mention overheating the brakes. I've been wondering how the new traction control will work - reviews make it seem pretty good. It did seem to be going on through most of the turns, stopping the rear from stepping out? No brake issues I take it?
Nice lap although I did notice a tendency to drift into the middle of the track before the turns. Holding it wide and using the entire track should allow for better corner speed. Thanks for sharing.

Pete

[Mr. Wyndham]

Awesome video!

With some more practice, and familiarity with the car, I could see you tickling that 2:02 minute mark pretty soon!

[seanblurr]

I may be there Monday the 15th, I will shoot you a PM if I go. Don't be so worried with lap time so soon. Have fun, learn the car, the track and ultimately yourself first.

[OminouSS]

No doubt I was taking advantage of the Nannies. With a car this new to me and an unfamiliar track, I don't feel one bit less of a driver for using them. I just feel smarter for not unnecessarily putting myself and others in harms way while I rein in 650 horsepower.

I appreciate Norm's question and I would like to offer this: First, you can tell what drive mode the driver is in on the bottom right of the display 'DRIVE MODE'. That's the obvious. Now, the harder thing to find as a new owner (and the video audience) is the traction control and stabilitrac options. If the driver elects to turn off TC then the letters PTM will show up just before DRIVE MODE. In that field you will see one of 5 options, i.e. wet, tour, sport 1 sport 2 and track. If the driver leaves the setting in automatic, then the nannies are full ON and there is nothing in this field. You can see that in my video above as I utilized the auto feature. I am posting a video in the morning of the Buttonwillow where you will see the PTM in Track which is TC off.

Additionally, I see the value in the nannies in this manner: they can be tuned incrementally and gradually through 9-settings and I believe that is a huge advantage when it comes to safely learning the vehicle, especially on an unfamiliar track while managing 650HP. This last Saturday at Buttonwillow, I ran my first few laps in drive mode 'Sport' and Stabilitrac at 'Sport 1'. By my 3rd session I was comfortable enough to run drive mode 'Track' and PTM: 'Sport 2'. By the end of day 1, I ran in Track and Race. All my runs on Sunday were with zero nannies. I will tell you that from my experience if you can run a controlled, fast lap with nannies, you are not going to be a complete danger with them off. There is not as big a difference as you may perceive. For a competent driver who is already fast, it allows them to safely find the edge under changing circumstances and perhaps saves the ass of less skilled drivers. Throttle control is still hugely important and you are not going to run a faster lap with nanny input than you are without. Period.

Caveat: Where it is a huge advantage is when the surface is wet. I think if you choose to run an aggressive setting in slippery conditions when there is a conservative setting available, you're probably just a little too big for your own ego. So rest easy Meyouand987. The technology is not making racecar drivers out of JoeBlow, the Sunday track warrior. It is, however providing them with the tools to improve their skills faster and safer than ever before, though.

During my first experience at Buttonwillow this last weekend (2.9 mile CW #13) I became familiar enough with the car to run zero nannies. For the record, that is 'Track mode', eLSD /Stabilitrac - PTM: 'RACE'. TC - off. Zero intervention other than the obligatory ABS that you cannot turn off. In the No-Nanny settings, against 125 other cars I turned the fastest TT time for a non-race car at a 2:01.365 and the third fastest overall behind two ST2, full blown race cars. No spin offs, no drama with the 25 other slower cars on track in my sessions. That was yesterday.

Thank you for the tip Cremaster. I appreciate all the feedback I can get. As for the brakes, I am getting a little fade at the end of a longer run, about 30 min into strong session. Although the traction indicator will pop up a lot, understand that it very sensitive. It's not as bad in reality as the indicator might suggest. You should see that in my next video.

[OminouSS]

Originally Posted by seanblurr

I may be there Monday the 15th, I will shoot you a PM if I go. Don't be so worried with lap time so soon. Have fun, learn the car, the track and ultimately yourself first.

Left another response to you in a different post but I'll repeat it here...I'll make myself available for whatever track day you choose.

[OminouSS]

Originally Posted by Mr. Wyndham

Awesome video!

With some more practice, and familiarity with the car, I could see you tickling that 2:02 minute mark pretty soon!

Thank you!!! And...THANK YOU big time for the Maureen lead. Amazing people there all the way around. Class act she is.

[Mr. Wyndham]

Originally Posted by OminouSS

Thank you!!! And...THANK YOU big time for the Maureen lead. Amazing people there all the way around. Class act she is.

You bet! Don't know what I'd do without her!