03-18-2023, 06:59 PM | #1 |
Drives: Hyper Blue 2016 2SS 6M Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: North Ga
Posts: 1,794
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Is this a recipe for disaster?
Hey guys, I am registered for my first track say of the season at Road Atlanta tomorrow. In order to make it to the track in time for registration, tech check, driver's meet, etc. I will need to leave home at 5:30am, when the temperature is forecasted to be a balmy 25 degrees. It's a 65 mile ride to the track.
The car is basking in a 70 degree garage where it will remain until I head out for the track. I'm running Goodyear Supercar3's. I'm hoping that immediately getting on the road with warm tires will enable me to make it to the track without incident. Assuming I make it to the track, the temp should be around 35 degrees for my first session. The forecast calls for full sun all day, which will certainly help. By my 2nd session, it will have warmed up to 40 degrees. What do you guys think? I have a good bit of tracking experience, but have never driven summer compound tires in temperatures any where near this cold. I was caught with my pants down in this situation. 25 degrees in Georgia this time of year is certainly not the norm.
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Baby Blue
2016 Hyper Blue 2SS/6m/MRC/NPP/Silver Rally stripes/ZL1 wheels & brakes/GForce DS and axles/ZLE Cradle Bushings/FE4 ARB front & rear/SEMA Grill/Rotofab dry/95mm TB/Magnuson 2300/Full LT4 fuel system/JMS boost-a-pump/E85 Sensor/Ported CID heads from LME/Cammotion PD cam/Thompson Motorsports forged shortblock/catted Kooks 1 7/8 headers /JRE remote tuned |
03-18-2023, 07:24 PM | #2 |
Drives: 2010 2SS/RS Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Clarksville Tennesse.
Posts: 6,089
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I drive my 5th Gen n colder without issue you just have to be smart about things.
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Orange Krush II
1LE Front sway bar, Splitter, shocks and struts, Z28 dual mode mufflers, Intake, UCA Bushings, and Toresen 3.91 Diff. 1 piece DSS Drive Shaft, ZL1/C7 Calipers, and 32mm JPSS Rear Bar. ASC race spec splitter and wicker. 6th Gen M017 Wheels. Stainless Works 1 7/8 LTs. DSE and PAFDT Suspension components. |
03-18-2023, 07:39 PM | #3 |
Drives: 2004 BMW 330CI, 2022 1SS 1LE Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: NC
Posts: 822
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You will be fine, I've done several trackdays at this point where the temps start below freezing and go to around 40F by the hottest part of the day. Take 2 or so laps to get your tires up to temperature depending how aggressive you drive. The first 4-5 turns will have 0 grip.
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03-18-2023, 08:18 PM | #4 | |
Drives: Hyper Blue 2016 2SS 6M Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: North Ga
Posts: 1,794
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Quote:
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Baby Blue
2016 Hyper Blue 2SS/6m/MRC/NPP/Silver Rally stripes/ZL1 wheels & brakes/GForce DS and axles/ZLE Cradle Bushings/FE4 ARB front & rear/SEMA Grill/Rotofab dry/95mm TB/Magnuson 2300/Full LT4 fuel system/JMS boost-a-pump/E85 Sensor/Ported CID heads from LME/Cammotion PD cam/Thompson Motorsports forged shortblock/catted Kooks 1 7/8 headers /JRE remote tuned |
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03-18-2023, 08:24 PM | #5 |
Drives: Hyper Blue 2016 2SS 6M Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: North Ga
Posts: 1,794
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My scariest experience so far is when i drove in the mid 30's, in rain. I survived that, so 25 in the dry may actually be a piece of cake.
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Baby Blue
2016 Hyper Blue 2SS/6m/MRC/NPP/Silver Rally stripes/ZL1 wheels & brakes/GForce DS and axles/ZLE Cradle Bushings/FE4 ARB front & rear/SEMA Grill/Rotofab dry/95mm TB/Magnuson 2300/Full LT4 fuel system/JMS boost-a-pump/E85 Sensor/Ported CID heads from LME/Cammotion PD cam/Thompson Motorsports forged shortblock/catted Kooks 1 7/8 headers /JRE remote tuned |
03-18-2023, 08:28 PM | #6 |
Drives: Chevrolet SS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: St. Charles, MO
Posts: 1,486
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Agree with the above replies. Your tires will be fine. The worst part would be when you leave home, but you're keeping them warm in the garage. Once you're rolling on them, they'll generate enough heat to avoid any damage. Once you start making laps at the track, they'll generate quite a bit of heat for themselves.
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Matt Miller
2020 SS 1LE |
03-18-2023, 10:12 PM | #7 |
Banned
Drives: Camaro 1LE Join Date: May 2018
Location: USA
Posts: 1,348
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I went through this about 2 years ago and had no issues. Although not quite as cold, we left at 5am with temperature around 30*. I picked a route that kept the speed up to keep as much heat in the tires for the 1+ hour trip to the track. Also ran a space heater in the garage the night before to get as much heat in the tires as possible. My garage usually sits around 70* year-round to begin with. When we opened the door that morning to leave, it was around 78* so we had a good starting point. My car has the Goodyear Eagle Supercar G:2's btw so obviously not quite as soft as yours but still concerning as I never drive the car in those low temps. Still had to be very cautious and gentle with throttle but not as bad as I was expecting. 👍
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03-18-2023, 11:36 PM | #8 |
Drives: 2020 ZL1 1LE Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Austin, Texas
Posts: 1,347
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The 3Rs don't grip until warmed up on the track. Car will be loose. Be careful on warm up with maybe two laps in the first sessions. Driving there should be ok at 25F, air up for the drive.
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2020 ZL1 1LE [Moroso SC Expansion Tank, otherwise stock]
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03-19-2023, 03:58 PM | #9 |
Drives: Hyper Blue 2016 2SS 6M Join Date: Sep 2017
Location: North Ga
Posts: 1,794
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Just finished my last session and the tires were a non issue both on track and on the way over. It was just so stupid cold this morning that I didn't know what to expect. While I will avoid track days that barely get out of the 30's in the future, at least I know that, if push comes to shove, I can make it work.
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Baby Blue
2016 Hyper Blue 2SS/6m/MRC/NPP/Silver Rally stripes/ZL1 wheels & brakes/GForce DS and axles/ZLE Cradle Bushings/FE4 ARB front & rear/SEMA Grill/Rotofab dry/95mm TB/Magnuson 2300/Full LT4 fuel system/JMS boost-a-pump/E85 Sensor/Ported CID heads from LME/Cammotion PD cam/Thompson Motorsports forged shortblock/catted Kooks 1 7/8 headers /JRE remote tuned |
03-19-2023, 04:55 PM | #10 | |
Drives: 2004 BMW 330CI, 2022 1SS 1LE Join Date: Dec 2021
Location: NC
Posts: 822
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Quote:
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03-19-2023, 09:57 PM | #11 | |
Drives: 2017 Blue Camaro 1SS 1LE with PDR Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,004
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Quote:
Thankfully the OP had Supercar 3 (not 3R). I drove on Supercar 3s in the high 20s °F to VIR after the car set outside in the cold all night at the hotel and thankfully had no issues but I was uneasy about doing it. |
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03-19-2023, 10:05 PM | #12 |
Drives: 2017 Blue Camaro 1SS 1LE with PDR Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 1,004
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The car is capable of the fastest lap times in cold temperatures if the sun is out to warm up the track surface but it is definitely not the most comfortable experience for the driver!
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03-19-2023, 10:45 PM | #13 | |
Drives: 2021 2SS 1LE Join Date: Aug 2020
Location: Cary, NC
Posts: 860
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Quote:
On the track in the morning, traction was down, as the day was only partly sunny, and it was taking me about 2.5-3 laps to get the tires warm. Some suggested I slide the car around a bit to try to warm the tires faster, but that was an uncomfortable feeling because there wasn't much demarcation between traction and exceeding the limit. Whoever coined the phrase "like driving on hockey pucks" wasn't kidding! So how do you guys go about warming the tires as quickly as possible on track? |
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03-20-2023, 07:28 AM | #14 |
Drives: Chevrolet SS 1LE Join Date: Oct 2019
Location: St. Charles, MO
Posts: 1,486
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Guys, unless I'm missing something, the OP is on SC3s, not 3Rs.
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Matt Miller
2020 SS 1LE |
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